Clay in the Hands

It is hard to believe that we are headed back home today after almost seven days in the Republica Dominicana. I apologize that I have not posted daily as I had hoped. Between the internet being down most of the time and our busy schedule, I have not been able to keep up.

We had an amazing week! Our team pulled together and pushed each other beyond what any one individual thought they could do. We built ten desks and two book cases for teachers in one of the schools we have worked with in the past and then delivered them. We had three ladies from our team offer teacher training to teachers in a school in Villa Alta Gracia. We had ladies from our team help with the sewing ministry here at Iglesia Bautista Quisqueyana (IBQ), making costumes for a huge city wide production the church put on this past week. We did VBS and sports camps with kids in two different areas. We had a part in a pastor and wife conference and a three of our ladies helped almost daily with meals for our team – pitching in with the local cooks.

And Sunday was a beautiful experience. We had the opportunity to worship in the morning with IBQ and then with a church in La Romana on Sunday night. Chris, our Student Pastor, and leader of this trip spoke at IBQ on Sunday night at the youth service and I had the blessing of preaching Sunday morning at IBQ and then Sunday night at La Romana. There is something special about worshipping with brothers and sisters of another country. We have been guests in their country and they have welcomed us in. I was reminded as we worshipped together that when our focus is on praising God, our differences fade away and what we have in common takes center stage – one God, one faith, one body (Ephesians 4).

Bryson, one of our team members (and my son) said, “I am ready to go home, but I don’t want to leave.” I think that sums up the feelings of each of our team members!

God is at work in the Dominican and we are blessed to have even a minute part in it.

Please pray for IBQ, our Dominican brothers and sisters and for safe travel for our team as we travel home today.