the gift of perspective

 

several weeks ago i had the privilege of taking our dominican sports staff across the border to phaeton, haiti.  GO ministries partners with pastor lucner and his wife, marie, and we are currently building a church and nutrition center in their community.  every year, after hosting several american short term mission teams, our sports staff goes on their own short term mission trip to serve outside of their own community.  for the first time, we acquired passports and visas and headed over the border to our neighboring country to join our construction crew in building the church/nutrition center.  aside from being excited to help further our ministry project in phaeton, i felt like God was paving the way for us to take this trip for a specific reason.  this trip was about perspective. 

 

every year we host over 1,000 americans that come down to serve for a week in the dominican republic and haiti.  most of them have never left the country before.  most of them do not speak spanish.  most of them have not spent time in the dominican cultlure.  most of them have not eaten chicken, rice and beans for 7 straight days before.  most of them have not tied rebar with a piece of metal and a wire.  most of them have not ridden in traffic like the DR has to offer.  so, needless to say, there is always conversation about different perspectives that have been gained while on their mission trip.  this year i wanted our sports staff to have a similar experience by going on a trip to haiti. 

 

by going on this trip, our guys were in a very similar situation as an American group would be in the DR because they don't speak creole.  they don't usually sleep in tents.  they weren't able to eat their favorite rice, beans and chicken for lunch every day.  instead they ate fish, bread and popcorn.  the sun is much more intense in haiti.  there was no cold water to drink.  there was no electricity.  they bathed in the bay.  there was no colmado (corner store) to buy snacks.  so, at the end of the trip, i asked the guys to write about their experiences and here are a few quotes:

 

"this was a unique trip for me.  i was able to reflect upon how i need to value what i have rather than complain because the little that i do have would be considered a lot to other people.  God, forgive me"

 

"i learned that there are others that have greater need than i do"

 

"God will use anyone who is willing as an instrument to expand His Word.  if we are willing to sacrifice our time and show love to others, we can be an instrument of blessings to others"

 

"during this trip, i learned to help others in ways i didn't expect"

 

Many of these comments sound very similar to something an american says after returning from a

mission trip to a third world country.  the perspective i gained from this experience is that it doesn't matter if we come from the united states or if we are a dominican making less than $6,000 per year (like the majority of the sports staff that went on this trip), God really desires the same for all of us.  He wants us to see with His eyes.  feel with His hands.  think with His mind.  love with His heart.  speak with His words.  walk in His shoes.  serve with His humility.  believe with His faith.  hope with His confidence.  if we are able to live life with this kind of perspective, we will be able to endure all things, see the world as He sees it and serve Him well.     

  

 

      

be encouraged

 

in so many of Paul's letters to different peoples and churches he takes a moment to encourage because of the incredible testimonies that are being heard all over the world.  his encouragement always stems from the work God is doing through His people.  he uses words like, "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you" or "I thank my God every time I remember you".  the bottom line is, their faith and actions in the name of Jesus are being recorded and mentioned amongst a multitude of people and they are to be encouraged.  We want to take a moment to see if we can encourage you through this post. 

 

we often go through seasons where the difficult and awful things of this world consume us as we watch the news or receive prayer requests from friends and family.  as you all know, my dad was diagnosed with inoperable and incurable brain tumors this May.  it became easy for our hearts and minds to become focused on all of the other hardships that surrounded us (other family friends struggling with cancer, deaths of friends and family, desperate life situations in the Dominican and Haiti, financial hardships, crime, etc...)  but, thankfully God is passionate about renewal, redemption and restoration!!  he loves taking hard, difficult, dark situations and doing something so great so we can give Him the glory, honor and praise!  I hope the following words encourage you as I briefly share how God has used our situation (dad's illness) to reveal Himself and show that He is doing a mighty work amidst a difficult situation.

there are several UPS pilots that attend our home church in Louisville.  some of them have reported to us that as they fly all over the world, they stop and gather with others and pray for my dad.  that means there are people all over the world praying for my father. 

