EXCITING HAPPENINGS AND BUSY DAYS

Friday, October 23, 2009

I have not forgotten you! I have just been without internet abilities – well, better “access.” And it has been very busy.

On Wednesday I was able to spend a lot of time in curriculum preparation as well as operational procedures for Dominican Republic’s extensions of Pacto De Vida Universidad (Covenant Life University). It is important to change all documents so as to give ownership in the country where you are establishing extensions.

And then there is the difference in monies - from soles to pesos, from exchange rates of 2.85-3.00/dollar to 32-36/dollar. So all excel documents need altering, as well as all policies and procedures. Couple that with differences in the meaning of Spanish words and terms and you can see the struggle. But remember you have “gringo” trying to make sense out of Spanish! Fun!!??

I finally figured out why I was shifted from Augusto Chavez’s bachelor pad to that of Moises de la Rosa’s pad with his brother and the maid that their parents have to take care of the place while they live in New York. Why? Because Moises is one member of the five member team that has been organized to operate Pacto De Vida here in Dominicana. That’s right!

Chavez has a degree in marketing and he has put together a team of five guys: an ophthalmologist, an associate Pastor, a Youth With A Mission student and a husky hungry college age student. Each has a special assignment. Only two of them are from the same Church and they are brothers. But all want to serve! And they are not asking for payment – only to cover their expenses such as gas, phone, etc. Three speak fluent English and the other one is in the process.

I “thought” I was having a meeting on Thursday with three pastors to train them on the operational procedures for their extension. Instead it was a meeting of the “team” to introduce all the members to me and to go over their plans to facilitate the university here. They have it planned! I could not offer any further advice at this time, but I will wait and see how their plan operates. I really do not see any evident “bugs” in the operational procedures.

Thursday evening was spent visiting a couple of pastors, just to say “hi” and then to stop a cell group meeting and share a quick 120 second message (Really! I did it!) Then over to the house of the only lady involved who is not one of the front five, but is a “standby” at her request due to her educational schedule. She non-the-less had already gone over some documents and checked their translation accuracy for the Republic of Dominica.

Today, Friday, I got my schedule and boy are the next seven days full! Tonight I went to the first church for the purpose of sharing about Pacto De Vida – its program and educational opportunities. It as one of the five on the list with an expected enrollment of 10. But after presenting a PowerPoint Presentation we discovered that there are 20 who desired to enroll! I return there on Wednesday evening to preach at 8:00 PM – and that is after I present the university to another church at 6:00.

Tomorrow morning I am scheduled to speak at the YWAM - King’s Kids at 9:00. Then in the evening a 7:00 sermon to present, followed by a university presentation. Sunday there are two services to minister the Word – one a Methodist and the evening one is Mennonite. Monday a 5:00 presentation to Casa de Camino completes the day but on Tuesday we depart for Santiago and a 7 pm appointment, another on Wednesday morning at 9 then back to Santo Domingo for a 6 pm Pacto De Vida presentation and then a quick trip to preach at the same church I mentioned that had 20 instead of 10 prospective students. Thursday it’s a 7 pm presentation to an Assemblies of God pastor and congregation then dart over to the Mennonite Church (Sunday eve’s church) for another university presentation.

And with all of this I have discovered that they must have “no-see-ems” here! And boy do they love me! My only means of protection has been to keep the fan running on high at night and “blow them ‘itches’ away”. Either that is what is biting or they have the smallest mosquitoes I have ever seen! It is survival time and I plan on surviving!

Right now it is 12:40 and I am still pressed to complete the message for the youth tomorrow – alkdfla;kgn – pardon that – it isn’t swear words – it is the result of “bug swatting!”

And – there is always an “and” that links you to another situation – and then the cord to my power supply for this laptop has developed a short. I can get around it when I do not have to use my projector. The projector has a cord that adapts easily to the transformer, but I need the projector also! So when I set up it is a “touch-and-go” situation to get the cord twisted just right so it will remain in an “on” position!

And (there it is again) there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason for the power company’s decision to turn off the electricity. This morning it was off from about 8:00 to 10:30. Then it came back but went off again about 2:00 =/-. And that meant it was off until 6:00 pm. Now try to use your computer when the battery is going on two years of age and it holds only about a 40% charge which dissipates very quickly - and wouldn’t you know it right in the middle of something important that must be finished before you leave fo the next appointment.

I am not complaining! Just stating facts! No complaints from me, because it is too exciting to see how God is opening doors and working through ways and people you would not naturally select.

I MUST get that message completed for the youth, so until you read the next blog, remember to keep me in your prayers.

Dr D

Saturday, October 24th

As you can see I was not able to get my computer to a place to update the blog. So I am just adding to it until I can accomplish the task.

Saturday was a “different day.” Different because of a communication gap. We arrived at our destination – YWAM – and I spoke to the youth and ministered to them individually. There were approximately 25 in my session. When I completed the session and went looking for my host, I was told that he would return at 6:00 P.M. It was now 11:30 A.M. So I would be “stranded” here for without my computer and the things I HAD to work on all afternoon. That was bad enough but when he would pick me up we would only have one hour to make it to our evening assignment and it was traffic rush hour. So to go by his house, pick up my computer, my sermon, my bible and the projector was a MUST.

