Elevator Entertainment

Yesterday a fellow missionary and I spent half a day in Santiago at the most modern clinic and hospital in the country, HOMS (www.homshosptial.com). In the DR consultations and most medical tests are not scheduled ahead of time. Patients are seen on a first come, first serve basis.  Doctors take whatever time needed with each patient.  This can be as brief as five minutes when a patient is returning to have test results reviewed or as long as 45 minutes for a complete history and exam for a new patient. Procedures, surgeries, chemotherapy, and more complicated tests are scheduled.  So Phyllis and I left Jarabacoa early and arrived before our doctors to put our names on the list for the day.  Our names were on or near the top of each list.

I rode the elevator many times as each of our doctors were on different floors and I had to retrieve some test results.  As any world traveler can tell you, riding an elevator in another country is a new and interesting experience.  The US has rigid, unspoken rules for elevator use.  Everyone faces the door, strangers do not talk to one another and rarely make eye contact.  People traveling together or those who encounter an acquaintance on the elevator speak briefly and in hushed tones. No physical contact allowed unless there is child or disabled person who needs assistance.

Not so in the Dominican Republic.  Entering riders give a generalized greeting to those already aboard and acquaintances greet each other in typical latino fashion.  Eye contact is made! Dominicans are courteous to one another giving preference to mothers with infants and toddlers, pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone with a disability. The elevator is a sardine can and must be packed until the overload buzzer sounds and the last person in steps back out.  Thus physical touch, or should I say squishing, is the norm.  Floor numbers are called out so an attendant or someone who is smashed near the button panel can order the right stops.  Stops are made on nearly every floor!

Sometimes though, unusual and amusing things happen.

1.  I followed a woman onto the elevator who was playing a game on her android phone at full volume and continued to play on the ride up until she walked off still playing her game. Maybe that happens in the US a lot, but here it was just strange.  She didn't even look up to greet her fellow passengers!

2. I got in an elevator where three male employees were talking.  Two were young and the other over 60.  The older man was saying, "I have more sex appeal than either of you.  You can never have my sex appeal because it comes with age."  It was hard not to laugh.  I didn't think any of them had sex appeal.

3.  I got on an apparently empty elevator to find a woman cowering by the button panel.  She was extremely please to see me.  "Oh good, I am not alone on this elevator.  It is very bad to ride alone.  What could happen?! So scary."

4.  After squishing into to a full elevator, a man in back began to serenade the elevator and probably continued long after I left.

The week before, I was on an elevator that was taking on more people with each floor.  There was a very pregnant lady who ended up in the back and was trying not to be squished.  She called out, "Be careful I have a belly to protect."  Then someone in front repeated it, "Make more room! There is a belly on the elevator."  Everyone squished toward the front to give her more room.

Now, if I could just ring the neck of the architect who planned three small elevators to service an 11 story medical clinic with about 18 consulting offices on each floor!!  Remember that Dominicans don't go to the doctor alone, so for each patient there is at least one friend or relative along for support.

Phyllis and I complete three consultations by lunch time and left with treatment plans and prescriptions in hand.  It was a good day.

Discipling Men in the El Montana Church!

For years we have been praying that God would bring men into the church "New Life of El Montaña"  During the last year, God has been answering that prayer.  Four men who have known Pastor Damaso for years and have been mentored by him, have made New Life of El Montaña their home.  They don´t live in El Montaña, but because of their relationships with Damaso and the interest he as taken in their lives, they regularly attend and are helping in various ways at the church.  

In early August, Damaso approached me and asked me if I would help him disciple these men.  He shared a little about them.  Each of them have been reading the Bible and trying to apply what they read.  They often come to Damaso with questions.  He wondered if I could help these men become leaders in the church.  Wow!  And of course I can!

Three weeks ago, we met for the first time.  Damaso met with us and together we affirmed each of the men, acknowledging their growth and sharing how we see leadership ability in them.  We challenged them to continue reading God's Word and also, to commit to meeting weekly with the desire to be equipped for the ministry that God has prepared them (Eph. 4:12).    

Currently, we are studying a book Christian Beliefs by Wayne Grudem.  It's sub-title is "20 basics every Christian should know."  We want these men to be grounded in God's Word and have at minimum a basic understanding of Theology.  Theology is important because what we believe affects how we live.  Each week the men come having read a chapter and prepared to discuss it.  We emphasize relating what is taught to life - and are open about the challenges to live for Christ when many around us are not doing so.    

