In less than a month I'll be Stateside for 2 1/2 intense weeks of wedding preparations! (I'd still love to see as many people as possible & will need prayers for sanity & God's grace that all details will just fall into place.)
I wanted to let you know that I have a wedding site with information started... copy & paste the link: http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/pwp2/view/MemberPag e.aspx?coupleId=7602942281826101
10 Feb, 2010
I have purchased my tickets for Spring 2010. I will be flying into Minneapolis March 31 & be in the Twin Cities area that weekend. I'll be in Iowa until April 18th. Time will be short, but would love to see as many dear loved ones as possible in that time! I'll continue to post or email as the date draws near & plans or events start to take form.
18 Nov, 2009
Celebrating 5 years of adventure with Jesus in the Dominican
I remember who I was & where I was at 5 years ago when I picked up & moved to the Dominican Republic to work with Students International as Outreach Staff at the Art Site in Jarabacoa. A 23 year old who in the States felt like a 1-year commitment was too much for a job. One year out of college. Full of hope & expectation but never imagining what was to be my life in the five following years.
It's been a time of hope & heartbreak. Disappointment & unexpected joys. New friends, new family in Christ & love. I knew that when God calls His children He has the best in mind. His plans for us are perfect... I just never would've imagined or dreamt something like this.
Within a short time of living in Jarabacoa I felt & started to pray accordingly, feeling like for the first time in my adult life like this was somewhere I wanted to place roots. Almost 3 exciting years serving with brothers & sisters from many parts of the world through Students International... Now more than 2 years of new challenges serving with the local church Fraternidad Cristiana Amor a Quisqueya. Health & sickness (scabies for Jesus ;-))... Resisting & then openning the door to Leo Escalante, who has proven to me his Godly character & passionate heart for God like no one else I've ever met. A year & a half of noviazgo (courtship) where every day, whether I'm well-behaved or not, being pursued as God pursues me by a man who's earning my heart.
It has been God. His gentle, faithful kindness guiding
me through my mistakes to follow His perfect plan. In so many
ways I'm unsure of the future, but I choose to TRUST in WHO HE IS
& continue to WALK IN FAITH, even when I can't see.
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN
YOU,
WHO HAVE SET THEIR HEARTS ON PILGRIMAGE.
-
Psalm 84:5
I gladly continue on this pilgrimage with
You my Lord. You are my sun & my shield. I delight in You &
trust my life, my hopes, my dreams in Your hand!
09 Sep, 2009
Living Profectically as Light & Blessing to those around you
How long overdue am I at updating this website! I'm embarrased that it's been so long!
I was reflecting this morning on what it means to be light & blessing in someone else's life. This last Friday night some of the women from the Cell Group Leo & I lead met at my house for a time of fellowship & prayer. We made tacos, ate, talked, laughed & then dear Leo stayed inside taking care of some of the small kids while we ladies went out on the porch of my house to pray together.
About a month ago all the women from the church had a get together to eat & be together. It had been awhile since some of those sisters had laughed so much. Nonetheless, Friday afternoon before the ladies arrived at my house I was thinking, we had fun & fellowship & it was good, but there was a lacking of communion of our souls. No one left that evening truly knowing how they could better love their sister. It was a great time, but not complete, not enough.
So, here we were last Friday night... Teenagers, singles, married women, new believers, & some more seasoned in the faith we came together to love on one another in prayer. Jesus was so focused on us truly loving one another. Love which has no conditions. It's not, "I'll love you if you change," because only the Holy Spirit can do a work of transformation in us. It's not, "I love you for what you can give me or do for me," we're called even to love & pray for our enemies.
It's about loving profectically... What?! It's about loving from God's heart. His love manifested in us, without condition to love others. That's what the greatest commandment is about. Loving God & loving others. Loving others in a way that we look past the junk to see what God is doing. It's about speaking life & blessing to the treasure that is hidden in each jar of clay that is the person in front of you. It's about loving with God's love in a way so deep and profound that the other person is left undone, in the Light of Christ, blessed.
Our mission in interpersonal relationships is not to so much to teach, preach or provoke change, but to love so deeply that God's love in us towards all those around us covers a multitude of sins. Love which brings a security in that there's no judgment or chastisement. Love which allows God's presence to bring about transformation for the Eternal Kingdom.
Friday night was a simple time. There was no elegance or granduer to the evening. Simple prayers, sometimes tongue-tied words even, but hearts willing to love, to pray for one another as if it were for oneself; washing each others' feet through tears and laughter; speaking words of love, light & blessing; loving each other profetically. That's the kind of love we're called to. That's the kind of love that calls the best part in each of us to rise up. The love that encourages the treasure and virtue in each of us to live in the fullness of the beauty of Christ within us.
May His Kingdom come & His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
17 Jul, 2008
As of 3:30am, everyone from the KBC team made it to Jarabacoa. The 9 traveling from Kiron made it to Puerto Plata with their carry-ons around 2:30pm while their luggage arrived with the 2 travelers from Minnesota about 12 hours later.
Today's been a good day of lots of hard work. Some blisters are forming, relationships are being built, and attitudes are great! Keep posted & check out pictures as I'll update when possible.
13 Jun, 2008
Check out this link to learn more about theTimothy Project, working with the Shoe Shine Boys of Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nts6WVB82Ak or on YouTube search "Shoe Shiners Dominican Republic."
Thoughts on: Love, birth, rebirth, travels
Have you had the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, multiple times, to see our God encountered & worshipped in different cultures? Almost everyone has been part of celebrating a wedding, celebrating love reflecting the way God loves us, but have you ever seen a baby brought into the world? Have you seen the life of an addict change as they encounter the Truth in Jesus Christ? The newness of life as one experiences freedom & is washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. The last few months have been ever so full of activity, but also of seeing God.
If you visit my album page, you'll see a lot of new pictures. In the beginning of May I had the opportunity to travel to Indiana for my cousin Phil's wedding. Had a birthday. Have had a lot of work to do as many have come to know Jesus here in Jarabacoa. As Director of Integration & as a cell group leader its a privilege to see God's Truth bring freedom to lives, cleansing the past, restoring individuals, marriages, families...
This next school year there is a probability that the Timothy School, the school that our church has for shoe shine boys off the streets, will be in desperate need of teachers. So, the church leadership sent me to San German, Puerto Rico for a week of training in the ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) method & curriculum so that if needed they can use me as a teacher part time the next school year. The 12 days I spent in Puerto Rico with Jesecca Ortiz, the current Administrator of the Timothy School, were extremely full & busy as we shared the vision of the project in various churches, met with individuals, did some sight seeing & hours upon hours of training & homework. It was a time of reaffirmation for the heart God has placed in me for what He's doing in the Dominican Republic.
One of the women from my cell group gave birth a week ago. Being a 20-something single woman, I have only seen babies born on TLC or the Discovery Channel, until last week she wanted me in the delivery room to record & be nearby. The more I see of life... birth (physical) & rebirth (spiritual), I'm convinced of the greatness of the God it is a privilege to love & serve. There is no one like Him! May He continue to make Himself known in our lives & in this world, because the greatest thing in the world is that, having a relationship with the Creator of the universe.
02 Apr, 2008
PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES!!!
So, even though I love photography, I'm not the best at photographically documenting my life... However, my mom was here visiting the end of March, & she got some good use of her camera. Check out new pictures on the Album link!
11 Jan, 2008
2008 is off to a running start! I don't know that I have a lot of "news" but as I was posting new pictures and writing some comments decided I wanted to share with maybe the two people who check this page about some of the mighty ways I have the privilege to see & participate in what God is doing in the lives of those in my cell group.
