Hello everyone!
The first full day in the DR has been such a blast! I am working in the Appropriate Technology site, and I got to meet my leaders during lunch today. They are some of the coolest people that I have ever met! During my time here, we will be installing water filtration systems in the community around us. I am so excited to see what God is going to be doing while we are here, and I am so honored to play a part in His plan for the Dominican Republic.
The travel from Los Angeles to Santiago went very smoothly, but everyone was so exhausted from two whole days of driving, waiting, flying, waiting, more driving and flying, and more waiting in between it all. Although it took some time to get here, I am so happy to be here, serving alongside my Joshua brothers and sisters.
Experiencing the culture around me, from the way people drive to having conversations with local Dominican people, has been so interesting. There are so many differences between the DR and America, yet we can come together in unity under the same faith in God. No language barrier is going to stop us from communicating with the people of the DR; our actions will speak louder than our talk.
Cheers from the DR,
Jakob Grimes (Current Student)
What’s up dudes!
We landed in the Dominican Republic (a.k.a the DR) yesterday and had our first full day. It’s truly been a blessing to get here and a wonder as well.
Today we got to meet our site leads and get the general rundown of what we will be doing in our time here. I got put in Physical Therapy, so I got to hang out with Silvio Verda, who is a kind, funny, sometimes serious, but sincere man. He has a servant’s heart for these people and a care you wouldn’t really expect, and not through his words but more of his actions and overall goal. The traits that Silvio has are not inclusive to him either, but to other community members of Students International, all have a good heart and are sincere people (from first impressions, at least) So it’s been such a blessing to have come to the DR and find bits and pieces of Christ-likeness outside of the U.S.
Speaking of the DR, It’s a marvel, to say the least; it’s stunning scenery, amazing people, and delicious food; truly makes you think twice about where you are. And in a way where you fit in God’s grand scheme. I’m excited to see what God has for me and my fellow Joshua siblings in bringing us to the beautiful island rich in culture. And I pray that we will all grow immensely in this new place.
Till next time dudes, ✌️
-Isaac Gustin (Current Student)