Sunday, November 10, 2013

Hasta Luego!


Buenos Dias! Our time here in the beautiful Dominican Republic is coming to a close. The Lord has blessed us in so many ways and I want to extend our gratitude and appreciation for all the prayer and support that you have given us.
 Friday night we had a closing banquet to hear from the different sites and to say goodbye to the people who we have met and grown to love and who we may not see again. It was great to hear from site leaders of how they had been encouraged and blessed by the servant heart’s in LIFT 30 and to see how God has been working throughout the DR.
 One farewell really stuck with me. In Los Higos, at the education and social work sites as we were preparing to drive away Friday afternoon and bid farewell to the people in the community. Hector is a young Dominican man who has been helping to teach an English class at the Los Higos School and who is extremely dedicated to his work for the Kingdom of God.  I watched as he turned to say goodbye to Nate, a LIFT student who had been serving at his site. Hector placed his hand on Nate’s shoulder and told him what a pleasure and blessing it had been to work with him the past two weeks, he ended by saying, “If I do not see you on this Earth, brother, we will meet again in Heaven”.  It reiterated the eternal value of a life dedicated and working for the Kingdom and glory of God, along with an amazing sense of unity with all our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout every nation.
We have been reading in our classes about radical abandonment of our own lives and giving up everything for Christ, learning about Christians around the world and praying for the persecuted church.  This learning has been brought to life as we are seeing real examples in the Dominican and in the missionaries working with Students International.  It has been a privilege to serve and to learn. To come away with a vision for how each one of us has a responsibility to minister and lead by example in whatever vocation or mission that Christ calls us to. To be transformed by the renewing of our minds and to impress upon our hearts that there is nothing greater than Christ’s love.  Dios le bendiga!
-          Abigail Hanna
 
       Abi and Laura wouldn't write about this, but I will - these two young women who posted our blogs wanted to experience buying, slaughtering, gutting, de-feathering, butchering, cooking, and eating a chicken.  They did this last week on their own initiative with the permission of the missionaries they were serving with - all in a matter of one morning.  This was a step up from catching their own fish with a plastic bag, killing it, gutting it and eating it during the first week of orientation.  These ladies may soon be having their own missionary survival reality show.
      Saturday the group spent the day getting caught up on rest by going snorkeling at a reef off of the north shore of the island.  Today we attended two different church services to worship with our Dominican brothers and sisters.  Tomorrow we will start with a group run, then have a final class, have a session to debrief the mission experience and discuss what they learned, followed by interviews for second-semester students, then pack up.  We fly home Tuesday and should be arriving back at Camp around 8:30 p.m.
      Thanks so much for supporting us all during this amazing time of seeing God at work in the lives of so many.  We will be having an open forum presenting and reporting on our time and ministry at the Dominican Republic at the Sonju Sports Complex at Camp-of-the-Woods, starting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 20th.

      This is Tim signing off from the Dominican Republic with LIFT 30 and Students International. 

Friday, November 8, 2013

Transformation - One Day at a Time!


Que tal, mi amigos!
I hope that you are all doing well and want to thank you for taking the time to check up on us and see how things have been progressing during our time here in the Dominican Republic. Today was our last work day at our ministry sites and our time here in Jarabacoa is quickly coming to a close. However, the past week and a half have been filled with incredible experiences and eye- opening observations and I am confident that the memories that we will have from this trip will stay with us for a long time to come and will have an impact on how each of us will view ourselves, the people around us, and the world in the future.
I know for me personally, it has been a very eye opening experience as I have had the opportunity to witness true poverty for the first time in my life. As I look around, I see desolate communities filled with run-down, one or two room houses, families that are afflicted by disease and sickness, and a people group without any hopes or dreams. I know that I can say I have witnessed a good deal of physical, emotional, and spiritual poverty throughout this nation.

If this were the end of the story, then the plight of the Dominican Republic would be grave indeed. However, it is in the areas of darkness that the light shines the brightest and I have noticed that while people here are not as materially prosperous as we are in the United States and suffer from poor living conditions and health standards, the people here truly value each other and openly express it through their welcoming generosity and willingness to spend time with each other, regardless of their circumstances.  For example, during my time here, I have been invited into the homes of different Dominican families and were served lunch on three different occasions and have seen two people stop in the middle of their business to ask how the other person was and show an active interest by taking the time to focus on that relationship, an activity that I feel the United States has begun to lose over the past few years.