our oncologist is from Lebanon.  he is one of 15 children and has an amazing story of how his parents raised him to know God.  the most encouraging thing he told us throughout this whole process is that as doctors, they can only do so much to help cure my dad's illness, but the rest will be up to the "big man upstairs".  when we asked him if he has seen God do miracles, he said, "you can't be a doctor and not believe that God does miracles...we have seen it before."  this man has an opportunity to share this good news with many patients.

we receive at least 10 hand written cards from people all over the country every week encouraging my dad and the rest of our family to stay strong in our faith, hoping and believing that God can do all things.  people still hand write cards and send them to the sick.

because of dad's gentle personality he has been a relationship builder his entire life.  as I drove around town with him visiting his clients and banks, I saw people light up when he walked in the door.  bankers and clients hugged him and expressed their concern and said they were praying for him.  they said over and over how great it was to see him.  when he wasn't able to go with me on these errands, he told me who I needed to visit and where...most of whom had nothing to do with his business.  they were random employees in restaurants and banks that he shares a smile or a kind word with while he's on his daily routine.  people still have face to face fellowship and don't just bank online or send business emails.

our Dominican and Haitian brothers and sisters were with us at a conference when we received the news that dad had a mass in his brain.  as we have been back and forth between the states and the island, we have had countless people tell us they gather in prayer every week to pray for dad.  people stop me in the street (some that I barely know) and ask me how dad is doing.  people really do pray for one another when they say they are going to. 

I could continue, but my point is this, I am encouraged by the testimonies that are being recorded all over the world that there are faithful Believers that are hurting and celebrating together as one body...just as Christ called us to.  all of the sudden, when those dark feelings try to make their way into our day, I remember that God is alive and working through people all over His creation.  thank you to all of you for your faithfulness and love for dad.  if I were Paul, I would write a letter to all Believers saying this:

I think my God every time I remember you.  The love of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is being expressed through your actions and for this I am grateful.  His Gospel is being preached through your cards, prayers, phone calls, meals, hugs, tears and smiles.  God is blessing others through you and the central message of God's Word is manifesting itself in ways we never imagined.  I praise God for our partnership in the Gospel and that He has the final word! 

(the photo above is of the GO Ministries Board visiting dad at the house and praying over him)

 

until that day

 

i've heard many people say that life is filled with different seasons.  with these seasons come many different events that cause an array of emotions.  often there is unspeakable joy.  sometimes heartache and sadness show up.  whatever the season may be, there are a few truths that cause hope, peace and trust to rule in our soul in a way that seems to direct our focus and perspective exactly where our hearts belong...to The Creator of all things good. 

 

over the past several years of serving with go ministries in the d.r. and haiti,  we have seen things that our simple minds can't handle.  some of those things have been awful sights of hunger, violence, sickness and injustice.  some have been miracles of healing, unimaginable grace, great provision and unconditional love.  at the center of all of our experiences, both wonderful and difficult, there is a powerful word that rings true over and over and it's RESTORATION.  ²¹ For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. - Acts 3:21. 

 

we are in one of those seasons in life right now that has brought about some heartache and sadness.  one of those times that feels like everywhere you turn, every phone call you receive, every news article you read brings news of sickness, death, hurt and pain.  when my (Will) dad was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, our hearts sunk as we long dreaded the day of a difficult phone call from "back home".  we both love our families dearly and have said that the only true thing we felt like we sacrificed when moving out of the country was time with our incredible families.  when moments of hurt overwhelm us, when exhaustion overcomes dad's ability to walk and communicate, when fearful thoughts enter our minds, that powerful word works it's way back into our hearts and that very hope, peace and trust reigns.  restoration. 

 

there will be a day when there will be no more sickness.  there will be a day when there will be no more violence.  there will be a day when there will be no more pain. no more sadness.  no more hate.  no more injustice.  no more orphans.  no more fear.  no more dad's getting cancer.  no more kids longing for the love of absent parents.  no more brokenness.  there will be a day when HE returns and restores everything!

