Building Families in Boma

Each Wednesday morning, we head out to Boma to meet with a few of the key leaders in the church there.  Our goal is to help support them as they lead the church.  One of the needs they have expressed to us, is to learn how to teach their children.  Right now, the church has very little Biblical education directed at the children and they know they need to change that.  We have given many resources and taught on different topics to address this need.  Lately we have been using a course on Christrian Education from a seminary in Uruguay.  Other missionaries from our mission helped start this school.  We have found this course to be excellent.  It lays out important concepts for education to all ages, not just children. 

We hope the tools in this course will help young Jonathan and other kids in the neighborhood.  

On the page the title says "The Home is a place of Instruction."  A regular theme of ours is that parents need to be an example in their home and community.  Children rarely follow someone unless they respect them and so as parents, we need to  be worthy of that respect.  And even when we fail, we can model to our children how we take responsibility and make things right.  

While we would like to think that just teaching a course will make a change, we know it takes much more than that.  Teaching is the first and easiest step.  The second step involves walking with the people, being there for them when they have questions, helping them to build confidence to stand up to the pressures of going against the flow.  We are in a battle.  And we need your prayers.  

In each community, our desire is to strengthen the churches.  These last few years, that has involved focusing on families.  We pray for God to grow families that can be an example to others in the communities.  Please pray with us!

Building Bathrooms!

Buenos Aires is a small community about 10 minutes from Jarabacoa.  It's a church of about 20-30 adults.  About  two years ago they started a ministry to supplement the education of the children living in Buenos Aires. They wanted to teach these children about the Bible as well. The idea was formed after they when house to house asking their neighbors how the church could help them.  So they started the ministry and found their "bathroom" wasn't built for the use it was getting.  After some discussion, plans were made for the property and they started praying for better facilities as well as other needs.   

Calvary EFC in Rochester, Minnesota started coming here and helping these church in 1991.  They have ministered in many ways.  This past summer, a youth team came and ministered.  Now they were looking for a 1-week construction opportunity that would give church better "facilities" for ministry.  Building a bathroom may not be as appealing as some things but if you had used their previous bathroom, you would place it high on the priority list.

Before the team arrived, the church started working.  They dug footings, poured them and had the first run of blocks laid.  

Don Chucho started this church about 20 years ago. 

Church members worked alongside the team.  They have continued the work since the team left.  Pictured above are the new bathrooms just after the ceiling was poured.  In future weeks, the building will be skim coated, the floor will be poured and the fixtures installed.  

Beyond construction, the team shared testimonies in services.  One special night was when they attended the church service in El Montaña. They were able to share with the church a little of its history.  20 years earlier, Calvary EFC had sent a team and they built the church building.  Some of the adults leaders in the church remember it.  They were children at the time and they helped in the construction and attended Vacation Bible School.  The team also visited homes.  One woman attended Bible studies with Becky.  They also brought many needed supplies.  Some will be used in Buenos Aires and some in the other church plants.  At times in the evening, they met with Dominicans friends and were able to catch up.  Many on the team had been before and had friends they hoped to see from their past trips.  

God has used Calvary EFC in significant ways.  And while many of the teams "projects" have been in the area of construction, they have always been about ministering to people through relationships.   They were a great blessing to us and to our churches.  We praise God for them and our relationship with them.  

Santo Cerro & Christopher Columbus' Fort

Recently Rick and Ben took off on the motorcycle to try to find Santo Cerro and a Fort built by Cristopher Columbus in 1495. The story of the Sacred Hole of the Cruz (pictured below) is an interesting story. We don't exactly know what happened there but the legend and current beliefs are written in the following link:  http://www.centrelink.org/Guitar.html It's well worth reading and will help you to understand the pictures below.

This picture was taken in the church up on the hill of Santa Cerro.  

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot left of this fort.  Time has done it's damage.  Earthquakes have added to that.  And at one point, they were taking block from the fort to use in the construction in present day La Vega.  

Excavation and restoration of the ruins began in 1976 and today, the ruins are located in a national park.  There is still more to be done, but it appeared that all work has stopped for now.

