I left you last at 10:00 AM on Saturday. Since that time much, much has happened and many, many doors of various kinds have opened.
We departed from our place of abode and headed across town to pick up Marlene Luna, my interpreter and headed after a couple of stops to a lunch meeting with a group of prominent ladies who are the force behind an organization that works to assist abused women and children of the Dominican Republic. The leader is a TV personality and those who assist her are lawyers, journalists, one is even from Miami.
I knew that Jeaneris was married to a judge, but I was not expecting what I found. First of all we were met by a vehicle that escorted us to their house. When the driver stepped out of his car, I discovered I was in the presence of several well armed government security men and personal body guards. The judge is a very high judge comparable to our Supreme Court Judges.
After a time of sharing, then eating a typical Dominican meal I was privileged to sit with the judge, talk to him and pray for both he and his wife and then the other members of the foundation. The judge informed me the government was in the process of writing a law which would give the Evangelical pastors the privilege of performing marriages even as the Catholic Priests now have. So the “project” – as Pacto De Vida became known for the remainder of my trip – was very interesting to him and he promised his support and legal knowledge to assist even in the process of registering Pacto De Vida (Covenant Life University) in the country. AND – the spokesman for the foundation – informed me that they wanted to be of any assistance I might need. Those who were lawyers freely offered their help and were going to start their own research.
We had to tear ourselves away from those present so we could make it to our evening Church appointment. We arrived after they service had started – which seemed to be the pattern because we were always behind schedule due to the pressing of those we were with previous to our next appointment. The sounds of worship echoed from the little room on the corner of the block and all I can say is that it was a joyous sound.
Now I can’t say much about the preacher – it would be too easy to overstate the case – but the response was again tremendous (as had been the other services to this point.) When the service ended we rushed out, into our car and I thought I was going to get home early! WRONG AGAIN! We drove to the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) facility where I became the final speaker for the weeks activities.
My assignment: Challenge the parents to support the youth and what God had accomplished in their lives during the past week. I “think” it was a success by the way the parents greeted me and hugged me as though I was “their pastor.”
Now since I had not eaten anything since 2:30 and it was now almost 11:00 (again this was becoming a pattern for the week) but by the time we took Marlene home and got back to our place it was now 12:30 AM on Sunday and sleep was a necessity if I was to survive the upcoming events.
Sunday’s activities began with departure at 9:30 AM, go across town (after getting a cappuccino and a pastry – a bun like piece of bread, which also became a morning ritual for breakfast. It took us over 45 minutes to traverse the city of Santo Domingo even on Sunday AM – and then to try to get to the Tabernacle Assembly of God, pastored by Pastor Francisco and Anna Rosa. We did but had to venture around and around because of the activities taking place in the area of the Church. Well, we did not make it for Sunday School, but we were slightly early for the 11:00 service.
The place was packed! IT HAD AIR CONDITIONING! Thank the Lord! Their auditorium was upstairs and would hold about 200 in close quarters sitting and then I am not sure how many were standing on the stairs that led back downstairs to the floor below.
I was greeted with a warm welcoming statement: “You have a minimum of one hour to preach. And one hour can be too short for these people!” Only a preacher can enjoy such a statement! I did my best! Now wait a minute, after sharing about the university I only preached for about 45-50 minutes, plus an altar ministry (well maybe it was 50-55 minutes – I haven’t edited the sermon which I recorded yet!
I had to meet with the pastor and his wife after the service to share about the university, so it was after 2:00 PM when we walked outside to the car and drove to the mall for some Dominican Pizza and a Dominican Pizza Desert (WOW!) Both were good and after doing my best to eat my share – which was not my normal amount – we took Marlene to the YWAM facility and picked up Imer Ramierz, a pastor’s son, 21 years of age and a YWAM-er to travel with us to Santiago for two service in the evening, the first which was scheduled to begin at 5:30 PM.
However, it requires a minimum of two hours travel time. But since we did not depart until 4:00 PM and had to drive in a down pour, we did not arrive until about 6:15 and the pastor’s wife was ministering the Word. So, I missed sharing but by 7:00 their second service started, the auditorium finally filled up, I ministered the Word and God blessed.
