We often read in the Gospels of Jesus visiting Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.  That seems to have been one of His favorite homes where He found comfort and friendship.  He actually chose that family above all the other possibilities!  That’s how I want to keep my home…ready for the Lord to feel totally at rest, surrounded by love.  It makes my everyday choices so much easier in deciding in what way my behavior and activities would be pleasing to Him.  I want Him continually to be able to come in and say to me, “I’m home!”

Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit in me.”

A friend sent me a book on Passion Week last year, to be read a chapter each day the week before Easter, depicting the Biblical events that occurred during that time.  It gave me the perfect opportunity to, once again, reflect on the magnitude of His wondrous love and sacrifice.  The pictures brought back a gift of memories of the times Bobby and I spent on our trips there—the awesome experience to pray atop the Mount of Olives, sit in  wonder at the Garden Tomb, and slowly walk the Via Dolorosa…

Each chapter initiated a deeper look for me into my Savior’s last days here:  The poignant thoughts that may have been crossing His mind as He experienced the disciples’ blank stares as He told them of the week’s coming events…The tragedy and mutilation He knew His body would soon experience…  The soon-coming, complete separation from His Father, Whose Union was long before the creation of this world…

How could the Holy Creator care for us so lovingly?  There really are no sensible answers other than He is Great, and we are not.  What an amazing act of grace that He allows us to embrace His healing deliverance and become His children for all eternity because of His obedience to the redeeming plan!

It is more than a privilege to serve this Savior who makes each day meaningful.  He gives us the glorious opportunity to be His loving hands to those around us who feel so frazzled in this fallen world.  He allows us to share with them the hope and joy that can last a lifetime—and far beyond!  What a Savior!

We had the pleasure of talking with six members of our team about their construction site that has been working on the new building for womens social work. The six include precious Caleb, Joshua, Ashton and Bryce. During the boys’ time there they were eager to work and got more done on the site than anyone could have imagined, but there was also time for play and being creative with the elements around them. Caleb smiled thinking about how much he enjoyed finding metal wire and string and making pieces of art! He spelled out the D.R. that he plans on keeping in his room to always remember this place, he made a heart for his mom and crosses for many of us. During Caleb’s account, Joshua chimed in saying he was happy when his dad said he could go play outside, especially when it included time with Gabriel and Carlos, the boys who live close by in the community. They did anything from throwing a baseball together to chasing lizards….a lasting memory for everyone involved. Ashton and Bryce also smiled at the thought of finding chickens running around or even seeing little puppies….

What made this construction project so special is it was so much more than the great blessing of physically building a new site; there was a tremendous amount of interaction with the people around them. Brian was so taken with the way the people in this culture are constantly giving, open and loving. The family across the street brought them coffee every single day and always opened up their home for visits…Some of the men in the community would come by and visit as well as help with some of the work. He was struck with how humble they were. They would come in and have a great way to do certain parts of the construction more efficiently but would not boast about it. They would quietly help and then just appreciate the acknowledgement afterwards.

Donny did say that the work was challenging at times, but really didnt feel difficult because of the cause…they all got to visit the women’s social work site that Students International works in now which made this work feel even more real and needed.  This also felt like a strong and complete team for them. The two other college-age gentlemen on the site were a fit that only God could have put together. Both Brian and Donny mentioned the blessing they were to the young boys. Their patience, fun and way of communicating with them will leave a lasting impression. Another hope for the community is that they witnessed these fathers, who are loving Godly men, spending time caring and working with their children. It was a blessing to have that example every morning and afternoon for 5 days straight in a place that has this gaping hole in their culture. The hope is to raise up some men to set these kinds of examples within the community.

Reflecting back on the week on this site and all the others that we had the privilege of being a part of, we know we stepped forward when we heard the Lord calling us to plant some of these seeds here in the Dominican Republic. The fruit that will come of this seed may take years or even a lifetime. We also know this work and what we are cultivating is being nurtured in our spirits and our hearts and in what we do when we return to our homes and local communities. The prayer is that we will keep it alive and growing each and every day, keep our eyes on the Lord to guide us and to always be hungry and open for more.

“Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. ” 1 Corinthians 3:8-9

Tonight we got to speak with Shannon about the Special Education site.  Every day she has gone to the Genesis School which consists of five classrooms. The classes are broken up by mental capabilities, not by age. The age range of the students is 6-18. Some kids that attend are sponsored, some families need to pay a minimum amount or some work at the school in exchange. Since this is a special education school and many that attend will have walkers or wheelchairs, there is a bus that picks up within a certain radius. This school is not funded by the government. It is able to stay standing by donations that are given and by Students International. The kids’ conditions include Downes Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy as well as learning and emotional/behavioral disabilities. Shannon had the option of helping the kids with motor skills, math or reading and writing. She worked in motor skills the first day and went to each room doing the same activity.  School ends at 2:30, giving the opportunity for the team to do home visits. One thing that Students International tries to do is visit these students after they turn 18 and can no longer attend the school. One visit really touched Shannon’s heart….