We don't know the future but Damaso and I feel privileged to give insight into the lives of these men.  We see the potential that they will be future leaders in the church.  It may not always be in the church of El Montaña, but we are preparing them to be leaders wherever God leads them.  

Please remember us on Thursday evenings.  Pray that God's Holy Spirit would continue His work of Sanctification in us as we study, discuss and apply what we have learned.  

A Sunday in Boma

This past Sunday we were able to take the Pace family out to Boma with us.  Patrick is a teacher at Doulos Discovery School (Ben and Elena's school) and he arrived the same year we did, 2007.  We always enjoy when others can partner with us.  On this day, Patrick led worship and Rick preached.

There's something special and fresh about worshiping in Boma.  The church is small.  No microphones are needed.  There is a clock which has needed new batteries for at least 2 years.  The people sing, share testimonies, and love the Lord.

Greater Things

“God of this City” as recorded by Chris Tomlin on Hello Love. (P) 2008 sixstepsrecords. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Six Messengers of Encouragement

In early August, 4 adults and 2 youth from Village Baptist Church in Aurora, Il. joined us for 10 days.  The goal - To encourage the church of Buenos Airea and teach it's youth how to share their faith.  Our week was filled with activity - Home visits, Marriage Seminars, Youth Training Events, Youth Outreach, and Prayer Walks.  These pictures will give you a little feel for what happened.

Gil Leon led the trip.  Here he is with Pastor Alex from Buenos Aires.

Youth trainings!  Here Keyrol is giving her testimony at a outreach.

 Girls and Boys small groups

 Modeling how to present the gospel using the "Bridge to Life" track.

 Home visits, meeting-sharing-praying for people!

Preaching in three different churches.  This is at Boma.

And always, great FOOD!  Pictured is a celebration with Buenos Aires on the last day.

Becky and I are so thankful for churches that come and partner with us on a regular basis.  They are a big encouragement to the churches and to us.

Why June is hard!

A reminder - This blog is written as a record of our live and ministry in the Dominican Republic.  We want our readers to gain more insight into life here.  We also want to remember and this blog journals many highlights of our life here.  This entry, isn't so enjoyable but it's real and something that we have dealt with each June.  It's possible that what I am about to share is typical on the mission field but we can only share our experiences here.

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Every year, June is a hard month for us.  Why?  It's simple.  We watch friends leave.  It's painful.  It's discouraging.  And it makes June a hard month.

Becky recently found an article that talks about this.  It's written for missionaries and is called "Staying Well:  10 Tips for Expats Who are Left Behind."  It's not long and I recommend you read it as it gives some good insights into challenges missionaries face.

Before being a missionary, I didn't realize how close a missionary community becomes.  I suppose in a larger city this may not happen but here in Jarabacoa, the missionary community is pretty close.  By close, I don't mean that we are spending all our time with one another.  We all have different jobs and are busy in our ministries.  But there is a bond in the community and when we are together, we are quick to talk about personal things - joys and challenges.  These conversations create some deep relationships.  

Of course, we are quick to help when someone is going through a challenge.  There is a feeling of "we are in this together."  We all know what it is like to leave family.  We know what it is like to struggle with language and make embarrassing mistakes, over and over again.  We know what is like to leave a place where we knew how to live and be dropped in a land where we have to learn a totally new lifestyle.  We all remember the adjustment of living without conveniences and where ghechos, cockroaches (hopefully not), and at times mice seek to share the same living space.  All of these things tend to draw us together.

When we meet a new missionary in town, it's common to ask "How long have you been here?" and if it's less than a year, the veteran missionary will nod with that knowing look and ask "How has it going?  Do you need help with anything?"  Relationships are formed and they deepen as the veteran missionary shows the incoming how to pay his bills, where to buy this and that, which restaurants can you trust, etc.  

Our desire is that many would come and stay but the truth is that many missionaries only end up staying for 2-3 years.  We have been working here since 2007 and it's amazing the number of people who have come and left during our stay.  And because of school schedules (among other things), June seems to be the departure month.

The article above is a help to us.  We are staying until the Lord calls us on to something else.  Sometimes people comment about our original calling to come and two years and as you know after our first year God made it clear that we should continue.  I like to say, the two years haven't ended yet!  And as stayers, we do feel a loss each June.  