Pastor Chavez disappeared at the beginning of the second service and returned with another pastor – a Cuban who was pastoring another church in this city of Santiago. He wanted to introduce him to me and for him to be a part of the meeting after the service regarding Pacto De Vida. So we ventured out to the mall, had some Dominican food and talked about the university.
I have found out that Pastors like to talk to other Pastors – particularly when one is from he United States. So we spent a lot of time after talking about education and then finally drove to a home where my host used a key he had, opened the gate, then went in the house and disarmed the security, took me inside and showed me my room and the shower. I wonder where we were and he told me that the owners, who were there at this time, had given him a key and permission to stay there whenever he was in the city.
So I crashed with my a pedestal fan acting as my personal air-conditioner and tried to sleep. But being in a new place, with different sounds and knowing that I only had about 4 hours and it would be time to get up again and drive to Haiti, it was hard to shut my mind off from the activities of the day and what may be ahead of me. Well, as you can imagine, morning came either too soon or too slowly so it was “upward and onward” into the unknown.
By 9:30 AM Monday, we were in Dajadon, Dominican Republic on the border of Haiti. What now, I wondered as we made our way on foot through the teeming groups of businesses lining the street, merchants pushing their carts of all sizes and shapes loaded with everything from fruit to chairs and mattresses through the mobs and listening to the cries of others selling their wares. All of this while we were walking toward the border crossing.
Allow me to only say that “a miracle provided” our entry into Haiti in less than 5 minutes. It was very interesting to hear the border patrol officers scream out “Chavez,” throw up their hands and welcome us as we walked through the covered gate. I cannot tell you how crowded the narrow roadway was with people going both directions. It was like watching a colony of ants busily working on some bread crumbs and toting them to their ant hill.
The shock came when I saw the different conditions on the Haitian side of the border. Over 60,000 people live in this village area. “Filth, stench, unsanitary” are the best words to describe what I saw. I will not even begin to describe what my eyes saw, but only say, food stands with food lying on dirty clothes covered the ground right next to piles of garbage from which water was draining from the rains the day before. Meat was being cut with axes and machetes on dirty clothes lying right on the ground. In the middle of the major market an area about the size of the infield of a baseball diamond and completely surrounded by food peddlers was a pile of garbage averaging about 30 inches high through which many would come at night and sift through to see if any peddler had thrown away anything they could eat.
We eventually wound our way from there to a building under construction. Pastor Chavez is building a place where he can educate, feed and train children of this area. On the way there I heard time and time again the cries of children as the called out “Chavez! Chavez!” and ran to hug him as we walked. His plan is to complete the first floor of 6 rooms about 20 feet square. He has also purchased a field behind the building on which he plans to build a playground and use some for growing food. His desire is to build a clinic in front so he can see the children receive the medical help they need. I asked him how much money he needed to get it open in September. $2,000 with which to purchase the doors and windows.
It took me two hours after crossing the border back in to Dominican Republic to get the odor out of my consciousness. And the sights and sounds vividly remain with me as I write this.
We had an appointment with the brother of Gustavo Rodriquez from Peru at the mall to share with him the “project”. We meet him there about 4:30 - 5:00. The meeting was almost completed when Pastor Chavez saw a pastor descending on the escalator. He went over and called to him. The pastor came and sat down. I was instructed to share with him the “project” but before I could, Alvaro, Gustavo’s brother began and in less than three minutes I was given an “opportunity” to speak at the Santiago Evangelical Pastors Meeting at 7:00 PM. I say “opportunity” but is such a divine appointment really an “opportunity” or is it another point of destiny with God?
Simply, I did and the response was over-whelming and a demand was placed on us that we open an extension also in Santiago. Question? How do you open “an extension” by choosing “one church, one pastor” over the desires and needs of “many pastors?” That is the question I face, both in Santiago and Santo Domingo!
We got back to Santo Domingo and to our home about 11:30 PM, only to discover that someone had cut the electric wire from the pole to the house and taken it with them. So for the next 36 hours we were without the “natural” electrical feed to the house. An extension cord was dropped out a window to the neighbor below and we used it for our fans on Monday evening. However, for Tuesday night we “back-fed” the electricity using the cord and plugged it into a receptacle and sent it throughout the house. So I at least had electricity to do some very necessary computer work and thus be albs to leave some valuable material with Pastor Chavez and the team of two youth who have volunteered to help in the beginning of Pacto De Vida in the Dominican Republic.
