Last week we hosted a small group from a couple universities in Utah. They were a fantastic group all around and we had a great week together! As an extra bonus, since there were only six people to cook for and take care of here at the guesthouse, I was able to escape and go with them out to the barrio clinics for a couple of days! It was so great to go along and see them work first-hand with the Dominican people. Here's some pictures from the week:
Setting up Pharmacy
Seeing the first patients of the day
Such a beautiful country!
Dr. Victor with his patients
Teaching the kids to play 500
Gorgeous!
Site #2
Spent a lot of time weighing in malnourished children to begin a new branch of our child nutrition program
"I think I made you too small, I never feared you at all, no...
But then I caught a glimpse of who you might be,
the slightest hint of You, brought me down to my knees"
Here's a song that's been running through my head for the past few weeks. The video is kinda lame and kooky, but the words make it one of those, "this is kinda where I'm at right now" songs.
I guess I've been realizing lately how I've never really understood the concept of "fearing" God. Why fear him when I could call him "dad" and "best friend"??
To my frustration though, I have felt that God has been distancing himself from me. Even though all my prayers were to know him more, I have found myself continually confused and feel like I know/understand him less than ever.
It wasn't until this song popped on the other day that I started to realize that that in itself was my answer. In order to know God more, I must learn to fear him as God- it is a side of him that I have never explored. To truly see him as an unknowable, all mighty, and uncontrollable force- God the lion instead of only God the lamb. It is the kind of God that I cannot control or predict. It makes me feel pretty small, like I really am just standing at the shore of his ocean.
So, as usual, I continue to underwhelm myself by my progress and understanding as a Christian, but continue to be completely OVERWHELMED by God. How incredible is it that he is able to find ways to speak to me and teach me and answer me even in his silence?
Yep, it is May already and we are spending the day prepping for our group that will be arriving on Saturday. It's hard to believe that 5 weeks of break flew by so fast, but it's been absolutely fantastic. We worked hard, we played hard, we visited with friends and had friends come to visit us. We discovered new places and got more settled in the old ones. It's been a time of rest and of growth and enjoying the simple everyday joys of hard work, good conversations with friends and searching for seashells on the shore.
Here's a few images we captured along the way:
Our friend Kristi Came for a visit and worked hard to organize our medical room!
Out for a night of baseball with friends :)
Dan putting his new scuba gear to good use to unclog the cistern
A small hotel we found in paradise
Having homemade bread and fresh mango jelly , overlooking the ocean on the morning of Dan's 27th Birthday!
Our new favorite beach!
Had a coral reef for us to try out our new snorkel gear on- it was SO beautiful!
We love living here!
Parents come to visit!
Lunch and card playing on the ocean
Our hotel in Santo Domingo
Touring the Colonial Zone
So, as you can imagine, we feel incredibly blessed! Blessed by family and friends who love and support what we are doing here, and blessed by this beautiful country and people!
The break was everything that we hoped it would be and more. Now we are actually very anxious to get back to doing our job. Our next group is a small one of only 6 students. I think it is going to be a ton of fun to get to know them and hopefully I will even be able to go out with them to the barrios this week! It should be a good easy start to what is sure to be a packed and busy summer.
If you think of it, keep praying that Dan and I would have better servants hearts- toward the community and each other. Funny thing, but becoming a missionary doesn't automatically make it easy to serve and give all the time. haha, I was kinda hoping it would come with the package, but turns out I'm the same old sinful me, struggling to remember to spend time with God and with the same selfishness and desire for control.
Thank you always friends, for your love and support. We need you and your prayers SO much.
