Freedom in Christ

The Lord sets prisoners free,

The Lord gives sight to the blind,

the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,

the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the alien

and sustains the fatherless and the widow,

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

- Psalm 146:7-9

There is one story that came out of the recent visits from two short-term missions groups that will forever stick with us. We'll call it Zene's Story.

Zene (pronounced SEN-EE) is a 42-year-old mother of six who lives near the north coast of the Dominican Republic. When we first came to know her, however, she was in a jail cell in our town.

Katie went to the jail for the first time with a group of women from Puerto Rico who were part of a short-term missions team. This team has been to the Moca area six times so they were more familiar with some things in town than we were. The group handed out Bibles and small care packages to each of the women in the jail.

Zene was among that group of women in the jail and accepted the gifts with tears of joy. She followed along as Katie and the group studied Scriptures with the women. She said over and over again that she wanted to live only for God and no longer live for herself. She wanted God to change her life.

The Puerto Rico team, along with Katie, returned to the jail every day for five straight days. They continued to study Scripture with the women. Zene would share with the group what she had been reading and they could see that she had been taking notes in the margins of her Bible. God was clearly speaking to her heart and, more than any of the other women in the jail, Zene was being changed.

After the Puerto Rico team left, Katie and Gueddy, another leader from our church, were compelled to continue visiting the women at the jail. They began to develop a special bond with Zene.

On the heels of the Puerto Rico team's departure, a group of youth from Indiana came to spend a week working in our town. Katie asked Ali, one of the group's leaders, and two of the youth to come with her for a quick visit to the jail. Dan went along this time, mostly to serve as a translator.

Zene with her two youngest children, Maryaliz and Angel.

When we arrived at the jail we could hear yelling and weeping. It turned out that it was Zene. It had been a few days since Zene had heard from any of her children. She had no idea where they were or who was taking care of the two youngest - a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old. As you can imagine, she was devastated and desperate! Katie and Ali, who are both mothers, cried with her and felt her desperation.

We began to ask Zene what it would take for her to get out of the jail and be reunited with her children. She told us she ended up in jail because of a domestic dispute with her husband. They had been fighting with each other and both of them were put in jail. The husband had been able to pay his bond and get out, but he left Zene in jail. She said she needed 10,000 pesos (about $250) to pay the bond and get out so she could be with her children.

It seemed like an impossible situation because Zene had no way to pay the bond, and no family or friends who were offering to help her. As we cried together, we began to pray for God to do the impossible. We told her over and over nothing was impossible for God.

Zene also told us she'd been reading the Bible that was given to her the week before and that she was trusting in Jesus to help her through this trial. She had a small gold pin tucked inside her shirt. It was a crucifix and she would take it out or touch it whenever she felt like she needed comfort.

Afer praying with Zene, we returned to the rest of the group. Katie gathered them all together and shared Zene's story with them. Katie asked the group to pray for the safety of her children and quiet themselves before God and listen for His voice. We asked God to show us how we could help this desperate woman.

At the end of the prayer time, many of the students offered financial help to Zene. In fact, this group of 21 people contributed $500 to help Zene be reunited with her children!

We praised God for His generosity and recognized that what was provided was exactly DOUBLE what Zeen told us she needed.

We exchanged the American money for Dominican pesos and went back to the jail. We told Zene how God had provided what she needed to get out of jail and reminded her that nothing is impossible for God. She hugged Katie tightly, cried tears of joy and praised God. Everyone in the room - even the police officers - were crying. It was clear that God had provided a way out of this impossible situation!

We hoped it would be as simple as paying the money and sending Zene back home in a bus. It turns out it's not that simple. She had to wait until the following Wednesday when a lawyer would come to take her to the courthouse in LaVega, a city about 30 minutes away from our town.

So, we assured the Indiana group that we'd follow up with Zene and make sure the money was used to help her get back to her family. Before they left town, however, each member of the group was able to meet Zene face-to-face, hug her, encourage her and pray for her. And the best part of all is that David, the leader of the youth group in our church, led her through the prayer of salvation!

Katie also talked with Zene about the pin she carried with her. She told Zene that she didn't need an image of the crucified Christ to guide her because now she has the living Christ inside of her! Zene rejoiced and got rid of that pin.

