…and I’m tired!...but God continues to fill my exhausted body with energy and spirit.
The stomach virus started on Thursday, and it’s the first time I’ve ever been sick while in the DR. Friday I spent the ENTIRE day in bed, feeling useless and sorry for myself…but I knew I had 24 hours to get back on my feet because…the FIRST TEAM WAS ARRIVING!!!
I was really nervous about receiving this team because I hadn’t had much contact with them beforehand. Mark, their leader, along with his wife Karen, is a Spanish teacher so he doesn’t really need me to communicate much! Saturday morning I was still lagging a bit but once we got to the airport adrenaline took care of me!
We immediately drove to the hotel in Bávaro where the team and I would be staying. I was greeting by some really friendly faces and hand shakes, trying to keep all the names straight…a few confused looks, as if they were thinking to themselves ¨she’s American, where’d she come from?¨ lol And somehow in the rush of all things checking-in to a hotel Dominican style I was left with the team…AHHH! for me at the moment. I was already feeling strange enough. But as usual…God knows best.
I joined the team for a bite to eat and was able to help a bit with the ordering, except that I confused an Italian Tortilla for a pizza when in reality it is a quiche type dish…good to know. After sharing with everyone, on an individual basis who I was…¨in the process of becoming a missionary for North Point…have worked in the DR for the past four years…God put on my heart…ect…ect…¨ I felt a bit more comfortable.
We were received by the church in Bávaro and several who came out from Higüey in a wonderful welcoming service that was a surprise to all. In the past year the church has put together an International Reception Committee whose sole purpose to is make us feel welcome, make sure we have everything we need, and to thank us. They have done an amazing job and I look forward to seeing what they have in store for the rest of the teams.
I headed back to Higüey that night to spend my last night at home…yes Pastor and Zoilas house has become to be like home to me already! Sunday I stayed home and relaxed for most of the day. Packed and got ready for church. The church service was biblically rich and vibrant as usual and Carolina used the outline I translated to translate Pastors message for the NP team!!!
Our fearless leaders...
It only took the trip back to Bávaro with the Construction team for me to feel like one of them…and over the week I spent with them they became my family.
We sweat together (Andy, have you washed your shirt yet?!, or did you just throw it away), we rode motor bikes together (Cindy, I love you!), we created our own internet café at the church (Ben, thanks for taking the lead on that), oh, and a shout out for Steph for taking the hit for the team (she broke several bones including ones in her cheek, nose and jaw and still worked with us as much as she could…despite the disbelief of the doctor back in the US!), celebrated birthdays (Stephen, just turned 29…for the rest of his life…lol and Steph, a lovely, what is it, 20? Lol)
Kristen, thank you for my beautiful DReam Team t-shirt and for lugging my bag to the DR (well thanks to Tray for doing the hard work)! I found my soul mate…my other half in Kelly. She and I are truly kindred spirits…and I think we annoyed the entire team with our silly antics and crazy schemes.
All the couples: Mark and Karen, Kim and Ben, Stephanie and Shaun, Carrie and Will, Hillary and Tim…you are an inspiration for all of us a hope that a Godly marriage is possible. Thank you for your honesty and confidence in us to share your stories. Natalie and Emily…thank you for being a true friend and listening to whatever it was I had to say… Nikki thank you for reminding me that I’m not crazy and spiritual warfare is real! Tray and Connor…you give me hope that there are still single Godly men out there…wait for your Godly woman; she’s out there somewhere! Karen thank you for all your encouragement. Jeff I don’t think I’ve seen anyone work harder…well maybe Andy…jk and making the sacrifice to be away from your wife and kids. My dear friend Esmeralda…keep her in your prayers. I look forward to seeing here again at Las Leñas next week when I head back out to Bávaro. Andy and Connor, it was a pleasure to go to Jáhiro and Jocelyn’s house with you and eat her wonderful cooking. And thank you to all my friends back in Higüey that came out to help us!
To see pictures and other blog entries by Construction team members see: http://www.newtourera.com/globalxDR/galleries/index.htm
Leaving the construction team at the airport on Sunday was really hard…I felt like I was saying goodbye to my family. I am so encouraged to receive all the team correspondence that’s been going on since they got back and I look forward to seeing them in August!
Back to work as usual…Sunday service was great, we started a new series entitled ¨Where is your Heart?¨ Discussing our basic necessities and our unnecessary obsession with them Luke 12:22-31.
22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
How we come to value our lives based on what we have in our possession and our standard of living, instead of focusing on the One who gives us everything, the Provider of all of our needs.
It is so wonderful to be spiritually fed here…
The past four days I cant even tell you everything that I have worked on…VBS curriculum and planning, coordinating team information for the International Reception team, providing numerous vital informations to the marriage conference team and organizing small groups based on various aspects…I’ll have to show you the database sometime…truly displacing how nerdy I truly am (mom, how I will always remind you of my love for fax machines at the age of 5), discussing decisions for the youth camp…its amazing that somehow I kept it all straight…AND I AM LOVING THE WORK!!!
I also have been working along side my friends, Darwin, Lenín and Thomas, who sum up the Projection Team for the youth camp, towards the completion of a series of videos we will be using at camp. This is where God is teaching me some hard lessons…not with them but with communication, confrontation and Dominican culture.
On almost a daily basis I can see how Satan is trying desperately to use miscommunication to tear us apart and as always God prevails…things are worked out but I know peoples feelings are hurt, some are sad, and not many and it doesn’t last long, get angry. This may sound strange but the struggle is so encouraging to me…because it only means were doing something right! Ministry is messy…and if it isn’t, it may mean something is wrong…
Wednesday night I went to Miguel and Carmens house for dinner. Earlier in the day Carmen picked me up and we went to the supermarket on her motor bike...I love riding them...one day maybe I´ll drive...yikes! I spent the evening playing cards with Miguel and his three daughters Micarlis, Carleny, Micaelis and we watched Patitas Felices (Happy Feet).
Yesterday, Juan Carlos, my friend and fellow camp leader, took me to the market. So neat to see everything out in the open. Little shops selling clothes, odds and ends. Dozens upon dozens of fruit and vegtable vendors, meat and fish as well!
Today, I’m sitting in my pajamas (yes its 3pm), and sitting in the heat. The daily power outage is in effect at the moment. By the way, for those of you that don’t know the reason there is a daily power outage is to make up for the stolen electricity. The Electric Company is working on fixing the problem…in the next 5 years…but to compensate for the cost they shut off the electricity. It’s not like this in all cities, like the tourist cities and Santo Domingo for example…but here in Higüey that is still the case…
As for my Dominican family: Papi (Pastor), Mami (Zoila), and my two wonderful brothers Rafi and Israel…what a blessing they’ve been to me and are truly becoming like family.
Tata for now!
The first VBS team comes tomorrow and we start the camp on Monday! Please keep us in your prayers!
Love,
Eliana
CONGRADULATIONS RIC FOR GRADUATING FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF ATL...I am very proud of you!