Tuesday, my last day here was filled with appointments with pastors and leaders as well as an evening service. One of those appointments was in the home of a man who owns five optometry stores in Santo Domingo. I soon discovered that he was also a Mennonite pastor. We had spent about 30-40 minutes talking about the “project” and various other spiritual thoughts when he turned to my host and said, “Pastor Chavez, everyone needs to be submitted to someone who is older in the ministry than they are. You and I need to submit our lives and ministry to Dr. D.”
My mouth probably dropped open and I am sure the look on my \face was something else as he turned to me and asked me if I would be his “father -in-the-faith” and watch over him and his ministry. He jumped over any denominational barrier, over any cultural barrier and what could I say?
The presence of the Holy Spirit was rich and I simply responded, “I would be honored.” I will not continue (it would take too much space) to share the other things he expressed. This man is a very successful business man with a lovely family of two late teen, early twenties daughters and a handsome son in the same age category. And then the next words were, “Will you come in later October and be the speaker for our Couples Retreat? And if you cannot be here in October, will you commit to next year?”
The ministry portion of the trip ended Tuesday evening service. I am home! But the impact of this trip will last forever. However, the challenge is BIG! The open doors are many! A nation can be changed spiritually by walking along side of these pastors and their people to assist them in doing the work God has called them to do in their country.
NOW WHAT? We need finances immediately so we can purchase the necessary equipment and supplies as well as print the syllabus outlines of the lessons for the students to purchase. A computer, a printer and a CD/DVD reproducer and some CD/DVD’s and some paper to print the applications as well as the CD/DVD covers.
$3-5,000 will launch the “project”!
The pastors and the students are waiting! God opened the doors! Destiny is ahead!
THE CHALLENGE! Finances! And God is the provider? Are you a channel for the provisions? Pray with us that God will supply what we nee so we can open Universidad Pacto De Vida - Dominican Republic before November.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Dominican Republic Blog
Wednesday (8/12/09)
I arrived on time and that is after the plane arrived in Fort Lauderdale 35 minutes late. Somehow those “Spirit” people got us away from the gate right on time - 6:15 PM. And then they sat us down on the runway at 8:21 PM and I walked off the plane before 8:30 PM.
Immigration and Aduana (Customs) was no problem and I breezed through it and out the door to my waiting host – I thought before 8:45. But to my amazement – no one greeted me! And they had my picture – but maybe that is why no one was there. I finally went upstairs and ran into a friendly taxi drive hoping to get a fair I figured. He did not speak English but he wanted to help and in a few minutes with no help from any airlines or terminal staff, he just took out his phone and called the number of the pastor. I had that with me and in a few seconds the voice on the other end told him they had arrived and would be upstairs to get me in a few seconds. They did! And we were out he door.
Now remember, my Spanish level rises to the great heights of about the size of the letters you are reading. Well, on a scale of 1-10, it hits the heights of .001! But the pastor who knows no English brought a Doctor – and that is scarey in itself. Why is it that Ukraine, Peru, and now Dominican have doctors that come to meet me? Well, Paul had Dr. Luke so I guess I am in with the best!
We stopped by the mall to get some food – Burger King and then a couple of bottles of water and off we went to the bachelor pad! The pastor is single and his home is just that – a bachelor pad. No screens, an ocillating fan for AC, no shower head, just a stream of water and I’m not sure yet if it is hot or cold and a toliet that does not flush – you pour the water into it from the sink and the sink faucwet runs slowly so it is a major job to get enough water to flush. But anyway, it isn’t an “outhouse” and the place looks clean.
No internet tonight – problems with the equipment of the pastors, so off to bed – if I can sleep. Like a dumb bunny I did not bring my printer, having printed out the sermons I thought they requested but now I find out that there are several more services added with each having a requested subject.
Tomorrow it is a youth camp which focuses on missions and I am to speak about missions. That will not be hard but I’ll lay away most of the night tring to get it right so the Spirit can have something to use to speak to the youth.
Hey! This is enough for tonight. I’ll add to it later because tomorrow is here and the activity begins at 8:00 not the 10:30 that was on my schedule.