Furthermore, I have been greatly encouraged by the work of the missionaries that I have had the privilege to work alongside. They all have different backgrounds and come from a variety of places all over the United States and Latin American, but they all have a prevailing passion for the Lord which draws them to this country and unites them together in a mission to bring help and healing to the Dominican people through their occupations and the hope of the Gospel.  I had the blessed opportunity to work alongside Dr. Fernando Gonzalez as he goes out into the different communities around Jarabacoa to diagnose the sick and provide them with basic medication and prayer. His ministry is an ideal example of relational ministry as he takes the time to visit his patients, sit with them, talk with them, and sing songs of praise to God with them as he plays guitar. His model is just one of the many examples of relational ministries that the missionaries at Students International provide and serves as a model for the future of occupational and relational ministry.



There is still a lot of work that needs to be done here and it could be many years before any significant change occurs, but the good news of the Gospel is being shared and lives are being transformed one day at a time, and I am so blessed to have this opportunity to witness it. God bless! Hasta Luego!

 

-Brendyn Miller

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Human Depravity Overreaching the Barriers of Culture


Hola, mi familia y amigos! Apologies for the lack of posting in the past couple days! I’ve written a couple thoughts that have been circulating within the group as the Holy Spirit moves, and also ask you all to continue in prayer for LIFT 30’s temporary ministry, but also Students International’s ongoing ministry here in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic! 

As I was hand scrubbing my laundry in the late afternoon, feeling immersed in the culture of the Dominican Republic, God brought me to a place of contentment as thoughts of cultural barrier and yet the similarity of human depravity scoured my thoughts. Over mine and Abi’s first couple of days working in the Social Work site in Los Higos community, I was taken aback by the stark contrasts between the culture of America and the culture of the Dominican Republic. I have the urge to “get back to work” during their cultural time of siesta, or somehow chart the progress of the work in the site thus far, while they are interested more in the relationships with each individual in the familial community. I desire so strongly to know the local Dominican’s perspective of us, “the Americans”, walking through the dirt paths of their community. We come from the land that they dream of reaching one day, the opportunity of the United States. We are raised with the knowledge engrained in us that if we work hard, we will attain success, namely the ‘American Dream’.
The Dominicans, however, come from a culture with a long history of slavery and desire to deny their sole roots of oppression, while being shunned from the people of whom they seek approval. Though I try, I don’t believe I can imagine myself growing up in a tiny house off a small dirt pathway, my only realistically attainable goal being to find a companion and bear children at the young ages of 14, 15, or 16. These two cultures are quite abstrusely distanced in these ways. However, as I was sharing these thoughts with my fellow LIFTer Abi at the Social Work site in Los Higos, she shared her overarching perception of the similarity of human pain above the traditions and worldview through different  cultures, having heard the day before of the struggles of self-worth, sexual abuse, and deceit that our missionary site leaders come across in the women they minister among.                                                                                                                         
Yes, culture and community shape and root people in greatly contrasting ways, yet the ultimate truth of humanity is shared: Our depravity apart from a Savior. Through this knowledge and the forefront of our mission being the greatest commandment, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and sequentially the second commandment, to love our neighbors as ourselves, God uses us to spread His Kingdom through His plan and in His timing. Each of us then are seeking personally and collectively the purpose in which God has for us in Jarabacoa, as we bring encouragement to the site leaders and a new set of hands to aid in their long term ministry.                                                                                                                                                

The United Kingdom of God
On Sunday, our LIFT group was split into two groups, having the chance to worship in two different Dominican churches. In talking with people from both my church group and the other church group, the first answer in response to the overall experience of the church was that the worship was amazing. While cliché, it is easy to subconsciously define God as an “American God”, our minds selfishly encapsulated in the concerns of our own country. Going overseas, worshipping in another language, hearing the Word of God shared in a foreign language, and most of all meeting brothers and sisters of another race and tongue allows our perception of God to transcend all borders, languages, and cultures.
While having an amazing opportunity to serve Christ with our Dominican brothers and sisters, we have also just begun praying for the persecuted church around the world through the information from the ministry of Voice of the Martyrs. In becoming aware of the violence and persecution happening daily, our hearts have been broken for the Church. Through this, however, our collective bond with the Saints in prayer throughout the world has grown stronger. There is nothing like the realization of having brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world, crying out in unison, eagerly awaiting the return of our Savior. This vision will be truly manifested only in Heaven, when we the promise of Romans 8 is finally realized: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