When the day came, we followed the lawyer's car all the way to the courthouse in LaVega. Only a few of us were allowed in the courtroom and we watched as she and her husband both stood before the judge. Zene's husband agreed to sign papers that would allow her to be released and the judge gave both of them a strong lecture about how parents are examples for their children.

When we left the courtroom and went to the office where the bond is paid, the lawyer told us the bond had been raised. Can you guess how much Zene had to pay? Her bond had been DOUBLED, which was exactly what was given by the group from Indiana! Praise the Lord for His incredible provision!

Katie with 1-year old Maryaliz.

Katie had not been allowed to enter the courtroom, so she and Gueddy and our two children waited in a coffee shop outside the courthouse. When the bond had been paid and we exited the courthouse, Zene ran to Katie and said over and over again, "God is real!" Once again we were all reminded that nothing is impossible with God.

The next day Zene was released and she was reunited with her children in her home.

Dan with 4-year-old Angel.

Fast forward to this past Tuesday. We gathered a group from our church and took a road trip to visit Zene and meet some of her children. Four of her kids live with her and they all welcomed us with hugs and a delicious meal! We took Zene and her family to the beach for the afternoon and it was amazing to watch her smiling, laughing and playing with her kids.

We shared some encouragement from Scripture with Zene and told her we'd come back for another visit before our time here is over.

Zene's life is changed. She knows it was God who set her free. She knows Jesus lives inside of her. She has taken healthy steps to set a better example for her children. She is looking for a job so she can better provide for her family. She has a smile on her face and she praises God for the love He showed her.

Glory to God!

Exhausted & Refreshed

Today is the first day in more than two weeks that we won't be helping host a short-term missions team ... and it feels so good!

Beginning on Sunday, March 29, and finishing yesterday, Monday, April 13, we helped Pastor Quina host a 14-person team from Puerto Rico and a 21-person team from Nappanee Missionary Church & Transformation Ministries in Indiana. 

It was an absolute pleasure and a lot of fun to serve both teams. It was the most physically exhausting period of time we've had since moving here, but it was also the most spiritually and emotionally refreshing time for us.

Ever since we began the process of planning to live here, we knew hosting teams would be part of the experience, and we looked forward to it with great anticipation. Our expectations were not only met, but exceeded, these last two weeks!

These last two weeks have included transporting teams to ministry sites, preparing meals, running errands, cleaning up spills, taking out the trash, sharing laughs, participating in the ministry, conversations with team members and leaders, playing games, sharing testimonies, praying for healing and salvation, playing sports, quiet times with God and so much more. We didn't get a lot of rest, but we enjoyed every minute!

Here are some of the highlights from these past two weeks:

Translating

While our Spanish is nowhere near perfect, we've learned enough to help translate from Spanish to English. This was a big help with both teams. And it wasn't just Dan & Katie who helped translate - Hanah and David both did a great job of interpreting as well. In fact, David served as the lone translator for a group of students who met and prayed for a woman at the park in Guanabano!

These leaders needed a little extra shot of energy before
starting a full day of ministry!

Serving

Since our mission in coming here was simply to serve, we felt blessed by the opportunity to serve both Quina and the teams during their visits here. There was a lot of work to be done, many trips between Guanabano and Moca (about a 15-minute drive), many meals to be served and cleaned up, several unexpected trips to stores and numerous arrangements to be made both before and during the visits. We got our hands dirty; we had sore feet and legs; we answered questions; we juggled many responsibilities. And, when our heads hit the pillows, we slept hard! It was the best fatigue we've ever felt in our lives!

Connecting

Ministry in local schools was a clear highlight of the
Indiana team's visit to Guanabano.

One of the greatest pleasures for us was being able to connect the Indiana team with the ministries we're involved with here. The connection to Quina precedes us and we were able to help this team continue to build a bridge between Indiana and the Dominican Republic. We also helped deepen the relationship between Nappanee Missionary Church/Transformation and Victor Rojas, the basketball coach here in Guanabano. This team was also the first to be introduced to several local schools. They were given open doors at three schools in the Guanabano area and they made the most of that opportunity!

The Puerto Rico team, which has been working with Pastor Quina for six years, introduced us to an incredible minitry opportunity that's just down the street from where we live. There is a jail at the police station about two blocks from our apartment, and it is currently home to several women. Katie went to visit these women with the Puerto Rico team and has felt led by God to continue building relationships with them and sharing the Gospel with them.