Thursday & Friday (11:00 AM on Friday)
I slept last night, rather Wednesday night “some”. No AC and a fan blowing on me and no pillow only my zipper bag of t-shirts as a pillow and covered by the t-shirt I had worn on Wednesday’s trip to Santo Domingo. Talk about “improvising”.
Then I had to face the shower! I could not do it! I decided I’d just do a “spash wash” (whatever that is) and get by since we were going to a YWAM camp. I knew it had to be rustic! Was I surprised! It was lovely and the youth were fantastic. But here was the “catch”.
I have never felt comfortable speaking to youth – at least in the last 20-25 years. However, God showed up and honored my faith and we had a fabulous morning service as I challenged the youth to give their life to a full-time ministry – to which we are all called! The only difference between any of us is “how we earn our living”. The response and altar service lasted for one and one-half hours.
After eating lunch, Pastor Chavez said we were going to take a nap, then we would talk about the university at 4:00 PM. That was okay with me, even though I had just found out we would remain here and go from here to the street meeting with these youth. A street meeting was in the agenda, but I did not know we were going with this group of kids. So, as in missions, you just “punt” and play hard.
HOWEVER! While I was resting, not sleeping, it began to storm and I mean STORM!!! Lightning, thunder and torrential rain for over two hours. When I got up to go outside, it had almost ceased so I journied from my room to the main area and open air cabana to meet with the pastor. He had a strange look on his face and I began to wonder “what now?” The “what now” was that the rain had flooded the low area where we had to ford the water and we were not going to be able to have the street meeting ... AND WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO EVEN GO BACK TO HIS HOUSE!
Hold it Jack! That meant I would have to sleep here, without any thing with me but what I had on. No towel, no soap, no toothbrush or toothpaste and all the rest! So, because of that, I was then told I would be the speaker for the evening service, after we concluded our discussion about the university – which lasted four hours (your eyes read that correctly - 4 HOURS) and no time to even get my mind in gear and hear what the Holy Spirit had planned.
But as is the beauty of the Spirit of God, he fed me and I fed the youth. Another blow-out service. The Word, prayer, prophetic words to some, encouragement to others, emotional healings and much much more. The service concluded about 11:30 and I was then taken to the cafeteria to eat what I refused to eat before the service. Now it was not because I did not like what they were serving. I eat what is set before me regardless (well almost) but because I do not eat just before speaking.
I ate, spent some time sharing with the youth who dropped by and spoke English or who brought an interpreter with them. Some workers brought us bedding and we ventured down to our room, mae our beds and took the towel and headed to the shower. On the way, Pastor Chavez entered the room of some guys and found a bar of soap. After taking my shower I found a tube of tooth paste God had placed in the room because of one youth’s forgetfulness and with my finger “brushed - that is rubbed” my teeth – at least my mouth felt clean.
Sleeping??? Well that was another story that will have to wait until I return from my noon appointment. See you then!
I AM BACK! I hope you are glad to see me! I mean read what I have to say about my experiences here.
The night was rough when it came to sleeping. The ceiling fan was on high and it blew a “mean wind.” The bed was tolerable but the sheets did not fit and so you kept waking up trying to put the bottom sheet back in place over the vinyl that covered the mattress. Then the sheet you covered up with was not enough to keep the cold air from bothering you so you do the next best thing and pull the sleeping bag you were given down from the steps of the bunk bed and draw it up over you. All the time you are wrestling with the pillow which was about the size of a legal sheet of paper – a piece of foam also covered with vinyl and of course a pillow case on it. That made it hot! Now my body in hot and my head is cold because the wind from the van was whipping it around bouncing it off the wall and it was “very cool,” that is cold. So between all that and getting to bed at 12:45 AM it made for a rough night of missions.
I skipped breakfast - first of all because I do not normally eat breakfast and secondly because I was asked to speak again – in 10 minutes to a very talented group of youth dancers who were facing competition on Saturday against many others who are not believers. When I say dancing, I mean the youth stomping, coreographed to perfection. They are good!
Then a quick meeting with the director who wanted to know more about the university she heard I was here to open in some churches. She is a lovely person who loves the youth and they love and respect her. Finally we departed.
Oh, did I tell you that the place where the camp is located requires us to drive through the Seattle Mariners baseball camp facilities here in Santo Domingo? I didn’t? Well it does!