Ben enjoyed climbing all over and exploring the ruins.

Campesinos Wear Boots

I sometimes tell Americans that we live in Dominican red-neck country. Another way to put it is we work with hill-billies. I mean not to insult to my Dominican friends by this. It is just a short-hand way of communicating the culture here in relation to some other parts of the country.

We live in the Jarabacoa Valley in the Central Mountains. It is a favorite vacation spot for wealthy Dominicans because it is cooler in the summer and there are two major rivers through the area with waterfalls to enjoy. But really, this area is agrarian. Vegetables and flowers are the main crops. Many of the folks we know have a bit of land that they grow vegetables and some fruit on and some goats, pigs, chickens or cattle. The dirt is red with areas of clayish or sandy soil. When there is rain, there is plenty of mud and dirt roads are become nearly impassable.

So rubber boots are common.  Recently our niece, Abi, visited us from upstate New York.  She bought a pair of boots while she was here since hers were getting worn out and she told us they were "in" where she lived.  Since they didn't fit in her luggage going home, she thought it would be fun to wear them home.

As she was walking away to go through security, a Dominican man pointed to her and said,  "Look at that girl in boots!  Why is she wearying those boots?"

So I said, "That's my niece, she bought them here.  She lives in the country in New York and her old pair are worn out."

He said, "She lives in New York?"

"Yes, in the Adirondaks, the mountains in northern New York."

"There are mountains in New York?"

"Yeah, not in the City, but north,"  I explained.  Many Dominicans think of New York as just the City of New York.

"Really??  Does she know the kind of people who wear those boots here?"

"Yes, campesinos (hillbillies)"

He laughed and said, "Yeah, hillbillies, the farmers."

"I live in Jarabacoa.  I know a lot of campesinos."

"I can't believe she bought those boots, hehe.  Do you like it up there, it's cold in Jarabacoa isn't it?"

"No, it's perfect.  I love it."  I said.

This interchange reminded me that the people I know and love in this country are often looked down on.  Campesinos are poor, ignorant, uneducated.  They aren't up with the times, they ride burros, they wear old clothes and rubber boots.  They are a lot like Jesus' disciples and the early Christians, not the people the world would pick to start a movement.  They are humble, genuine, poor people.  Jesus loves them and chose them for His own.

Let me take you to Los Calabazos!

A favorite place for everyone who visits is Los Calabazos.  Imagine driving up into the mountains.  The road weaves it's way along the side of a mountain ridge.  There are incredible views to the right.  You are able to see another mountain range that follows alongside the one we are on.  Way down between these ridges is the river Yaque de Norte.  At one point along this river is a small community called Los Calabazos (also called Majaguita).

After a 20 minute drive from Jarabacoa, we park the car along the road.  We stop in a colmado (small neighborhood store) to get something to drink for our little hike.  You ask "where is the commity?" and I tell you "It's below us."  That might seem crazy but it's true.  We leave the colmado and descent down about 200 steep steps to Los Calabazos.  The walk is hot because for all but a small part, you can feel the sun beating down you.  But the views are great as we approach the community below.  Once in the community, you are surprised to see what you find...

Los Calabazos is a community that has learned how to work together.  They are camposinos - farmers, not very educated in a formal way.  And yet, the more time spent...you realize they are very smart.  They know how to live, to survive, in ways that "formal education" tends to ignore.  Here in this community they have a number of businesses.  They all work together to run a small hotel, a restaurant, and a farm.  They have worked hard to beautify the community - flowers are plentiul and some trees/plants have signs telling what they are in 3 languages.    If you look around, you may find they use the river water to power the community.  Or you may see that they are building a fish hatchery as well as other things.  It is a very interesting community.  

The church in Los Calabazos was started in the 90's and it struggles.  When started, there were two communities involved.  The church was built up on the road, a spot that was thought convenient for both communities.  Today, few people attend.  A typical Sunday will see 10 adults in the church.

I, Rick, go to Los Calabazos every other Sunday.  I alternate with Nicolus, an elder from the central church in Jarabacoa.  At times, it is discouraging.  I wonder if I am making a difference.  It's so easy to relate success with seeing greater numbers at the church.    