 

when the storm comes and seems to stay a while, a feeling of complacency may arrive and we feel like sitting in the rain until that day comes, but that hope, peace and trust doesn't allow us to just sit and wait.  as a body of believers, coheirs with Christ, we have been commissioned to be active in this restoration that God is so lovingly pursuing.  so rather than sitting and waiting for His return, we will be on our knees.  on our knees praying with great expectation and anticipation of the miracles that God is so capable of performing.  we will be on our feet.  on our feet sharing the love that Jesus so sacrificially showed for us on the cross so that we may have life and life in abundance.  we will extend our arms.  extend our arms towards our Creator.  extend our arms and embrace those that need to feel the love of Jesus that satisfies every ounce of emptiness or fear we may have.  and we will lift our heads.  lift our heads high and say with confidence that we trust in the Lord and He will make our paths straight. 

 

until that day, when Jesus comes to restore everything, we will choose to serve Him here on this earth and be in awe of the unimaginable ways He is working to restore His creation.  below is a little video i managed to capture of my incredible mom and dad worshipping together after dad's brain biopsy.  what more could a s on ask for!  this is hope.  this is peace.  this is trust.

 

for those of you wondering where we are and what we are doing.  we will be in the dominican republic june 24 - july 10,11 or 12th.  we will be hosting two teams and spending time with our incredible G.O. Ministries and Dominican/Haitian family.  we will then return to Louisville, Ky where our hands are needed with the Partin family.  we ask that you pray with us during this season.  pray for healing for Rob Partin, sr.  pray for hope, peace and trust.  pray for our hearts to be expectant that God will continue to do a mighty work in all of His children so that we can give Him all the glory, all the honor and all the praise.         

a really good friday

 

six families from knoxville, tennessee decided to do something different for spring break this year.  a group of people that have spent a lot of time sitting on bleachers at baseball games watching their 10 year old sons play sports found their way to santiago, dominican republic, this past week.  this particular week in the dominican is called "semana santa (holy week)" and everyone takes off for the countryside, rivers and beaches.  at church last sunday morning down in "the hole", pastor felix abreu spoke about the week before Jesus's death on the cross.  the people of israel awaited a mighty king who would more than likely be riding a stallion with a great army surrounding him.  instead, Jesus requested a donkey and down the mountain he rode.  he knew the journey ahead and what awaited him at the cross...and he still came with joy. 

 

on "good friday", this group of boys (and 2 girls) and their parents decided to take a journey themselves.  after a week of putting on a baseball clinic for 8-12 year old boys from the hole, playing games and teaching bible stories to about 30 girls, we decided to take friday morning and reflect on the journey that jesus took to the cross.  for me, this is usually a somber day as i attempt to imagine the emotions surrounding the people who followed Jesus as they watched him carry his cross with great pain and abuse.  but this good friday, a new perspective graced me with it's presence.  as the group set out on a 1 kilometer hike through rocks, water and mud, i found myself giddy with a permanant smile on my face because i knew what awaited us at the end of our journey.  

 

although God had to have felt great sorrow watching his son go to the cross, i would imagine he also had great peace about him knowing what was to come.  even in the beginning, in genesis 3:15, God is speaking to the serpent in the garden of eden and he says, "and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heal."   God knew that Jesus was going to be nailed to the cross and that it would be a horrific death, but he also knew that ultimate victory would come 3 days later when Jesus would be resurrected and bring eternal life to all that believe.  this year, good friday all of the sudden brought a peace and a joy because someone this week reminded me that although friday may be really difficult, sunday is just around the corner. 

 

four of the boys from the group decided to get baptized on good friday.  after working our way through the rocks, water and mud, we arrived at a beautiful waterfall and fresh spring water.  we worshipped with great music and different individuals shared about what the cross means to them.  then, after watching the boys be emersed in water and come up with smiles on their faces, it was then that we truly celebrated the cross and the resurrection.  Four young boys publicly professed their faith in Jesus Christ and their peers and parents commited to continue this journey with them as they pursue a life with their Creator.  

 

good friday was no longer somber as these baptisms reminded me of the most important part of the last week of the life of Jesus. . . sunday, the resurrection.  this past friday, was a really good friday!    