Debriefing

The Indiana team invited us to join them for two days of focused debrief time at a campground in Jarabacoa, a mountain city here in the Dominican Republic. It was a very restful and enjoyable time for us. We also participated in parts of the team's debrief process as we looked back at the week's events and asked God to teach us through them. We spent time with leaders and students in a less hectic, yet very focused, part of their trip. We felt honored and blessed to be included.

Even though we jump back into our normal routine today, it doesn't really feel normal. The experiences of the past two weeks were very impactful and will surely shape the way we approach ministry both here and in the future. Thank you so much for your love, encouragement and support that has allowed us to experience so many incredible things. Hosting teams was a life-giving experience for us ... which is good because we've got three more teams to go!!!! The Bethel Baseball team arrives on June 3 (only about 7 weeks from now) and then we launch into a blitz which includes another Nappanee team and the Bethel Basketball team.

We're excited to see what God does in and through all the teams that are coming to visit. There is so much more that could be written about the experiences of the past two weeks, so don't be surprised to hear from us again soon!

God's Faithfulness

To all of our friends and family in Indiana, we're happy to hear that you're finally getting some warmer weather after another tough winter. Spring is just around the corner!

Our weather has changed too. We've been getting a lot of rain, which makes for much cooler temperatures, especially in the mornings and evenings. We're in sweatpants and sweatshirts as we write this post!

Dan got the chance to translate as his dad shared a message
with the church in Guanabano.

The coming of Spring also means the coming of a new phase of ministry for us here in the Dominican Republic. We've got a ministry team coming from Puerto Rico in two weeks, followed by a youth team from Nappanee Missionary Church & Transformation Ministries. We're really excited to help Pastor Quina host these teams and to serve as drivers/cooks/translators/logistics coordinators and whatever else might be needed!

It has been several weeks since we last had a visit. Dan's parents were here from February 6-20 and Doris Clay came with her family for a visit on February 16. Both of those visits were very refreshing and fun for us.

Since that time, we've been carrying on with our regular ministry schedule here as well as trying to take advantage of any other opportunities God brings our way.

Dave & Doris Clay (left) of Nappanee Missionary
Church, along with Doris' brother and
sister-in-law, spent a day in Moca with Pastor Quina
and us.

We've been a part of:

• Bible studies
• Community church services
• Visits to homes
• Ministry in schools
• Basketball practices
• Work days
• A discipleship group
• A university bus trip to Samana (east coast)

God has been very faithful to provide us with many, many opportunities to share His love and His Word with many different people.

We're especially excited about a discipleship group that has formed within the last few weeks. We're meeting weekly with two young men and a woman to study & discuss the book Multiply by Francis Chan. This book is designed as a discipleship tool and is intended to be studied together with disciples who want to make more disciples of Jesus Christ!

Pizza and game night at our house!

Another opportunity we've enjoyed is the work at the Missionary Christian Alliance Church in Naranjal. Naranjal is a small community to the southeast of our home in Guanabano. Pastor Quina started the church there and it is currently going through a difficult time. Nearly all of the regular attenders have left to start their own church, which means only a few people come to the services at the CMA church. We've had the pleasure of meeting with this small group, along with a dedicated group from Guanabano, at least once a week and sometimes more. We've helped clean the entire church building, do some mild demolition and we plan to spend a day this weekend painting and doing any other work needed on the building. It's a time of hard work, but it's also refreshing to see Pastor Quina's resolve to never quit spreading the Gospel! She has not shown any signs of discouragement. Of course, she was disappointed and maybe even a little sad that the people left, but her faith in God and her confidence in His call in her life has been an incredible example to us. We're very thankful to be part of this rebuilding process alongside Pastor Quina and the community of Naranjal.

Weekly visits to the school in Guanabano are one of the
most precious ministry opportunities we've been given
this year.

God has also been faithfully teaching us lessons upon lessons during our time here. We have grown in our dependence on Him, our trust in His plans, our desire to serve Him and our compassion for His children. His Word is alive and active and He's using it to speak to us every day!

