All Things New

 Dear friends and family at home,

We have been blessed to see God’s beauty and glory this past weekend and I am so honored to give the update. On Saturday, LIFTers went to twenty-seven waterfalls, a popular excursion in the Dominican Republic. It was incredibly beautiful deep gorge with turquoise pools and exotic tropical plant life. It was also fully experiential as we were able to descend every waterfall, big and small, by climbing, sliding, and jumping. Some of our group members braved their fears of heights or swimming and we all marveled at such a beautiful and thrilling place that the Lord had made.  (See photos from previous blog, "Eudcation & Recreation")

This Sunday, we attended Comunidad Multicultural Church which hosts a diversity of people groups and do their services in English, Spanish, and Creole. In one part of the service the pastor talked about how we are all a part of one whole family and invited us to stand and hug a family member that we had never met before. One of the people I met was the worship leader who told me “Soy Tomme” (I am Tomme) to which I was excited to reply, “¡Mi hermano es Tomme!” (My brother is Tommy). God showed me that day how big and wide His family truly is. The love and faith I share with my brother Tommy at home is the same love and faith I have for my brother Tomme in the Dominican Republic.

Also this past Sunday, LIFT observed and practiced both the sacraments of The Lord’s Supper and Baptism. In the church service, we were reminded that Christ died for the joy of being close to us and because of his great love for the world. We were given instruction and encouragement to fix our eyes on him through the passage Hebrews 12:2. “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Our entire group is participating in a Bible study on this topic, it is being painted on the waiting room wall at our site in Quinigua, and we now have had a church service on this. Clearly this is something that the Lord is wanting to put on our hearts. So we fixed our eyes on Him as we broke bread together and proclaim Jesus’ death and resurrection until He comes. 

In the afternoon we all gathered at the base to witness the baptism of two of my brothers: Benjamin Smith and Porter DuHadway. Both of these guys have grown so much this past year and to witness a decision they made to be baptized was a testament to the work God has done in their hearts and the dedication they have to Christ. Watching them being baptized by their mentors, surrounded by the LIFT family was a barrage of emotions . . . inspiring, tearful, and joyful . This is what our faith is Christ is all about and the hope we have in him for new life, a family, a home, a hope, a savior. We are honored to be here and to see what God is doing. He is making all things new.

Con amor y en el nombre de Cristo,

Sam Nicholson

The city of Santiago