 

      

Easter is my favorite Holiday........
it always brings about a bit of a nostalgic feel.  I truly  have the best memories of Easter growing up.  The day would always begin with an early morning sunrise service on the "top of the hill".  Chairs would be set up outside so we could see the sun begin to peak through.  In the midst of the morning fog, my dad would begin to lead the church people in some classic Easter hymns.  Classic hymns always do something to my soul, I just love them. (I even walked down the aisle on our wedding day to Amazing Grace.)  We would then go inside to the smell of bacon and have a delicious breakfast made by the hands of the church folks.  Sweet fellowship.

Next, we would scurry home, I would change into my new Easter dress, and off to church.  The words to the songs sung on Easter morning sitting in those church pews will forever be etched in my mind.

"the tomb is empty praise be to God, the tomb is empty, praise be to God, the tomb is empty, praise be to God."
"He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today, He walks with me and talks with me, along life's narrow way, He lives, He lives, salvation to impart.  You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart.". 

Ofcourse, after church, the memories would continue with a delicious Easter meal that my mom had worked so hard to prepare on Saturday afternoon. After our bellies were full from lunch, my sister and I would dive into our Easter baskets to see what  yummy goodies the "Easter bunny" (aka mom) had brought us.

I am not quite sure what fancy dresses, the Easter bunny or eggs have to do with The Cross and the resurrection, but I surely believe that God is smiling down on his children as we celebrate such a beautiful day.  I believe it makes Him happy when He sees the pure joy on the faces of His sweet babies as they search so intently for those colorful silly Easter eggs!

.As Christians, we should live in a spirit of gratitude every day for the priceless gift of The Cross.  As Will and I continue to walk through this life Raising Ruby (hhmm...sounds like it could be the title of my next blog post), I can only pray that she fully understands the significance of Easter, and that she clings on to The Cross, knowing that Christ died for our sins and rose again so that He may live forever in our hearts and we may have eternal life.
I pray that Ruby's roots are already beginning to grow deep.    

I hope you are all enjoying this sweet day and soaking in the meaning of it all.

Now, bring on The Peeps!!!!

Our staff just came off of an incredible week of meetings.  We join together twice a year to discuss ministry and to unify ourselves as a group.  Will and I post many entries on this blog about what God is doing here on the island.  We truly do love writing the stories of the happenings here, but I wanted to take a moment to go in a little different direction.

Our staff has grown by leaps and bounds since we joined the ministry 8 years ago.  We have grown in numbers as well as maturity in our own personal faith journeys.  I look at our staff sometimes and just giggle.  God has this crazy group together for His purpose and His glory.  The reason I giggle is because we are a rag tag bunch for sure, but a bunch who is committed to serving Christ, loving others and growing The Kingdom.  We are committed to growing in our personal walks and allowing Him to work on us in the process, and we are committed to doing God's will for our lives; which just happens to be serving with G.O. Ministries.  God is still working on all of us through our faults and through our humanness, but He has no doubt brought us together to do some major damage (in a good way) in Jesus' name.

We come from all different walks of life, and this is why we make a great team.  We're a powerful force.  We use each others experiences and wisdom to learn and to grow.  There are many of us who come from brokenness.  There are many of us who battle our own demons of selfishness and pride, and many who struggle with trust and forgiveness.  But, the beautiful thing about it all is that we recognize we have all been redeemed by the blood of Christ and we are works in progress. We use our stories for His purpose.

We ask that you pray for us as our fullest season of ministry approaches.   We are humbled that we have the opportunity to be even the smallest part of this life changing experience for team members.  If you find yourself reading this and you are coming on a short-term trip to the DR this year, know that we are praying for you and we will be welcoming you with open arms!

He ruled the world with Truth and Grace

 

 This past year Audrey and I received blessing after blessing as we watched Ruby Ann change and grow into a beautiful little toddler.  We continue to learn so much from such a sweet, little child!  I've heard over and over that big, incredible gifts can come in small packages and we can bear witness to that through the gift of Ruby Ann in our lives. 

