Buenos Dias!
I pray this update is meeting you well! I miss all of you and can’t wait until I can share my stories with you in person. This past week has been extremely busy and hectic. It has also been difficult to send out reports or updates with the inconsistent power and Internet. This email to you marks my official four weeks being in the Dominican! It is hard for me to believe how fast time is flying. There are a lot of great things happening in order to prepare for the 15th anniversary, and even more things that need to be accomplished.
I spent two days of this past week feeling sick. During any down time that I could catch I would try to sleep. Pushing through the exhaustion, I attempted to complete work on the pre-field Bible Studies. As I was sitting at Pastor’s house, I had a wave wash over me, and I felt better...I don’t even know how to explain it. This “healing” came in the form of hunger. How symbolic of our relationship with Christ. How when we have Him in our lives, we should hunger for more of Him. Never in my life have I had an experience like this one.
The buzz within Pimentel is growing about the upcoming 15th anniversary. God is moving here in some unexpected ways. MIVA is making connections and partnerships with many local businesses and organizations. There is even rumor that the President of the Dominican might even be making an appearance! We won’t find out for a little while (but the Pastor went to Santo Domingo on an overnight trip filled with scheduled meetings). The support and funding for the ministry and anniversary is growing. I found myself initially asking, “Why spend so much money on an anniversary party?” However, this is more than an anniversary we are preparing for. We are not only celebrating what God has done and is doing, but there is an underlying stir of excitement and anticipation that is already bringing more people to Christ. This week Pastor told the three of us (Lindsey, Cierra, and I) that we are no longer allowed to walk back and forth at night from Mary’s house (where we are staying) to MIVA (about a five minute walk) unless we have a family member walking us. He is just being extremely cautious, which is appreciated by all three of us.
Lindsey, Cierra, and I have also been asked to be a part of a choreographed dance with 50 other children who range in ages from 7 to 25. We have certainly enjoyed being able to not only dance with these children, but ultimately to build stronger relationships with them. Many of the girls from our Bible study stand next to or in front of us during the dance. I love being able to catch a moment or two to goof off and dance around the stage with all of them. This past week for our Girls Bible study, we did our first topic meeting on gossip. We based our lesson off of Proverbs 11:13 (A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret) and we did a craft with it as well (please see attached pictures). I am humbled during every Bible Study meeting with them because for once I am not able to fully communicate by talking. It still amazes me how God truly gives you the words and will speak through you (even when you don’t know the language). We talked about being sisters in Christ and how we need to lift one another up in order to glorify the Lord.
ALSO praise!! Our barrels that we shipped from America (with more supplies) arrived Friday July 6, two weeks earlier than we were expecting!! Lindsey, Cierra, and I were excited to receive some ice tea mix (that is already almost gone). We have been getting a daily helping of rice and beans and the three of us have been eating spoonfuls of peanut butter (our daily ritual as Pastor calls it) in between meals. We have already gone through four jars of peanut butter.
I want to thank all of you who continue praying for me and those of you who have given financially since the last update! What a blessing that I am able to be here all summer. I have had some unbelievable conversations with multiple people that have been helping me make more sense of my life. I still have a strong sense that something great is brewing, and I am so thankful that I get to experience it firsthand.
Love,
Theresa
Current American craving: Chick-fil-a and A GIANT CHEWY COOKIE!! J yummm!
Current Song/ lyrics on my Heart: “And I’ll Stand with Arms High and Heart Abandoned, In Awe of the One who Made it All. And I’ll Stand, my Soul Lord to You Surrendered, All I am is Yours.
Prayer Requests:
- . Health
- . Safety
- . Wisdom in every and all situations
- . To be able to get more work completed on the Child Sponsorship Website
- . Language Barrier
Praises:
1. Continued Financial Support for me
2. The barrel came in!
3. Building strong relationships with the girls and kids at MIVA
4. An amazing Girls Bible Study
5. That I feel better!!
2. The barrel came in!
3. Building strong relationships with the girls and kids at MIVA
4. An amazing Girls Bible Study
5. That I feel better!!
(If you are able to give financially please send a check with my name in the memo line to: Youth for Christ 8900 Belair Rd Baltimore MD 21236)
"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." ~Exodus 14:14
DR Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.
They have more pictures and more updates!
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