One of the biggest problems of the traditional evangelical church in the Dominican Republic is that it in many ways has been a place of legalism... there to receive those who want to fit in its rules. Knowing Jesus does bring remarkable change to our lives, but many churches are not all that accepting of those who are sick. Jesus said the church is a place for the sick... those who have need, whether it be physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, or any combination. The church I am a part of has been & sometimes is looked down upon by other pious believers because we are radicals that seek to follow Jesus as opposed to a rule book.
In our church, in the cell group I have the privilege of leading, are those whose lives are in transformation. Not all, but some have been saved by grace out of the pits of drugs, alcoholism, abusive & broken relationships. None of us has yet arrived, but the grace of Jesus has made each of us a new creation. His mercy, new every morning, continues the redeeming work in our lives.
I'm always struck by the story of Hosea, a prophet of the Lord called to marry a prostitute. So often each of us is that prostitute, that addict, the one who is so broken that only His eternal, never-failing love can heal our sickness. What a privilege & honor it is for me to be a part of the lives of the faces you can see on the album page! Their lives bless mine & teach me more about our Savior & Loving Father everyday. I ask for your prayers.
30 Nov, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007 after 12 hours of sitting in airports, eating way too small snacks on airplanes, I was picked up at the Santiago airport by some of my Dominican family. The warm humidity in the night air was refreshing as we cruised down the interstate. As we headed up the mountain & the temperature gradually cooled, my oh-so-tired self was rejuvenated with a fresh burst of energy. Friday was the start of our church's yearly retreat, and while I pulled into the location of the retreat as everyone was heading home, joy was ever present as I was able to greet my Dominican brothers & sisters whom the Lord has given me the privilege & call to serve & work alongside for the advancement of His Kingdom on this island.
The endorphins of excitement surging through my body, the slight time change & a renewed expectancy about what God has for this place were all factors as I got little sleep & got up at 5:00 to go get to work at serving breakfast at the retreat. As one of my roommates & I were pulling out of the entrance to our house, the stick shift of my car completely came out of place. So, as if to say, "Welcome back to the DR, Elizabeth," Kenia & I pushed the running vehicle from the street to in front of our house & I got out my little motorcycle which hadn't been started in 7 weeks. After a 1/2 hour of coaxing my bike to start we were on our way.
The theme of the retreat was, "Preparing for His Coming!" Jesus is coming soon! Before I left, our head pastor Popin had been doing a series of teachings on Revelations & Heaven. His pastor, a well-known author & speaker from Puerto Rico, Pastor Rey Matos, was giving the conference & brought us up to date on the Biblical prophecies that have & are being completed these very days in which we are living.
For me though, the highlight was probably the celebration of who are God is that was unleashed as we praised & worshipped the King of kings & Lord of lords! Everyone's calf muscles hurt the next couple days from all the jumping that was done in that place as we declared His name, His glory, His coming & our utter dependence on Him.
Getting back, I immediately jumped into the full-swing of things. Two of the members of my cell group who have been together for years & have two children together celebrated God's restoration of their family as they were finally joined together in marriage Sunday after church. Tuesday night in cell group, a man named Joaquin ended up showing up & reconciling His relationship with the Lord after years of living in the world simply because he saw another guy walking to cell group with a pot of chicken & gave him a ride.
God is very much at work in the Dominican Republic! Our Lord is returning soon! If 2000 years ago the disciples were convinced of this & expected it, even more so now as the signs & prophecies of old continue to happen one after the other. May we not waste any second of this time we're being permitted by His unending mercy! May we be awake & awaiting His return! Pray for an awakening (revival) in the church & that those who don't know Him may be drawn in by His love, mercy & grace manifested in the church, the Body of Christ.
31 Oct, 2007
"Moro" (Rice & Beans together)
Dominicans eat rice & beans in some combination virtually
everyday... this is one of my favorite versions!
-2 cans red beans
-1/2 medium-size onion minced
-Handful of fresh cilantro
-2 cans of water
-About 1 Tsp oregano
-4-5 cloves minced garlic (approximately 2-3 Tsp)
-Salt to taste
-3 Tbsp vegetable oil
-2 cans of white rice
Start with oil in large pan, add beans with all their juices, onions, cilantro, water, oregano, garlic & salt. Bring to boil & let simmer for about 30 minutes. Add rice (I use the same cans to measure, the typical water:rice proportion is 2 water : 1 rice, but all rice is different on its absorbency, so you'll need to check it as the rice cooks to see if you need to add more water). Stir after adding rice, cook for about 30 more minutes or until rice is tender. Try to avoid stirring again until the end of cooking time or your rice will become mush. Serve & enjoy! These amounts should serve 6-8.
"Mangú" (The plantain version of American Mashed
Potatoes)
This recipe is very simple & very yummy!
-1 green plantain (those things in the grocery store that look
like big bananas) per person is the rule to knowing how
many to buy
-butter or margarine
-milk, 1/2 & 1/2, or water
-onion
-white vinegar
Peel the plantains (you'll want to make sure all of the skin is off or it will turn blackish-brown as it sits & cooks... doesn't hurt anything, it's just better to get it off if possible). Boil until tender (just like potatoes). Mash with butter/ margarine & your choice of water/milk/cream. Consistency will be chunkier than potatoes. To serve, the onion should be sliced & rings sauteed in vinegar until tender & starting to brown. Place onions on top, serve & fill your tummy.
"Pollo guisado" Stewed Chicken
Dominicans eat chicken, a lot! Seasonings are almost always
the same, oregano, cilantro & garlic are essential, the cooking
methods vary. This is one of the simple recipes that as I've been
traveling across the States I've shared with some of you.
-Chicken, cut into small pieces (we used 4 chicken breasts,
but any quantity or part of the chicken may be used, Dominicans
eat the feet & all)
-1 1/2 bell peppers diced
-1/2 onion minced
-handfull fresh cilantro
-2 Tbsp oregano
-About a head of minced garlic (5-6 Tbsp... if you're not as
much of a garlic fan as Dominicans that can be lessened)
-1 small can tomato paste
-Salt, soy sauce & white vinegar to taste
-2 Tbsp vegetable oil
You'll want a large saucepan, starting with vegetable oil in pan, let the peppers, onion, cilantro, oregano, garlic & pinch of salt simmer just a little as you add in the chicken. As chicken starts to cook you'll want to water down 2 tsp's tomato paste & add. The idea is that the chicken stews as the water cooks off. Add 2 Tbsps vinegar. After about 15-20 minutes as the chicken is well cooked & the majority of the water is cooked off, you'll want to add soy sauce (for taste as well as color, Dominicans don't like white meat) & tomato paste (don't feel that you need to use the whole can, but you want to add the majority of paste at the end of cooking time so that you get a thicker sauce) . The chicken can be served over the rice & beans or hold its own.
"Espaguetti blanco" White Spaghetti
This my rendition of the Dominican homemade version of an
alfredo sauce. It's a favorite of all my friends!
-Pasta (I often use spiral pasta, but you can use spaghetti or
any other kind of noodles)
-2 Tbsp margarine or butter
-1/2 onion sliced
-1 1/2 bell peppers sliced
-1 Tbsp minced garlic
-1 can evaporated milk
-Salt to taste
-1-2 cups Milk or 1/2 & 1/2
-Parmesan cheese
Bring salted water to boil & cook pasta. Sautee onions & garlic with margarine/butter. Add evaporated milk & milk or 1/2 & 1/2 (the amount that you add depends on how much pasta you are cooking. You can also used only evaporated milk, Dominicans make do with what they have, so often they will start with one can evap. milk & add milk/cream/water so that they have enough sauce for their pasta). Let sauce simmer until pasta is almost done & add peppers. Drain pasta & combine with sauce. Once combined, stir in parmesan cheese until to your tastebuds' liking. Serve & enjoy!
29 Oct, 2007
So, I'm finishing up the western loop of the DR on tour. Back in Denver for a few days. I can't express what a privilege & blessing it is to be able to travel, visit & connect with so many loved ones!