As we look forward to the next few months, here are some prayer requests:

• We have 5 teams coming this Spring & Summer. It's a lot of work for Pastor Quina, but it's also a great blessing to this community. Please pray for God to direct every project, plan, ministry opportunity and movement of each team.

• Please pray for the church in Naranjal. Pray that God would be clearly seen and glorified through this rebuilding process.

• Please pray that those of us in the discipleship group would be reinforced in our faith through this study and that we would gain a deep desire to pass on the things we've learned. Pray that we would do what disciples must do: Make disciples!

• Finally, as we look ahead we're starting to realize how short our time here is. We've got less than 5 months to go and, while we're excited to come home, we're also realizing how hard it will be to say goodbye to those we love here. We want to finish strong the race God has laid out for us, but we want to prepare well for the next step. It's a tough balancing act, so please pray that God gives us wisdom through all the emotions, changes and next steps!

We love you all! Thank you so much for your continued support and love!

Approaching Halftime

It is really hard to believe, but we're almost halfway done with our year here in the Dominican Republic. Time has absolutely flown by, and yet with all we've experienced, it feels like we've been here much longer than 5 months!

Since our last post, our routine and schedule here has been far from normal. Christmas break, a mission trip to Azua, a visit from family and many other miscellaneous events have made life an adventure over the last month.

Christmas break here is very similar to what we're accustomed to back home in Indiana, except without snow! The weather here did change in December, although it wasn't a drastic change. The mornings and evenings were much cooler - sometimes dipping down into the 60s. Daytime was a bit cooler as well, although we still had plenty of days in the mid-80s. We're currently in what feels like Spring here because trees are starting to show lots of flowers, fruit is starting to bud and the weather is getting warmer again.

Pastor Quina taught the kids how she makes Christmas crafts.

During Christmas break we were able to spend time with people in more casual, intimate ways. We had several invitations to people's houses for holiday celebrations. We went to special church services where almost every time ended with sharing cookies and a special Christmas tea made with ginger. We learned some Dominican Christmas songs and experienced how this country celebrates Christ's birth. It was a beautiful time!

On the second day of the new year we loaded up our van with 6 youth and our family for a mission trip to the city of Azua. Azua is in the southwest part of the Dominican Republic, about 3 1/2 hour drive from Moca. We worked with Pastor Raul Aquino and the Christian Community Church. The partnership with Pastor Aquino came about because many of the translators that have worked with previous teams from Nappanee Missionary Church and Bethel College have come from his church in Azua. It was a pleasure to reconnect with several of the young men who we had met over the past few years, to meet and get to know the pastor and his family and to work alongside many from his church.

Our group had many great ministry opportunities during our three days in Azua. We preached, led worship, performed dramas, taught Bible lessons to children and went door-to-door sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. The youth from our church here in Guanabano are incredible and very easy to work with. While we are looked to as the leaders, we rarely have to take charge of the group because they are very mature and understand what needs to be done and how they should carry themselves. They are a great example to us when it comes to ministry and their willingness to serve.

Our group in Azua.

On the way home from Azua, we ran into some car trouble. One of our water lines sprung a leak and the engine kept overheating. We finally had to pull off the road to try to fix it. Our youth proved themselves very resourceful and worked hard for about an hour to patch up the cracked hose with gum and materials they found on the side of the road! The patch held up just fine for the rest of our 3-hour drive back home and our mechanic even said that their work could have held up for much longer if we had needed it to. We thanked God for the youth and for His protection!

Less than a week after our trip to Azua, we received some much-anticipated guests when Katie's mom and stepfather arrived. They spent a total of 15 days with us. They accompanied us to the national conference for the Christian Missionary Alliance Church, which was a great time to meet other missionaries and many pastors and other leaders of various CMA churches here in the Dominican Republic. After the conference, our family generously took us for a week of vacation in Puerto Plata. We really enjoyed the time to relax, swim, play and just spend time together. It was a very refreshing time for all of us.

Vacation with family was very fun!

We've had a somewhat normal routine these last few weeks, but things are about to change again as Dan's parents arrive this Friday and will spend two weeks here with us. We'll head up to the north coast again for about 5 days of vacation and the rest of the time we'll be together here at our house in Guanabano. We're so thankful that our families are able to experience what our lives are like here. And the vacations have come at a good time as we gear up for the second half of our year here.