As I have prayed about Los Calabazos...a few things have consistently come to mind -

1.  Strengthen the believers that are there.
2.  If he is willing, spend more time with Nicolus, investigating how we can help one another.

For this, this is our focus in Los Calabazos.  We see other opportunities but feel that what we are doing now is necessary to build a foundation for new ministries in Los Calabazos.

Pray for this community.  Pray for Nicolaus.  Pray for us as well!

Now we get to climb back out of Los Calabazos.  About 200 steps...take your time!

An Evening in the Campo

Tuesday at 6 pm I had just returned from picking our kids up from a friend's house. The government had cancelled school due to Irene, the hurricane that really never showed itself in our area, so our kids had a fun day with friends. I sat down and looked forward to a quiet evening with my family. A few minutes later, Pastor Alex called from Buenos Aires saying they needed my help because the sound system, that a team had brought them in July, wasn't working properly. I talked with Becky and soon was on my way to Buenos Aires.

Some History...

In July, a team of teenagers came with the desire to work with teenagers. The team focused in two areas - Los Calabazos and Buenos Aires. One night we had planned to evangelize house to house in Sabaneta, a community next to Buenos Aires. However we learned that two days earlier a young man from Sabaneta had been killed. We wondered how we could minister to the family. So, after an hour of going door to door, we all met that the house of deceased.

Cultural note - when someone dies, the family & community observe 9 days of mourning. In these days, the home is open for visits and each evening a service is held at the house. To be sure we weren't intruding, Pastor Alex visited the house early in the day and asked if we could pass by and share in the evening service. Once at the house, we held a service that focused on encouraging this community and sharing the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.

On my way to Buenos Aires to tend to the sound system, Alex called and told me to meet him at the house that we had visited in July. After the team left in July, they continuted to visit Sabaneta. Now there is a weekly Bible study there and some from the community have started attending church services. And Alex said, "Tonight we want to have a service once again to celebrate God here and share once again, the hope we have in Jesus Christ." After the pickups had arrived with the equipment, we set up and the service began. I called Becky and told her I would be a few hours because a service had broken out in the campo (small village).

As I listened and watched, I found myself praising God for how He is working. We stood in a open patch of dirt between 4-5 houses. Songs of praise filled this little campo. Different men gave testimonies. Carol, Alex's wife, share a poem of God's faithfulness. The amplifier system that had been brought in July was being put to good use as the sound reached way beyond the area. In a country where music gets blasted anywhere anytime, tonight this campo was being filled with God's greats news of Salvation!

We were supposed to be getting hit by an hurricane but God had other plans. Praise Him and praise Him again!

Calvary Team Prayer Guide

12 youth and 3 adults from Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester, Minnesota will be serving Dominicans around Jarabacoa from June 30 to July 11 with Rick and Becky Mackey as guides. We are publishing their schedule of activites so you can pray for them. Keep in mind these plans are set, but flexible. You can also follow the team on their blog.

A couple of notes:

The Dominican Republic (DR) is on Atlantic Time, but does not observe daylight savings time, so in the summer the time is the same as East Coast Time.

Jarabacoa: A city of about 50,000 people with many surrounding villages. It is in the Central Mountains (Cordillera Central) at about 1800 feet about sea level. Two rivers converge in the Valley of Jarabacoa: The Yaque del Norte and the Jimenoa. Because it is cooler than lower elevations, it is a much beloved retreat area for Dominicans. It is the center of business, trade, education and medical facilities for the surrounding mountain villages.

La Salle: the catholic retreat center in Jarabacoa where the team stays. It is clean, quiet, secure and provides the meals unless the team makes other plans.

Los Calabazos: A small community (less than 100) off the Manabao-Jarabacoa road. It is about 200 steps down off the road along a river. There is a small church there lead by Julito.

Buenos Aires/Piedra Blanca: A community about 5 miles outside of Jarabacoa. This area also has a group of Haitians who have settled on the edge of town. The Haitians use the church on Sunday morning, while the Dominicans worship in the evening (different culture, different languages in case you are wondering why they don't unite :)) Alex Balbuena is the pastor. Carol, his wife, runs a children's program during the school year for the neediest kids in the area. They receive Bible teaching, homework help, a nutritious snack and game time. The parents attend a parenting class twice a month.

