Today was our first full day in the Republica Dominicana! Makarios has constructed an education center in the middle of Tamarindo, one of the towns outside of Puerto Plata. I was here over the summer for a while and helped start construction on it, and seeing the finished product was so amazing. These kids finally have a place to go to school where it’s not over-crowded or extremely hot. We helped clear out some land next to the school for a garden, painted some new tables, and organized supplies for the forthcoming school year. We also took some of the restless local children down the street to place some baseball and soccer.
It’s so good to be back here and with a group of such awesome people. Seeing everyone interact with all the local kids is so sweet. I love seeing our group communicate with the locals- especially the ones who don’t speak a lick of Spanish. Aside from the fact that it’s funny, it reminds me that the Holy Spirit transcends language. I’m so pumped about what God’s already doing in the lives and relationships in this group…and we still have another week!!!
We won the baseball game. We won by a lot.
Barrett Raven
Preparing for the DR trip, I had heard that there was conflict between the Haitians and the Dominicans and the existence of a great amount of prejudice the Dominicans have towards the Haitians. Today in Tamarindo while we were working at the schoolhouse, children of both Haitian and Dominican decent were all around us and we had opportunity to interact and play with them. I was unable to tell the difference between a Dominican child and a Haitian child. This got me to thinking about how God looks at us, His children, and how he sees no difference in us based on color, affluence, quantity of good works, intensity of sin in our background, or anything else. God looks at us and all he sees is His children, His beloved creation. I’m so thankful to be in the Dominican Republic and having the opportunity to love on children and to have God teach me such valuable spiritual lessons.
Michelle Brown
1 comment:
Thanks for being so quick with the pictures...I love seeing the joy of the Lord in your faces, and pray that He would continue to sustain that joy in each of you.
Also praying that God would raise up a mighty generation of students that earnestly desire to pursue the Lord to every corner of the earth. To Him be the glory!
Todd
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