How is this team-free time blowing by so quickly? It seemed like everything was just COMING together so beautifully with education in the barrios and then POOF- down time. But I LOVE it. LOTS of Meetings. TONS of paperwork. Responding to about a kazillion emails. Writing up action plans. Folding scrubs without the pressure to put them away This Very Minute. Going out to see some of our schools. Packing up backpacks for newly sponsored lil 3 year old cuties. Visiting other ministries and sharing HEARTS in Jarabacoa with the rock star Mike and Karen Unternahrer family. Checking out other hospitals to see what they have available and see what educational needs may be present. Celebrating birthdays. Hangin on the beach for a day with El Jefe Monch. Planning the logistics for the series of CPR classes coming up in October. Inventorying the clinic and the pharmacy. (Hey, the scary room remains almost stable- I’m holding my breath). Talking with some local community leaders to promote our upcoming surgical teams.
Today I was able to check out a really cool project that a friend of ours has been working on with building these cool stoves for some poorer folks who live in her neighborhood. She showed us how it worked (made of concrete and ash and just construction stuff thats COOL that I pretty much know zero about) and it was so neat to see the success of good PROJECTS. It’s awesome to see the difference that it’s made in her community and how proud she is that her community has taken ownership of this project. I’m reminded of how fulfilling it is when we get to share in the beautiful moments of OTHER FOLK’S ministries, like being with Mike and Karen in Jarabacoa and finding out more about SI (Students International). Those guys are doing great work! I was INSPIRED. And then hearing our friends Brook and Josh in San Juan talk with such LOVE about what they are doing in Pueblo Nuevo. And there’s Miguel and Kristen in Captivo and in church planting. And Ashley and Laura and Liz- the Peace Corp girls with their Women’s Groups and Kids Clubs and sports camps and sweeeeeeeet stuff! And I’m reminded of how I LOVED that church in San Pedro where Pastor Bienvenido was so welcoming and I felt so ALIVE hearing that worship there. Oh and Central Mennonite Church here (where I often attend on Saturday nights) is church planting in La Florida, a community WAY up in the mountains. And our friend Pedro is running a Christian baseball academy out in Hato Mayor that’s just THRIVING. And Partners in Health in Elias Pina is doing AMAZING things with their programs and follow up on HIV positive patients. And I LOVED the Ywam center where Emma was in Jarabacoa..oh and the one in the capital where Laura Blank is… and oh and on and on and on and on.
There’s a lot going on. Turns out we aren’t the only ones feeling like we are here for God’s purposes. And it’s just a feeling of camaraderie sometimes- knowing that others feel that same “pull” to be here or to be SOMEWHERE to serve or help or play or lay blocks. It’s happening at home in Parkesburg, PA at The Point and and here in the DR and pretty much everywhere I’ve ever been. Seeing Jesus play out in the faces and acts of His people. Geez- does it get any better?
I mean, you guys do know it gets old sometimes no matter where we are or what we are doing. I love, however, those opportunities to step back and see all the bazillions of ways that God is being GLORIFIED through His people (or… as the case may be…DESPITE His people). This is that time for me. I can breathe and it’s beautiful. I have time to hold my friends’ kids and watch movies with them and go for walks and inbetween the meetings and plannings and birthdays and inventorying and organizing and all that jazz… I SEE Jesus here. And there. And in Pueblo Nuevo. And downstairs in the kitchen. I do.
And of course I’ll be ready for the next teams. I’m PSYCHED for surgery (it’s been a couple months!). I’m JAZZED to head out to the barrios again. I’m CRAZY-Beside-Myself for the next CPR training. BUT… last week..and this week… I’m taking it in slowly. It’s good stuff. God is SO good. Geez- I’m blessed.
No comments:
Post a Comment