 

During this past Christmas season, I found myself celebrating the birth of Jesus differently than I ever had in the past.  I'm sure a lot of it had to do with having a child of our own now, but some of my new found feelings were sparked by a couple of books I read several weeks ago called The Grace and Truth Paradox by Randy Alcorn and Simply Jesus by N.T. Wright.  The idea of the Alcorn book is that Jesus walked this earth displaying a perfect balance of grace and truth.  The part of the Wright book that impacted me is the way he explained what Jesus was getting into when he road into Jerusalem on a donkey.  Rome was claiming that Caesar was divine and in charge, the Jews were living as though the law of Moses ruled the earth as they waited a messiah, and then God sends Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey announcing that He is the son of YHWH and things are about to change!

 

So here's this little baby born to a virgin that many have come to celebrate and many are soon to hate.  He has now become a man and will change the world forever.  Amidst the political heat, the power struggles, the pride and confusion that was present when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, He still seemed to live and teach with an incredible balance of grace and truth.

I have come to realize (it took a while :) that we have the most incredible story and example in Jesus to share with the world.  How differently would people respond if we presented truth with grace?  How would people change if they received grace partnered with truth?  What if the world was still ruled with truth and grace?  God has placed it upon my heart to seek His guidance in practicing the grace and truth that Jesus lived out every day.  In 1 Corinthians 9:16, Paul says, "Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel."  If I am not busy preaching the truth, with grace, then what am I busy doing?  We are asking that as move forward in ministry this year that you all please pray for us as we continue to learn the gospel, receive God's grace and share it with everyone we come in contact with. 
 

 

 (Ruby wanted to say  hello!)

   

a new rhythm.

This post is a tad different than most. I wanted to write about "a new rhythm" for this mama here in the Dominican Republic. There are many people who ask us what a typical day looks like, so my hope is that this post will give you a small glimpse into my little world.

I guess I should start by saying that no day is ever the same which keeps me on my toes for sure. Things stay very interesting around here....and I like it!

During this beautiful season of my life, my daily routine looks a little different than it has for the past seven years.  And oh my how I am soaking it up and loving every bit of it!  Although I still am very involved in mine and Will's ministry in the DR, I have been privileged enough to have the opportunity to spend more time with our baby girl, Ruby Ann.  Since adding this sweet addition to our family, God has really taught me some things as a mother.  He has taught me that to teach our child how to have a genuine faith in Christ and a personal relationship with Him, there MUST be a real faith lived in the home shown through Will and me.   To do this, I must continue to solidify my faith and my journey by taking the time to learn and grow in Him so I can pass this on and teach our daughter the ways she should go.  I am grateful that the pressures of life and the demands of this world aren't getting in the way of this pursuit. 

"Day by day", that's how we do things around here.  I have never been a morning person, but the simple fact that I get to wake up to this sweet face makes it all so much easier!  Some days Ruby and I stick around the house, playing, reading and trying new foods.  Below she is eating an avocado, which is simply amazing here in the Dominican!

Ruby watches as I  sweep the  dust and dirt off of our tile floor as it gathers quickly because of the open air.  We do laundry in our "Dominican" washing machine and hang the clothes out back on the line (we always hope it doesn't rain while the clothes are drying, because if it does, we start the process of washing all over again). This particular load of laundry below happens to be one of those where we had to "start all over" because of the heavy rains yesterday!

We water the plants outside and listen to the many sounds all around us that include roosters crowing, cars honking, motorcycles zooming by and the Haitian women who walk by the front gate selling fruit. We watch our Elmo videos in hope that the electricity doesn't go out.  When it goes, sometimes it's out for 20 minutes, and other times it's out for 6 hours.  We like the days when 20 minutes is the case! We wait anxiously for daddy to get home so we can hear about his day.  He's often gone hosting teams, running sports tournaments/leagues, building relationships and encouraging the men of the Sports Outreach Team.  I do always know that whatever he is doing, he's doing it in Jesus' name. Other times he may be out and about paying our rent or electric bill.  Sometimes we receive a water bill that has been thrown on our front porch by a young man walking by or riding on a bike..... and sometimes, we don't (there is no mail system here).  When Will is paying bills, he could be gone for 30 minutes, or he could be gone for 3 hours....just depending on how long the lines are or if the credit card machines are working at the electric company that day.

