Buzzed my head. I feel ten pounds lighter and ten degrees colder. Ahh…comfortable…

I have to say that the training program we shared in this week was really enlightening- lots to learn and lots to think about in the future as well. We spent about eight hours a day together from Monday to Friday, studying a range of Biblical and cultural topics. I feel that it has sparked in me a greater desire to be a disciple of Christ. Learning more about living a life of evangelism and deepening my understanding of the church and the kingdom has been profound.

I feel like God wants to do a lot of work in me yet. I want to find my identity in him rather than in materials or looks or knowledge. I think this has become much more apparent here- where there is a higher risk of having things stolen or broken. I keep thinking: what if someone takes my computer- or my camera- or my money? I think my motivation for doing fitness training is to look better. I have become angry on a few occasions when people try to show me I’m doing something wrong or treat me like I don’t know much.

I think about these things and how they reflect where I get my sense of worth or identity from. I feel like God has been saying: I know who you are. It is so meaningful to hear such things and I want to embrace the truth of who I am in Christ-more sinful than I ever dared imagine, yet more loved than I ever thought possible.

This is the key to living the way God created me to. Chesterton says it well:

“Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly…The tattered cloak of a beggar will bear him up like the rayed plumes of the angels. But the kings in their heavy gold and the proud in their robes of purple will all of their nature sink downwards, for pride cannot rise to levity or levitation. Pride is the downward drag of all things into an easy solemnity. One ‘settles down’ into a sort of selfish seriousness; but one has to rise to a gay self-forgetfulness…For solemnity flows out of men naturally; but laughter is a leap. It is easy to be heavy: hard to be light. Satan fell by the force of gravity.”

We have witnessed some serious rain storms towards the end of the week. I got a cold on Thursday from running around in the rain with Tracy, Alexis and Elizabeth. It was crazy…the streets in the barrio became more like rivers. We ran around in the baseball field until everyone was tired. On Saturday we set out to hike up the mountain La Travasia, but- sure enough- it poured on us again. My stuff got soaked and I was forced to think once more about where my identity is at. I want to be able to surrender everything- even if it’s simply a wet Bible or camera- to him.

The Child Sponsorship Program has been on and off. The TEARS website is in transition, so there’s been a lot of work getting everything transferred, looking at marketing plans, and making sure materials are coordinated with the new TEARS logo and colors. We have started up a TEARS School blog that will be a part of the new site. Joy and I are working on sending out a ‘Sponsor a Teacher’ form to school supporters, but there have been enough complications to fill a warehouse. I guess that’s the way it goes down here; often there is no power or internet to use, and when there is internet the attachment won’t work, and when the attachment gets through it is the wrong format, etc. Then there’s trying to find contacts and addresses to send the letter to. But anyway, this is our priority- to get the teacher salaries covered.

Tomorrow I’m off to the capital- Santo Domingo- for a day. Should be cool. I am also excited for how some key aspects of the Child Sponsorship Program will come together in the next week. Thanks for all your prayers and support back home. I miss you guys.

Thus concludes a pretty awesome week with my friend Jeff. It was emboldening to spend time with him and get to know his buddies too. I feel like I have a refreshed sense of why I am here.

During the week I had the opportunity to enjoy the beach- again- although getting there was a bit more challenging. My friend Anthony was installing a new battery in his taxi when some flames shot out around his motor. I’m not sure exactly how it happened, but it was very startling. They were able to snuff it out quickly, but we had to seek alternate means of transportation- fast. We ran down to Eighth Street and hopped in the back of a truck, booting it for the bus station- we were already late. Fortunately, so was the bus. We had just enough time to buy tickets and high-tail it on board.

After that our day was tranquil. Snorkeling was really enjoyable; I could never quite reach out and touch the fish, no matter how fast I moved. But even so it was amazing to see the diversity of colors all combined in this underwater kingdom.