Melvin has a type of Cerebral Palsy known as severe spastic Cerebral Palsy. He is in a wheelchair and has no motor control, especially if he gets excited. As a result, he is extremely rough on his wheel chair. When he is calm, he can move in some directions. He can talk a bit but it takes a long time to learn to understand him. Although, he can’t really talk, he is extremely intelligent and was able to write lyrics to several praise and worship songs.  When he showed that to the people from Students International, a person stepped in and wrote the music to accompany his beautiful words. It is sold here at the base and is a true testimony on what can happen to a life devoted to the Lord. This became a way for him to contribute to his family financially and to be a member of his community that contributes to lifting the spirits of the people, literally inspiring and saving lives.

During Shannon’s visit to his small home set back in the woods, it was tough to see the conditions he lives in. Since the home is remote, during the rainy season he may be held up inside for weeks since the ground is too muddy to handle his 6 foot 2 inch frame navigating a wheelchair….While he is there, his mother has to take care of him, their home, their meals….even gathering water for them to bathe in and cook with requires hitch-hiking with barrels to fill and bring back….

This is a hard thing for our team members to see and process, but  guess what? Shannon would definitely do it all again in a heartbeat. She is already thinking of a family she would bring with her here on the next trip so that their eyes can be opened in a way that creates a path to parts of the heart that have never been entered before.

It was another amazing day in Jarabacoa and Marilyn got to share a lot about her site with us….She is working in micro-finance.  This is a really incredible site. Each of the local communities has one of their female leaders work at the bank and recruit other strong women to give loans too in order for them to start a business. Once they are approved, they are expected to pay back a portion of this loan every two weeks. You may wonder what if they do not have the money or don’t pay on time, etc….Well, they have a women’s group and they all hold one another accountable. If one woman does not pay, the other woman need to come up with her money. It is a great way to motivate each other and keep each other’s businesses strong and profitable. They also have an opportunity to open savings accounts.

With all this being said, the Students International site leaders and team do go in and help interview the ladies who apply for the loans and savings accounts; but they also take the time to connect. These women are now running these businesses as well as running a household, feeding a family and caring for their children. They may just want time carved out for the team to talk with them or pray for them, specifically for their health or marriage….Whatever it may be, Marilyn said, “Boy, it is so easy to love these people.”

They are also spending time with the women to help balance their heavy load of responsibilities…even if it is just for a day or even an afternoon. Marilyn had the opportunity to see a colorful array of businesses. They went and helped one young woman at her restaurant by cleaning dishes and mopping the floor. They went to a local beauty salon and spent time with the owner’s daughter; but a true highlight was going to a “chicken store”….Basically a place where the women buy the chickens from the local farmer and they are responsible for the entire process from slaughtering the chickens to making them clean enough to sell. The team went in and had the opportunity to do all or none of this process and Marilyn did quite a lot!! After a busy morning, they spent the afternoon handing out invitations to the women in the community, specifically reaching out to those that don’t know Christ. The invitation was for a faith-based womens’ support conference–the first of its kind in the local area!

Marilyn is walking away from the experience up until now really struck with the easy connection with the natives as well as a deep respect and love for the SI staff. The site leaders balance each other out and never waiver from showing such a strong love of the Lord that is then directly reflected in their time spent in the community. She said she would definitely consider coming back here again even if she had to clean some chickens…..

Today was a rainy start! The alarm went off around 5:45 am and we could hear the sheets of rain coming down. We knew we would be running to Chapel this morning! We all made it though and had another lovely morning of prayer, quiet time, and praise and worship which was led today by Fernando, who is the lead Christian Doctor at the local hospital. He also gave his testimony afterwards which truly inspired all of us in the room as we set out onto our sites for Day Two.

The Women’s Social Work site in El Callejon is lead by two women, Kimberley and Daisey…Daisey has been a pillar of strength to the women in this community for 6 years now. She recently was on leave for health reasons and we had the special opportunity to see her being welcomed back. The excitement and activity felt in this small town when she turned a corner was contagious….Kimberley and Daisey have many hopes for the girls, teens and adults that is rooted in finding a relationship with Jesus to help guide them in their choices and to help facilitate confidence and integrity within them.

