Hola, mi amigos!
We are currently on our first international trip pin Jarabacoa, DR. After 30 long hours of travel in vans, buses, and airplanes, we arrived at the base mid-afternoon Monday. Since leaving Hume on Sunday, the 22nd, it’s been an exciting journey!
Our first day and a half was spent adjusting, going through orientation, meeting our site leaders, and learning some local dances. On top of that, enjoying some great food and talking with the Students International Interns and staff about what was ahead. After that, we’ve been spending our days working at our sites and resting.
Working at our sites has been my favorite part; it truly has been the biggest blessing. I was placed in women’s social work with some incredible staff! I’m working I’m a small community called La Hoya and spend my days doing crafts, drawing, baking, and stringing the gospel with women over coffee. I am also exercising some old Spanish memory from my time in college.
While I help serve these women in little ways, I have found myself serving even more. We are not coming to the DR to save these people or fix their lives, we are serving alongside missionaries to learn and grow and see, and I am in awe. It has been the greatest gift and privilege to be welcomed into so many people’s homes and lives. They accept us with great hospitality and patience as we attempt our best to speak their language. In their homes, the doors stay open, and people wander in and visit or sit down for coffee and to chat.
Beyond all these amazing things, my favorite and most cherished experience has been the level of humanness I’ve found. Beyond language barriers, cultural differences and complete different ways of living. We are the same in our love for Christ. It is a beautiful thing knowing that we share the same loving, faithful God. Being able to connect with strangers over faith is so incredible.
I am thankful for this faith, and I am thankful for the people of the DR, I am thankful for Joshua, I am thankful for a holy, loving God.
Praying for you all this week and always; thanks for reading. 😉
Cassidy Voss