As we look forward to the rest of our time here, we are starting to realize how short the time really is. We've got two groups coming from Nappanee Missionary Church and two groups coming from Bethel College. We're excited to be here to help host those teams, but we also know those visits will only speed up our time here.

For much of our time here, we've missed home and the life we left there. We still miss it, but we're starting to feel more comfortable here. With that in mind, we're starting to look toward what's ahead - what God has planned for us. Would you join us as we start to pray and seek God's plan for our future? We don't want to look past what's left for us this year, but we want to start listening for His plans for the future. Thank you for your support and your willingness to pray for us.

Some other prayer requests:

- Pray that we would take advantage of every opportunity to share the Gospel.
- Pray for one of Pastor Quina's churches that is going through a very difficult time and is in need of a fresh start. Pray that we can serve well in that process.
- Pray for Victor, one of the youth here, who just left home to start studying medicine in Santo Domingo. He's an amazing young man and we know he'll do well, but transitions are always difficult. His absence will also be felt here at our church, as he was one of the leaders among the youth and even among the adults.

We love you all very much! Thank you for your love, your prayers and support!

Merry Christmas!

It's hard to believe Christmas is almost here! Living in a tropical climate makes it so hard to mark the seasons because the weather is pretty much always the same.

We have had a slight change in our weather here. Instead of reaching in the the mid-90s every day, now we're only averaging 80-83 at midday. The mornings and evenings dip down into the 60s, which has been very enjoyable.

Even though today marks the completion of our fourth month here in the Dominican Republic, this season is feeling much more like a halfway point for us. Because of the semester break, the Christmas season, the change in weather and the changes that are coming in our routine, we feel like we've completed the first phase of life here. Now it's time for something new!

The biggest change that is coming is a more frenzied schedule. Starting in January we'll have visitors with us for at least two weeks of every month except for May. We're very excited to have family, friends and missions trips here with us, but it also means a new set of responsibilities and many plans to make. We'll get back into our normal ministry opportunities in January, but there will be interruptions each month. This isn't a bad thing, just a different thing!

Our first four months here have been incredible! We've had good times, bad times, fun times, confusing times, relaxing times, frustrating times and many, many times when God has clearly worked in and through us.

As we look back at the first four months here, sometimes it's hard for us to remember all the amazing things that happened because it was a time of huge adjustment for us. We have been learning a new language, a new culture, a new family routine and new ways of doing everyday things. We went to bed exhausted nearly every night for the first two months here because of all that we were trying to understand and learn.

This is not to say we've arrived and have become a fully integrated Dominican family, because were' far from that. But it is safe to say that we spend less and less of each day trying to understand what's happening and we're able to actively engage with what's happening. Our ears are catching up to Dominican Spanish. We've got a better grasp of the culture we live in. We're accustomed to the place we live and all of the ways it's different than our home in Indiana.

God has faithfully carried us through the first phase. We're excited to see what He's got planned for the next phase!

Here are a few specific updates:

Last week was a tough one for many of the people in our church. Starting Sunday night, three people who had connections to people in our church died. Two were young men who were in separate motorcycle accidents on the same night. The third was the father of one of the young men in our church. We were able to go to his house the night he died, and then again the next day to attend the funeral and burial. It was a sad day, but it was also awesome to see how this young man's faith in God has carried him through his grief.

Christmas season here in the Dominican Republic is quite different from what we're used to. Here the Christmas season is marked with a lot of partying, which means there is a lot of loud music playing until all hours of the night. It also means the streets are even more dangerous and we have to be extra careful whenever we drive. Our friends here have told us that every December brings a lot of deaths, mostly because many people don't have a lot of hope that the new year will actually come and want to live it up as this year ends. So far, the three deaths of last week are all we've experienced and we hope it stays that way!

Our family has been invited to spend Christmas Eve with Eduardo's family. We'll join his extended family for a Christmas Eve dinner at a relative's house and then come home, hopefully before the crazy partying starts in our town! We're excited to experience how Dominicans celebrate Christmas, especially because almost all of Eduardo's family are Christians and they share the same focus as we do during this time of year.

We're excited about an opportunity we have the first week of January 2015. We'll accompany several of the youth from our church on a mission trip to Azua, a city in the Southern part of the country. This is the second time our youth have made the trip to Azua to minister alongside a vibrant church there. We have some relationships with people in Azua as several of the translators from our previous trips are part of this church in Azua. We're excited to be reunited with them, meet their pastor and work with their church.

