A couple of weeks ago...
This is my new room. I am finally settling in. I was able to do some decorating right before my birthday. After three months here, I finally have a dresser and a night stand. So grateful to the men who painted my room for me. I am reminded that such little things to us in the states... many don't have here. I am grateful and humbled!
This is my friend and neighbor Daniela. Many of you have prayed for her. She is doing SO well! Thank you for your prayers!
The pictures above were taken by my friend Justin who came to visit me from Atlanta. Well, he came for a wedding but got to spend 2 days with me before the wedding. (I told him that he will always be the first person to come and visit.) Along with bringing me some care packages -- THANK YOU-- and books in Spanish -- DOUBLE THANK YOU -- He also captured some beautiful pictures and video of the people in the town and of me chatting with some kids inviting them to the Saturday Bible Study that I do. He also helped me take pictures of kids who currently don't have a sponsor. After taking pictures, we distributed milk to those families. Please continue to pray for the 60 kids who have no sponsor. Also, the library is being built in the coming weeks to help the kids be able to read. If you support me, you helped purchase the shelves. Thank you! Please continue to pray that I will continue to receive books for the library.
There are 12 young adults who recently graduated high school or who are currently in college who have come to stay in the D.R. until May. They are a part of SCORE's GAP program. They take Bible and Spanish classes, are involved in weekly ministry, and get to do home visits. Five of them decided to spend their weekend with me and Mirqueya, helping us with ministry. On Saturday, we took two little girls, Flor María and Rosalía to shop for uniforms and underclothes.
Afterwards, we went to their home to drop them off. Their house is in the furthest part of Quisqueya. Honestly, it was one of the worse off houses that I have seen here. Like many houses in this area, there is no bathroom or indoor plumbing. Their floor is a dirt floor. They also live close to the dump where they burn trash. So, they often inhale the fumes from the fires. I praise the Lord that their parents and Flor María have come to know Christ as their Savior. They have an eternal hope that surpasses anything that they could have here. I pray for provision for their family and that God would continue to keep Flor María as a part of my life.
This is Flor Maria's little brother. He cracked me up with his beautiful smile and playfulness.
Another missionary, Jaime, and I, along with Karleigh, a long-term SCORE intern, decided to go out on the beach early Monday morning to watch the sunrise. DR has beautiful sunrises and sunsets, but this day it rained. Even in the rain, God's glory shown through!
Women's Week 2013
To start of Women's Week, a group from Tennessee treated us to a devotion, encouragement through prayer, committment to pray for the missionaries even when they went home, and a surprise gift.
I had the fortunate opportunity to spend the rest of my week with these women! What a blessing they were to me.
Ginger Millerman was our speaker for the week. She both spoke and sang. Ginger had an incredible testimony of continued faith during her life after having almost lost one of her twins boys, having adopted a little girl from India, and living with many of her friends who are suffering with terminal illnesses. She spoke on having and truly understanding the faith, hope and love that only comes from God.
I led my Women's week group with Kelly, a dominican missionary. Here, I am translating for her about the Dominican people. She's explaining that Dominican roots are indigenous, Spanish and African.
In the planning for Women's Week, we were challenged to be intentional with our time on the bus, by sharing our testimonies. Here I am sharing. Please pray for continued boldness in sharing the Gospel.
First stop during Women's Week? San José village, the village that we visited and stayed in last year with Wesleyan. I am hoping to visit regularly to help the teacher there get organized and give her ideas for teaching. She has a heart for her village, but no background in education. In March, I will hopefully return to San José to stay with the Wesleyan team of girls that is returning. I just read the list of the team. I know most of the girls because they either traveled with me last year, are part of my freshman girls from last year or I just knew them from the hallway. So excited!
This is Craig, the pastor of San José village, his wife (all the way to the left), and some of his disciples. Also, to the right is the new teacher of the pre-school, who I will be helping. By the way, Craig is known as the man who caught tarantulas last year. He's at it again. I caught him on a tarantula hunt just a few days ago at SCORE.
This is the church in San José. It is still beautifully painted. The Wesleyan team last year painted it!
This is the new school in San José.
Evelyn is the teacher in San José. She is the only person in her village to have a bachelor's degree. After becoming a Christian, God changed her heart and made her want to help her people. Even though she has a degree in accounting, Evelyn decided to help by teaching the kids -- not only about reading and math, but about God's love. Here, Connie, a teacher and experienced teacher-trainer, is explaining centers to Evelyn. I hope that I can help Evelyn with her ministry.
We sang songs with them!
This is Neomi and her daughter Smiley from San José village. Neomi cooked for us all last year when we stayed in the village. Her husband, Omar, is Craig's disciple and is hoping to be a pastor one day.
Some girls from San José.
This woman is beautiful isn't she? On Wednesday afternoon of Woman's week, we went to Lily House and the women heard a devotion about God being King above all Kings. And, if we believe in Him, that makes us his son's and daughters... daughters of the king are princesses. The ladies were so excited to understand that message. Who doesn't want to be a princess?
Before we heard our devotion, the women had a runway contest. They made wedding dresses out of toilet paper. Truthfully, I was astounded. The dress I tried to make was a disaster, but some truly have a talent and made some pretty dresses that included a clutch and a hair piece. Wow!
Both our group and others taught the ladies at Lily House, a home for women who used to be prostitutes, how to make scarves and jewelry that they can sell. Some groups have begun to do jewelry parties in the states to help raise money for Lily House. Please pray for their continued support. Prostitution is a huge problem here and many women feel like they have no other choice.
On Thursday, we traveled to a church in Quisqueya that I attend on Sunday nights and did a Women's day. They enjoyed devotions on letting God use us in spite of what we have or don't have. We also had crafts to make necklaces, earrings, and baskets. My favorite, though was the exercise session. God does command us to take care of our bodies. Here, I am doing a wall squat. 30 seconds!
And we did lunges.
This is the church that we worked in.
These women were honored at the Lily House graduation for having completed 1 or 2 years away from the streets. On Thursday night, I had the opportunity to go out on my first street ministry. We walked down the streets of Boca Chica, where there are lots of prostitutes and men hanging out with prostitutes. The thing that struck me most was how open prostitution is here and how the street we walked down looked nothing like that street in the famous movie Pretty Woman but rather like a typical street with bars and clubs in the United States. I am grateful for a ministry that helps rescue these women. I pray for God to work in the lives of the men who travel to this country buy these women. I pray for the Lord to do BIG things through the Lily House ministry.
This is a picture of me and little Ashanti, a girl from Pasitos de Jesus. She is absolutely precious. This picture is special to me for a few reasons. First, it took about 3 months for her to let me hold her. But even more, last Sunday night, we received the horrible news that two of our missionaries, Giovanny and Carolina lost their daughter to a heart attack. It was a complete surprise to everyone. Ashanti is her exact age. Little Giovanna was born on March 8, 2012 and passed away this past Sunday morning. Life is so precious. Please pray for Giovanny and Carolina. I cannot imagine how hard it is on them to lose their daughter.
But thanks be to God that there is hope!
I am so grateful for His good news!
Even when it is hard, when we receive bad news, or when we are faced with hard realities...
In God, there is Hope!
He is stronger!
He has already won!
No comments:
Post a Comment