Our Dogs - Dylan & Keela

Recently we got a camcorder. It will be very helpful for sharing our life and ministry. I posted this video as a test. For the techies...the camcorder is the Kodak Zi8. It is a very basic but should meet many of our needs.

How do you teach without books?

I, Becky, LOVE to read! I am always reading several books, both fiction and non-fiction. When I need to find something out, more often than not I google it and read several articles on the subject. When we lived in the U.S. I was a heavy library user. But I am learning that I am not a typical American or a typical world citizen.

Most people in the world learn orally. This means they talk to others to get the information, skills, and help they need. Although literacy rates appear high, people's reliance on the written word is actually quite low. This is because their tendency is to learn in a form most natural to them. In the U.S. only about 13% of the population use reading as their preferred way to learn. This statistic is similar in Canada and Europe. If this is true in developed countries, what about countries like the Dominican Republic?

When we began teaching the Bible in the rural villages, we assumed that most people had a basic ability to read and that with the Spanish NIV Bible, they could read a passage and understand it. We quickly discovered that even if the passage could be read, it was unlikely that it would be understood. Many of the younger people could read, but most of the older folks had difficulty. Some were embarrassed about this and it deterred them from attending the studies. Reading certainly was and is a problem but there was more to it. We noticed that most Dominicans prefer to use their network of friends and family to gain information, solve problems, and make decisions. Their process of learning was obviously different. Teaching them in the same format we had used in the United States would probably not be very effective.

So what to do? Well being the literate people that we are, we got on the internet and began searching for answers. We had heard about missionaries working in "oral cultures" where the language is not even written down or there is little access to education. As we searched, we learned that missionaries around the world, even in developed countries, are using oral methods to evangelize and disciple people. They are finding that when they teach using oral methods a much greater percentage are able to understand and share what had been taught to others.

Oral methods are using stories, dialogue, pictures, films, and drama to communicate Biblical truths. Orality is about much more than whether a person prefers to read or hear information. It is a way of life. Literate people tend to organize their lives and think in a 1, 2, 3 fashion. Oral people rely on their memory of events, stories and people for information. Their knowledge and wisdom is housed in stories. Think about the power of a story. People enter into story intellectually and emotionally. Stories are easy to share and to pass on. No wonder Jesus taught so much using stories and parables.

In September we attended a training conference called "Simply the Story." We learned how to lead inductive Bible studies without using any written material. First we learned a Bible story well so we could tell it in a dramatic fashion. Next we taught the story to our small group and finally lead them through a question/answer discussion to help them discover spiritual observations and applications from the story. We are very excited to bring this method back to the Dominican Republic, use it, and train Dominicans to use it.

If you would like to learn more about orality we recommend the following website:

http://www.story4all.com/

Story 4 all is a podcast we listen to regularly and love it for the information and encouragement it bring us. Under the resources tab, you will find links to several organizations that are using oral methods in missions.

A Wedding to Celebrate

Upon our return to Jarabacoa, Rick ran into a couple from Montaña, a village where we have spent a lot of time. Wily and AnaMaria invited us to their wedding the following Sunday afternoon. Becky was thrilled when Rick brought home the news.

Willy and Ana Maria have two darling boys, Wilmar, age 7, and Wilfred, age 2. Their names proudly announce who their daddy is! Willy and Ana Maria have been together for about 10 years and last summer had talked some about getting ¨married.¨ Now, in the eyes of the village they are a married couple. They have a home together, children together, they are faithful to one another, what more could you ask for in a couple?

It seems most rural Dominicans don't get legally or religiously married for a variety of reasons. For one in the D.R. getting married means going to a judge and paying money to be legally married and then being married in a church, publicly. All this costs money which is sorely needed for daily living. Plus, once you do all this you are REALLY committed and Dominicans tell me they like to keep their options open. We could list a number of other reasons, but you get the idea.

As Christians, we believe there is value in being REALLY married. God instituted this in Genesis and blesses it. It gives honor to both husband and wife to publicly pledge their love and loyalty to one another. Legally, it provides protection for the children and parents in the family in case the marriage breaks up or one parent dies. Again, we could list many more benefits to marriage versus "free unions" as they are called here.

