It's a Wrap

It's hard to believe this trip is coming to a close.  We changed plans about a week before we left as Becky Jo, a main teacher, had to cancel.  The team all switched gears and took on extra roles.  God really orchestrated a great team:

Linda- She always amazes me.  I don't think I have ever seen plans change as much as this trip.  She rolled with the punches and never missed a beat.  Her gift of teaching will have a lasting impact.  She took on a lot of extra teaching this trip.  

Mary- She led us in worship each morning, training, and VBS.  Even when she had singers off-key and others trying to jump in on the piano, she'd keep at it. She also played the difficult role of Scruffy.  The line memorization was killer.

Marissa- Techy girl relieved me from blogging, and as you noticed, it was very enjoyable.  She also taught Linda a thing-or-two about her iPhone,  Marissa had the challenge in the skits of having to memorize the most lines.  She also attracted the attention of the boys in the Batey.  That is where Don comes in.

Don- He was assigned as Marissa's bodyguard to scare off the boys.  He did an amazing job as Bible Study leader, Kip the robot, and helping anywhere he was asked.

Susie- That girl would step in and help out anywhere.  In fact, she just wanted to be poured out for Jesus.  She relieved me as the character I always played, Smelly Shelly.  

Bob got to spend a lot of time behind his lens.  We've gotten a little sneak peak at the photos, and can't wait to see more.  He also videoed the training.  However, we had to pull him a couple of days to have him help on keeping the kids orderly.  Each trip, he steps out of his comfort zone more.  I love it.

Today was pretty incredible.  Don shared yesterday of this group of young mamas.  They were so attentive this morning.  One even got up and repeated the salvation story based on a bead necklace she did in VBS.  Don thought one was going to come forward to accept Christ but her baby started crying.  The sound of the kids repeating the memory was amazing.  There was a sweet man in the window looking through. We took a craft to him while the children were making theirs.  He got a huge smile on his face.  He was invited in, but remained in the window.  It's so cool how God uses materials for children and reaches the adults as well.  

Thank you all for your prayers.  We depart for the airport in a couple of hours and have many hours of travel.  Please continue to pray for safe travels.  

Blessings,

Theresa

Random Thoughts

I'm not sure where to start, and I'm even more at a loss for where to end.  I know this isn't going to be about today; however, it really is!  So, instead of my normal logical essay, walking through a specific point step by step, here are a few random thoughts about the past three days.

First, this is Don, and I'm a first-time traveler with Fifty-five Five.  I've been a part of the organization for a few years, but never a traveler.  That was a mistake.  I can not believe how much I have been blessed by God's grace since the day we left. Oh the worship!  I have been so blessed by a group of local young ladies who are assisting with the songs.  Each has a beautiful voice, and a heart for the Lord!  The enthusiasm they have is indescribable.  You have to experience it to understand it.  In Ephesians chapter 3, it talks about knowing the unknowable.

On Monday, we visited the first of two Bateys.  The first thing that jumped out at me was the riot of color.  I took one picture of a young boy leaning against the side of a dwelling.  He was dressed in a brilliant red shirt, leaning against the bright green siding of the dwelling.  In the background, hanging on a line, were clothes in purples, yellows, and pinks.  Nearly everyone there dresses in very bright clothing.  At one point, I turned to another in the group and commented that one pink shirt being worn could easily have acted as a traffic safety shirt while riding a bicycle.

Not long after getting off the bus, a young boy of 3 or 4 came up to me and wanted to hold my hand.  Even at that young age, tough callouses on his hands reminded me of an adult who has been doing construction work for years!  And then he looked up at me, and he was one of the most beautiful children I have ever seen.  I started looking around, and noticed that something about the features of the Dominican people is striking.  The children are truly beautiful.  As they age, that beauty seems to sink below the surface and disappear as a result of a lifetime of hardship and trials ... at least that is what I thought.  And then they smile, and regardless of age, or hardship, it's back.