Now to fill you in on the rest of the day! It is now about 9:45 AM and we are on our way back to the house. I am offered a shower and time to rest. I forego the shower because I am afraid of cold water and I also skip the 25 minute nap because I must get some material ready for the day. So onward and upward we go departing the house at 11:35 AM and off we go to get my interpreter for the day.
We picked up Marlene Luna, a 21 year old psychology major after a drive across Santo Domingo. She is a beautiful young lady who dearly loves the Lord. She has been through YWAM (Youth With A Mission) training and has been on location in Africa and Peru (both in Lima and in the the jungle). Her English is clear and without any accent.
Our next stop was to meet Jeaneris, who works for a local TV station – on the air and who has aan organization registered with their Dominican Government to help abused and underprivileged children. I was requested to share about the “project” (as Pastor Chavez calls Pacto De Vida). She said she wanted us to meet with her and the other “prominent ladies” who serve as members of her organization because she wants to help with the “project.” Who knows where this will lead.
Because Pastor Chavez is from Peru and both Marlene and I are familiar with Peru and like Peruvian food, he took us to a Peruvian restaurant to have Civichi and Lomas Saltada - a beef, vegetable, and french fry, rice combo.
A quick stop by the house to get my materials for the evening service and we were on the road again headed to meet three pastors and to share with them about the project. From the time we departed at 3:45 PM until almost 8:00 we were sharing the “project” and the “project” was very warmly welcomed and accepted with great anticipation and with the expression – “God sent you here at the right time. Our country is experiencing a move of God and we need to teach our people.”
The evening ended by sharing with an Assemblies of God pastor, and teaching a lesson from the Marriage Material I have developed with PowerPoint and student notes – The Basis of Marriage, lessons one and two: The Yoke of Marriage and The Emotions of Marriage.
Now when the church is on a very busy neighborhood intersection, with card games taking place in the street outside, children funning to and fro on the sidewalks, all doors and windows open to attempt to stay cool, all fans in the building running a full speed, a generator running on the door steps of the church because it was the time of day when the electricity for this section of Santo Domingo has their service turned off, and children inside moving about freely – well you get the message! AND – then we had to stop and turn the generator off, throw a switch to return to the “normal power” – which meant to turn off the projector to protect the bulb, the restart it and then to have to stop and do it again because the “normal power” when off again, which meant we switched back to the generator. Anyway it was an eventful evening and the teaching was well received – anyway that is what the pastor (a lady) and her husband and the pastor’s mother (who is a pastor in New Jersey) expressed.
So I thought since it was now 9:00 PM that we would be going back home. WRONG! We drove to another part of the city, found the YWAM team in the process of holding a street meeting with their 96 youth and a large crowd. Then I discovered that the pastor was to bring the evangelistic message. So I spent my time observing and chatting with some of the youth from Thursday’s event-filled day.
Well that brings you up-to-date and here it is Saturday morning about 10:00. I did sleep good with the help of two little friends and a cold shower.
Now for the day and all it holds. Thank God he hold this day as he has all the others in this “timely” – “God’s time” venture through this door He has opened.
I’ll be back on line whenever I have access to the internet.
God bless,
Dr D
I arrived on time and that is after the plane arrived in Fort Lauderdale 35 minutes late. Somehow those “Spirit” people got us away from the gate right on time - 6:15 PM. And then they sat us down on the runway at 8:21 PM and I walked off the plane before 8:30 PM.
Immigration and Aduana (Customs) was no problem and I breezed through it and out the door to my waiting host – I thought before 8:45. But to my amazement – no one greeted me! And they had my picture – but maybe that is why no one was there. I finally went upstairs and ran into a friendly taxi drive hoping to get a fair I figured. He did not speak English but he wanted to help and in a few minutes with no help from any airlines or terminal staff, he just took out his phone and called the number of the pastor. I had that with me and in a few seconds the voice on the other end told him they had arrived and would be upstairs to get me in a few seconds. They did! And we were out he door.
Now remember, my Spanish level rises to the great heights of about the size of the letters you are reading. Well, on a scale of 1-10, it hits the heights of .001! But the pastor who knows no English brought a Doctor – and that is scarey in itself. Why is it that Ukraine, Peru, and now Dominican have doctors that come to meet me? Well, Paul had Dr. Luke so I guess I am in with the best!
