Life in the DR....Week 1

  


 How would I describe week 1 on the mission field.....SUCCESS!

Here's is what I have learned so far:

•     Even on island time we accomplished so much in one week...phones, insurance, house hunting, adapting to the driving, money and learning our way around the towns and the grocery store.  You should have seen Brian and I starring at the spices.....no clue what they were! 

•   I NEED TO LEARN SPANISH!!! 

•     My children are ROCK STARS!!!   They have adjusted so well!  They have stepped out of their normal comfort zones.  They seriously have not complained about anything!!

•     Sticky frogs and those gecko lizard things are your friends because they will eat the bugs so don't kill them.  (I am still trying to embrace that one.) 

•    Don't worry about putting on make-up for straightening your hair because your make up will melt off and your hair will curl like you just had the best perm ever!    LOL  ;)

•      The police will give the driver a ticket for not wearing a seat belt because it is "unsafe" but a family of 5 can ride on one motorcycle with no helmets. 

•     I thought that when I sold everything to move here I had given up all I could....HA....then I learned that I can also give up hot water for showers and air conditioning!    It is an awesome reminder for me that when I begin to feel sorry for myself to remember how most of the Dominican's live here with NO clean water ...no HOT water....NO running water!  So I sit embarrassed and humbled and thankful for God's lessons.

•    Safety for our family is our top concern.  While we are out running around, we feel entirely safe....it's your home that has the valuables.  So we prayed and prayed for God to point us in the right direction for a safe place to live.  The top area to live for security is of course around triple what most places are a month.....OUCH!  But we found the 2nd safest place that has "mission impossible" type security...it has 3 bedrooms but we couldn't afford all 3 so they lock one and we rent it as a 2 bedroom and guess what????  We got it for the EXACT amount that we had budgeted!!  Isn't God FAITHFUL!!  My kids said they don't mind all 3 sharing a bedroom....WHAT????   (That's not what I'm used to seeing with the families on House Hunter International!  haha!)  Gotta brag that I have the best teenagers EVER!  Our landlord is so cool that when our 2 adult children come at Christmas to visit he will open the 3rd bedroom up for 2 weeks free!!!!  Don't you just LOVE it when God shows off like that????

    So for week 2 our goal is to get a reliable car that doesn't break the bank and get to work!   Can't wait to see what God has in store for us to learn this week!

Only God

      
 I have been praying for God to give me the words to write this post.  I want so badly for it to be a testament and encouragement for whatever you need in your life.

     This whole journey of stepping out on this mission field has been one of EXTREME growing of our faith.  It's so funny to hear people say, "What you are doing is so admirable.  You will be helping so many."  because we feel like WE have been the one's blessed more than you can imagine.  And I can not wait to share with the people in the Dominican  the love, knowledge and sacrifices that we have received from so many of you. 

     If you have read any of my previous posts you know that I have struggled with staying strong 100% of the time.  I have my moments of weakness because of my flesh.  I relied on what I could see and not what I couldn't.  But I just want to share with you all that it's what we can't see that is MOST important.  I have come to understand that I have NO CONTROL over anything.....it's all in God's hands.  I know you have heard this a million times but when you let go of that "control" you think you have and give it all to God....that is when life gets sweeter than you could ever imagine.  You grow to TRUST Him to lead your life, you finances, your day to day decisions. 

     Here's my recent story that reaffirmed that God will provide for your every need when you listen and obey His will.  Since Brian and I have said "Yes God" we have just taken one step at a time.  Each time God said,  "Ok...now do this." we did it....whether it was hard or uncomfortable.  The hardest part was keeping our patience as we waited.  But that is when we would literally drop to our knees and pray harder and strengthen our relationship with our Savior.  A few weeks ago I was talking to Brian and I said, "You know we talk about that we have faith that God will provide for us to go but we are hesitant to buy our plane tickets because of all the what ifs."  So we decided to pray for an answer on this huge leap of faith because we were pretty far away from our monthly support.   So this last Saturday morning we took the next step and bought our plane tickets to leave 8 days later.  That very same day we received a phone call from some dear friends of ours.  She had so much excitement in her voice and said she wanted to talk to us both on speaker phone.  As she was crying she began explaining to us that she and her husband had been praying for months about how they could support us.   She said she felt embarrassed and confused because God wasn't answering them....but they kept asking and waiting.  Well the same day that we bought our plane tickets God placed it on their hearts BIG TIME that they should pay for our rent for two years and not only at the low rent house we were budgeting for,  but for a home with more security for our families safety!   The coolest part was neither of us knew what each others prayers had been! 

     I had been praying for God to provide in a way that there was no mistaking it was ALL HIM!