Many days look like what I described above, and some days look completely different.  There are many times where I have the opportunity to join in on the ministry taking place outside of the home.  I love working side by side with my hubby hosting teams and playing even the smallest part of this life changing experience for team members.

I also love our visits to ministry sites where G.O. is working and I so enjoy taking Ruby Ann with.  It is very important to us, even at such a young age, that she engrains herself in the culture here in the Dominican, that she has a heart for the people that is filled with compassion and love.  In fact, this is the prayer that I am stuck on for her right now, that God gives this little miracle just that, a KIND and COMPASSIONATE heart.  It is so refreshing to visit G.O's Nutrition Centers to love on and encourage the Pastors that work in these areas and to see God at work.  Below is a photo of us in The Hole where G.O. has a Church/Nutrition Center run by Pastor Felix Abreu.     

On a bit of a side note, because of the limited access we have to "things" here....the little things continue to make me smile.  I found a pumpkin for the first time ever.  It's sitting on my front porch and everytime I open the door it makes me giggle. It's a little piece of Fall, which is my favorite season of all.  On the other hand, it's "Spring" all year around here as the warm weather allows for blooming flowers...another one of those little things that brings joy to my soul.   

 

This year has been an adjustment for us in life and ministry, but God has been faithful as He has allowed us time to find our rhythm, and we love the beat of this drum.
 

There are lots of questions out there about why people do short term missions.  Is it worth the time and financial committment?  Are we helping or hurting the locals?  People right here in my own country need help so why would I go to another country?  Without going into a long, drawn out explanation about why short term missions are a blessing to all involved, take a look below at the wonderful work God did in the hearts of a few (because I can't write about all 1,000 or so short term missionaries that participated in trips with G.O. this year) that came to serve for a week on the island of Hispaniola this summer!

"...I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now..."  - Philippians 1:4-5

Generoso and Yesica are the Dominican "Brady Bunch".  A few years back, they married each other and brought 5 boys together that are now proud to call each other "brothers".  Generoso serves on the G.O. construction crew while Yesica cooks for groups while finishing up her nursing degree.  Their sons; Isidro, David, Billy, Willy and Alexis are your typical Dominican boys that all want to grow up and be professional baseball players.

Beechland Baptist Church from Louisville, Kentucky, is a church that has a great desire to be intentional in serving outside their walls by partnering with the worldwide Church.  As soon as they stepped foot into the Dominican Republic and heard Generoso and Yesica's story, they fell in love because they saw a family willing to serve Jesus in their own country.

You might think this is a one way relationship because Generoso's family is the one receiving the "help", but if you have the privilege of watching this group of people get together to fellowship with one another, you would immediately recognize what the "Brady Bunch" does for this church across the ocean in Kentucky.  They share a partnership in the gospel that breaks down all cultural and language barriers.  That's why their relationship is "mutually transformational".  Thank you Beechland and Generoso for your example to all of us of what it means to be The Church!

"Here am I Lord, send me" - Isaiah 6:8

Some five years ago a girl named Becky decided to come on a short term trip to serve in Santiago, Dominican Republic for a week.  She got her hands dirty working construction, she stepped out of her comfort zone while testing her spanish and she dove into the culture as a seed was being planted in her heart.  When she went back to the States, her and a friend decided to bring their youth group from a church called Cornerstone in Albany, Georgia, so they could experience serving in a foreign country.  Two years ago, she decided to leave her roots behind and move to the Dominican to serve as a teacher at a school in Santiago.  Her desire; to see students come to know Christ in an intimate way.  This past summer, her youth group returned and was able to see what Becky's life of service is like in Santiago.  A short term trip changed Becky's life and when God needed a servant at Santiago Christian School, Becky said, "Here am I Lord, send me"!  Thank you, Becky, for your willingness to go where God has called you!