But while it is hard to see people go, we are thankful.  We have had the privilege to meet some wonderful people.  Some have been in Bible studies with us, been accountable.  Some have walked with us through some tough times and we have done the same for them.  And for each one, we are thankful that God gave us this time.

It's a little late for this year but please remember your missionaries in June.  Often it is a time when the local support has been fractured and they maybe be feeling this loss.  It might be a good time for you who are far to send notes to encourage.  I can't speak for other missionaries but suspect they may experience the same.

Thanks for reading and understanding more of the life overseas!

Thoughts About Helping Others

This past year has been an amazing but challenging year.

In God's Word we are told to bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6).  The church is described as a body (Rom. 12:3-5;  1 Cor. 10:31-33, 12:12-26) and of course, we are to take care of our body.  Some of the questions that I have been wrestling with involve how the church in the United States (US) can help the church in the Dominican Republic (DR).  There are many books of this and while I have read some of them, my years in the DR have been a continual learning experience when it comes to donations from the US.  Let's take the following example:  

A Dominican church has a $200 need.  As a church, they can save and it might take them months to raise that money.  But if an American team comes, the team might hear of the need and cover it.  Let's say this happens.  A few months later, the Dominican church has another need, so what do they do?  Some in the church start saving for the need but others might say "let's find an American team that can help us with this."  And so they do and the team generously covers the need praying God for the opportunity to help their Dominican brothers and sisters.  What happens when the church has another need?  Very quickly there is the danger of the church seeking American teams for all of their needs.  If this goes on for long, the Dominican church members may forget the need to give.  

Certainly we, Americans, are blessed to have a lot of material wealth.  Many Dominicans are materially poor.  I often wrestle with these questions, "How do we, Americans, use our resources to REALLY help?  And how do we help in a way that gives God the glory?" 

To be clear, I believe that most people who donate desire to give the glory to God.  And they desire to really help, often asking us good questions to be sure that they are bringing what is really needed and giving in a way that really helps.  The challenge I see is on this end - sometimes it seems that God is forgotten when the gifts are received and a need is met.  And as my example above shows, even well intentioned gifts have a danger of teaching people to see the materially rich instead of God.  

Some of the problems are - 

First, it is so easy to think that those who more have are better than those who don't have as much.  It is easy to judge people based on what they have. Second, it is so easy to relax when we have things and trust in those things. And third, it is so easy to believe that getting "this" or "that" will make everything better.

With each problem, our view of material possessions is flawed.  There is nothing about one person that makes them more deserving of having possessions than another.  In fact much of the inequality of wealth in this world is a result of our collective sin.  Everything we have comes from God and ultimately belongs to Him.  All these "things" are temporary and cannot be trusted.  Do we really believe that "stuff" is going to solve our problems or fill our souls?  I hope not.

These problems seem to be universal problems.  I have seen them in different cultures, with the materially rich and poor.  I can even think of stories in the Bible which convey these attitudes.

This past year, Becky and I have had the privilege of walking through some very tough and uncertain times for Pastor Alex and his wife, Carol.  If you haven't kept up with this story, you may want to read the entry "Lessons in Helping Others".  The lessons I shared in that entry were powerful for me and helped me to keep my focus on God.  They are:  

Lesson 1 - Go to God and ask Him to fix the problem.

Lesson 2 - Wait on the Lord and He will tell you what to do.

Lesson 3 - God is with us when things go well and when things don't go so well.  He is worthy of our praise regardless of the circumstances.  

Thinking about this past year, a few other thoughts come to mind -

1.  We glorify God with our gifts when we seek Him, asking Him to make clear what we should give and how we should give.  He will make this known.  

2.  I believe Christians should be generous.  Acts 20:35 instructs us:  In all things I (Paul) have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" The question for me isn't "should we help?" Rather it's "how should we help?" Certainly we want to ask good questions, we don't want to blindly give.  

3.  Could it be that God wants us to walk through tough times so that we might feel our need for Him deeply and so grow closer to Him?  While it's hard to admit, it appears so.  

I don't feel that I have answers, but I think it is good to raise these questions.  We have wrestled a lot with these things in a desire to make the most of our time and resources.  We realize the trust that many place in us when they give.  We know that many gifts are given sacrificially and our desire is to use them in a way that glorifies God.

If you have any thoughts on this, I would love to hear them!

Two books that have really challenged me in the area of Giving and Helping Others are:

The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert