Stories from a foot soldier for Jesus who eats mangu with salami, loves orphan kisses, walks with clowns on unpaved roads, sings on stages under tin roofs and believes baseball is awesome but the best people that God is sending out of the Dominican Republic are not baseball players. They are missionaries.
The movie “Elf” is one of my Christmas favorites; it’s the story about a naïve elf that goes to New York City in search of his father. He is a fish out of water in the big city. I probably enjoy it so much because, as a missionary, I can relate to all his culture shock and the wonder he experiences in his new and strange environment.
In one scene Elf walks by a “hole in the wall” coffee shop with a sign in the window that says “World’s Best Coffee”. He enters the shop applauding and says exuberantly, “You did it! Congratulations! World's best cup of coffee! Great job, everybody! It's great to be here!”
Well, you can tell by the appearance of the diner that it was definitely not the place to find the “World’s Best Cup of Coffee”. Yet it is my experience that sometimes you actually can find the best things in the least likely places.
The best cup of coffee that I ever drank was not from Starbucks. I drank it this past August in the mountains of Haiti in a little wooden church with a tin roof and a dirt floor. We had traveled three hours on incessantly rough roads in the back of a “Tap-tap” which is a Haitian pick-up truck with skinny benches in the truck bed for passengers. The journey was not without adventure. At one point, we were stuck in the mud and the bathroom break not at all conventional. So when we arrived, dirty from the dust on the road, and worn out from the bumpy trail; we were elated to hear that the local church had prepared bread and coffee for us. My response was just as exuberant as the Elf of the movie.
As wonderful as the coffee was for me that day, even more special was the ministry to the children. The church was completely packed. Some of the children found holes in the slats of the walls of the church and looked in from the outside so that they could see the program.
So in this season, when family and friends gather to share a warm cup of coffee with Christmas cookies or Grandma's AMAZING apple pie, I find myself reflecting on the truth in the World's Best Cup of Coffee. It seems that the babe in the manger was just another example of how the best gift of all was found in the most unexpected set of circumstances. After all, it took a whole host of angels to make sure the shepherds would believe the story and a SUPER nova star to guide the three wisemen. So my Christmas wish for today and in the coming year is that we will remember the lesson of the Worlds Best Cup of Coffee, that sometimes the best things in life are found in the least likely places.
1.A house for Bethesda Home. ( $300,000) Yep. That’s all. But if I got that for my birthday that would be my DREAM COME TRUE. If you wanted to buy me this I wouldn’t ask you for anything else my whole entire life. (at least I would try not to ask you for anything else)
1.UNA CASA PARA HOGAR BETHESDA SOLO CUESTA US$300,000 PERO SI QUIERES COMPRARME ESTO NO VOY A NECESITAR NADA MAS EL RESTO DE MI VIDA.
2.A whole apartment building for Master’s Commission. This might cost a $1,000,000 but the same rule applies here.
2.UN EDIFICIO PARA APARTAMENTOS PARA COMISION DE MAESTRO. LA REGLA DE #1 APLICA AQUI TAMBIEN
3.A ministry van. This is a LOT les expensive folks $50,000. I want a Toyota so that it will last until Jesus comes.
3. UNA GUA-GUA PARA EL MINISTERIO. MUCHO MENOS COSTOSO. VERDAD?
4.An all expense paid trip to New York City with my BFF, Rhonda Gray. We would go see girly musicals like Wicked or Beauty and the Beast. Eat really good food. And buy fake designer purses in the china town. I know that is totally selfish, consumerist and materialistic. Wow but hey a girl can dream. Oh I miss my BFF today!!!
4.QUIERO IR A LA CIUDAD DE NUEVA YORK CON MI MEJOR AMIGA EN EL MUNDO RHONDA GRAY
5.Ok it looks like now this list is getting long. Really I’m not that hard to please. All that I really want is another office chair in my house. You know that kind with wheels. Nelson tells me that we don’t NEED another one. OK so maybe it’s not a need. I just want one. I am tired of fighting over the one chair that all four of us share upstairs.
5.DE VERDAD SOLO QUIERO UNA SILLA DE OFICINA PARA MI CUARTO DE ARRIBA
I could make a long list but I'll just stop there because in reality I have everything I could ever dream of on this day that I am turning 40. I have JESUS. He is my everything and I could not ask for more than everything! As a bonus Jesus gave me an WONDERFUL husband who loves me and four AMAZING BOYS who make my world an exciting adventure. I am also blessed with all my friends and family.
I am so loved and that is a perfect 40th birthday gift. There are too many people in this world who don't have that assurance. They can't say they are loved with an everlasting, not-dependent-on your-mood, not-having-to-earn-it kind of love. For 40 years I have known this love and I will live the rest of my days on this earth making sure that others know this love too. , If you are seriously interested in helping in any way, small or large, Bethesda home, click here to make a donation online on a secure server. IMPORTANT: ADD CLASS 62 TO MEMO LINE!!!
Last Thursday morning, October 29th, 2009 I woke up with this song in my head. It was a song that I hadn’t heard anyone sing in years AND it was in English. I thought it was odd that it was in my head. I didn’t even sing it out loud because I don’t particularly like the tune. But the words are great. They are taken from the Scriptures “Fear not for I am with you”. I was checking my Facebook and I was just about to write that scripture for a friend who was going to get some medical tests done and something interrupted me and I never wrote the words down. It turned out that the song was not for her. It was for me! The Lord gave me that song!
I had a full day planned for Thursday and it started with going to the bank to pay the credit card bill. We have a Dominican card so that we do not have to carry around a lot of cash. Petty theft is rampant here and we have been robbed at least four times during our missionary career. So we have learned to be careful. I had paid the credit card two days before but came up short and needed more cash. So I had returned to pay it in full. Thank the Lord I would have had over $3000 in cash in my purse had I not paid as much as I could the day before.
As I walked in the bank, I saw a young man who was wearing tattered clothes and had an earring in his ear. Something didn’t seem right. His eyes looked glazed. I never actually processed that this might be a bank robber or that it was unsafe and I should go someplace else. Now that I reflect on this, I really believe that the Holy Spirit was giving me direction and I was too preoccupied with my “to-do” list to pay attention.
Thank the Lord for his grace even when we aren’t listening to the still small voice. I walked up to the counter, took out my wallet and began the payment. I heard some yelling in the background and then I saw that the security guard was on the floor. It seemed unreal and then I looked at the teller with a look like, “huh?” His expression actually gave me peace. He didn’t seem panicked or worried at all. Then the gunman yelled directly at me to get on the ground. I was thinking, “Ok, but let me gather my things here.” Then he waved his gun and said, “Just leave your purse! LEAVE IT! GET ON THE GROUND WITH YOUR FACE TO THE FLOOR!!!”He seemed like he meant it, so I did.
There on that marble floor of the bank Jesus came near to me. I felt his presence SO REAL. Immediately my thoughts turned to my boys and that was too overwhelming. The Spirit directed me just to focus on Jesus and the power of his name. I said “Jesus” out loud over and over in Spanish and in English. I spoke in tongues. I felt the weight of his glory all around me. HE WAS THERE WITH ME, like a weight on top of my back. I can still sense how it felt and it gives me chills because it was supernatural. In the midst of that presence, I had a sense that I would walk out of the bank unharmed. I just knew it. I really cannot tell you how much time passed. It seemed like an eternity.
Finally, a silence fell in the bank and I knew that the robbers must have left. Someone yelled to us to run upstairs to the second floor. The bank personnel began to check to make sure that we were clear and if everyone was safe. One of the tellers came up stairs trembling with tears in her eyes. I ran to hug her. My heart felt for her because she had been threatened directly by the gunman.The other customers were all shaken up but we were all just so grateful it was over. The women had their purses. The men had their wallets. I had nothing. My keys were on the counter! My wallet! My purse!!! Omar, my teller that day ran down to see if anything was left on the counter. He found my keys!!! Praise the Lord!But everything else was gone.
We were then instructed to come downstairs for questioning. Coming down the stairs, I could see that there were already police swarming everywhere. They asked us to wait so that the police could write a report. The other bank customers (there were six of us) were all on their cell phones making phone calls. I watched as they explained to loved ones and felt the relief of speaking to someone that they loved. I didn’t have a cell phone anymore.
A customer who was lying on the floor near me during the robbery asked me, “Were you praying? I thought I heard you praying.”
“Yes!”I responded. “God was with us. I know it! I am sure that is why no one was hurt. He was protecting us!!”
One of the other customers was very kind and handed me her cell phone and I was able to make a call to the office and talk to Sugeily, our administrator at our ministry office. She immediately got a hold of Nelson and LaDawn, a missionary colleague. It wasn’t long and I was able to speak to Nelson and after that I felt like I was able to exhale. Everything was going to be ok. I could breathe again.
It turned out that I was the only customer that had the misfortune of being robbed personally. They did take my purse that had around US $300, my cell phone, an itouch, an ipod, and then just the usual stuff. They asked me to stay and give a police report about the things that were stolen.
The other customers left one by one. But the man who asked me about my prayers came back to me to say “Gracias”. It was a sweet moment. I am convinced that he felt the weight of HIS GLORY too.
I was blessed to be surrounded by friends and family upon my return home. My boys and I shared a very sweet moment together as we prayed and praised God for his mercy & protection upon my life. As my son prayed, he included the thieves in his prayer, asking God to redeem them from the sin that was destroying their lives.
At the end of the day that is why I am here in Dominican Republic. These days the misery of poverty and unemployment, the rise of drugs and the resulting violence only gives me more of a reason to be here. I am here because when you know and love and walk with the POWERFUL PRESENCE of the Almighty God; you want everyone to know and walk with Him. You realize that the only hope for the misery and desperation that I saw in the glazed eyes of the thief at ScotiaBank, is in a real redemption by an authentic Savior.
I have come to understand the power of God’s presence in the moment I needed to know His reality the most. HE is real. His promises are real. His plans are perfect and I TRUST HIM. I TRUST HIM!!! He is worthy to be trusted! And because of HIM, and all that I know about HIM, and the MORE that I know HIM and the deeper that I go with HIM; I ache to know and go more. I cannot stop. Because of HIM.There is no fear, because of HIM and because HE IS WITH ME.
“The best evidence of God’s presence is the devil’s growl.” C. H. Spurgeon
Yes, I am still writing about our trip to Haiti. There was so much to share and so much that I never want to forget...
We drove into Citi Soleil as Pastor Miguel shared with us the sad and difficult history. It is known as the poorest and most violent ghettos in the Western Hemisphere. Bullet holes decorate the walls of the shantytown shacks and buildings. The children run around naked with bloated bellies. The sadness is so real that it is almost tangible in the atmosphere.
Until we arrive at church. The people are gathered early in the morning. The sweet smile of my Haitian sister greets me at the door. She is beautiful in the midst of the misery of poverty. Her dress is bright green and freshly pressed. Her eyes dance with the joy of the Holy Ghost and I can see that there is no misery too deep that cannot be redeemed.
The children filled the church and we played and sang together. We painted their faces with butterflies and hearts and then someone said, “Jesus--here on my forehead”. JEZI-- of course!!! Then they all wanted JEZI. Red, yellow, black and white, in big letters we painted JEZI!!! As I painted, I prayed “this one is yours Jesus all the days of her life. This one is to be redeemed, rescued by the all-powerful, no violence-too-violent, no-suffering-too severe, no-poverty-too-painful ONE and only REDEEMER. “
When I was in language school, I remember so well when Doug Peterson, our Area Director at the time, taught about what he called “redemption and lift”. I have later learned that this is actually a term coined by social scientists. Historically, repentance and conversion, not social programs, have been the only effective solution for a myriad of problems such as child abuse, child exploitation, poor working conditions, low incomes, high unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse and teen pregnancy. God helps a father to stop drinking and start working; as a result he has more money to provide for the family, he becomes a leader in the church. He is faithful to his wife. He is a good father to his children. His life takes on real meaning.
I have seen the reality of “redemption and lift” over and over again here in the Dominican Republic but never did it feel so true, so authentic as it did in that little wooden church in Citi Soleil.
As we drove away from the sadness and the beauty, Pastor Miguel stopped to purchase something that was being sold on the side of the road in that ghetto. We didn’t know what it was. It turned out to be a perfect representation of both sadness and beauty.
Our last night together in Haiti, we decided to celebrate communion with our missionary host Pastor Miguel and Mairelys. He brought out the strangest piece of “bread”. It looked more like clay than bread. He broke it up and gave each of us a piece. Then Miguel talked to us about the moment when Jesus broke bread with his disciples, future world changers, just like us. He said that it must have been a difficult moment, as he knew what was to come. Jesus knew that He would soon take upon himself the bitterness of the sin of the whole world. Then Miguel read the scripture and we ate the bread together. An incredibly bitter taste filled my mouth. It was pasty and hard to swallow, a taste that lingered and was difficult to remove from your teeth and tongue.
Miguel explained to us that this was a “dirt” cookie that he bought in Citi Soleil for just a few cents a piece. He told us that many Haitian children survive on eating these “dirt” cookies that are made of mud and lard. It represented to us the terrible reality of poverty that is a result of sin in this world. Tears poured down all of our cheeks, as we together had tasted this reality in more ways than one and that taste would not be easily removed from our memories or our hearts.
Still, the sadness was quickly displaced by the joy of knowing that this bread and the juice that we shared together were the symbols of the very real REDEMPTION that we encountered in Citi Soleil. Because even in Citi Soleil, there was no misery too enormous that can eradicate hope that comes from our resurrected Christ and His saving work.
Viv Jezi!!! Jesus Lives!!!
I have always said that this blog was more about never forgetting all the amazing works of our missionary God than it was about writing for an audience. I am always amazed when I find out that someone actually reads this stuff. I have always needed a place to put down the details of every story of grace, every miracle big and small, and a place to express this enormous gratitude that fills my heart because of this privelege that I have to serve HIM. So that being said there is at least one more story about Haiti to come.
Bonis has some nice white shoes. Seriously, I have always admired how white he keeps those shoes walking around here in the Dominican Republic. Bonis is a missionary intern from Castillo del Rey (King's Castle) in Nicaragua. And as a missionary, Bonis is walking the walk of faith in those white shoes. He has come here on a very tight budget and there are days when he doesn’t have a peso to his name. Today was one of those days.
Today he was supposed to come the office and share devotions in our staff meeting. The title of his message was to be “The benefits of obedience”. He walked out the door not sure how he would get to office and praying for God to provide transportation some how, some way. He has been serving in a small town 45 minutes away from our offices, so it was going to be a long walk in those white shoes.
As he walked Bonis contemplated what he would share in devotions.He had hardly walked just a few blocks when a car pulled over. It was someone Bonis had never seen before. Bonis explained to us that it turned out to be a brother who had seen him at an evangelistic event. The brother offered him a ride to the capital.
This morning we were all encouraged; there was not a dry eye in our devotions. We all understood. Every one of us is walking this walk of faith, in one way or another --just without the white shoes.
It wasn't long before the men of the village pulled together some corn from the crop that was growing on the mountain. They made a fire with the old husks, and cooked us some corn. Some of it even popped up like popcorn! It was dry and not very sweet, most likely due to the scarcity of water in the region. The sweetness of this corn was really found in the act of sharing. We had brought goodies for them, but they also gave of what they had to us. On this side of the island, we have erroneously believed that Haiti is full of people that always take, and never give.
We then gathered together in the church, and Pastor Samuel told the story of the rich man and Lazarus found in Luke 16. He must have been an amazing storyteller because the people were mesmerized, and the children were completely quiet. We did a program, and a prayer tunnel. We prayed for everyone on that mountain. It took awhile; I think we counted over 200 people squeezed in the little church.
Among those 200 people I saw a woman who was wearing a familiar shirt. I took a second look, and realized it was the same shirt that was given to my boys when we visited Life Church in Roanoke, VA. Now, this was amazing to me because we were really in a remote place. How did that shirt get to somebody way up on this mountain? I asked Pastor Samuel. He was not nearly as amazed, and I loved his answer:
“Sister Rennae, you say that shirt was from an Assemblies of God church. Well this church is an Assemblies of God church, and we are all one family. Pastor Bill (Bill Smith, our AGWM missionary) is always giving us donations to take up the mountain. We load up our back packs and mules, and bring whatever he gives us.”
Each of the kids received cookies, a pair of flip-flops, and the Book of Hope. They were thrilled! Then we began our walk down the mountain. As we walked, some of the children followed, holding our hands to keep us from falling. It was steep going down! I noticed that my little traveling companion had no shoes. Flip-flops would be useless for going down this mountain. I had been regretting the whole day that I was doing this hike in converse tennis shoes knowing that I had a perfect pair of hiking shoes in my closet. My regret quickly turned to gratefulness for my undeserved abundance.
Coming down the mountain we took time to stop and eat our lunch. Granted, it was about 4:00 pm, but there was no way that we could have eaten while at the church with people who had such need. We had brought a few extra sandwiches, but our traveling friends were more than we expected. So we prayed for the multiplication of bread, and God supplied the need. The funny thing was, that just like there were leftovers in the story of the Gospels, we also ended up with leftover sandwiches!!!
Coming down the mountain, I looked around at my tired, smelly, and filthy team. Our shoes were dirty from the hard climb. But one thing is for sure, our feet were BEAUTIFUL!
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52:7
"If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk together." African Proverb
During our training days I shared this African proverb with the warriors. We talked about how missions requires partnership. In order for us to go to the ends of the earth we would have to be committed to the long walk TOGETHER. Little did I know that we would LITERALLY be walking far together during our trip to Haiti.
Pastor Miguel told us that we would have to be up early the next day (4:00 AM) because we would be traveling far into the mountains. He was taking us to a place called Pino that no foreign team, American or any other country for that matter, had ever been.He said that even the UN had not visited this place because it was so remote.For places like Pino, humanitarian supplies are dropped from helicopters. We drove up in a tap-tap (a converted pick-up truck that holds passengers in the truck bed on small benches) and met Pastor Samuel and his wife along the way. Pastor Samuel pastors an A/G church in Port –a- Prince that planted this church in Pino. It is the only evangelical church for these mountain people. Pastor Samuel’s church also sponsors the children to go to school right there in the church.It was a two-hour drive up through the mountains to get to the bottom of the Pino Mountain.
Our wonderful missionary host, Miguel Ovalle, kind of left out a detail when he told us that we would be walking three hours to this remote community. He neglected to mention that we would be climbing a mountain. As we climbed this mountain it became very clear as to why we were the first foreigners to visit Pino. It was a STEEP desert mountain filled with cactus. We had one mule that carried our water and our puppet stage and then each of us had a backpack full of ministry supplies like cookies and candy, copies of the Book of Hope, our lunch and a big bottle of water.
As we gathered ourselves together at the bottom of Pino we saw a group of women and children washing clothes and filling buckets with water. This was the river that served the mountain people. This was the only water that they had access to. From this river we walked three hours to get to the community where the Pino Assemblies of God church was located. I snapped a picture of the children with buckets of water on their head; amazed at their ability, and also struck by the harsh reality of their daily lives.
We walked together Dominican missionaries with American missionaries, Haitian pastors, Dominican Castle warriors and Haitian castle warriors and as we walked we shared. We learned Creole along the way. We laughed together. We learned together. Pastor Samuel showed us the Voo-Doo witchdoctor houses. He showed us trees with Voo-doo symbols and he reminded us that this was the ONLY church in these mountains while Voo-doo places ofworship are scattered throughout the mountains.
Voo-Doo temple that we saw as we climbed the mountain
Pino Assemblies of God Church
When we finally made it to the top of the mountain we were greeted by the community of believers that was waiting for us at the church. The humble church was made with wooden poles and palm leaves for the siding. The roof was made of tin; the floor was a dirt floor with small wooden benches. (My friend Shirley, who used to be a missionary to Haiti, calls them "cut-your-butt" benches, which is a much better description)
Upon our arrival Pastor Samuel gathered us all together on that mountaintop standing outside of the church with the mountain views all around us. He said “Let us give thanks to the Lord for bringing us safely”.We expected him to begin with a prayer but instead he began to sing. The words were strange to us in Creole but the tune was well-known by all who were gathered on that mountain. He sang “How Great Thou Art” and as he sang I heard my beloved Dominicans join in “Mi Corazon entona la cancion, cuan grande es El…”It was overwhelming. Tears filled my eyes because I knew that I was in the middle of the most beautiful moment.It was as though the complicated political, cultural border that divided these two countries was magnificently erased by the beauty and greatness of the God who had brought us together.
Ninoska, a Castle Warrior and I at the border about to cross into Haiti
For sixteen years I have lived, worked, and loved this island that is known as Quisqueya. Our work has been on the Dominican side and it was only this past week that I finally was able to cross to the Haitian side. Going to the other side was an amazing experience that has enriched my life tremendously and changed everything that I ever believed about Haiti.
The Dominican Republic and Haiti share the same piece of land in the Caribbean and they also share a difficult history. The history between these two countries is a road stained with conflict, racial prejudice and hatred. The result is a border that separates the languages, the culture, the sport, religious tradition but most tragically, the people. Everything that I ever understood about Haiti until this past week I understood with a Dominican understanding. It was like I was looking across the border with a pair of tinted glasses. I was close enough to see Haiti but my view was darkened by those Dominican shades.
I could see Haiti because so much of Haiti is here. There are Haitian Beteyes (Haitian communities usually for the purpose of farming) where we have been active in ministry for years. There is the history of independence from Haiti. Dominicans celebrate independence from Haiti. Independence was won in this city, Santo Domingo and my children have studied in a Dominican school. I have visited the monuments and sang the songs of liberty. My neighbors across the street are Haitian and I have missionary colleagues that plant churches among the Haitian community.Haiti has always been here, but I have never been to Haiti.
Last week, we took a team of Dominicans (Kings Castle warriors) to work with our missionary Miguel and Mairelys Ovalle in Port-a-Prince. Miguel has been a part of Castle practically from the beginning of Castle here in the DR. He and his wife are THE ONLY Dominican missionaries the LIVE FULL TIME in Haiti. They are giving their lives to reach the children of Haiti and that speaks volumes to the Haitian church.
If you could hear each story you would find that each of the Dominican Castle warriors would tell you about someone in their lives who did not understand why they wanted to go to Haiti. Someone who did not think it was worth the money to be spent on one week in a place of so much hopelessness. But this is a group of warriors they have heard the call to go to the other side and together we took off the shades of our understanding and got to see Haiti in a whole new light.
She ran to me with a little note covered in butterfly stickers and placed it in my hands. "Take this to Julie*. I don’t want her to forget me."
I opened the note knowing that I would have to translate it for Julie. Julie didn’t speak Spanish. Yet even without the benefit of the language she had made a special connection with this little girl. A child who once lived as a slave in a miserable shack before she came to Bethesda Home.
The note read: To: Julie From: Alejandra Julie I love you so much. Thank you for coming to share with us at Bethesda Home. Thank you for the shoes. Julie, I will always remember you. Thank you for coming to share with us. I love you Julie.
Julie & Alejandra Friends Forever
What the note didn't say, but what I know is in her thoughts everyday was this question, “Will Julie remember me?”
Julie came with a team of women from her church and they spent just one week with the Bethesda Home children. That week was a special time for the children as they tremendously enjoy all the attention and mother love. Now, they ask about the ladies all the time and they cherish the photos that we put on the wall to remember our time together. And every time I visit, they ask me if the ladies remember them.
Bethesda Home is a home for abandoned and at-risk children. Some have mothers who are prostitutes and drug addicts; some have been rescued from domestic abuse and slavery. Sister Ketty began this beautiful rescue in 2004 and along with the partnership of her local church and other ministries; she has been able to rent a house for these children. The house that they currently live in is up for sale.
Last Thursday I sat down with Sister Ketty after she called to tell me to pray about a meeting that she was to have with the lawyers representing the house. The owners are now giving us two months to purchase the house or they will be forced to take it back.
So today we find ourselves in anticipation of a REALLY BIG MIRACLE. The owners are asking $250,000. This is a very large home and the PERFECT location for the home. We really do not want to lose this house.
Please pray for Bethesda home and Sister Ketty as we walk this journey toward our miracle. Ask the Holy Spirit how you can be a part and then ACT in FAITH & OBEDIENCE. You will never regret it.
I feel a lot like Alejandra. We were blessed to meet some amazing women on the teams that came to visit but there is that nagging question in the back of my mind. It's what the note didn't say. After the ladies left, “Will they remember Bethesda Home?”
PLEASE consider helping us. You can make a secure online contribution by clicking this link http://tiny.cc/BethesdaHomePlease note Project #14261 Class #62 in the comment field.
Or you can send your contribution to: Assemblies of God World Missions 1445 Boonville Ave Springfield, MO 65802 Mark your check or money order for project #14261 Bethesda Home Dom. Rep.
*some names have been changed to protect the identity of those involved
In 1992, the UN General Assembly designated 22 March of each year as the World Day for Water. The Dominican Republic, like the majority of developing world countries, has serious problems with water supply.
