One of my favorite parts about the World Race journey has been encountering people who have a tremendous faith and have left everything behind. Our ministry host this month is an example of just that.
What a man of faith. As I listened to his story I was amazed by his faith. He literally trusts God in everything. He moved to the States from the Dominican Republic at the age of 21. He was not a Christian at that point in his life. He had a baby out of wedlock and had a severe drinking problem. He eventually got married but wasn’t partaking in a healthy lifestyle. One day he was invited to church by a friend and in his mind he thought it’d be a perfect opportunity to find more women for himself. That day instead of finding himself another woman, he was wrecked by God. He accepted Jesus that day as his Lord and Savior. His life was completely transformed and he was freed from his addiction to alcohol.
From that point in his life, God kept opening up doors. He blessed him with eight beautiful children and with jobs that continually provided for his family. His life was good and rich in resources. About ten years ago, while visiting his parents in the Dominican Republic, he was wrecked by the amount of children trapped in poverty. poverty children were exposed to there. He felt God call his family to leave behind all of the comforts and move back to serve the least of these. His wife and kids agreed but the extended family who lived in the Dominican thought he was crazy to leave the American Dream. The majority of the people here would do anything to have the opportunity to move to the States. Here he was with only a vision and no resources, packing up his family and leaving America.
After much prayer Rueben and his wife Vicky now run two children centers, continue to build their Hope Mountain property, and are continuing to dream big. They are dreaming of one day building an orphanage and a women’s home on this Hope Mountain property. One of the children centers run two shifts; one group of kids in the morning and another group in the afternoon. Each group of kids receive a nutritious meal (for many children this is the only meal they get to eat) and education. They also use this center as their church facility.
Our team had the opportunity to spend the day this week at the center (highlight of my month!! :)) playing and dancing with those precious kids. During our lunch hour we visited some of the families living in the neighborhood to pray for them and ask about how the center has impacted their lives. These families have seen a night and day difference: they have found Jesus, their kids are kept off the streets (this community is in a dangerous part of town), kids are performing higher than their peers in school, and parents are relieved that their children won’t go hungry.
I hope his story touches your heart as much as it did mine. I’m also still fundraising to cover my living expanses. Your donation would cover transportation, food and lodging. Please pray and consider donating to help me reach my goal.
