Well, it’s been 10 days since I was in the Dominican Republic. I haven’t recovered yet. I don’t know that I ever will completely recover. I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to update this blog as often as I had hoped-I had much less internet access than anticipated. Over the next few days I’d like to post some of my memories and reflections.
(As a reminder, I went for six weeks on my own, living with three different familes and one week with a group at the Solid Rock Missions guesthouse.)
One of my favorite parts of the trip was during the last week, with the group. The story begins early this spring, after I had seen the Lifehouse drama at my church (one version pictured here:)
a few weeks before I left, I really felt strongly that that skit was something I needed to be a part of in the DR. A clear message, no language barrier, everyone could participate, and we could do it in a large church or take a boombox with us to a nearby neighborhood. I emailed the lady in charge and received a “Sorry, but no”, we wouldn’t be able to do it. But then, when my group arrived I learned that there had been a change in plans and that someone had stepped up and put the skit together, along with two other wordless dramas! The very first time the group performed (I was in the audience with the Dominicans, since I spoke Spanish) a Dominican leader in the organization asked us to come to his neighborhood and do the same thing.
We went to his neighborhood, to his friend’s neighborhood, to the park, a shoeshine boy camp, the old folks home, even the market in the middle of the day performing these dramas. It was so exciting. After we finished performing the dramas, someone would give a brief summary, explanation and invitation in Spanish to the Dominicans. There was a certain line they would usually use.. “Quien quiere confiar en Cristo hoy, ahora?” (Who wants to trust in Christ today, now?) and there would be a pause. And then the hands would go up. In one of the neighborhoods we went to, almost every one of the people watching raised their hand.
The pastor asked "Who wants to trust in Christ today, now?"
Now, I know that some of the people were just doing it to make us happy or hoping that they would get something. But still, they heard the message, and God’s word never returns void. Those moments after the invitation were very powerful for me. That was a big reason I was there, to take God’s word to those who need it. Plus, in the Bible the only time that we know for sure that the angels are singing is when a new soul comes to Jesus. How fantastic, even if only one or two hands were really sincere, that God was able to use me in part to do his work. I can almost hear the angels’ rejoicing!