Here are some specific ways to pray for us:

• Safety during the Christmas season. We don't plan to be out past dark very often, but even during the daytime the streets are pretty crazy right now. 

• Peace and comfort for the young man in our church who lost his father. His mother is also part of our church.

• God's blessing on our mission trip to Azua. The trip is January 2-5 and it would be great to know many of you are praying for God to guide and protect us.

• Flexibility as our schedule changes. We don't know exactly what the new year will bring, but we're excited to see how God uses us. We want to be flexible enough that we're always open to the opportunities He brings our way.

Thank you all so much for your continued support, prayers and love! We love you all very much! Merry Christmas!

A New Normal

First of all, we're sorry it's been so long since our last update. We had every intention of sending shorter updates more often, but it's been difficult to find the time and to pull our thoughts together on a regular basis. So, for now, we're sending longer updates less often. Hopefully that's OK with all of you!

We're closing in on the end of our third month here in the Dominican Republic. We've had plenty of ups and downs during these three months and we're happy to say that God has been present and faithful through it all.

For the last several weeks we've started to realize that many of the things that are so different from home are actually starting to feel normal. This is true in the small and big things. Here are some examples:

Food
We all like Dominican food but learning how to prepare it was a difficult process. Even preparing the types of food we're used to was not easy. Finding ingredients can be tricky at times. We had no measuring utensils in our kitchen and for a long time our refrigerator couldn't keep food fresh long enough to be able to use it in our cooking.

But now we have a new refrigerator (thanks to a generous gift from an anonymous supporter) and we've learned where to find the ingredients we need. We recently received a set of measuring spoons and cups. Our friend Adriana (mother of Eduardo) has been teaching Katie how to prepare several Dominican dishes. Katie also has a Dominican cookbook that has helped her learn how to cook some common Dominican meals.

Food is a small thing, but it's such a frequent thing that it feels very significant.

Culture
Learning to live in a new culture is a very big thing. It's something we'll probably still be learning when our year comes to an end. However, we've learned a lot already and it's starting to feel normal. We aren't confused as often as we once were. We knew this year was going to require a lot of flexibility and patience, but living here requires much more of both than we were prepared for. Visiting families in their homes was very awkward and uncomfortable at first, but now we look forward to those visits!

Church culture is also very different here and for a long time we were confused during church services and meetings. Now, however, we understand more of what's going on - even if we can't understand everything that's being said - and we deeply appreciate the passion with which the people of this culture worship God. Dominican prayer is a beautiful, passionate, loud and moving thing to be a part of.


All of this is to say that we have started to settle into a new normal. We still miss home and we haven't become Dominican, but we are starting to appreciate the differences. We no longer experience something new every day, although many days still bring new things!

Other news:

Hanah and Eduarni (Eduardo's sister) in front of the Jelly Roll.

We have some great news ... we finally have a vehicle of our own! We recently purchased a 1986 Toyota Model F minivan. With the help of some friends who recently came to visit, we have decided to name the van Jelly Roll because it's white on the outside and red on the inside. We purchased the van for a much lower price than we expected to pay. It had been sitting in storage for the last two years, so it needed some work. Even this, though, turned out to be a blessing. One of the leaders of our church is a mechanic and so we were able to hire him to do all the necessary work. We've already driven the Jelly Roll to Jamao (1 hour up in the mountains) and twice to Santo Domingo (2 hours) without any problems. We're thankful to have our own transportation, as well as a vehicle with the space to carry quite a few people.

Eating lunch with the Rassi family in Santo Domingo.

So far we've had two visits from Indiana friends. Dr. Randy & Bonnie Suttor visited in September. Clay & Becki Rassi and their two sons just left two days ago. We spent two days in Santo Domingo with them before they spent three days with us here in Guanabano. Both visits were very refreshing and encouraging for us. We're thankful for their time and generosity! We have more visitors coming soon and we're very excited to show them the ministry opportunities God has given us.