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-"  - John 10-14

Stepping into a well established church as a new pastor would be a difficult position to be in.  This year, Pastor Mark Amspaugh, took a position at Dalton First Church of the Nazarene in Dalton, Georgia (Audrey's home church established in 1930).  A mission trip to the Dominican Republic was already on the schedule and Pastor Mark decided to jump on board.  Personally, I couldn't think of a better way to get to know your congregation than removing yourself from your "every day" life and distractions and serving alongside the members of your church.  Mark got to see the heart of his congregation at work on the construction site as well as their personalities while hanging out in the dorm rooms.  On the flip side, the long standing members of DFN had the privilege of serving with their pastor and getting to know him on a personal level.  As missionaries, Audrey and I gazed with smiles on our faces as we saw a church we love grow deeper in affection for one another while the nucleus of DFN became stronger.  Thank you Pastor Mark and DFN for giving us a beautiful example of what it looks like for a shepherd to know and love his sheep.

"Share with the Lord's people who are in need.  Practice hospitality."  - Romans 12:13

Stephanie, from Louisville, Kentucky, had been looking for a church to call home.  She had been visiting a place called Revolution for some time and really enjoyed all that God was doing through the church.  Eventhough she had not yet become a member of Revolution, she signed up to go on a short term mission trip with the church to the Dominican Republic with G.O. Ministries.  Throughout the week, it was obvious that the other members of the group shared a great appreciation and love for Stephanie.  Because of the nature of a trip like this, they were able to get to know one another more by sharing their stories and gaining a deep respect for one another as they worked to dig holes for a medical facility in a third world country.  By the end of the week, Stephanie shared with the group that she had not yet felt that Revolution was her home church, but after spending time with such hospitable and loving group of people, her need to find a home church had been filled.  Thank you Revolution for practicing your hospitality towards the people from your own community even though you were thounsands of miles from home!  You are a stronger church today because of your love for Stephanie!

"Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop..."  -  Matthew 13:8

For the past 15 years a group of men and women have been coming to the D.R. to do a basketball camp for the community of Hoya del Caimito.  It is an intense week of basketball fundamentals, games, competitions, testimonies and challenges.  Whenever a member of the American group gets up to speak to the campers, the heart of the message always centers around that fact that we all love basketball, but Jesus is the focus of the camp.  A guy named Dewin has participated in this camp for many years as a kid, but now has taken on a different role.  After the camp is over, we put on a 5 week basketball league for the kids and Dewin served this year as a coach/mentor.  His team won the championship this year and you could see his passion for the game and his kids from a mile away.  This past Sunday, Dewin decided to commit his life to Christ.  For years he has participated in that summer camp and heard message after message about how much Jesus loves him.  Those words encouraged him to seek others from his community that are Christians and ask difficult questions.  After years of asking questions and searching for answers, Dewin laid his life down at the cross and that seed that was planted so many years ago has now begun to produce a crop!  Thank you to all of you that have come on the basketball trip over the last 15 years.  You planted a seed, others watered it and God is making it grow!

... for I am among you as one who serves."  - Luke 22:27

I love overseas missions because it lights a fire under all of us to go back home and serve the people within our own communities.  Several weeks ago a man named Billy from Kankakee, Illinois, brought a group of young adults to the Dominican for a mission trip with River Valley Christian Fellowship.  Billy works with Youth for Christ and has discipled and trained up leaders from the Kankakee area.  It was such a blessing to watch his interaction with the people in his group.  They respect his leadership so much because he has invested in their lives and challenged them to be faithful followers of Christ and leaders in their own communities.  Billy lead his crew down here to get them out of their daily routine for a week so they could serve people they had never even met before.  Watching them love the children of Hato del Yaque and help build a ministry center for the community was a beautiful thing to watch.  What I loved most about this group of young adults was their willingness to whatever was needed.  Many times we all get caught up in working towards gaining position or some sort of recognition, but as I watched this group all week, I was reminded of Jesus' words in Luke 22:27, "...for I am among you as one who serves".  Instead of wasting time trying to fight over a postion at the table, what would it look like if we just served those around us?  If the King of Kings came to do so, I think we should be able to humble ourselves enough to follow.  Thank you Billy and all of you from Youth for Christ for being so willing to take what you learned in the D.R. back home with you and put it into practice with those that live in your community! 

