Loving this Community!

     If someone asked me to describe in one word the people that live in the Dominican I would say........Community.  So far everywhere we have gone we have noticed that people work and share as a community.....together as a family.  I absolutely love seeing it in action and it reminds me of what God has shown me during this whole missions journey. 

    I always knew community was important but you don't always understand until you have been the recipient of a communities help....so many people surrounded our family and embraced what God placed in our hearts to set out and do.   Friends and complete strangers partnered with us but praying, donating, sharing, encouraging and inspiring us to give our lives to showing other's God's love.  That to me is the definition of community.  To come along side and use the gifts that God blessed you with to help others.  I still have the pleasure of witnessing (even if it's on facebook) and hearing about my community of friends back home working together to give each other strength and show God's love.

   Here is a few examples that I am able to share.....I get to witness first hand families coming to the clinic where I work and how the employees treat them as family and help them as they do their own.  I also have the HUGE pleasure of having a teacher from one of our schools that is helping interpret at the clinic for now AND he is teaching me Spanish in between patients.  He also teaches English to his friends, usually for no pay, because he explains, "Without knowing English they can't get a job here because most jobs are in tourism."  What an amazing HEART my friend Melvin has!!!!  So blessed to have him in my life!!

   God keeps pointing out these examples to me.  He is reminding me that we are the flesh to do His will while we are on this Earth.

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV

 

     There’s no doubt about it.  God placed us in community together, whether we are living in the same town, state or country.  Now, it’s up to us to BE community to each other.  The cool thing is, we don’t have to do it alone or in our own strength.  God knows how difficult life can be.  He gives us His spirit, to rule and triumph over the ugliness in our lives…if we only let Him.

     And here's the cool part...you don't have to do this all by yourself, tap into His unlimited supply of resources every day to be His community to those around you.

  
Romans 12:9-10
Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.