Many people live without running water and for those who do, they must deal with the reality of constant water shortages. Also, like other majority world countries the running water is not potable which results in sickness and disease.
Dealing with this water issues in the country is a part of daily life and our ministry as we work to serve the needs of this country. Yet the issue that is of greatest concern to me is solving the problem of spiritual thirst. Jesus is the real answer to the world’s water problems not digging a well (not to minimize well-digging BRING IT ON!!!) Yet even with contaminated water I have seen God’s people live joyful abundant lives! You see it everywhere in this country. So my passionate quest is to get to the ones in this country who have the least access to living water. And my compassionate actions i.e. well digging and grocery giving, are the tangible demonstration of the eternal, rescuing and thirst quenching message that I am compelled to PROCLAIM.
Friday night I stood in the rain on a street corner with a group of shivering, scantily dressed girls huddled under cardboard boxes. They were there to sell their bodies. We were there to offer them water.
I put my arm around my new friend Luzmely*, three months pregnant holding a saturated piece of cardboard over her head. I asked her if she would trade her piece of cardboard for my umbrella. She smiled at my absurdity, but gladly made the trade.
My friend Rita told the story of the Samaritan woman and her encounter with Jesus. I was amazed at how these girls were totally captivated by the story. As Rita shared, cars stopped at the corner waiting for a girl to come to the car in order to be whisked away into the night. Yet the girls would not move; they wanted to hear the story. Meanwhile, I noticed that one car circled around three times!
It was like Jesus was there with us Friday night just like he was with the Samaritan woman—offering water! As the rain fell on us, we did what Jesus would do, we offered them water, but not contaminated water, not water that is always in short supply. We offered living water. And with all the rain, we all went home drenched, both literally and spiritually!
“Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” --Jesus Christ
Maireda’s story begins in the fall of 2006 when I first began this post…
It has been a hard road to walk but I am grateful for the opportunity to follow Jesus wherever he may be leading me. Fourteen years ago, when I first responded to the call, I could not have expected that it would take me to abandoned buildings in far off fields to find a prostitute and her baby. Yet, it is whenever I am walking those kinds of roads I feel the closest to my Savior. I feel his compelling motion in my feet looking for that girl and his abundant love swelling in my chest in those awful brothels. As dark as the brothel is, and I’ll never understand this, but I feel so close to Jesus there. I feel so near to his heart. It is the weirdest thing. I never imagined that it could be like that in those dark, dismal places.
Every time I go to Boca Chica I am amazed at the absolute misery and darkness that abounds there. Just when I thought that I had heard or seen the worst there is to hear or see, something else hits us. This past Saturday was no exception. We went first to find Soraidy* a fifteen year-old prostitute with a one-month old baby. She lives with her prostitute mother in an abandoned building with no running water or electricity. We arrived kind of late, just in time actually, because we caught them just before they were going out to find a trick. They were all dressed up with all the make-up and skimpy clothes. Even the baby was dressed up in the clothes that I had brought to her on my last visit. I found that odd, but I was so glad that she didn’t just leave the baby as she did on one other occasion according to our sources. Soraidy was not so happy to see us. You could tell that she felt caught. We prayed for her and we told her that we would not give up on her or her baby. The baby (just two months old) still had sores all over her body from the STD. We left and on our way out of the building we heard a baby crying in another room. It was a baby boy, obviously mal-nourished and lying naked on two rotting, dirty sponge mattresses with a gun lying beside him. When we looked in on him a man came out of the shadows and asked what we wanted. We asked about the mother. He told us that the mother was working and he was looking after the baby. He said that he was one of the guards of the building. We recognized that we were in a dangerous position. So we left quickly. It was so freaky and absolutely heartbreaking; I wanted to pick up the baby and run, yet I was completely impotent in the situation. Anyway, one of the ladies is following up on that one.