Why short term mission trips?  Because we are blessed when we join God at work all around the world and He just might change your life forever in just a week's time in a foreign land!

Last week was the infamous G.O. Basketball week here in the Dominican Republic!  I had the privilege of watching my husband do what he has grown to be so good at.  I wanted to post a blog entry about how incredible the week was with the campers and the Americans who came to serve, but another G.O. staff member beat me to it, and quite honestly, I am so glad she did! She painted a much better picture than I could have.  Thank you Goody for the post you wrote below.  We are grateful for you!

***

"you could hear a pin drop. and in a country as loud as ours, that's saying something. you know when you can tell something big is coming, whether you know what it is or not, something in you just knows? all your senses hone in on what is taking place before you. you are acutely aware of how people are positioned, where they are looking, who is drawing the attention. you wait in anticipation for "the event" to occur, not yet knowing what exactly it is going to be. i was waiting, expectedly.

the young men that surrounded me, somewhere around two hundred of them, were fidgety. some of them knew it was coming too. others didn't want the words to be spoken. still others were waiting for the charge. to be part of something bigger than any of them even knew possible. because in reality, nobody ever really expected anything of them anyway.

i could hear it in Will's voice. he wasn't going to shy away from this conversation. he knew this was the moment. he knew a week like this was his platform. God's platform. Will knew that if he wasn't bold, if he wasn't real, if he didn't hit them where it hurt, then all of this they'd been doing would have been wasted on deaf ears.

he started to talk about fathers. risky subject. maybe you or i have a pretty good picture of a dad because we grew up with amazing ones. but these boys don't have that good fortune. a majority of the fathers here are the furthest thing from what a father is supposed to be. and when i say majority, i'm not exaggerating a statistic so you'll be blown away; the cold, hard truth is good examples are few and far between. they abuse their children, beat their wives, drink incessantly. and that's if they are around. most "fathers" are but a vapor in the wind. you only speak of them when signing official papers or are enlisting in school and the school officials need to know your father's name. do you know a couple dads like that? i know twenty; and they all live on the same street.

so when Will brought up their fathers, for most of them it was like opening a wound they would rather just put a bandaid on. but Will wasn't having it. he knows that if something doesn't change, 99% of the kids sitting in that room would grow up to be just like their fathers. abusive. deadbeats. criminals.

Will asked them to raise their hands if their fathers drank a lot. more than half the hands in that place shot to the roof. the others raised their hands, not physically, but with a disgraceful expression. "how many of your fathers hit your mom?" less hands went up this time but their expressions went from disgrace and shame to hurt and angry. "how many of your fathers hit you?" only the hands of the younger boys stayed up. the older ones know you don't let others see that kind of truth. "do you want to be like your dads? do you want to follow in his footsteps? do you want to abuse your kids and beat your wives and get drunk every night?" i could hear the quiet sound of influence passing over the crowd. the sound of sniffing and tear-wiping began too.

something incredible happens when a person is empowered. when they realize they have expectation. it ignites something in them. they suddenly feel like who they are now doesn't have to be who they will always be. change is a powerful thing.

there was this moment when i could barely see through my own tears and i watched as Will's eyes welled up too. i realized THIS is God's redemption plan for this island. maybe the young men who are here, listening, will change the course of an entire community. maybe looking back ten years from now we could track a new generation of husbands and fathers to this very room. maybe, all it took was one guy from louisville, kentucky to charge these boys to be Men of God. and almost as if it were rehearsed, when Will asked this room full of broken boys if they wanted to be Men of God they chanted back at him, "Hombres de Dios," with fists raised in the air. not because they were expected to or they would win a prize if they did it really loud but because the flame was lit and the torch was passed and for a room full of boys, the buck was stopping here."