Not much news, just wanted to practice posting a little more regularly :-) & let anyone who'd like to know... I'VE POSTED PICTURES!!!!! Check out the photos page to see not only what I've seen in IA, CO, CA, WA & OR so far, but also there's a DR Slideshow that all you have to do is enter in on Flickr & hit slideshow & it's as if I were in your living room/office/local wifi hotspot with you.
10 Oct, 2007
So, a couple slight changes, due to different conflicts with some
dear friends who live in states that start with I (not Iowa... aka Illinois
& Indiana) I'm revising that section of the schedule briefly.
NOVEMBER 2-5: Indiana
NOVEMBER 5-8: Chicago
I ALSO HAVE A CELL PHONE WHILE IN THE STATES!
712-212-3026... it's with AT&T so there's free mobile to mobile if
you have AT&T/Cingulair. I had my cell phone stolen a few months
ago in the DR while doing art in the park, so if you'd like to chat,
you'll have to call me or email me your number :-)
08 Oct, 2007
So this trip back to the States is definitely different from all others. I'm taking pieces of the DR to California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana & Minnesota. I'm excited to meet with many dear friends & family in those areas & hear about your lives as well as share with you what God has been doing in & through my life in the last three years in the Dominican Republic, as well as the anticipation of what is to come.
TRAVEL SCHEDULE
October 15-18: Denver, CO
October 19-23: Pasadena, CA (I'll be doing a visit at
Fuller Seminary the 19-20 & then be around for anyone who'd like
to road trip or who's in the area)
October 23-26: Seattle, WA
October 26-29: Portland, OR
October 29-November 1: Denver, CO
November 2-5: Chicago, IL
November 5-7: Indianapolis, IN
November 7: Chicago, IL
November 8-9: Rochester, MN
November 10-17: Twin Cities, MN
November 18-22: Denison, IA
November 23: Back to Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic
Contact me & hopefully if I'll be in your area or driving nearby we can get together! Blessings!
28 Sep, 2007
Dear Brothers and Sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ,
I humbly start this letter echoing the words of the Apostle
Paul as he wrote to the Philippian church:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all
my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your
partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being
confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry
it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus... And this is my
prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge
and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is
best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled
with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--
to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:2-6, 9-11)
In the middle of August I finished my third summer working with Students International in the area of art. I've shared that the plans were to continue with SI in the pioneering of a new multimedia ministry site. In the middle of the summer I sensed the Lord wanted me to be open to other possibilities. I shared that I was praying about other opportunities with my local pastor and his wife as well as the director and staff pastor of SI here in the Dominican Republic. My focus continued to be in being faithful in the daily work with student teams at the art site through the summer, but was also seeking the Lord's face as to the decisions I would make at the end of the summer. August 11th was the last day of student teams, which every year is followed by a week of vacation for rest and recuperation for staff. I took three days and two nights to take a personal retreat with Jesus. At the end of that time I felt the confirmation and peace of making the decision of resigning from Students International to enter under the coverage of my local church here, Fraternidad Cristiana Amor a Quisqueya.
I have been active in serving in our congregation here in my time in the Dominican Republic as part of the worship team, mentoring a group of teenage girls, being involved in the activities of the young adults and other various activities. Now being full-time with the church my role continues to be varied, yet primarily defined in the following areas: Director of Integration, Supervisor of Media, Vocal Director of the Worship Ministry, and Leader of a Cell Group. The Integration Ministry is focused on making sure discipleship of new believers occurs by: overseeing the year long process of all new believers who continue to persevere in the church, providing follow-up and information for the monitors of the new believers, planning different activities for new believers so that they might be able to find community in the body of believers, and keeping a running membership of all members and ministries within the local body. As Supervisor of Media I am in charge of the actualization and use of the computer, projector, etc. that is used in each service throughout the week and special events. For the last year and a half I have been involved as part of the worship team (singing backup, leading at a daughter church up in the mountains twice a month for the last year, leading here in our local services every other week for the last three months) and now am starting to work with some of our local members once a week to help them develop their talents vocally and to form a small chorus. Amor a Quisqueya has approximately 300 attendees to Sunday services. Throughout the various sectors of Jarabacoa there are also 11 Cell Groups which meet weekly. I will be taking over the leadership of the group which meets every Tuesday in my house. This includes leading the Bible study weekly, visiting different brothers and sisters and being their immediate contact to the pastoral team, discipling and directly supervising the new believers which pertain to the sector of our Cell Group.
At the end of August I stepped out of my position with Students International with the complete blessing of the leadership and staff. Currently I have finished training for the majority of my new roles, am starting in many of those functions, as well as planning a trip back to the States. I am excited to be with you soon to share even more in person as to what God is doing as we are crying out for Revival in the Dominican Republic.
Thank you for your consideration as to how you would like to consider being part of what God is doing in the Dominican Republic. You are in my heart and prayers.
Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Because HE lives,
Elizabeth
09 May, 2007
As summer teams are off to a running start, I eagerly expect great things from our great God who has been doing exciting things throughout this country & the ministry here of the church & Students International. I've posted some new photos on the album page (as well as upgraded my status at Flickr so I can keep updating photos as events occur). The weekend of March 20-22 we had a fabulous staff retreat focusing on: "Intimacy with God & The Mandate of Imparted Holiness." It was a time of God pouring a lot into us as a staff, which we always need in order to pour out to others.
01 Feb, 2007
God's been doing lots of cool & new things the last few months. One of them is the way He's been moving within the Grupo de Jovenes (Group of Young Adults) in the church I attend here in Jarabacoa. Monday, the 29th of January was a holiday here & for the last month we had been planning an evangelistic outreach in one of the communities here in Jarabacoa. As we spent time praying, preparing, planning, cleaning, & setting up on the dusty ball field, it was all in the eager anticipation of what God was going to do, beyond our expectations.
I wish I could say everything went off without a hitch, that we all as a group of brothers & sisters in Christ wouldn't have had any issues the few days before the event, that there would have been no problems with sound during the open air event, that there were no delays in people showing up late... but alas, we're human & while we dealt with issues in many different areas, God's grace is bigger than our shortcomings... always!
30 young people made decisions for Christ Monday night! Praise Jesus for His saving grace & thank God for His Holy Spirit's presence who convicts us of our sins & need of Him! Please pray for these who have made decisions. No matter the motives in the moment, may God's greatness fold them into true relationship with Him. Pray that we as a church body may be responsible & available to disciple & integrate them into the fellowship of believers. Above all, praise Jesus for extending His grace & mercy... His amazing & indescribable love to each of us, including our 30 new brothers & sisters in Christ!
19 Jan, 2007
So, I'm utterly bewilldered that it's the middle of January 2007 already! I refuse to try and make excuses to justify the lack of communication & upkeeping of these news & prayer pages, rather, accept the clean slate of grace that is offered to us every year when January rolls around.
Since January 4 I've been back in the DR getting back into the swing of things & continuing in faith through the ambiguous land of transition. November 2006 completed my initial two year commitment here in the DR & for those of you who may have not received some of my last communications, I'm in the process of waiting on a new staff, Amy Babb, to raise support & make it to the field to fill the position of Outreach Staff at the Art Site as I transition into starting a new Multimedia Site, being able to use my photography more & serving as an advocate & support for the different SI sites here in the Dominican Republic.
While at Urbana 06 I was able to pick up a lot of great books, one of which is a prayer guide supporting God's work around the world. As we continue to covet your prayers in support of ours here crying out for REVIVAL, a new & fresh move of God through His Holy Spirit (for the first time in recorded history) here in the Dominican Republic, I have included Operation World's description of prayer requests for the DR.
As to not overwhelm myself in writing, or you in reading, I'll leave you with that for right now as my goal & desire is to share with you again soon! Thank you so much for your prayers & support!
08 Sep, 2006
Well, it's been awhile since I've posted. Right now I'm updating from Cambria, California. I'm startign week two of a three week period back in the States for some support raising & renewing connections after almost two years of living in the Dominican Republic. As my initial two-year commitment with Students International is coming to a close, I am renewing my commitment & on the "indefinite track" as to how my time will be with SI. There may be some changes & transitions this fall/winter/spring as to what my role on staff will be, & I'll gladly keep you updated as God's timing opens the doors to changes.
Let me tell you about summer however... This summer was full with 7 different outreaches from students & groups from all over the US & some international students. 14 weeks or 3 1/2 months of teams. Since our spring staff retreat in the beginning of may, we as a staff have been praying for a revival to occur in the Dominican Republic. This morning as different teams came through to minister in our different sites with us, we saw God move in big & small ways as we sought to be faithful in the mundane & ordinary everyday as much as the big moments of opportunity.
At the Escuela d'Arte (Art Site) we continued normal classes for students 10-adult throughout the summer as well as offered a special summer program to kids ages 5-9. Two days a week we had between 25-35 younger kids who congregated to sing songs, hear a Bible story, do some arts & crafts & be loved on. As kids prepped to return to school, we were asked to paint some murals on classroom walls at a new Christian preschool. As SI's vision is not only to share the Gospel in the poor communities through ministry sites doing community development based on felt needs of the area, but also to disciple students on short-term outreach, it was a huge privilege yet again to be a part, a simple instrument in the things that God has done this summer, beyond us & beyond what we could've asked or imagined.
Thank you for having such an important role in all that is going on!
24 Aug, 2006
Now for the exciting news... AUGUST 30 - SEPTEMBER 20 I WILL BE IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES! As my initial two-year to indefinite commitment is soon to enter the indefinite phase feeling God's call to have me continue as staff here with Students International in the Dominican Republic, I am excited about the opportunity to connect personally with as many of you as possible.
You all are a much more crucial part of this ministry than you can imagine & in the three weeks I'd love to meet with as many people as possible... individuals, small groups, churches, community groups... really the possibilities are limitless! I'm a girl excited to share, be encouraged by catching up on what God's been doing in your corner of the world, & willing to travel! Please pray & consider how to continue personally in the ministry here in the DR or whom you might encourage to become a part. Then, no dilly-dallying, drop me an email with possible dates (eckeliza@yahoo.com) or give my parents a call (Arlan & Gwen Ecklund 712.263.8486) or drop my mom an email (gwenecklund@frontiernet.net).
For those of you in the Midwest who maybe don't yet have plans for Labor Day, Monday, September 4, we're planning to have a big open house for family, friends & supporters at my parents house in Denison, more details will be soon to follow.
25 Apr, 2006
Upon returning to the DR, my cell phone # changed as has now our address for mail here in the DR:
All mail & packages now go through one address:
Elizabeth Ecklund
Unit 3022 SIDR
3170 Airmans Dr
Ft. Pierce, FL 34946
My phone number is: 809.721.5452
I can't believe that it's April already! (Nor can I believe that this is the third time I'm typing this update, it's only been erased twice!) For four weeks straight we had outreaches here in the DR. Brothers & sisters from Indiana, Florida, Minnesota, California & Conneticut who were willing to lend their abilities, resources, hearts & prayers to join in what God is doing here in the Dominican Republic. At the Escuela D'Arte (Art School) we have the vision to beautify the property God's provided us with to also foster the atmosphere of artistic inspiration here on the grounds. "How can all of those big words be achieved?" you may ask. Well, when it hasn't been raining we've been starting little gardens & landscaping. We've made lots of discoveries of beautiful plants that are around the property that we've been replanting in a more organized fashion. With the help of students on outreach as well as our students from the art school there's a new mural here on a wall that was once just old peeling white inside the school. My office is freshly painted in a light tan with a cool blue in the closet. All projects that willing hands helped make possible! Thank you Lori Kay, Kathryn, Lindsey, Mary Ellen, Beverly & Mark!
Some projects we're currently looking at undertaking & how all it would work are to make calendars featuring Fran's paintings & mini-bio's of different students here at the art school as a way to support the site with the profits (anyone interested in selling something like that at your church?!). Also, with some of my photography to make greeting cards to sell at the base & anywhere really that would like to sell them, with profits going towards the site. Anyone who's interested in being a part of the Art Site with Students International in the Dominican Republic in either of those ways, or if you have any other ideas just drop me an email.
21 Dec, 2005
Back in the good ol' US of A & freezing my behind off, but with a warm heart to be able to share with all you friends & family! While I'm here, the best ways to get ahold of me are:
Cell Phone- 712-267-3290 it's Verizon prepaid, so if you have Verizon, our chat's free for both of us, & I have free nights, but no matter what, I'd love to hear from you.
My Parents House- 712-263-8486
Email- eckeliza@yahoo.com (until I'm traveling & then don't know how often I will be accessing email.)
Schedule of Events
Now-December 26: Iowa
December 27-31: Indianapolis
December 31-January 10/11: Minneapolis (staying at Danika, Lindsey & Mel's)
January 10/11-17: Denison, IA
January 17th I return to the Dominican Republic where I am always open to visits from y'all as well :-) !
Hope to see you if possible, in any case, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
16 Nov, 2005
So today is one year since I moved to the Dominican Republic. So many thoughts run through my head. Rainy season has started again, and for the last four or five days it's been raining off & on. (I know I can live through rainy season in the tropics, but a few days in a row of this & it makes me think hard even about ever considering living in the Pacific Northwest where it rains 9 or 10 months of the year & is not tropical.) Needless to say, rainy days provoke thinking...
I know I'm more me than I was a year ago. Did you catch that? So often I think we say we're different or changed & while to some extent that's true, it's that I've grown more into who I've been made to be, by God's grace & mercy & my feeble part of seeking to follow Him. As I was walking home from staff Bible study tonight (in a few moments without rain), the evening was so tranquil & pleasant & as I looked up at the full moon & the transluscent clouds which shifted through the night sky, the chorus of the song "Show Me Your Glory" went through my head, to now listen to the verses & it puts into words much of this last year & the desire of my heart for all that's still to come of life in the Dominican Republic & wherever He leads me:
i caught a glimpse of Your splendor
in the corner of my eye
the most beautiful thing i've ever seen
and it was like a flash of lightning
that flickered on the sky
and i know i'll never be the same
show me Your glory
send down Your presence
i wanna see Your face
show me Your glory
majesty shines above You
and i can't go on without You Lord
when i climb down the mountain
and get back to my life
i won't settle for ordinary things
i'm gonna follow You forever
for all of my days
i won't rest until i see You again
show me Your glory
send down Your presence
i wanna see Your face
show me Your glory
majesty shines above You
and i can't go on without You Lord
I feel extremely priviledged thinking back to many of the manners in which He's allowed me to see more of His glory in this last year from getting to know different Dominicans, the culture, individuals on different teams that I've met, things that God's permitted in my life, His never-failing faithfulness, the prayer & financial support, all of it & so much more than I can recognize or recall.
It's not all been mountain top experiences. In the discipleship class I'm doing at church here the first thing we do is read through the Bible. As I was reading the book of Job last week in what sometimes God permits the enemy to put us through & then like John the Baptist talked about Jesus sifting us like wheat to separate the chaff from the grain (Matthew 3:12), who am I to say in this last year what trials God permitted the enemy to attack me with, or what God's given me to strenghthen my faith & sift out some of the chaff, or what's simply come as consequences to my own sin, but nonetheless, I know God has & is using it all to grow me more & more into exactly who He made me to be. I've caught glimpses of His glory & continue to choose that I will live for Him. I want to see more of His glory.
