Day 7

Today is January 7th and I do not think that I could feel more blessed. Just before the trip a few of my friends asked if they could pray for me, and they asked if they should pray for anything specific. I told them to pray for whatever was on their heart and whatever the Spirit was telling them to pray for, but to specifically pray for group unity and for my Spanish so that I would be able to better communicate with the people we would be serving and hanging out with. I forgot about those prayers until just now, as I reflect on how faithful God is and how He truly hears our prayers.

As far as group unity goes, I really don’t think we could have much more of that. We have been a group filled with joy and laugher, and have been quick to pray about anything that has come in our way. I am very thankful for that.

More importantly, praise God that when they prayed for my Spanish, they also prayed for the Spanish of all the people on this trip. Even with the little knowledge that most of us had coming on this trip, we were able to communicate amazingly well. However, I am convinced that the communication was not of a result any Spanish study or practice on our part, but because the Holy Spirit was speaking through us to the Dominican and Haitian people.

While it has truly been a blessing to be here in the Dominican, I will be sad to be leaving so soon. After playing soccer for a very long time in a Haitian village called Chichigua, I was speaking with a Haitian man named Francisco. After telling him “good game” (they beat us pretty bad, so I had to swallow some pride to say that – just kidding), I said that I wish we could play soccer with him everyday. He got a sad look on his face, and said, “but you can’t.” It was a tough moment for me, and made me feel bad that we could only hang out with them for a very short time. But then I became very thankful for our brothers and sister in Christ that are here all the time, and are able to love these people almost everyday. I also became very thankful that while I may not be able to be with them all the time, if they receive the Holy Spirit, they will be able to have Him with them for all of eternity – an infinitely much sweeter gift than my soccer skills.

After the sad moment with Francisco, I became very encouraged. I want to praise God that Francisco knows Jesus, as he said to me and a few other guys right before we left, “Go with God.” Give God the glory for the power of prayer and His faithfulness, all of the time.

Michael Conrad

Yesterday, while in the village of Chichigua, God was so good to allow me to meet a girl named Yaina. Since the last time we visited Chichigua, I was so interested in this one building (by building I mean a house that in the states would be classified as a run-down shack) with a wooden cross on the outside. As soon as I got out of the van yesterday, I felt God leading me to that particular cross, that particular home. Right under the cross sat a girl between the ages of 12 and 14, emaciated and clearly malnourished. As soon as I saw her condition, my heart started to race and part of me was frightened by seeing her body and behavior (later I learned that she had cerebral palsy), things I have only seen in pictures and learned about in school. Despite my fear of the unknown, God continued to tug at my heart as the Holy Spirit led me to sit with her. As soon as she noticed me, the biggest smile came over her face and the sweetest laughter that came not from her mouth, but from her heart. After hugging on her and praying with her, she was able to come out to the soccer field to watch our game. Praise God for her joy, and for humbling me after seeing the joy overflowing from her. As God has shown us all time and time again on this trip, His love is what satisfies, and God greatly blesses those who literally have very little else to satisfy them. It is my prayer that we may all, especially myself, learn to depend on Him for the fullest satisfaction.

Samantha Lingamfelter