Julie helped lead the teenagers today with a message of keeping their bodies pure for the husband that God has chosen for them. She talked about the importance of being married to a fellow-believer since it is so important to share in the love of the Lord since He created love–also that this time in a young women’s life is tough to navigate and the Bible can be/should be their guide. The beauty here was not only the message Julie was given (and that it was!), but to see so many of these girls’ heads nod in understanding and you felt that they were really and truly listening. One 13-year-old who was not there that day had recently started a relationship with a 15-year-old boy. Her mother died 3 years ago, her father is an addict, and she has taken the role of mother to her 6-year-old sister as well as taking care of cooking and cleaning in their home…..We found out she needed to take a pregnancy test today….It is easy to feel overwhelmed with all you want to do to help these women, lift them, tell them their worth and all that their future can be, but in reality, we need to help reflect the love of Jesus and give them a glimpse of that and start there.

We had a brief time back at the base and then off to have dinner in town tonight….The evening had some scattered showers still, but we walked around the busy streets and checked out the local markets known for their delicious fresh fruits (pineapple and passion fruit!), vanilla extract, and coffee, to name a few….Dinner was a delicious mix of beans and rice, chicken, fried plantains and even some goat! It was fun to be out and talking with different people. Also, now that we have been on site for two days, you can hear some incredible stories along every corner of the tables……As we anticipate another day here tomorrow, I am reminded of what we read in James 2:26 this morning, “For just as the body without the Spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

Our day began by meeting at the Chapel here at 6:35 a.m. All of the teams here held hands and shared in prayer ….it was beautiful to see a big circle of faces eager to begin their work in the local communities….We then set off to different areas around the base to have our quiet time with the Lord. We were asked to read James 1 and I was struck by James 1:25, “not having become a forgetful hearer but an actual doer; this man will be blessed in what he does.”  I thought this was an encouragement as we set off onto our designated sites today.

After Vicki, one of our leaders here at Students International, lead us in a beautiful time of praise and worship, we had breakfast and packed up our lunches. Our team is taking part in helping at four different sites. Four of us will be at the Womens’ Social Work site in a town called El Callejon. Six from our group will be on Construction also in El Callejon. One from our team is in Micro-Finances, and one in Special Education. By 8:35 we were in our trucks and ready to go…I referred to the comfort of “home base” and knew we were leaving that and approaching an entirely different experience. Starting tomorrow, I would like to take the opportunity to focus a little more on just one site at a time. Just to start though, it was an incredible first day for everyone on the team. We were struck by every person we came in contact with–from the natives in the communities to the great site leaders that inspire us and lift everyone that comes onto their path each and every day.

We had a team meeting after dinner tonight. We all got to sit on the big porch above the dining area that looks out over the grass and views of the mountains. This was our first opportunity as a complete group to share what expectations have been met and what surprises we all experienced from the time we arrived at Miami airport up until now. Sweet Caleb led us in a beautiful prayer and then we let the boys start us off. Each of them gave us their reports on ears popping on the plane as their low point of the journey, but Bryce said he did hear Jesus tell him that he would make new friends on this trip, and Joshua shared some stories of the little kids they have met alongside their construction site already…and their ball games, lizard chases and even chicken chases! Caleb said Jesus said he would stay safe through the rest of the trip/week. Through our time at the meeting, you see their bright smiles and know that this is truly a life-changing experience for them and an adventure. We are so happy to be witnesses to all of it.

Hi everyone! Before reading below, just want to apologize for the delay here…no wireless connection for us last night! We are up and running this morning though Also, we have not been able to upload our pictures yet, so we may be just adding a bunch upon our return….we will keep you posted! Have a beautiful day….

We cannot believe another day has gone by already, but boy, did we manage to take in a lot….We had a special treat of being able to “sleep in” since breakfast (yummy oatmeal banana pancakes) was not served until 9 a.m….Soon following our meal, we headed to a local Church Service. I hope I can capture what our drive was like….We all piled into an open bed truck with seats along the sides and bars running across the top for the overflow of people to hang onto. The back is entirely open and the roads are rocky and curvy….So, we hung onto those seats tightly, felt the breeze whipping our hair and took in the view. The view included many motorcycles following behind us. One man driving (who was heading to our same service) had his two children on there with him, and then we also had the experience of seeing one young man driving with a friend on the back and FOUR kids hanging onto the sides in rollerblades. They soon let loose and one actually hung onto our truck for a ride….a first for me seeing that and our young kiddos in the truck certainly were wide eyed. In addition to the speed and surprises, we still had our beautiful backdrop of lush greens and glorious mountains, then we arrived to our outdoor Church.