12 Oct, 2005
So life in the DR... amazing! The transition after summer, figuring out my personal role at the new art site after summer's end, just in a place... dry & hungering & thirsting for Jesus anew, but that's good, we need those times. Right now i feel like I'm in the middle of a waterfall of His blessings! The summer staff was a blessing to me that i didn't realize how much i needed as i know i've said before, but towards the end of summer really just started praying for more friends. It's been a huge blessing to be making some more real friendships, more than just "un saludo" in church or on the street to random people I may pass. Tara, another American who's been here about a year & a half as a teacher at Doulos Discovery School (a Christian school here in Jarabacoa) & I have been teaching an English class at my house on Sunday mornings & as more & more people from church keep showing up, it's been really fun just getting to know them. I'm doing "discipulado" the discipleship c lass as well at class & just have been hanging out every once and awhile with other young people from church. Life feels very full as I also agreed to teach an English class four hours each Saturday morning. It's been fun, but my weekends feel more busy than the week almost right now, as well as with discipleship class, I'm reading a lot whenever I have time.
So, last weekend was just great! Sunday in church, the presence of the Lord was just incredible, if i went into detail of all i thought & prayed & saw in that time, this posting wouldn't send because it'd be too big. A guest pastor (who he & his wife had shared at the men's & women's conference the night before) shared the message & God gave that man a word to speak to our church as a whole, a calling to the young people ages 12-18 specifically to serve the Lord, that God will use them to change this town, this country & the world. They went forward as the rest of us were praying & interceding, then everyone moved forward & into the aisles, worshipping the Lord, praying, singing... (these mere typed words don't do what the Lord was doing in that place justice)! As signs of confirmation to that calling the Lord gave him profetic words to no one specific, but in that there was someone there who had a stomach problem that the Lord would heal within the week, someone with a broken relationship, etc., etc... more prayer, singing, worship, & then he had a specific word for a specific person. I with my eyes closed, listening, but focused on the Lord heard the dude say, "Senora" well, whatever, I'm a senorita not a senora, but someone touched my shoulder & I openned my eyes. He said to me, "I don't know you right?" "No" "Do you speak English or Spanish?" "Both" "Which would you like me to tell you this in?" "Spanish"... "There is something you've been asking of the Lord for a long time. He's heard your prayer and it's on the way." ...That's more or less the translation. Ay ay ay, tears of joy & gratitude poured from my eyes & I fell to my knees. They're simple words that may not have much meaning to anyone else, like "yeah, that's sweet," but the Lover of my soul who rejoices over me also happens to be God of the universe & He took the time yet again to speak directly to my heart in a way that it doens't matter if anyone else understands! I don't kno w what God's doing, or what He will do in any more specifics, nor have I doubted that He will be faithful to His promises of love to me, but it was a touch to my heart that has brought me back to awe & first love of my Savior.
I pray for each of you dear friends, that whether you're in the wilderness or the waterfall of faith right now, that God may be blessing you with a peace & assurance that He's right there with you & will be faithful to bless you with His best for you if you seek obedience to Him. To Him be the glory!
05 Sep, 2005
When I came to the Dominican Republic in June of 2004 for an interview, I had such a small concept of what life in the DR would be like. I've adjusted more easily than most & love my life here, but that week was a small part of the start of many relationships that would enrich & change my life. Whether we realize it or not, relationships (friends, family, whomever) have incredible influence in our lives. That's how its meant to be, God knew what He was doing in creating us to be relational beings. He desired relationship with us & for His children to have fellowship with one another.
One of those people I met the week I was here for my interview was Willy. Willy was a student at the Art School at that time. A young man about 16 or so, full of life, friendly, good-humored, with so much ahead of him. Willy's family doesn't have much but in the DR, economic circumstances don't crush most people's spirits. In the time that I was back in the States raising support & preparing to move to the DR, Willy was able to find work to help support his family. Since moving here in November, Willy would visit Francisco & I at the art site when he could. No longer able to study art, working a man's job for little pay & trying to finish high school, he'd stop in to visit his old art teacher & American friend.
Last week we were hit with the shocking reminder of the fragility of life. Willy contracted Dengue Fever from a pesky mosquito. After three days of a high fever & his mother not wanting to take him to the doctor, Willy passed away after taking himself to the hospital. There are many bits of the story & what happened that I don't know, but what I have heard is that Willy made a decision to accept Jesus as his Lord & Savior with one of his brothers who is a believer. This life passes like the blink of an eye. Not that we should live every moment anticipating or fearing death, but rather that we should live every moment to the fullest. Willy was supposedly hanging out & swimming in the river on Sunday & breathed his last breath on this earth on Tuesday.
While I wish Willy could have experienced real "life" on this earth after making a decision for Jesus, I now pray for his family & friends that there may be an impact on the community of Barrio Blanco, that God may use it for His glory.
23 Aug, 2005
I'd love to take you through a brief overview of, no, not the 12-days of Christmas, but rather the 12-weeks of summer here in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic with Students International. Hopefully then as I continue to upload more & more pictures, you'll have more of a background to what may or may not have been happening. Let me first give you a quick look at the schedule of the week's activities on a two-week outreach in the Dominican Republic as this summer's theme was IT'S NOT ABOUT ME, IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS:
Monday: fly into Santiago, get situated at the base
Tuesday: (each morning starts with worship, a short talk by one of our staff, quiet time & breakfast) morning, cultural & SI orientation, afternoon, site orientation, evening, culture night full of activities
Wednesday: 9 am - 4 pm at ministry sites, evening, team time
Thursday: ministry sites, supper in a home in the community
Friday: ministry sites, evening activities varied depending on the outreach
Saturday: Waterfall excursion & evening in town
Sunday: day of rest, Dominican church service in the afternoon
Monday: ministry sites, team time
Tuesday: ministry sites, game night
Wednesday: ministry sites, evening of worship & special speaker
Thursday: ministry sites, team time & debriefing
Friday: ministry sites, banquet in the evening
Saturday: head back to the States
Outreach #1 - May 23-June4
The summer started here with a great group of students from college IVCF groups from Conneticut & Boston College. Lauren, Savina, Charlene & Cali helped us get a big first step painted on the murals of the cemetary in town. As we walked through the streets of Jarabacoa talking on a little tour they also helped birth a sort of outreach idea of doing a mini Bible school of sorts in a poor community down by the river using a painting on canvas & walking around with a guitar to gather children & share about Jesus. It was a hard start to the summer as well as two of our students contracted amoebas (a rough parasite) & got to know SI's medical site as well at Clinica Inmaculada while spending quality time with my roommate the Dr. Alba Valdez. Sickness doesn't normally come near our students during their time here in Jarabacoa, & while the cause was never found, the Lord used it if not to get our staff on our knees even more for the rest of the summer. It also brought our small
group at the Art Site closer together in dependency to be each other's family, encouragers, visitors, etc. as we openly shared our lives.
Outreach #2 - June 6-18
Californians do have a lot of fun! June started off with a bang of college kids from California (& some PT students from Arkansas). As the morning sun desired to bake us, Melissa, Dannah, Lena, and Diana painted like professionals in the cemetary wall's afternoon shade as they prepared canvas murals to be used in the community as well as to be used on the upcoming trip I was to be making to Elias Pina. Those girls have some major artistic talent & were a blessing as we could just let them go & use the knowledge & talents they have. We visited the community twice to play with the kids as well as then to share a painting of Daniel in the Lion's Den as they also showed off their theatrical artistic talents with a dramatization of the Old Testament story. These women were dedicated to each other & what they were here for, whether they understood all God's purposes or not as they openly & honestly met each other & the Dominican Republic exactly where they were.