We stopped by the mall to get some food – Burger King and then a couple of bottles of water and off we went to the bachelor pad! The pastor is single and his home is just that – a bachelor pad. No screens, an ocillating fan for AC, no shower head, just a stream of water and I’m not sure yet if it is hot or cold and a toliet that does not flush – you pour the water into it from the sink and the sink faucwet runs slowly so it is a major job to get enough water to flush. But anyway, it isn’t an “outhouse” and the place looks clean.
No internet tonight – problems with the equipment of the pastors, so off to bed – if I can sleep. Like a dumb bunny I did not bring my printer, having printed out the sermons I thought they requested but now I find out that there are several more services added with each having a requested subject.
Tomorrow it is a youth camp which focuses on missions and I am to speak about missions. That will not be hard but I’ll lay away most of the night tring to get it right so the Spirit can have something to use to speak to the youth.
Hey! This is enough for tonight. I’ll add to it later because tomorrow is here and the activity begins at 8:00 not the 10:30 that was on my schedule.
Thursday & Friday (11:00 AM on Friday)
I slept last night, rather Wednesday night “some”. No AC and a fan blowing on me and no pillow only my zipper bag of t-shirts as a pillow and covered by the t-shirt I had worn on Wednesday’s trip to Santo Domingo. Talk about “improvising”.
Then I had to face the shower! I could not do it! I decided I’d just do a “spash wash” (whatever that is) and get by since we were going to a YWAM camp. I knew it had to be rustic! Was I surprised! It was lovely and the youth were fantastic. But here was the “catch”.
I have never felt comfortable speaking to youth – at least in the last 20-25 years. However, God showed up and honored my faith and we had a fabulous morning service as I challenged the youth to give their life to a full-time ministry – to which we are all called! The only difference between any of us is “how we earn our living”. The response and altar service lasted for one and one-half hours.
After eating lunch, Pastor Chavez said we were going to take a nap, then we would talk about the university at 4:00 PM. That was okay with me, even though I had just found out we would remain here and go from here to the street meeting with these youth. A street meeting was in the agenda, but I did not know we were going with this group of kids. So, as in missions, you just “punt” and play hard.
HOWEVER! While I was resting, not sleeping, it began to storm and I mean STORM!!! Lightning, thunder and torrential rain for over two hours. When I got up to go outside, it had almost ceased so I journied from my room to the main area and open air cabana to meet with the pastor. He had a strange look on his face and I began to wonder “what now?” The “what now” was that the rain had flooded the low area where we had to ford the water and we were not going to be able to have the street meeting ... AND WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO EVEN GO BACK TO HIS HOUSE!
Hold it Jack! That meant I would have to sleep here, without any thing with me but what I had on. No towel, no soap, no toothbrush or toothpaste and all the rest! So, because of that, I was then told I would be the speaker for the evening service, after we concluded our discussion about the university – which lasted four hours (your eyes read that correctly - 4 HOURS) and no time to even get my mind in gear and hear what the Holy Spirit had planned.
But as is the beauty of the Spirit of God, he fed me and I fed the youth. Another blow-out service. The Word, prayer, prophetic words to some, encouragement to others, emotional healings and much much more. The service concluded about 11:30 and I was then taken to the cafeteria to eat what I refused to eat before the service. Now it was not because I did not like what they were serving. I eat what is set before me regardless (well almost) but because I do not eat just before speaking.
I ate, spent some time sharing with the youth who dropped by and spoke English or who brought an interpreter with them. Some workers brought us bedding and we ventured down to our room, mae our beds and took the towel and headed to the shower. On the way, Pastor Chavez entered the room of some guys and found a bar of soap. After taking my shower I found a tube of tooth paste God had placed in the room because of one youth’s forgetfulness and with my finger “brushed - that is rubbed” my teeth – at least my mouth felt clean.
Sleeping??? Well that was another story that will have to wait until I return from my noon appointment. See you then!
I AM BACK! I hope you are glad to see me! I mean read what I have to say about my experiences here.