In closing…
I wanted to share a bit about the opportunity each site had to do a prayer walk over each of their separate communities on Monday. Following the Spirit, the site leaders, along with their LIFT students, walked together through the streets of each community. Each groups experience differed, though in unified hearts, whether being led by the Spirit to stop and pray for a specific person in the community, boldly entering into a gathering of men to awaken the presence of God, or sitting atop a hillside in unity calling out to God, interceding for the communities with eager hearts.

Our group of thirty-five has come into the Dominican, embracing a new culture, willing to be servants in the work of the Kingdom that God is already doing in the Jarabacoa area! Glory be to God for opening our minds to effective ways of cross-cultural missions and opening our hearts to the leading of the Spirit! Our days working in the sites are coming down to only a few, and I ask for your prayers for strength to complete the work of the Holy Spirit and words of encouragement and strength for our site leaders as they will continue on in ministry as we return to New York!

 -          Laura Walters

Sunday, November 3, 2013


“Vale la Pena”
Buenas Tardes, from the top porch of the Students International (SI) headquarters! During orientation, Kimberly from the SI staff taught us the phrase “vale la pena” which literally means value the pain or worth the pain or count the cost. As we are daily seeing, the SI staff fully embraces and rejoices in the Lord despite the trials they experience here in Jarabacoa, because of the far greater worth of the gospel being preached. (1 Peter 4:12–19)
Reciting this phrase has been a source of encouragement and sometimes humor, for all of us “LIFTers” and leaders as we work at our respective sites and experience new adventures. In the last couple of days, we have had opportunities to go on challenging hilly runs, go shopping downtown, eat delicious Dominican food, ice cream, and fro-yo, test our faith with cliff jumping,  and experience Class IV white water rafting. We definitely had to tell ourselves to “vale la pena” while being tossed around in the raft while shooting down the river and jumping off the large rock into the rushing water. Many prayers, screams, laughs, songs, fun times, and stories were experienced and we are praising the Lord for His protection!

Currently, half of the group is at afternoon church, while the other half of us are enjoying a relaxing Sabbath after a wonderful time of worship and teaching at the Good Samaritan Church just down the road. Prayer for the health of the whole LIFT gang would be greatly appreciated as our days are kept busy and we experience new places, food, beverages, and germs!  We would specifically ask for protection from serious injuries and stomach illnesses and that we would rejoice in the Lord despite whatever illnesses, trials, and difficult times we experience.
Below are specific prayer requests concerning each of the ministry sites we are working in and around the mountain town of Jarabacoa.
Dentistry:

-Strength for the site leaders, Nick and Sam, as they work non-stop serving the dental needs of the Jarabacoa people.

-Opportunities to share the love of Christ with each of their patients.

Girl’s Sports:
- Encouragement for the site leaders, Chelsea and Jessica.
-That the girls would view Chelsea and Jessica as Christ-loving mentors, not just coaches.

view a video of this ministry at: http://youtu.be/lLkLLzLOEZc

Boy’s Sports:
- Continued strength and encouragement for Raul who has taken on the role of coach, teacher, spiritual leader, and father figure for the boys in multiple communities.



Special Education:
- Encouragement, strength, and rest for the extremely hard working site leader, Karen, and her husband Mike.

- Continued cooperation and opportunities with the Minister of Education.
-The teachers, who use all of their energy to teach, feed, help, and minister to the students.

-The student’s health and understanding of the Gospel.
Education in El Callejon:
- Rest and strength for Jocasta (site leader) who has a desire to bring up a new generation of kids that will know the Lord in Jarabacoa.

-For the love of Christ to be shown to the two Haitian kids who wait outside the gate of the school and desire to play with the students.
-That the students would continue in the Word after they leave the school.

Education @ Los Higos:
- For the Lord to fill up Michael, Carmen, and Hector (site leaders) so that they can do the Lord’s work to the best of their ability.

-That the site would receive enough financial support in order to continue.
-For the children to get a good idea of who the Lord is.

Education @ Mata Gorda:
-The site leader  Alberto and his assistant who have big hearts for the kids by utilizing immense amounts of energy.
- Spiritual and physical strength for them to keep up their work.

- That the kids would see Christ’s love through the school.

Microfinance:
- Strength and encouragement for Miriam, Eric, and Jeremy (site leaders) who are able to share the Word with the women they are helping but are unsure if they are sincerely accepting.

- That the women’s hearts would be convicted of their need for a Savior.

Physical Therapy:
- Byron and Becca’s ability to communicate God’s love with the people they are helping at the site.

-Encouragement for the site leader and his efforts to learn English.

Community Health Care:
- Strength for Dr. Fernando who is extremely busy with patients, traveling, and attending seminary school.

-That Asha, Mike, and Brendyn would be able to learn great things from his amazing work in Jarabacoa.

Social Work @ Los Higos:
- For the women to truly feel God’s presence in their lives and to not just hear the gospel but to really accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.

-Safety for the young and unmarried pregnant women especially during the delivery of their babies in the upcoming months.
-Strength for both of the site leaders to continue their work.

Social Work @ El Callejon:
- Encouragement and strength for Daisy (site leader).

- The provision of another site worker to help Daisy minister to the hurting women in the community.

Psalm 107:28-30
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper;   the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.”

 Deborah Fritzler

Friday, November 1, 2013

Teaming Together in Ministry


Hola a todos de la Republica Dominicana! After a smooth day of travel on Tuesday, LIFT 30 has arrived safely, gracias a Dios (thanks be to God!) We are settled into the base at Jarabacoa, where we are enjoying the warm hospitality of Students International. Over the first few days of our stay in the Dominican Republic, LIFT has experienced quite a cross-section of Dominican life as we spread out each day into the local communities. We are working through Students International with missionaries in multiple professions, such as dentistry, medical clinics, microfinance, sports, education and social work. We are each gaining different insights into the work of the Lord and the nuances of the Dominican culture through working with these various ministries.
Thursday evening, each missionary team was invited to dinner at the home of a family in the community in which we serve. I experienced dinner in El Callejon, where I have the privilege to serve at the social work site along with Elizabeth Perry and Laura Gambrell. El Callejon is a small community which consists of a long, narrow dirt road, with homes and colmados (corner stores) on one side of the street and a wall on the other side. This wall literally divides the rich from the poor. Wealthy vacationers stay in mansions on one side of the wall, ignoring the extreme poverty on the other side.

Our hostess, Tona, welcomed the social work team into her home with a delicious dinner of mangu (mashed plantains), onions, and chicken. The Dominican people take great pride in their delightful cooking and every team came back from dinner exclaiming how tasty their meal was. But it was not just the quality of the food that impressed me, but the generosity of the Dominican people. It is typical for Dominicans to cook very large amounts of food because they expect friends to drop by at any moment and are always prepared to ask them to stay for dinner. In Tona's case, this truly shows a trust in the Lord's provision which I hope to emulate someday. Tona and her husband live in a very small home. Her husband has had several health problems over the years which have often prevented him from working. Neither Tona nor her husband has a steady job with a guaranteed paycheck at the end of the week; they go out looking for work on a day-to-day basis and they do not know for sure where next week's food is coming from. Yet, they trust enough in God to invite strangers into their home and show us their hospitality. I was humbled by this willingness to give without hesitation.

Fellow LIFT Students have also noted how relational the Dominican culture is. The communities are like big families; people will drop everything to take care of one another and are willing to give what they have, whether time or possessions. People are more important than schedules. Experiencing the Dominican culture has inspired many discussions among my LIFT classmates about what it means to trust in God and what it looks like to love others across the language barrier.

As LIFT continues to serve in our various capacities during our stay here, we ask for prayer that we would approach this work with an attitude of humility and willingness to learn, and that we would continue to find new ways to share the love of Christ to a different culture and language. Pray for this weekend to refresh the team- we have a very high energy level right now but it is very easy to become drained by the heat, excitement and hard work! Pray for health for our team, that our immune systems would continue to be strong!

Bendiciones (Blessings),

Anna Dunsworth


 


 Check out this video of sports ministry and education ministry on YouTube:
http://youtu.be/oMbfkEkUvak