June 19-30
After attending an absolutely fabulous worship conference given by Danilo Montero at my church on Sat., June 18, I headed with Julian & Indira (a Colombian couple who've been working with us this summer) to join the group from Seattle Pacific University who were settling into there living arrangements for their 40 days to be spent in Elias Pina, a border area with Haiti. Charlie, Matthew, Nate & Cody - four engineering majors - were joined by Joana, Caroline, Reina, & Jane in all their diversity to serve Jesus in various capacities. It was a blessing & priviledge to be able to see a different part of the island, get to know other Dominican, Haitian, Colombian & American brothers & sisters, as well as help the team start to find their place & be involved in a little bit of what the Lord is doing in that part of the island. The Colombians & I spent less than two whole weeks with them there, but got to see bits & pieces & then hear more stories as the team returned to Jarabac
oa in July as they were involved in trying to repair windmills, hand pumps for potable water, dentistry & medical work in outdoor clinics with Julian (who's a dentist) as well as in the local hospital, working with the local governing officials, ministering to those of the community & family who served as their hosts in being available to build relationships, and more ways I don't even know.
Outreach #4 - July 4-16
While I was on the border of Haiti, Fran was packing up our art site & I was back to help move the final things out of our previous location as we then welcomed a group from our dear friends from Crystal Valley church in Indiana. Gill, Sahara, Ashley & Aimei were incredible as nomadic missionary artists as a tropical depression dumped rain on us for a week or so, delaying work at the wall. Our traveling art site (most permanently located in the back of my Suzuki jeep and the town park where we ate lunch & spent siesta) did traveling art classes visiting the education sites in Mata Gorda & El Callejon (perfect as Aimei is an art instructor of young children), while then in the second week as sunshine was more abundant, the cemetary wall was painted all kinds of pretty. While the Lord did amazing things through these students, He did absolutely amazing things in them as well!
Outreach #5 - July 18-30
Indiana & California... two states making a major difference in the Dominican Republic as that's where this outreaches participants were from. High schoolers from the church where one of our summer interns serves as the Youth Pastor the rest of the year, and a young adult group from a church in Indiana. As it started to rain as we started to share with Heidi & Sabrina during orientation after a driving tour & then heading to the park, we went to a Cafe owned by the brother of our now landlord where that afternoon unfolded the blessing of the new art site. It was exciting to continue working at the wall, but also be able to share with Dominican students of the Art School that we once again had a site. These two young ladies (& their leaders as they joined us at various times) were a blessing as we moved into the new site, shared dreams of the Art Site, painted a lot at the wall, and even started to see dreams take shape. As Heidi's a graphic designer, she also blessed us
with the creating of the new logo of the Escuela D'Arte. As we suddenly landed in this new & huge blessing which had once simply been a dream, we took each day as it came & enjoyed every step of the way.
Outreach #6 - August 1-13
We ended the summer with some great kids from a Christian high school in California & Crown College's women's volleyball team (from my dear Minnesota). Erika, Amy & Sarah brought lots of joy & laughter with them as we did cleaning around the site, lots of painting at the cemetary wall, and laughed some more. As we ended the summer working hard, laughing a lot, and seeking to follow Jesus in whatever He had for us in that moment, those girls brought us to the point where now Fran & I only have six more blocks to paint in order to complete the murals on the cemetary wall. By God's grace, we'll finish completely all the way down to different Biblical messages written as a means of discouraging worshipping of the images that are paint on a wall, and encouraging the seeking of the One who gives life & meaning to the stories & lessons represented in the scenes.
It has been a summer filled with grace, mercy, love, lessons, laughter, and overall God drawing each of us closer to Himself... Dominicans, Americans, Colombians, Haitians, those are all just the countries listed on our passports. May He receive all the glory & honor He deserves for all that He allows us a part in as He does beyond what we could ever ask or imagine!
19 Jul, 2005
Completed eight months here, two more teams to go for the summer, and God's grace all around! This weekend I went to Santo Domingo with some of the summer interns and Dominican friends from the capital. I was struck Sunday at church by the lyrics of a song which go along with another song that's been the song of my heart recently.
YO TENGO VIDA I HAVE LIFE YO TENGO DUENO I HAVE AN OWNER Y YO SOY QUERIDO AND I AM LOVED
ME VISTE A MI YOU SAW ME CUANDO NADIE ME VIO WHEN NO ONE SAW ME ME AMASTE A MI YOU LOVED ME CUANDO NADIE ME AMO WHEN NO ONE LOVED ME Y ME DISTE NOMBRE AND YOU GAVE ME A NAME YO SOY TU NINA I AM YOUR SPARKLE LA NINA DE TUS OJOS THE SPARKLE OF YOUR EYE PORQUE ME AMASTE A MI BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME TE AMO MAS QUE A MI VIDA I LOVE YOU MORE THAN MY LIFE MAS MORE
That's really what life comes down to! We're two-thirds done with the summer season of two-week teams here in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic with Students International, and trust me when I tell you that I can't wait until I have more time to write & write & write the stories of testimony to the bits and pieces of what we've seen the Lord do this summer & in different ways been able to be a part of. As it is though, I can simply share with you that I'm continually reminded of my simple & sinful humanness that means something because He saw me, loved me, gives me life, and is Lord of my life. Yet again, if that was the only thing that I was here in the DR for (and I know it's not) then it would all be worth it. Thank you each so much for your love, support, encouragement and the different ways you play a part in my life & therefore without a doubt in the work here in the Dominican. May you each be blessed & may He receive all glory & honor as He deserves!
11 Jun, 2005
Another week in Jarabacoa before heading to "Almost Haiti"
So, in the middle of our second outreach of the summer, lots of exciting things going on. As we get to the site every morning, the simple question of "how are you doing, what are you thinking/feeling?" has taken us into deep places in the lives of the four fabulous students who are with us these two weeks. Our mornings at the site have been spent trying to find refuge from the hot summer sun as we've been working on murals on Biblical murals on canvases that the last few Fridays when we don't have students at the art site, we've been going down to a poor community by the river called "El Pozo" which means "The Puddle" to share a Bible story with them, sing songs, etc.
As this outreach comes to a close in a week, a well-known worship leader in the Spanish-speaking world is putting on a conference at my church here next Saturday. As the students head on planes back to the States, I'll be attending the conference, have Sunday to relax & felowship at chruch in the afternoon & then Monday morning will be heading to an area called Elias Pina on the border of Haiti where I will spend a week & a half helping a group from Seattle Pacific University who will be on outreach there for six weeks. The way things have worked out, Fran & I don't have any students at the art site the third outreach & so I will be helping the group adjust culturally, find their roles in ministry there, and to help truly share the vision & mission of Students International with them. I'm incredibly excited to get to know more of this beautiful island & it's people that I love & to be personally stretched without a doubt in ways I don't know how to expect, as well as to be able to be with this team for a crucial transition time. After a visit to this area a couple weeks ago my director describes life in Jarabacoa as a five star hotel. I'm excited at the priviledge to see what God has been doing there, be a small part of it, & in the future continue to see what He will do... beyond what we could ever ask or imagine!
07 Jun, 2005
"It's not about me, it's all about Jesus!"
That's our theme from the summer. The first outreach was a blessed time of being met by our faithful Lord exactly where we are & diving into life. Fran & I had four fabulous females with us & as our site was hit by sickness in a big way, it was an incredible two weeks of seeing the Lord work in & through us!
Right now in the beginning of the second outreach, I feel expectant at what He's going to do in me, in & through the art site, & in the 56 students from the states who will be joining in the ministry of our different sites for the next two weeks.
23 May, 2005
So, I am very sorry & slightly ashamed to realize how long it's been since my last update here, & since there are a few people who actually check this site to see if I'm still alive, I'm going to skip the excuses, say, "I'm sorry," & try to be better starting now.