I also joined Jeff and his friends in helping out at Rod’s house. We reorganized all sorts of things- from desks to beds to guitars to toilet parts- more efficiently, storing them all in one room rather than having them randomly strewn throughout three or four. After this we worked on making the cement floor flat, chipping away at all the bumps with crowbars, hammers and picks- as well as moving some seriously heavy exercise equipment. The next step will be interior painting. I am excited to see how the project develops during my time here.

On Friday I was fortunate enough to make it to the water park in Santiago- after a taxi-fiasco that involved stopping at three different supermarkets and a Cathedral. Later on we enjoyed good company and some delicious Thai food at Joy’s house.

I have to say, though, the thing that I have enjoyed most this week- more than the extravagant adventures and all that- is being able to share special moments with the people in this community. Talking about life, sharing prayers of encouragement, delving into Scripture- this is what really gets my heart racing. I just have this inner passion to bless the people here and I praise the Lord for how he has worked through me. The glory is His.

Margot, Cliff and Elizabeth arrived today. I was able to catch them for a few chaotic minutes amid a clamor of hurried greetings before they were shipped off somewhere else- I guess Tracy had a plan for them. It was exciting to see people from my family though, and I look forward to this upcoming week, during which we will engage in a training program together.

Praise the Lord, O my Soul.
He is doing wonderful things in the barrio and I feel blessed to witness what is unfolding.

One month now. Wow…it’s been quite the experience so far.

As I look back I have to stand in awe of the fact that God is always with us. This has really become a profound truth for me. Jesus died on the cross. For me this emphasizes the extent of his love. If he was willing to be crucified and witness separation from his Father on our behalf, there’s nothing he wouldn’t endure with us. Isaiah 43 puts it like this:

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

Jesus would rather lose his life than lose us. It feels so amazing to think that the Lord has been there every moment. There have been times when I’ve felt lonely and times when I’ve felt accepted; times when I’ve felt my Spanish is good and times when I’ve felt like I discouraged at how little I know. There have been times when I’ve felt on top of the world and times when I’ve had so little energy that I just wanted to curl up and forget I am here in the barrio. But God was there, watching over me and guiding me in his wisdom.

There have been so many experiences this month that I will treasure for the rest of my life. This week I felt blessed to have the opportunity to see my friend Jeffrey again. He and I shared some good times during the internship and it was awesome to catch up.

Right now I’m just hanging out and watching the rain pour down on the street outside. I don’t know exactly why, but for me it calls to mind the idea that I need to trust God. It is especially difficult to do so here as I witness the destitution here. I have often just cried out: “God, why won’t you just do something?” In the end, though, his knowledge is supreme. If we knew what God knows, we would always be able to see that he does what is best.

As well, I suppose, that question echoes back to us. What will we do as God’s servants in a broken world? I aim to focus on Christ in all I do, that I might bless those around me and bring glory to my savior.

I think my body is finally used to the heat. Well, I shouldn’t speak so fast. On a few occasions I’ve experienced a headache after jogging. But all in all I’m keeping cool and drinking lots of water. I think I’ve gained quite a bit of weight, too. My family serves me a lot of food.

It has been good to develop friendships with the people here. I’m starting to actually enjoy the music, nightlife, and alive-ness of this culture more. At first it felt overwhelming. I mean, I had been through the internship and everything, but living here 24 7 is not even worth comparing. The experience of life here is totally different.

Saturday was a great day. During the morning we enjoyed some peace at Rod’s house- worshipping and having some interesting discussions about what it means to be a church. In the afternoon I visited some houses with my friend Aneudy, sharing about the gospel of Christ. It was a very eye-opening time for me; a lot of it was listening and getting a better idea of the Dominican worldview. I was also able to share some thoughts about putting God first, trusting him alone for salvation, etc. I am very thankful for this opportunity and hope to invest a lot more time in building friendships and helping bring people to the truth of Jesus.