Speaking of which, I have been getting up between 4:30 and 5:00 every morning.  Coffee, fellowship with the security people, and preparing for our morning devotion time.  Every morning between 5:30 and 6:00 one of the kitchen staff comes to work, and greets me ,, along with everyone else ... with a smile.  She works 14 or so hours a day, and yet she always has a ready smile.  That smile is enough of a reason for me to wake up every day.

OK Don, you are starting to sound like a girl ... time to man up!  I know, lets talk about baseball. Baseball seems to be a favorite pastime here.  This morning, as we were driving into the Batey, there was a baseball diamond.  The people have little, however, it's obvious that baseball is an important part of their lives.

Today, we had a small group.  Well, at first it was small.  Over the first hour more and more children came.  There was an excitement that was evident, and it was drawing others in.

Sadly, I think my heart was broken today.  Childhood ends early here.  The boys head off to the cane fields long before manhood, and the girls become mothers.  In the group today, there were three young mothers. I'm guessing  under the age of 16.  One not only had a young child, but was obviously pregnant with another.  The one that broke my heart though looked to be 13 or so.  She was more of a child than the 6 month old on her hip.  I had the opportunity to watch her intently listening  to the message.  I'm sure she really heard.  I pray she has the opportunity to apply it in her life.  I also watched her during craft time, which is when I noticed she was a child at heart ... playing with and creating the craft we were working on.  During one of the activities, I held her baby so she could play.  Again, it broke my heart!  At 62, I am about to become a grandfather.  She will probably be a grandmother in her 20's!  What she really needs is to be a child.

And then, there's the "young bucks."  And know, I don't use that term in a positive way.  Some of  the adolescent boy's were marking there territory.   The darkness was obvious!

Angel and devil.  One of  the skits we do is an angel puppet and a devil puppet both trying to convince someone that it's OK to sin.  Today we saw life imitating art.  A blow-up beach ball, a soccer ball, and a blow-up globe disappeared during an activity, obviously the objects of theft.  The pastor we were with talked to them, and by the end of the day, all were returned!  What a lesson for them and for me.

Have I been blessed?  Would I come back?  Would I recommend it for others?  If you have to ask, you haven't been listening.

I'm Sorry You Made That Choice...

Today our prayers were answered. I'll start with yesterday, though.

Yesterday was a challenging day. See, kids can be very kind, sweet, and tender. That would describe MOST of the kids. However, I believe the enemy was trying to foil the plans that God had for the day regarding the kids and our team. Also, packing over 300 kids, ages about 0-16, into a small church building is not the ideal situation when you want order. It seems they were not very familiar with the idea of discipline, and it got messy. There were also some neighborhood kids who were messing with our children and bringing darkness to our group. However frustrated we became, we knew that only God could bring light to these challenges and difficulties, so we prayed.

Today was a lot better. First of all, it seemed like there were only 2/3 of what we had yesterday. Luckily, I noticed that most of the missing children were the REALLY young ones, ages 0-2 or 3. That way, there were less distractions and the older kids could learn and it would be easier for them to pay attention. It was a lot calmer today, and we were also a lot more strict with them. If they were talking and causing problems, we either shushed them or sent them home, saying "I'm sorry you made that decision." We warned them, after all.

I got to sit among the girls, and even though they loved chatting (I had to shush some of them many times and separate some) they were well-behaved and were eager to learn about God. We did worship. learned about God though stories, recited John 3:16 in various fun ways, did an altar call, prayed with the children, made a cross necklace for the craft, and we had fun.

Later on, after being squished in the backseat of a van next to Linda, Theresa, and Bob, we finally returned to the mission we're staying at, but not for long. The four of us went to Jumbo, which is like a giant Target or Walmart. I HAD to buy a chocolate bar while we were there.

Then we came back, Susie and Don joined us, and we went out and walked a couple blocks to the market place. Again, just like a couple days ago, these sellers were relentless. Theresa and Linda impressed many of them with their bartering skills (Becky would be proud), and when they finally admitted that we are missionaries, the vendors would exclaim, "OHHH!!!" and laugh.