I've now been living in the DR for over six months! I can share with you from experience that God’s faithfulness is unfailing. That while life may not always be easy, to be living in the will of the Lord makes it all worth it & comes with the blessed assurance that no matter what happens, “It is well with my soul,” & I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
It is proven that the first six months on the mission field tend to be some of the hardest simply because life’s ups & downs continue, but there’s the entire element of it all happening in a different culture, one’s support network completely changes, and who knows what there will be to confront in one’s own life, in the world around us, or in attacks from the enemy who would like nothing more than to devour us.
I open up & share my heart with you all in that my transition to life in the DR has been smooth in most senses. I feel exceptionally blessed by my family & friends here who have just adopted me whole-heartedly into their lives, my family & friends in the States who have been encouraging & supportive beyond what I deserve. At the same time, for those of you who don’t know, it’s not been altogether easy either. My computer’s had to be back to the States twice for repairs. I was without a working cell phone for about a month. I’ve had “Scabies for Jesus” twice, as well as other parasites. Unexpected & not so inexpensive problems with my vehicle. Everything that goes with building new relationships. Most recently I was hit with a huge income tax bill that I was not expecting in anyway & while the check’s been written to the IRS, am now in a hard position. My family & community here have also been hit with sickness and hard times again & again. Needless to say, I join in with Horatio Spafford’s hymn in the midst of losing his children.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blessed assurance control, that Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul. It is well, it is well, with my soul. And Lord haste the day when the faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll, the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, even so it is well with my soul.
Praise Jesus & may He alone be glorified & His will done on this earth as in heaven.
31 Mar, 2005
Happy Valentine's Day with love from the island! I'm very excited to post that I now should have regular internet access (that is when there's electricity here on the island)! Praise Jesus!
Life here is in full swing. There have been quite a number of new students attending the art classes. My prayer is that each student, visitor, or whoever it may be that enter the door of the art site may come to know the Lord in His way & His time! Fran & I both desire to truly get to know our students, their families, their stories, & to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to how best minister to them as the hands & feet of Jesus.
Since January, another big focus of my time & energy has been the English classes I'm teaching to our Dominican staff who are working towards English proficiency. As ESL is not my highest passion in life, it is sometimes the biggest battle to sit & prepare lesson plans. It is also a huge blessing to see so many excited to use what they learn & to keep in grasp somewhat of how huge of a blessing it is & will continue to be to those staff as well as the students soon to come from the States as their learning English is enabling ministry.
I'm just to about complete three months since my move here to the DR, and while life's not all roses (it wouldn't be interesting that way) that the Lord has continued to be faithful to maintain in me the blessed assurance that I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Make sure to check out the prayer page, I'm going to try not to duplicate info too much on both pages, but am going there right now and covet your prayers. Thank you for the part you play in this ministry, even just in your interest enough to read these my random &/or organized ponderings & prayer requests :-)
Well, just over a week here in my new home! Everything is going fairly well, expectedly so as life ebbs & flows as it does anywhere else. Today, "Thanksgiving Day" for all of my North American friends, is just another normal day here on the island. I've been meaning to write earlier, as well as post some new photos, but so it goes that last Friday my computer fell off of my new nightstand as I was taking the plastic off of my new mattress (maybe the most comfortable mattress I've ever owned), and Praise the Lord that everything in the hard drive is still working, but the screen is broken, so there's slight hassle & inconvenience now for me to have to connect to another screen & work that way so I can see what I'm doing.
I'm realizing as I'm here, a completely different world in which I lay down everynight tired, satisfied & with aching cheek muscles from all the laughing we do (no one would ever be correct in saying Dominicans don't know how to have fun & laugh), that it truly is beyond me why I'm here. What truly do I have to offer or bring? I'm a sinner saved by grace like any other!
I'm reading a great book right now, Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. In the second chapter Miller includes a poem written by C.S. Lewis:
All this flashy rhetoric about loving you.I never had a selfless thought since I was born.
I am mercenary and self-seeking through and through;
I want God, you, all friends, merely to serve my turn. Peace, reassurance, pleasure, are the goals I seek,
I cannot crawl one inch outside my proper skin;
I talk of love--a scholar's parrot may talk Greek--
But, self-imprisoned, always end where I begin.
Miller writes two pages following: "I know now, from experience, that the path to joy winds through this dark valley. I think every well-adjusted human being has dealt squarely with his or her own depravity. I realize this sounds very Christian, very fundamentalist and browbeating, but I want to tell you this part of what the Christians are saying is true. I think Jesus feels strongly about communicating the idea of our brokenness, and I think it is worth reflection. Nothing is going to change in the Congo [or the Dominican Republic or anywhere] until you and I figure out what is wrong with the person in the mirror."
If I may be so bold, I'm in the middle of a battle that each of us has to choose to face or forever run away from. Our purpose, rather, God's purpose for us, is to be changed by Him, we're just the broken vessel that by His grace & mercy, as He changes us, the world around us sees Him at work, and so He can touch the world (Congo, Dominican Republic, or USA)! For this I give thanks; if the Lord will change me more into His likeness here in the DR, it's worth the discomforts of coming & going electricity as the government dictates, a day or two without water & showers, frustration with language as Dominican Spanish is something to adjust to & continue learning, a broken computer screen, and all else that lies ahead to test my patience & character. By His grace may we seek to be faithful to that which the Lord calls us!
Christmas... a season of traditions?
It´s amazing how we are creatures of habit. Even those of us who love change & adventure! Not being in the blistering midwest cold adorned in a wool sweater & socks with the familiar Christmas tunes repeating in the background everywhere just makes it difficult to realize the season we´re in. When I stop to think about it, maybe being somewhere completely different from the ¨norm¨ for a holiday supposedly celebrates the birth of our Lord (along with all the cultural & pagan things we mix in) truly helps to strip away all that this celebration is not really about.
Jesus, Emanuel - God with us, wasn´t born on December 25th necessarily! Did he grow up celebrating his birthday in snow with chestnuts roasting on an open fire with jingle bells all around? My guess is no. Don´t get me wrong, I´m not condemning tradition, I´m just currently in a place where with those traditions stripped, I´m drawn to reflect more on what we celebrate as well as how.
I´m struck this year by the profound truth that Jesus is also named as I previously wrote, Emmanuel - God with us. I feel at a loss of words as I desire to understand more than I ever have what that means & pray it may sink in.
It´s mere days before Christmas & I´m down in Santo Domingo, the capital, spending some time with family down here (my mom´s cousin Kirk, his wife Melisa & their daughter Iandra Marie). Last week up in the mountains was quite rainy & chilly- there´s no real weather man around to say the temperature of how ¨chilly¨it actually is, but i piled on layers & layers of clothes at night & in the morning until it warmed up mid-day. Now down on the coast, it´s more than easy enough to be warm & entering the air conditioned mall where I´m using the internet for the first time in almost a week, it´s a refreshing change from the heat of midday here. For those of you enjoying all those traditions I grew up with & who are maybe in the middle of a little too much cold, may your holidays & time with family be filled with the warmth of the Carribean in your hearts! Love & prayers to you as we celebrate with great joy that God is with us!
Now known as the local "fotografa"!
What's in a name really?...
In the newsletter I recently finished I wrote about feeling like I'm in a place where I'm blessed to be able to grow & flourish in who God's made me to be. Well... I never expected that to include becoming known as the photographer of the art movement that's starting here in Jarabacoa! Part of my personality (ENFP for all those who know Myers-Briggs personality types :-) is that I don't like to be put in a box or to put people in a box. In which, I feel humbled to be known as an artist as I sit & draw in the art school helping with classes there, known as the photographer (now with the assigment to shoot the paintings of the real artists around the area & my friends wedding this Saturday), & then again, I don't know anyone who lives as an ex-patriot from their home country who likes to be known by where they come from or the color of their hair (gringa, norteamericana, rubia, etc. are words I often hear as I walk down the street). I like to be known as a child of God, simply because that's all I can ever be sure of!