The setting was just wonderful. The breeze was glorious and seemed to roll through along with the music. They started with praise and worship and although we don’t speak Spanish, the messages were clear and their love for the Lord, their thankful hearts and devotion to Him came through in every word of the song. One of the strong messages through the sermon started with Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” The pastor spoke of how our lives are completely unpredictable and filled with highs and lows, but we should be the happiest people in the world since Jesus is faithful to His promises and with Him there is always love, majesty and power. With all that we have through Him, “Then why are you ever living in defeat?” What an important message and so uplifting coming to a third world country and a place where people assume distress and little hope, but look what they find with the Lord–complete fulfillment. How incredible is that?…..We also had the gift of sharing in Communion with them….This was a memorable morning.

We returned in time for some lunch and then preparations to visit a local waterfall that included a hike across suspended wooden bridges! Time for another adventure in the open-bed truck in order to get there! It was truly beautiful. Many natives spend their Sunday afternoons there as well so it was a nice crowd around and some opportunities to play down by the rocks and the sand. We also had about 2 hours to be there and just talk and share with team members…..

This evening after dinner, our youngest team members, Caleb, Joshua, Ashton and Bryce really enjoyed cleaning dishes! Between us and the other groups here with us on the base, there are around 50 people and they cleaned most of the dishes! The best part is that when I asked all of them their favorite part of the day, they said the dish cleaning was the best….Maybe the Lord was encouraging their servant hearts? It was just precious….

Then the real entertainment begins…Everyone headed to the Chapel to first sample one of the local coffee drinks and some coconut candies then it was time to learn the local dance! They gave us a little marangue lesson and off we went….the joy and laughter in the room was just contagious…The sweetest thing to see was the college kids that are here on base with us just embracing the little boys and enjoying spinning them around and making them smile. We ended with a game called Don Ramano…hard to put this one into words, but it was a true hit of the night. Basically, our lovely leader, Vicki, sang a song while we passed cups around the table. As the music sped up you had to keep the pace steady since the first person to knock their cup over gets eliminated. The competition was strong It was just so much fun….A little mention to our team members, Tara and Caleb, who made it to the finals! Woo Hoo!

I reflect on our first days here and see the Lord at work in such a beautiful way. I think we were given an amazing opportunity to make this base really feel like “home base”. I know we are diving into a week of seeing some things that may move our hearts in ways we can’t begin to imagine…and to come back “home” will be something pretty special…Being covered in a blanket of fellow-believers and feeling the love around us will be something each of us will embrace. We look forward to seeing what tomorrow brings…..

Hello from Jarabacoa!!

The Musicianaries’ team has made it safely and with smiles! The day started by meeting at 4 a.m. at the Panera in Jupiter, FL….As early as it was, excitement filled the air and the energy of the four little blessings on this trip (Caleb, Joshua, Ashton and Bryce ages 6-9!) was immediately contagious and certainly kept my head up and laughter going through the journey. Next stop was Miami International Airport and our first leg of the trip to San Juan, Puerto RIco, a bit of a lay-over and then the trip into Santiago, Dominican Republic.

The Lord truly was present through this trip already….We stayed together as a team with ease, kept our spirits high and from short security lines to all our bags arriving together in perfect shape, we were truly blessed every step of the way.

Our ride through the mountains to our base was the first taste of the local area as well as truly a beautiful site to see–exceeding most expectations…from the lush greenery partnered with the outlines of the mountains and the low-laying clouds, it was a treat for the eyes. We were able to also observe some of the local foods, smells and sounds….the contrast was fun there as well since you can clearly hear the melody of a bird and then the several zooming motorcycles in the next moment….a common mode of transport!

The gracious and wonderful hosts greeted us at our base and could not have been more warm and excited to see us all. We immediately settled in for our first meal and our first night to explore! The kids are so joyful having a space to run through and there are also games and table tennis in the Chapel! The beauty of having children here is also–all of their questions helping to open your eyes to more than we allow ourselves to see sometimes. It is like a “kids connection” to the Lord and to nature that is just so special. I hope to be giving tidbits of this “connection” in each post.

We all did settle in for an early night, but anticipate sweet dreams of a special week set out before us. Blessings and sweet dreams to all who are reading this now as well. We continue to cherish each and every one of your prayers….

At His Throne, all mankind will behold the Presence of the One they should have been worshipping all along.  We will look upon The Face of love itself.  Our hearts will be consumed by the radiance of His beauty.  In stillness and wonder, time stops.  Behold your Eternal King!