Hello everyone, Abbie here. These past two days I have been quarantined with strep throat. It has been difficult and quite frustrating to be here at the base by myself knowing so much is happening at the other sites but it is through this isolation that God has given me a new lens in which to view the things that have been happening during our time here in the Dominican. Even though I haven’t had the same hands-on experience as the people around me they have come back the past couple days with stories and changed perspectives based off of the things that have happened at their community work sites. Because I’ve had the opportunity to hear some heartbreaking and inspiring stories I would like to take this time to share some of these life-giving perspectives with you.
Gillian: (Dentistry)
“He is putting me out of my comfort zone and broadening my perspective on how blessed I am.
“These people’s faith in the Lord despite how little they have.”
Jamie: (Health Care)
“I’ve been disgusted with Americans, about how un-content we are when we have so much more in material stuff. When the people here they don’t have material possessions and what they do have they given whole heartily and freely.”
Marissa: (Dentistry)
“Seeing Vanessa’s relationship with the community on such on a individual level, and to see her truly put prayer into practice has really opened my eyes to see how prayer should be a first instinct not a last resort.”
Keegan: (Men’s Sport)
“Patience.”
Drew: (Men’s Sports)
“God is sufficient in every way. In every circumstance in my life, even when I don’t think he can be sufficient He proves to me that he can. Which has become abundantly clear in the DR. ”
Madeline: (Women’s Sports)
“Even though I don’t speak their language, I have seen that love is a universal in itself and communicated through actions and feelings.”
Regina: (El Callajon)
“Mission trips should be about strengthening the community that is already there, rather then building something new or trying to “save” everyone they encounter.”
Dani: (Health Care)
One thing that God has been showing me here in the DR is that it’s so evident that the reason these people are so content is because they have Jesus, even though they live on so little while in America people find their fulfillment through material things.
Photos taken at the Men’s Sport site. Play ball!
DR – Day 5 from Joshua Wilderness Institute on Vimeo.