Another item we'd like to share is the health of the ministry of Pastor Quina's churches. We came into this year thinking we could help provide a bridge between Quina carrying most of the responsibility and other leaders stepping up to relieve her. However, what we've found is that Quina has a great leadership team in place already! She has built a group of leaders who carry much of the load. Quina is still the lead pastor but she gives many responsibilities to the people of the church. There is a rotation of 3-4 people who preach on Sundays. Several others share messages during the weeknight meetings. There are enough musicians to make up several worship teams.

Quina spends a lot of time visiting sick or elderly people in the community. She still preaches every 2-3 weeks. She also puts a lot of her energy into organizing projects that help people in need. Whenever someone in the church has a problem, Quina is almost always the first one to respond. She usually has a driver who picks up people on Sunday mornings, but when he's not available, Quina jumps in the van and drives all over Moca!

We have been incredibly blessed by the generosity, love, hospitality and encouragement of the church here in Guanabano. One of the most significant ways we have started to realize a new normal is within our church family. For a long time we felt like visitors every time we went to a church service, but now we feel like part of the family, part of the community.

Thank you all for your continued prayers, emails, letters and love! God bless you all!

Stripped

Our last couple weeks here in the Dominican Republic have been difficult and wonderful at the same time. Without any special effort on our parts, we've sensed God's presence in a new, strong way. He seems to be speaking to us every day and directing our circumstances in such a way as to teach us lessons so He can speak to us even more!

This sounds like a wonderful experience - and it is - but it's also very difficult. In the past few weeks we've been consistently stripped of things. Now that we're more than a month into our time here, we can look back and see all the things that have been taken away from us ... and we're pretty sure God's not done yet!

We've been stripped of possessions. We recently had some of our clothes stolen while they were hanging to dry at Pastor Quina's house. We left behind many things when we made the move to the Dominican Republic, like our house, car, furniture, appliances, yard, etc. There have been times in the last month that we have yearned for many of these things.

We've been stripped of comfort. The place we live is very nice by the world's standards. We have everything we need, and more. But it's not home. It doesn't have soft carpet, comfortable couches, a quiet back yard or consistent electricity. Instead it has concrete floors, a metal roof, inconsistent electricity, lots of noise and lots of ants! Many people in the world would consider themselves very lucky to live there, and we're very grateful as well, but it's not comfortable. And it's not easy.

We've been stripped of relationships. When we said yes to the call of God to come to the Dominican Republic for a year we knew it meant saying goodbye to many people ... for at least a year. We counted the cost and we are convinced that following Jesus is more important than any earthly relationship. But, that doesn't mean we don't need those people. We miss being able to walk a few blocks to visit with family, or drive a few minutes to visit with friends. We have friends here, but it's not the same.

We've been stripped of our identity. We no longer hold the positions we used to hold. Dan is no longer a graphic designer or a do-it-yourselfer handyman. Katie is no longer a volleyball coach or a stay-at-home mom like she was back home. We are no longer part of the majority race. We can no longer communicate clearly with the people in our lives. (Side note: When you can't communicate clearly people tend to treat you like you can't do anything else well either. I wonder how many times I've treated someone as incapable just because he/she couldn't communicate clearly or was socially awkward.)

What will we be stripped of next?

No matter what else there is in our lives that needs to be removed, we know God will use it to draw us closer to Him. With every item that has been stripped away, we've sensed the voice of God asking us, "Where do you find your joy? Was it in that thing or in me?"

We are starting to see how many things in our lives have become idols - the things we run to or lean on for our joy, comfort and peace. We can now see how our identity has become wrapped up in the things we have, or the things we can do, or the positions we hold.

God has been asking us, "Who do you think you are? Are you a graphic designer or my child? Are you a white American or my disciple? Are you comforted by the things of this world or only by me?"

As we say goodbye to more and more things, we are realizing that we have nowhere to turn but to our Heavenly Father. He truly is all we need! 

When our clothes get stolen we can shrug our shoulders and say, "We still  have Jesus!"

When we see ants crawling across our dining room table, hoping to find a crumb from our plates we can smile and say, "Thank you, God, for this food."

When the power goes out and our ceiling fans stop moving we can pray, "Heavenly Father, please keep us cool tonight."

And when misunderstandings happen because we can't fully understand the language or the culture we can trust God to give us every word we need to fulfill His purposes.

So, what about you? Do you have idols that have replaced your Heavenly Father? If so, you can get rid of them now ... or you can wait until He does it for you!