Life in the DR has been good this last month though! Ups, downs, all-overs, but where can you go to escape that universal reality? As I've been slowed down more than one would expect with the temporary loss of my computer currently being repaired in the States, I feel like there's so much to share (& so many pictures I wish I would be able to post...) that I'll just have to take it all as a lesson in patience & share as circumstances allow.
This weekend starts our vacation time over the holidays. As I already mentioned, a friend of mine is getting married on Saturday (she's one of the students at the art school & I have more to share with you about dear Nila at another time), and then I will be going on Sunday to spend a few days with my cousin & his family in the capital, Santo Domingo before returning to Jarabacoa right before Christmas & the New Year.
Happy Holidays & know you are in the thoughts & prayers of this daughter of the King who goes by so many different names :-)
Where has January gone?... Holy guacamole- forgive
my negligence!
So, as I'm realizing that in a few hours it will be March of 2005, I deeply apologize for the fact that I have not been keeping all my dear friends and family updated as I'd hoped & still would like to. While my computer returned safely from repairs in the States in the middle of January, I'm waiting to hopefully "soon" have internet access readily available in my apartment, and that's definitely been a huge hindrance to my communicative abilities. Enough with excuses however, time for the updating...
The last month especially has been an incredible time of growing into my family here. Right before Christmas I spent about five days down in the capital with my cousin Kirk's family, returning back home late on the 23rd. Christmas Eve is the big night for the family to all be together. I spent the evening with Francisco & Yeimi's family (I knew when I was here for my interview in June that Francisco & I would get along working together, but his wife and I have become great friends & his three kids like my neices & nephew) where we feasted on a huge Dominican style smorgasbord. The 25th is more the day where everyone's out in the streets with neigbors, friends & family.
A week later I brought in the New Year with brothers & sisters here at the church some of our staff attends, Amor a Quisqueya (Love to Everyone). There was a big all church potluck including roasted pork (a popular dish for the holidays) before a talent show which ended around 11:15pm where we brought in 2005 in worship & prayer before going outside to see the fireworks being shot in various areas of town after midnight.
January 10th brought us new staff. Brian & Sissy Entrekin & their two little girls joined us (which has been a huge blessing to me as I got the blessing to know them at training in Colorado). Over the holidays I was made aware of an apartment closer to the center of town which came furnished for a reasonable price, & on January 15th I moved. For a week my neighbors included our staff pastor's family across the street in the furnished house where they have lived since they arrived two & a half years ago- needless to say, the Lord works in interesting ways & in the search they were doing to help prepare for the Entrekin's arrival, they found a house perfect for ministry opportunities, moved there, and now Brian, Sissy & their girls live across the street from me.
The last few months have brought so many other thoughts and circumstances that I desire to soon be able to share with you. I leave you here for tonight however. As soon as I have hi-speed internet connection I will go crazy posting some pictures finally, and in this week hope to have some time to catch you all up on other news & prayer requests.
MISSIONS TRAINING INTERNATIONAL
Today I arrived for training in Palmer Lake, Colorado for the beginning of my three weeks of training at Missions Training International (www.mti.org) to go through the SPLICE program. The next three weeks I will be alongside other like-minded Christians in the three-week, pre-departure program to help develop the practical skills and attitudes to help us through the challenging and rewarding process of being interwoven with another culture. SPLICE focuses on skill & character development in the six vital areas of: Spiritual, Personal, Lifestyle, Interpersonal, Cultural, Endure/Enjoy.
Last week I was blessed to be able to spend time with friends and family in Minnesota. I'll go more into depth of specific prayer requests as they arise on the prayer page, but I beseech you to pray that this will be a time of strong relationships and community and that I alongside the other missionaries in preparation here may be surrendered to our Savior & what HE wants to show and teach us in this time.
It's quite a surreal place knowing that the majority of the last 24 hours in the States before moving to the Dominican Republic, will actually be spent in the air looking over the United States of America (or maybe more like sleeping in a plane while flying between the numerous airports I'll be visiting). This past weekend was an incredible time. There's a worship song by Charlie Hall which my a dear friend from MTI blessed us all with at training, and the last few weeks here in Denison, sharing with different churches, being comissioned & blessed by my home church in Kiron, Iowa yesterday, and the time spent with family & friends in person, on the phone & via other modern telecommunication has been a blessing in abundance of 'sending off'! The lyrics to the song are:
lay down all riches for the pearl of great costcount it as nothing for the sake of the cross
pour out an offering of our lives for the lost, send us out
YOU'RE OUR GREATEST DESIRE, AND JESUS, YOUR NAME IS OUR GREATEST SONG
SEND US WITH FIRE TO GO LOVE THE WORLD
SEND US WITH FIRE TO GO LOVE THE WORLD
channel our passions into pleasing Your heart
come consecrate us, come and set us apart
hope of the nations, we lift high the cross, send us out
It's about three hours from when we need to leave for the airport... nice & early! I really am fairly close to ready to go, but even if I laid down to sleep, I don't know that my body would allow it.
One incredible thing about today, 11.16.04, is that exactly one year ago today, in the middle of a somewhat despairing point with doors all around me recently slammed shut, the God of the Universe reached down & His Holy Spririt spoke clearly into my life as I was crowd control in 3rd Grade Sunday School, reminding me who I was created to be, and in the service at Park Ave spoke to me again sending me to Urbana 03. Here I am, a year later. I'm overwhelmed at the Lord's faithfulness as I look back at the whirlwind of this last year! Humbled & amazed that the Lord of Heaven & Earth loves each of us, His creations, so much that He desires to have relationship with us broken sinners that He sent His Son to die for us & then everyday is faithful to be the lifter of our heads! Praise the Lord & may we learn a little something about true faithfulness from our heavenly Abba Father whose name is Faithful.
Holy guacamole! One week from today I'll be waking up in the Dominican Republic! I just received the schedule for my first week of orientation in Jarabacoa. Let's stay focused on the present though... Many of you may have heard be use the analogy of the perverbial carrot out in front of me. That 'carrot' so to speak which has had a date on it for the last two weeks is now about to hit me smack between the eyes. Such a crazy reality! Such a paradoxical reality! I'm so excited, and altogether at the same time mourning all that I'm leaving for at least the next two years, and then there are the moments when I ask God & myself, "WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I DOING?"
All that said, it has been blessing after blessing as details have been falling into place. My insurance was accepted & coverage began yesterday. Time with family & friends in the area has been falling into place to be able to see them. There has been an incredible support network made up of you my friends & family around me who have encouraged me & prayed for me, more faithfully than I'll probably ever know or be able to thank you for. Jesus has been real & alive to me as everyday, in grace, He's been showing me how He desires to draw me close in His love. Thank you dear fellow journers in this world that is not our home for lifting me up in your prayers & encouragement! The emails which have filled my mailbox faster than I can reply, the few calls I've received, & the simple knowledge that there is such a willing network out there if needed has blessed and strengthened me to press on through this time of transition into so much unknown.
Truly, as my hours Stateside continue to dwindle, I realize that I'm to the point that even with my long list of things I'd like to get done, as long as I get things in a suitcase & get on my plane next Tuesday morning, the rest is not composed of life or death things which can't be done from the DR or are simply frivolous anyway. With that I'd ask for your continued prayers in the rest of this time & below include my flight schedule. (May all my luggage neede make it along with me through all the flight changes...)
Tuesday, November 16, 2004Delta 606
7.00am Omaha - 10.11am Atlanta
Delta 206
11.32am Atlanta - 12.14pm St Louis
Delta 5651
12.50pm St Louis - 4.15pm New York JFK
Jet Blue 425
9.10pm New York JFK - 1.45am (November 17) Santiago, DR