Boma: A community of about 30 homes along the Yaque River. It is a village that is difficult to get to without four-wheel drive. During rainy periods, the road is impassible.

THE DAILY RUN DOWN

Day One, Thursday, June 30: Team leaves predawn to board the plane in Minneapolis and are scheduled to arrive at 1:30pm in Santiago, DR. The drive from the airport to camp will take about an hour. The team will get a chance to see Jarabacoa a bit, eat their first meal at camp and sack out early!

Day Two, Friday, July 1: In the morning Rick and Becky will lead group orientation. After lunch at camp, the group will head to Los Calabazos to meet the community and develop relationships. They will swim in the river and play games with the youth. Supper back at camp and Team Time in the evening.

Day Three, Saturday, July 2: The team will go back to Los Calabazos for the morning to teach English. Lunch is back at camp with some time for cultural education. At 3:00 pm the team will meet Alex, pastor of the Buenos Aires church, and his family. At 4, they will participate in a kids club Carol leads for community kids. After dinner at camp, the team will return for the church's youth group in the evening. The team share testimonies and begin to develop relationships with the youth there in Buenos Aires.

Day Four, Sunday, July 3: The team will attend the worship service in Los Calabazos, lunch at La Salle and have some down time in the afternoon. Then they will participate in the worship service at Buenos Aires from about 5pm to 7pm. After returning to camp, they will have Team Time.

Day Five, Monday, July 4: Happy Independence Day! The team will experience have a national holiday in someone else's country.... In the morning (9-11) they will participate in the children's program at Buenos Aires. (See notes above for a description.) After lunch at the camp the team gets to experience one of the natural joys of this area: a gorgeous waterfall! They will spend some time in personal meditation, listening to God.

Day Six, Tuesday, July 5: The team will get to experience one of the great physical challenges of the area. They will climb "Mogote," a prominent, steep mountain that Rick has climbed several times and each time promises himself never to do again! The translators and youth from the churches are invited to climb as well. Up on the mountain, the team will have lunch, worship God and pray over the city of Jarabacoa. I have a feeling they will all go to bed early tonight!

Day Seven, Wednesday, July 6: The team will be back in Buenos Aires for the morning to help with the children's program. After lunch they will branch out in Jarabacoa for a people watching exercise to learn about life and culture in the DR. In the evening, they will visit homes in Sabaneta, a village near Buenos Aires. They will be accompanied by church members and translators. In groups of 4-5, they will sit on front porches and share Christ. They will return to camp for Team Time.

Day Eight, Thursday, July 7: Rise and shine! The team leaves for Sosua Beach at 6:30am. Pray for fun, safety on the mountain roads, and no sunburns! Supper will be Pizza Hut in Santiago on the way home. I think everyone will hit the sack as soon as they return to camp. Ben Mackey, 12, leaves for the U.S. for three weeks today. Pray for safe travel and that Mom, Dad, and Elena who will miss him a lot. Ben will go to camp for two weeks with his cousins and visit Nana and PopPop before coming home.

Day Nine, Friday, July 8: The team will work in the children's program at Buenos Aires in the morning. After lunch, the team will work side by side with residents of Los Calabazos in their daily work and then have a traditional Dominican dinner before returning to camp.

Day Ten, Saturday, July 9: The team will spend the day in Boma. Half the group will work with the children and half with the teenagers. The day will end with some students sharing testimonies followed by a short challenge.

Day Eleven, Sunday, July 10: The team will worship at Nueva Vida church in Jarabacoa. After lunch they will pack up for the trip home and pick up last minute souvenirs. By 4pm they will be in Buenos Aires to participate in an evangelistic service. In the evening, Dominicans who have worked with the team are invited to a celebration and farewell at La Salle camp.

Day Twelve, Monday, July 11: By late morning the team will leave for the airport. Pray for safety and ease of passing through the Miami airport. The team will not get home to Rochester until very late at night.