After the markets we walked down the street and got coffee. I got an Oreo and Nutella frappucino to satisfy my ongoing sugar/ice cream craving. Then, to my joy, we went to an ice cream/frozen yogurt joint a few doors down. It was amazing! It was the most perfect afternoon.

We walked back and tried not to get ran over by all the traffic. However, it wasn't without its challenges since the police would not let us cross.  They thought we were part of the cruise ship, and kept trying to send us back there since there were no police in the direction we were going.  We continued to explain that we were missionaries and needed to get to our compound.   After several attempts explaining, we finally got through with our broken Spanish. "¡Mi casa!" -Don (lololol) Anyway... then we basically chilled and did our usual thang. Now it's almost nigh-night time (7:30...that's what I get for hanging out with old people.)

Keep praying for our team. Tomorrow we are taking on a new group for VBS, and are looking forward to it. :)

Marissa

The Sugar Canes

This morning was our trip to visit the people of the sugar canes. At first, because we were strangers coming into their community, they kept their distance. But as soon as the music started, the smiles came. What a breakthrough! Music! The universal language that breaks all barriers. It didn't matter anymore who we were; the music brought all of us together. Singing God's praise with these sweet people filled my heart with joy!

We took a break after lunch to walk the compound. The life in the sugar canes looks hard, and I know that I would struggle with it, but to this community, it's part of normal day life. Cooking and cleaning dishes outside no matter the weather. Living in a foundation no bigger than 8x12, with no kitchen, bedroom or bathrooms, and most had families. How often I take for granted "my personal space and quiet time."

As we walked, the children grabbed a hold of our hands and embraced the attention we were giving them. How easy it is for children to soak up the love! These children are no different than our own when it comes to wanting to be noticed and loved. This one little boy that was holding my hand looked up into my eyes as if he knew me all his life, squeezed my hand and his eyes twinkled with satisfaction, knowing that I returned that love. He then let go of my hand and ran to catch up to his friends.

We may be conditioned with our environment, but it doesn't define us, unless we let it. I think that's why God said in  Matthew 19:14 "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children." Children are the purest form of love and that love defines nobody, no matter where we live.

I feel so blessed to be the recipient of the hand that was holding mine today.


Susie Powers

A Day in the Life of a Missionary

We got to sleep in a little today (some more than others). It was necessary after last nights' festivities.   

Don has been doing a fantastic job of leading us in bible study helping us readying our hearts for His work each day.  We've been blessed to have some lovely Touchstone Christian Fellowship team members with us to enhance our worship experience.

There was a lot of skit practice and prep for the next 4 days of VBS. Much laughter ensued today. We may need to try out for America's got talent.

A highlight for us was streaming Touchstone service live in the Dominican Republic. How special to worship with our brothers and sisters 3400 miles away. Our hearts were touched as we were remind of those praying for us. We all jumped up to stare at the tablet to see who was waving at us.

We are really looking forward to the kid time tomorrow.  We all have hearts for them.

Please pray that the town will calm so we can get rested for tomorrow. It's even noisy right now with ear plugs. Also, a couple of upset bellies and migraine today. Please pray for the team to be refreshed, tip top health, and stamina tomorrow. Thank you prayer partners.

Our New Year's Eve in the Caribbean

Hola amigos, Marissa here again!

Today was a great day. It all started with waking up at the crack of dawn, as usual, thanks to the best roomies ever, Theresa and Linda, for it was time to eat breakfast. We sat down to a lovely meal of eggs, croissants, and once again, bacon and sausage for the meat-eating humans.
Oh, and who could forget the amazing orange juice??

After breakfast, we got our stuff ready, for today was a day of adventure. Ketly and Theresa went to go exchange our dollars for pesos. When they came back, we hopped into a crowded van, and we spent about an hour in there enjoying conversation, exotic sights, and ...I only fell halfway asleep once or twice.