The night was rough when it came to sleeping. The ceiling fan was on high and it blew a “mean wind.” The bed was tolerable but the sheets did not fit and so you kept waking up trying to put the bottom sheet back in place over the vinyl that covered the mattress. Then the sheet you covered up with was not enough to keep the cold air from bothering you so you do the next best thing and pull the sleeping bag you were given down from the steps of the bunk bed and draw it up over you. All the time you are wrestling with the pillow which was about the size of a legal sheet of paper – a piece of foam also covered with vinyl and of course a pillow case on it. That made it hot! Now my body in hot and my head is cold because the wind from the van was whipping it around bouncing it off the wall and it was “very cool,” that is cold. So between all that and getting to bed at 12:45 AM it made for a rough night of missions.
I skipped breakfast - first of all because I do not normally eat breakfast and secondly because I was asked to speak again – in 10 minutes to a very talented group of youth dancers who were facing competition on Saturday against many others who are not believers. When I say dancing, I mean the youth stomping, coreographed to perfection. They are good!
Then a quick meeting with the director who wanted to know more about the university she heard I was here to open in some churches. She is a lovely person who loves the youth and they love and respect her. Finally we departed.
Oh, did I tell you that the place where the camp is located requires us to drive through the Seattle Mariners baseball camp facilities here in Santo Domingo? I didn’t? Well it does!
Now to fill you in on the rest of the day! It is now about 9:45 AM and we are on our way back to the house. I am offered a shower and time to rest. I forego the shower because I am afraid of cold water and I also skip the 25 minute nap because I must get some material ready for the day. So onward and upward we go departing the house at 11:35 AM and off we go to get my interpreter for the day.
We picked up Marlene Luna, a 21 year old psychology major after a drive across Santo Domingo. She is a beautiful young lady who dearly loves the Lord. She has been through YWAM (Youth With A Mission) training and has been on location in Africa and Peru (both in Lima and in the the jungle). Her English is clear and without any accent.
Our next stop was to meet Jeaneris, who works for a local TV station – on the air and who has aan organization registered with their Dominican Government to help abused and underprivileged children. I was requested to share about the “project” (as Pastor Chavez calls Pacto De Vida). She said she wanted us to meet with her and the other “prominent ladies” who serve as members of her organization because she wants to help with the “project.” Who knows where this will lead.
Because Pastor Chavez is from Peru and both Marlene and I are familiar with Peru and like Peruvian food, he took us to a Peruvian restaurant to have Civichi and Lomas Saltada - a beef, vegetable, and french fry, rice combo.
A quick stop by the house to get my materials for the evening service and we were on the road again headed to meet three pastors and to share with them about the project. From the time we departed at 3:45 PM until almost 8:00 we were sharing the “project” and the “project” was very warmly welcomed and accepted with great anticipation and with the expression – “God sent you here at the right time. Our country is experiencing a move of God and we need to teach our people.”
The evening ended by sharing with an Assemblies of God pastor, and teaching a lesson from the Marriage Material I have developed with PowerPoint and student notes – The Basis of Marriage, lessons one and two: The Yoke of Marriage and The Emotions of Marriage.
Now when the church is on a very busy neighborhood intersection, with card games taking place in the street outside, children funning to and fro on the sidewalks, all doors and windows open to attempt to stay cool, all fans in the building running a full speed, a generator running on the door steps of the church because it was the time of day when the electricity for this section of Santo Domingo has their service turned off, and children inside moving about freely – well you get the message! AND – then we had to stop and turn the generator off, throw a switch to return to the “normal power” – which meant to turn off the projector to protect the bulb, the restart it and then to have to stop and do it again because the “normal power” when off again, which meant we switched back to the generator. Anyway it was an eventful evening and the teaching was well received – anyway that is what the pastor (a lady) and her husband and the pastor’s mother (who is a pastor in New Jersey) expressed.
So I thought since it was now 9:00 PM that we would be going back home. WRONG! We drove to another part of the city, found the YWAM team in the process of holding a street meeting with their 96 youth and a large crowd. Then I discovered that the pastor was to bring the evangelistic message. So I spent my time observing and chatting with some of the youth from Thursday’s event-filled day.
Well that brings you up-to-date and here it is Saturday morning about 10:00. I did sleep good with the help of two little friends and a cold shower.
Now for the day and all it holds. Thank God he hold this day as he has all the others in this “timely” – “God’s time” venture through this door He has opened.
I’ll be back on line whenever I have access to the internet.
God bless,
Dr D
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