I want to start this post off by saying that God is really amazing and He is doing so much here in the Dominican Republic and also so much in my heart. Secondly, I would like to apologize for never updating this thing. My mother harasses me constantly about it and so since I figured this was my last time near a computer for another month I would give you all a quick update.
Never having gone on a mission trip or outreach like this before has been hard at times because half the time I don't know what to expect from ministry times or just being here in general. Which is why I started off this post with the sentence I did.
God is moving so much in the DR and so much in the hearts of everyone on our team as we realize the enormity of His faithfulness, love, and power. Last night we went out into the middle of San Pedro and shared dramas and testimonies with the people in and around the square for our final time of ministry in the D.R. We pull up in our bus and the streets and sidewalks are packed with people and booths and a lot of hub-bub because it turns out that last night was called the Three Wise Men, which is the night before the DR's Christmas for their children. It was totally cool how God timed it all because that festival only happens once a year, so we had more opportunity to rewach more people because the streets were packed. So our team did the dramas and testimonies planned and added in few more because the opportunity to do so was in front of us. We ended the night by asking if everyone in the crowd would come to the front so we could pray for them. Most of them were hesitant but we encouraged them to come up and they all did and we were able to pray with a lot of people with the help of our wonderful translators. I had the urge to pray for this one lady in the crowd and had May, our Spanish speaker on the team, translate for me. We prayed for her and then May spoke truth over her and prayed with her again and she accepted Christ right then and there. (!!!) As they say here, "Gloria a Dios!" There were more testimonies when we got back and debriefed about the night of two other people who gave their lives to Christ and crazy stories that went along with them. I realized again last night through so many different situations and people how perfect God's timing is and how His heart is crying out for each person individually to return to Him.
So yea, my time here has been full of lessons from God, just walking in His goodness, and watching His power be displayed in and through His people in this country. We've been extremely blessed by having the privilege of staying at the new YWAM base here in the DR. I walked into the gates for the first time and was amazed to see where I was going to be living for the next three weeks. We have been blessed with mattresses, a pool, palm trees, DELICIOUS food, and a five minute walk from the beach. But the best part has been the staff here and our translators who all have become our dear friends. The base just started nine months ago with only five staffers, but they have done an exceptional job of serving and leading us by pure examples of faith and love. I have come to cherish the people here with all of my heart and I know saying goodbye tomorrow will be extremely difficult, goodbyes always are for me. God is doing amazing things with the people here at this base to reach out to the people here in the DR for Christ. It's been a huge blessing for me to be a part of that.
~Josie