We drove all the way to Santo Domingo, and it was interesting. The streets were really narrow, there were colonial buildings, and there were really bad drivers everywhere. Theresa, Linda, Don, Susie, Ketly, and I went into the markets while Mary and Bob went on a small historical tour for their love of history and photography. However, I didn't exchange my dollars to pesos for nothing!

Shopping there was QUITE the experience. Here are some things I learned about shoppers based off my observations:

• If you look at something for more than three seconds, you REALLY want to buy it. "Good price!" "40% off!"
• If you express your desire to buy something at ALL, it's necessary for the vendor to grab one or two more things for you to go with it, because you clearly want ALL that you can't afford!
• Even if you look in the general DIRECTION of an item, you want to buy it!
• English is clearly not an important language to know if you're a vendor.
• Etc.

So yeah, I also felt proud of myself for talking someone down in price. That felt awesome. I'd never bartered before.

After an hour and a half, we piled back into the van, and it was off to lunch for us. YAY, FOOD! We arrived at a place called Garden Cafe, and we sat in an outdoor patio. It was SO loud because of the music coming from out front! Also ordering food was a mess, and then we found out AFTER the food came out that they'd run out of fish. Aw, nuts. I really wanted fish, but it's okay, there was still chicken. And of course...beans and rice! (They're a STAPLE of the diet here.)

After lunch, we piled on into the van again, and drove about 45 minutes to the beach. I think I fell asleep again on the way there, but am not sure. THE BEACH WAS AMAZING.

We were sat down at a table, and it was so beautiful there. The weather was warm, and so was the water. Theresa, Linda, and I all went into the ocean. I literally stayed in there for like half an hour. I haven't been to the beach in like 3.5 years. AND I WAS IN THE CARIBBEAN?? I couldn't BELIEVE IT!

And the best part was that I bought ICE CREAM!!!! It was sooo good.

We left the beach after about two hours of heaven.

And I fell asleep on the way back, too. Kind of.

We chilled for a couple hours, ate dinner, and got ready for the evening service at church. There were so many amazing songs and singers. The Holy Spirit filled that room despite our language barrier. We were dancing, clapping along, and just worshiping with them. It felt great, and is something we'll never forget.

Anyway, it's now the New Year. It's past midnight here. Outside my window I hear the worship songs from the church across the street...after a bunch of maniacal yelling--I mean, preaching--from the pastor just prior to the songs. Feels different... definitely like no other New Year's Day or eve I've ever had before. Here's to a great start to 2017! Praying for God's blessing on the rest of our trip, that His holy spirit would work in us, the teachers we've trained, and the children at VBS.

Happy 2017 to each and every one of you.

Marissa



Spontaneous Warmth

I  am always amazed by the warmth of other cultures.  It doesn't matter that you don't speak the same language, and age isn't an issue.  Communication is always possible.  I experienced another example of this phenomenon this afternoon.  Seven missionaries who all speak English mixed with about 90 teacher trainees that only speak Spanish, and yet we were able to find enough words in common to truly understand each other.  All because we wanted to get to know each other.

Some of the highlights of  the day ...

• A 6:30 am call for a devotional study for the seven of us, which turned into eight because a local security guard with a heart for God wanted to join in.
• A beginning worship song, in Spanish, by one of the local church ladies that totally brought the love of God into the building.  I know I'm a sucker for a beautiful vocal but I had to tell her just how beautiful it was.
• Participants ranged  from about nine to nearly 70 years old, and laughter was heard from everyone throughout the day.
• After lunch, one of our group started to hum a worship song, which encouraged one of the locals to join it, which got three young ladies singing, and the next this you know, the entire group of 100 or so were signing for all they were worth, and it didn't matter if the singing was in English or Spanish, the worship was the key!
• I made two new friends, who even though they don't speak English, insisted on exchanging emails.
• And, finally, the graduation ceremony was enough to bring a grown man to tears.  The love and appreciation experienced was awesome. 

All in all, the two days of the train the teacher portion of the trip were an eye opener for love, warmth, and worship that I feel more than blessed to have been allowed to attend.  I can only imagine, and look forward to what the next six days hold for us.

Don Gilzean.