Some time while we were gone, Willy and Ana Maria sought marriage counseling with Pastor Bill Hanson, pastor of the Jarabacoa New Life Church. During this time he encouraged them to get married and they agreed.

The wedding, as you can see from the pictures, had all the trimmings, down to nervous groom, a tardy bride and a ringbearer (Wilmar) who just about forgot his duty!

For us, it was the fulfillment of our prayers that many of the couples in Montaña living in "free unions" would choose to get married. Many are new believers and make lifestyle changes as they grow in their understanding of how to follow Christ. They stop drinking, they begin to dress modestly, they learn to control their anger and forgive. They need good models of what a Christian wife and a Christian husband are like. In Montaña they are seeing this in Damaso and Mirian. Damaso is the church planter sent from the main church. His wife and children faithfully attend the Tuesday evening service and encourage the believers.

On a sadder note, in one of the other church plants, we returned to find that the father of a young family who had been faithfully attending church (as a family) had just up and left with little explanation and no indication about where he was going or if he would be back. Often when this happens, the man has run away with a new girlfriend. We don't know if this is the case in this situation. What we know is this. There is a young mother with four children who has been abandoned. We spoke with the church and although the church is small, they will be looking after this young mom and her children.

Intensive Spanish

This morning I woke up at 3:30 am to get ready to be picked up at 4 am. I needed to be at the airport in time for my 7:30 am flight. I had spent the last two weeks alone in Guatemala. My purpose was to get a refresher course in Spanish. I had been told that spending 4 months in the United States would set me back in Spanish and so I decided I wanted to do something to combat this. The last two weeks have been focused on learning Spanish. During this time, I spoke little English. I met daily with a teacher. I spent the majority of my time, in a small simple hotel room studying. So what happened? I leave so thankful that I did this. I feel like my ability in Spanish has taken a huge step forward. Right now, I am sitting on the plane. In about 40 minutes I will be in the Dominican Republic and I am excited to use what I have Iearned, and to continue learning.

Thank you for your prayer. Thank you to those who reached out to my family. They are in Minnesota and will join me in the Dominican Republic in a few days. It was difficult for us to be apart, but we all felt it was the best thing to do.

Also, thank you so much for your support to us while we were in the United States. Many of you reached out to us and shared our lives with us. We are overwhelmed by the acts of kindness and the love that has been shown to us. We were so blessed to be in so many of your homes. There were wonderful times of sharing God’s faithfulness. As we hoped to encourage you with our stories, we were blessed to hear your stories as well. How blessed we are to be children of a living God. Thank you!

The Good Missionary

Leaving Antigua, Guatemala this morning, I had a quick but interesting experience. The driver had just picked me up and we were moving through the town on the cobblestone streets. All of a sudden, I saw something in the middle of the road. At first, I thought it was a dog but as we came closer, it realized it was a man. He was screaming something I could not make out. The driver drove on by and we each looked at each other with a surprised look. We continued and I didn’t give it another thought. Sitting on the airplane...I started to think about that man. What was wrong with him? Was he beat up? Was he one of the beggers I had regularly seen who was missing a limb? Was he drunk and he woke up just as the car was nearing him? Was he really in trouble? And then...my questions got more personal...Why didn’t I stop? Or why didn't I suggest to the driver that we stop? Or why didn’t we call he police if we were afraid that it was a trap? I started to feel guilty. Then even worse...I remembered the Story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). I have always looked down at the two that passed by without helping. How aweful of them to pass by this man who is in need. Now I find that I am one of those men.

I sit convicted. I am guilty.

Our family is moving back to a place where we see needs every day. There are many challenges. Physical things that could be prevented. Emotionally it is painful to see so many people in need. Of course, we want to help and we do help. But knowing how to help....to help in a way that REALLY helps....is something we continually work through. Each situation is different. And we have the best thing we can do is to bring these needs to God, asking God to give us His wisdom for the situation. Every thing we do, we need to bring it to God and let it sift through His fingers of love.* I know if take seriously the idea that God will guide us, He will. And He will lead us in this area as well.