     So the greatest part of this story is that we never know what is going on "behind God's scenes".  He is orchestrating ways for you to be taken care of that you could never have imagined.

     Please don't get me wrong....money is not the only way we have been blessed with, although it is a necessity to survive while we are serving. 

     Other ways we have been blessed:

• Sold our house quickly 
• We got to rent our house back for 3 months until closer to time to go!
• Walking Taco Fundraiser with great hosts and volunteers and friends that put it all together.
• Old friends and New friends asking us to share our missions journey at their churches.
• Garage Sale at a friends house with TONS of donations to sell and many generous shoppers.
• Encouragement!
• Beautiful hearts sharing stories of how God healed them from exploitation.
• Birthday Party from a 9 year old friend and a bunch of other friends that opted no gifts for herself and donations to go to our ministry!  $770!!!!!!!!!!!
• Free place to stay for the last week before we left. 
• Many monthly and one time sponsors!
• Luggage! 
• New friends
• And of course an amazing ministry with a team that we cannot wait to serve along side.

      So we continue on to this next chapter in our life without being 100% funded but knowing 100% of that this is God's plan and we will always be provided for.  And with all of these blessing my excitement is that much greater to see how God will use us to give hope and encouragement to everyone that will cross my path.

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Encouragement

      I can't help but giggle when people ask how IT works exactly.  You know...this missionary thing!  Is Brian going to be working?  Yes....as a missionary.  No...I mean like having a real job?  Yes...we both will be working.   No I mean like having a paid job?  Yes.... a missionary does live by the support of other's.  (Insert confused stare here.)  

     I was just confiding in a friend (who's son is also on the mission field) and telling her how sometimes I feel like people think we are just asking for handouts.  She sweetly gave me these words to hold on to during those awkward times.  "Jenny....you have a ministry....just like a pastor.  You are just looking for your congregation.   Pastors are supported by their congregation as they serve." 

    I know I used the "B" word a lot but we are truly BLESSED with the people that are on this journey with us.  God is using us all to Go Make A Difference.

    

   

A quote from my favorite author/pastor Francis Chan, “The crazy part about God’s heart is that He doesn’t just ask us to give:  He desires that we love those in need as much as we loves ourselves.  That is the core of the second greatest command, to “love your neighbor as yourself.’  (Matt. 22:39).

Keeping Calm!

 

God keeps reminding me to not get so caught up in the stress or busyness of life that I miss out on the most amazing stories.  The reason I have been blogging so much it is almost like a journal for me, except that I'm putting it out there for the world to see....haha!  I have always said I'm an open book!  :) 

Each of us make plans for our lives.  No matter how much we achieve....it's easy for us to look at how much further we are from our ultimate goal, how much we have left to do and we are always looking for that light at the end of the tunnel.  But if we don't stop and TRULY pay attention to the awesomeness that God puts right in front of us.... because we are so ridden with anxiety, stress and control....then we've missed the whole point of what God wants us to learn, see and celebrate.   

The reasons that Brian and I know that God has THIS plan in our lives is because we have prayed, fasted, LISTENED and obeyed.  God stirred in us a desire to show people what we found.  A true relationship with our Heavenly Father.  He just kept pushing us to trust, to have faith and to follow.  We said "Yes" and then took the first step in obedience.....then the next....then the next.  My prayer is to tell and show everybody how God has changed me to love unconditionally like He does us.  I can think of nothing greater than if I helped someone take what I did and that was having RELIGION in their life.... to having that become a deep trusting RELATIONSHIP with my Father. 

So what God is showing me is if I only looked for that light at the end of the tunnel,  I would be missing out on the miracles of His works in every single day.  By recognizing them,  I have a reminder that we are not doing this alone...that HE is equipping us...He shows me that through what looks like an awkward journey to most of the world....giving up finances when we are taught to hold on to them tight......trusting Him is what will give other's the desire to take their first step too.

  Here is a note that a sweet friend sent me.



You are helping ME grow in my faith. I am a type "A" control freak!  I control nearly everything in my life! This is our chance to trust in God. I am not a deeply religious person. I believe in God, but do not attend church on a regular basis. I need to be able to let go, as well. Please pray for our family as I feel God is asking us to sponsor you, but it scares the day lights out of me! This will be my first step and we will see where it leads! You are a truly wonderful person! We have been planning this for a while, I just felt like maybe you needed to hear some good news! Thanks for being you!

Now...please don't think I'm sitting here thinking, "Oh,  look at me!  I'm leading people to Christ."  Because what I'm really thinking is, "Thank you God for pulling me closer to YOU in this journey and at the same time using my clumsiness through it all to give other's the desire to say "Yes" to what you are asking of them."