Next we made a stop at an orphanage to pick up a little girl. Sister Ketty, my ministry partner, has a little children’s home in Santo Domingo, our capital city where we both live. Anyway, Ketty was told that this particular orphanage desperately needed help with a little girl that was having a hard time there. When we got there, we found out that the girl is too old for Ketty’s home. She is 11 and Ketty’s home will only take in girls under the age of 8. Well, this little girl senses that something has happened and I see her standing chewing her fingernails, her face nervous with fear. We try to reassure her best that we can. I began to distract her asking her about her little back pack. She showed me a brand new little bear that she was given because she was going to be leaving the home. The director of the home pulls me aside and shows me her case history. The girl’s mother was going to sell her to a trafficker that was using kids’ eyes for transplants! It was a horrible situation. I will never forget that little girls eyes. They were beautiful chocolate brown, but full of fear. She did not need words to communicate because her eyes said it all. I pulled Ketty aside, and I implored Ketty to ask the Holy Spirit about what to do. Ketty looked at me and said, “We need to take her, don’t we?” So in that split second we made a decision that I am convinced transported that girl from darkness to light. Her name was Maireda. Ketty gave Maireda a big hug and said, “Let’s go because it is time for you to go to your new family.” THOSE EYES! They danced with delight in response. When we got in the car she wanted to give me her bear to thank me for taking her to her new family. Here was a little girl with absolutely everything that she owned it a little backpack and she wanted GIVE AWAY her teddy bear. I was incredibly humbled by such extravagant generosity.
Maireda arrived at the home and for the next several weeks she struggled to adapt. She was angry and was abusive to the other children. In the meantime, one of Maireda’s family members asked for her to be returned. Ketty sent her back to live with her family. I was crushed. I felt like we had rescued her from darkness to light only to send her back to the misery and darkness of poverty. So I never finished this post. There was no real happy ending.
Two years later…
Meanwhile Ketty never really gave up on Maireda. She kept tabs on her and paid for her to attend school and get her books and materials. Maireda was passed around to different family members but mostly ended up with an aunt. Unfortunately, we came to find out that Maireda was basically a slave at her aunt’s house. She cooked, cleaned and did all the laundry. She was never paid and often was unable to attend school because of all of her responsibilities. During the Christmas holidays Maireda came to stay at Bethesda Home but Ketty promised that aunt that Maireda would return after Christmas.
During Christmas Ketty called me and explained the situation. Maireda had asked about me often during my time in the states and now that I was back they asked if I could come by to see her. I was thrilled! Seeing those beautiful eyes made my heart smile. She was so glad to be back at the home and she asked me if she could please stay. She begged me for my phone numbers and I gave them to her and the next day she was returned to her aunt.
Two days later Maireda called me and asked me to call her right back. The cell phone was out of minutes. I called her but I could not get a hold of her. I wondered what was going on. Maireida was able to get in touch with Ketty. She now felt brave enough to tell Ketty that her uncle was beating her and her uncle’s 17 year old son was abusing her. She wanted out. She wanted to go to school. “I promise to be good. Please take me back. Please.”
Ketty could not refuse. She went to find Maireda. Evidently she had been moved again and Ketty had to search throughout the barrio looking for Maireda. People even warned Ketty, “This is a dangerous area of town; you shouldn’t be down in these neighborhoods.” Ketty was not concerned. She was committed to finding this little lamb.
Today Maireda is back at Bethesda Home. She desperately wants to stay and we are committed to keeping her. Yet I know that there may be family issues and custody issues that will need to be worked out.
Yesterday at the home we were talking about how wonderful it is to have Maireda back home. Auntie Trina told how mama Ketty went to find her. As I listened it reminded me of the parable of the shepherd who went searching for the lost lamb. I told Maireda that she was our lost lamb. She smiled a great big smile and tucked her head under in embarrassment. I lifted her little chin to see her smile but what I really saw were those chocolate brown eyes –dancing with delight!
So is this our happy ending? For now it is, but I have learned that in this walk with Jesus there is no ending— just a journey and our destiny is not temporal happiness but joy everlasting.
"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost." Matthew 18:10-14
*names and identities have been changed to protect the privacy of persons involved.
So in this season, when family and friends gather to share a warm cup of coffee with Christmas cookies or Grandma's AMAZING apple pie, I find myself reflecting on the truth in the World's Best Cup of Coffee. It seems that the babe in the manger was just another example of how the best gift of all was found in the most unexpected set of circumstances. After all, it took a whole host of angels to make sure the shepherds would believe the story and a SUPER nova star to guide the three wisemen. So my Christmas wish for today and in the coming year is that we will remember the lesson of the Worlds Best Cup of Coffee, that sometimes the best things in life are found in the least likely places.