Fortunately, those in charge of YWAM had prepared a bed for me to take a nap and were going to provide lunch and supper. So I made the best of it. And I was glad for my iPhone because I could catch up on my emails – at least those which required a “short” response. That is the way things happen when you are a “missionary” traveling under the responsibility of others. You either adjust or “blow-up” and who wants to find all the parts after such an explosion? Not me!

We did accomplish our assignment and made the evening service at about 8:00 – one hour later than I thought was scheduled. I brought the word and then presented Pacto De Vida (Covenant Life University for you who can’t remember). Surprise! Surprise! Instead of the anticipated 10 potential students, 20 hands were raised. That means that we are now at a rate of double the enrollment than what was projected originally. At this rate we may have well over 100 students before I return home.

If you heard the noise it was just my host rattling on with his Spanish humor making fun of me! I’ll get him during the service this morning when I have an interpreter.

O yes! Another assignment has fallen on my plate. I am to speak to a group of students of YWAM Tuesday morning at 9:30. They are in training for an overseas assignment in the city of Jarabacoa. I am told that, using their words, is “very cold” there. It is in the mountain region on the way to Santiago.

I have now come to the point where I cannot accept any more appointments and still complete all the work that I must do in preparation for starting the extensions of Pacto De Vida here in Dominican Republic.

Sunday, October 25

This has been a fast busy hard day! Part of the struggle is derived from being told that the AM service is at 10:00 and because of the past I ask when will we depart. I am told, “10:00!” So I am ready before the hour and walk out only to see my host still lying on his pad on the floor in front of the door trying to keep cool! The other guest is still asleep. I try discussing it and find out that we do have to be there until 11:00 because the 10:00 is Sunday School. So I adjust my gears and take time to do something on the computer only because the electricity has returned (it goes off at 6:00 AM).

Then to my surprise, we do leave until a few minutes before 11:00. We go out of the way – I can tell – to pick up one other person and then find ourselves in a traffic jam along a very busy street filled with Sunday vendors. Finally we arrive at Iglesia Evangelica Methodist Libre Central. We walk in and “o” that is a biblical term of surprise) they are still in their Sunday School hour so we sit down in the back of the auditorium for 15 minutes, then continue to wait while they go through a “transition” of testimonies, prayer, looking the congregation over to see who is missing. This is led by the pastor who point to people and asks them who they recognize is missing.

We switch to the worship, with which I am pleasantly surprised to see the people involved in worship and vociferous (I like the sound of that word) singing. It was robust and sincere. Even the boy on the backup who could not have been more that twelve.

I will say that I do not know when I have shared the Word with a more active, responsive, enthusiastic group of people – and they are Methodist! To make it short and “sweet” (if that is possible) – it was a great service and was well received. I concluded by giving the pastor a word. He turned to me and grabbed me and for 3-4 minutes “held on for dear life.” Something I said spoke to him. Thank you Jesus!

We were requested to go to the parking lot and “bless a new car.” We did! And it is blessed!

A slow drive without much traffic found us back at the favorite restaurant of my host! Good food! Reliable food! Good waitresses! Good time! Enough said!

Then we journeyed for 5 minutes and found our beds at 3:30. Well they did! I had work to do and had to take advantage of the fact that the electricity was on. That ended – the electricity at 5:00.

Once again, I was ready only to find out that we did not need to leave until 5:30. The Mennonite Church was just around the corner – well 5 corners. Upon arriving there were only 10-15 people there. The pastor began to apologize saying that the extremely hot weather was going to keep people away. It did not but they were slow arriving.

The pastor is the father of the four sons, three of whom have interpreted for me. All are excellent but the oldest, Omar is very responsive and gets into it with me. We have a lot of fun ministering. The Word is delivered and received. Then the pastor comes and very gently suggests that I take only 30 minutes to present the extension ministry of Pacto De Vida because the people want to go home. I accommodate his request but 90% remain and then stand around outside for another 20 minutes. Ten indicate they are interested in becoming students. Good! That makes a prospective list of 50 students and there are four more Churches desiring an extension – or at least we have meetings with them.

We depart and I begin to wonder where we are going. I discover without asking any questions. We returned to the area where we were on Saturday evening and park in front of the Church. The service ends and out comes the pastor and her husband. I am told to get out and follow them across the street and up the steel circular stairs (watching my head because one could seriously endanger their brains on it due to its close circle and low overhead.) I then discover we are going to have a Dominican Meal! It is yucca and onions lightly placed in a skillet – more like a stir fry with rice and chicken.

I am dead on my feet but I make it through. At 10:00 we take our leave and journey home. Here I am and here I will be until noon tomorrow. Because on the way home I am told we will have dinner with the same pastor at noon. She is fixing a traditional “soup” with beef, seafood and ?????

Enough, I am exhausted and want to post this since I can use the computer of my host to do it.

Love,

Dr D