On that note, my language is coming along well; lots of compliments, so that’s encouraging. Sometimes the pace is too much for me to handle, but most of the time I can keep up. I find I can understand a lot more Spanish than I can speak; even if I have heard a phrase numerous times I often struggle to express myself when it comes time to speak. My assignment has been to learn 20 new verbs every day. I haven’t had time to do it every day, but in a week I have expanded my knowledge by 60.

Sunday I hopped on a bus at four in the morning with about 40 other people from the barrio for the beach. This is the same one we have gone to in the past with teams. The bus ride was long and crazy; so much music and dancing! My ears were really ringing afterward. It was a tranquil day, though, and I enjoyed it all- except for trying to wash all the sand out afterward…

What I have been amazed by, of late, is the friendliness of everyone here. For having so little they share so much, with me and with one another. It is really heart warming to speak about taking satisfaction in the Lord and see these people nod and agree with amens; it sheds a whole new light on many biblical truths.

Existing in such close community has been strengthening for me. Glory to God for all he is doing in my heart.

This last week has been pretty active. On Saturday a friend of mine named Aneudi LaJara took us to his sister’s house for the day. She has a really nice place, so we just enjoyed a relaxing afternoon. Aneudi and his sisters cooked a spectacular meal for lunch. I ate my heart out.

In the evening there were so many events going on. There was a special service at El Camino with music and drama performances from other churches, a huge wedding party for the Miguel family and a celebration at Rod’s house for Jennifer and Luis, who also just got married. I decided to go to Rod’s place. Alejandro barbequed some delicious ribs and chicken wings- that guy’s got skills.

When I got back to my house, everyonewas still partying, so I decided to join in for a bit. I didn’t get much sleep that night, because the party lasted until three in the morning.

As I’ve been talking with people in the barrio, the oppression and injustice here has become increasingly evident. The wages don’t match up with rising food costs, and families are often forced to skimp on groceries. If a person mentions that they are from Maria Auxiliadora, they will not get hired elsewhere. Many teen boys are into drugs and few girls escape sexual abuse. The cycle of poverty is really visible here.

Moreover, religion is mixed in with all kinds of different traditions and beliefs, leaving many confused and misguided. I spoke with a with a woman recently who was convinced that if you said ‘Glory to God’ seven times, Satan could not resist- but you had to say it seven times. Others will go to church here and there, but during Carnival in February they will dress up in satanic costumes, engaging in debauchery and celebrating evil.

Recently, the El Camino church has witnessed a downfall in attendance. They are basically in crisis mode right now, looking for how they can encourage more members and more activity. Even in two weeks I have developed a heart for this church because they are a ray of truth amid many different religions and views. If you’re reading this right now, I just encourage you to pray for the church and the community. Even just for a few minutes right now.

Sometimes I feel powerless surrounded by so many problems, but I am thankful that God is mighty to save. I am here to do what I can. I am here to build Christ-centered relationships with the people, to come alongside friends from the church and embolden them in their ministries, and to foster growth within the TEARS school. May God be glorified during this year and may strong seeds be planted that reap eternal joy and freedom!

Praying this morning reminded me of the nature of life. Trees grow slowly and bear their fruit in season; the sun rises and the sun sets. Some days we can see the path set before us- clear as midday- and other days it is obscured by darkness, and we have only the moon to guide us: a reflection of the true light.

So with the Lord: there are stages and seasons and cycles. Some days we may stumble around, unable to foresee anything, enveloped in pain, problems and fear. But we must remember the light; we must take hope that another day will come in which we will feel the presence of God and sense his guiding hand.

I pray that God would fill me with wisdom and guide my actions during this time. I want my deeds to be driven by a love for him; that he might be at the center. Every breath that I take, ever moment I’m awake- as the song goes- I pray that God would be my source and my light; that I might testify to his truth. I pray that my life would demonstrate the freedom, the joy and the necessity of being in Christ and following him, so that the Lord may be shown mighty and beautiful and glorious.

I take hope that a time is coming in which the people of Maria Auxiliadora will develop a great passion for the Lord, worshipping him in spirit and truth.