I invite you to pray for us in this area. Pray that our first response to each situation would be to speak with God. First...not last response.

*I want to thank God for dear sister, Tammy Orth, for teaching me this. Tammy is now with the Lord but she had brain cancer and she talked when people asked her how she dealt with it, often she would talk about how everything that has been sent her way, has had to make its way through the fingers of God. And she was tell you "those fingers are fingers of LOVE. We were blessed to know Tammy. God used her to teach us much.

A Farewell to the USA

Well, we had hoped to blog a lot about our time in the America, but we didn't. Our time was so hectic that it just didn't happen.

Rick has already left the U.S. He flew to Guatemala on January 2 for two weeks of intensive Spanish study and flies January 16 to the Dominican Republic. The kids and I fly January 18--we covet your prayers for safe, efficient air travel!

As we pack up, we face the challenge of smashing our belongings into the 8 fify pound bags the airlines allow us. There are so many decisions to make. There are so many necessities and so many "extras" we want to bring.

This week the kids and I spent precious last days with friend in Rochester. We left with sadness and eagerness to get in the air and back home to the Dominican Republic (D.R.). We are taking with us many, many memories which no airline can weigh, scan, or restrict!

So many have asked how our time in the U.S. has been, and I often say it is like going to a smorgasbord with a teaspoon. You are overwhelmed by the variety, richness, and appeal while only getting of little taste of anything. Whether it was time with friends and family, visits to favorite old hunting grounds, or site-seeing it was gobble it down in a short period and move on. But we are FULL of memories and experiences that we will cherish as we return home.

There are SO many people we didn't get to spend enough time with and SO many things we didn't get to do. But we tried to enjoy every experience to the fullest. We were overly blessed by the generosity of many who opened their homes for us, gave us needed warm clothes, some specific equipment for our ministry, and spoiled our kids with treats and outings. As we faced a large support deficit, God opened his treasure chest and moved many to join our support team with what He had given them and we are once again fully supported. For all this we are full of thanksgiving.

We feel blessed that we have not had too many reverse culture shock break downs, though they have happened. When we moved to the Dominican Republic we used a lot of new skills from missionary training to adapt to the culture and we have used those same skills to re-adapt to the United States. Now we will have to use those skills to re-adapt to the D.R.

As we go back, the kids will be readjusting to traditional school, we will once again live with rolling electric black outs, poor roads, lots of noise and, hardest of all WARM SUNNY DAYS!!!! Yeah, that's right, don't pity the missionaries, we love our life!

Health Update

We have not shared a lot about Becky's health problems in the last year. Mainly this is because we haven't had a lot of answers and listing symptoms just leads to speculation (or makes me sound like a hypochondriac). Finally the picture is becoming more clear as I do the Mayo Clinic tour.

For the last year I have struggled with crushing fatigue, bilateral, migratory joint pains, rashes, and a few other annoying symptoms. I saw a variety of doctors in the Dominican Republic and finally in April found a couple in the capital who really began to help me in terms of alleviating symptoms while continuing to work on a diagnosis. They ruled out some major disorders like Lupus, but as all my blood tests were normal, did not pinpoint exactly what I had.

After seeing several great doctors and having a lot of tests, we have ruled out a lot of possibilities. At this point the diagnosis is "inflammatory arthritis." Now, this is not your mother's arthritis. My joints are not wearing out. Rather my immune system is attacking them and as a result they hurt a lot and don't always work so well. This also leads to fatigue since my body is in overdrive fighting a phantom. I always feel like I have the flu.

There are some medications that will stop or limit this process. The bottom line is that this is manageable and won't prevent us from returning to the Dominican Republic to continue our work. God is faithful and sustains us through whatever we face, so we press on! Okay, in reality on a bad day I don't press on, I just climb in bed and sleep. Then I get up and keep going :)

Thank you for your prayers and concern!