Are You Ready For This???

Recently Kari and I were challenged by someone here in the Dominican Republic we have known for almost year. He did not accuse us based on what we were or what we did, but what we weren’t and what wewould never do.He told us that we were not Dominican because we have never known what is was like to not have enough food to give your family or wonder where our next meal would come from or how we would fill up the one gallon gas tank on a scooter. He was right.

While most of my youth was filled with thrift stores and used cars and not very many nights going out to restaurants, there was always gas in the tanks of both cars and the fridge was stocked with food. I have used the phrase starving college student to describe myself but that is a total lie. There is nothing remotely sensing of starvation when the college forces you to buy a meal plan that you would have to go to glutinous extremes to get your moneys worth. And what about now? While we don’t exactly earn a salary and I won’t be buying a new car anytime soon, our basic living costs are already covered (at least while there are groups- which is most of the time and when there is not there are plenty of leftovers). Even if things went downward as fast and hard as possible Kari and I still have a savings account and family who would put us up and fund us until we could put our college education back to work. Clearly our friend was right. I would never know his life first hand.

In this Man’s case he earns 5,000 pesos a month or about $33 a week and he has 6 kids to raise by himself. How is someone suppose to survive off that? I won’t go into things like food, clothes, transportation, school cost, medical bills, etc for now, how about just food. I was proud of myself for eating off $35 a week after college and I went out to eat on a separate budget often and I was alone. But, $33 for seven people?!?!?! Could you do that? (keep in mind it is actually less because he has to buy other things with that $33 per week). You would have to eat only rice or go hungry or perhaps both. What would your life be like? Would your kids (if you have them) have enough to eat? Would you ever eat steak again? I wonder what i would be like. In fact this would be a good experiment for those willing to try. Between my starting this blog and finishing it i have had a long time to think about this, talked to a friend to see what they thought and decided to throw it out there:

It is Challenge time. Regardless of how big your family is, try to go one week with only $33 for any from of food for your whole family. Bluntly this means don’t touch anything already in the pantry or fridge, no eating out, no soup kitchens, no meal plans at school, no meals at friends houses, no condiments you didn’t buy with that $33. What would you do to make that work? Coupons probably won’t get you even close unless you are single. Can you make it off of only rice and oatmeal for a week? Ultimately, I don’t blame anyone who is not up to the challenge. It’s hard to go hungry when you don’t have to. I do believe there is something to gain from this though. So please join me going from this Sunday to Saturday (Feb 5th-11th) only $33 for food for the whole family. No free meals, no leftovers, none perishables, spices or condiments from previous weeks, empty start (I’m going to have to convince Kari now). For those of you with larger families and young children you have my sympathy but please still try.

I don't do this naively thinking that in a week I could possibly understand what it is like to survive a life of poverty, but I do it because I want to understand MORE. I want to sacrifice MORE. I want to love MORE. I hope that you feel the same. I am most interested to see about your what your week is like. Please let me know in a comment if you are up for the challenge of doing this with me. I will keep you updated on my week’s progress through the blog...

- Dan

No Mind Has Imagined

Do you see that? 

That is stick figure version of me falling of the face of the earth.

Not good.  

Needless to say, the year has started with off with a bang... sometimes it has been the bang of glorious fireworks of awesome teams and ministry and sometimes just the steady bang of me beating my head against the desk. God's trying to teach me something... I'm pretty convinced of it. I think it has something to do with the epic battle between my control issues and my faith. 

It would seem that my control issues have been winning out the last couple of weeks. I don't know what it is, but I've suddenly taken on these huge amounts of anxiety. Like everything that does not go as planned is somehow my fault and I've convinced myself that I'm falling apart and no one likes me and on and on and on... 

However, the cool part of the story (as usual) is the God part. 

I'm going to admit now that I haven't actually set aside time for God basically since this new year began. I get impatient waiting for him to show up and say something to me. But I was driving the group to back from dinner the other night and I had this God moment. 

Maybe it sounds goofy, but there were two things that popped into my head that I can't attribute to anything other than the Holy Spirit. The first was God simply telling me, "You were MADE for THIS". Like him telling me, "Why are you running around and trying to prove yourself and convince yourself that you can do this? I CREATED you to be HERE. I planned and shaped you for such a time and a place as THIS. 

And this next part will definitely sound goofy but bear with me: at the same time he reminded me (I can't describe it any other way because I hadn't thought about this in years) that when I was younger (middle school years) I was actually quite disturbed by the fact that I couldn't imagine my life beyond the (very specific) age of 25. Part of it was just not being able to wrap my mind about what the idea of being a "grown up" would be like, but I remember actually thinking long and hard about what I thought would make me happy in life, where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do. There was a giant BLANK. I honestly thought for awhile, in my insane middle school mind, that maybe that meant that God only had plans for me for that 25 years on this earth and then I'd be done. But there I was, driving a truck full of people down the road and God (as if he were sitting in the front seat with me and we talk back and forth like this on a regular basis) was like, "You couldn't imagine your life beyond 25 because your old life is gone and I've started something new in you. I called you here to recreate you and to give you a new name." Of course then it hit me that I had left the states and moved to San Juan at age 25. Silly, but pretty cool. He also told me this verse...

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)  WOW.

...And then we pulled into the guesthouse and piled out of the truck and I went to squish some avocados into guacamole and life continued as normal. 

But I guess I wanted to type this up because I know I going to continue to doubt and to wrestle with anxiety and control issues and to feel like I'm not adequate and to bang my head against the desk because I've forgotten who I am and I've taken my eyes off Jesus... but yesterday he spoke to me, so I'm writing a blog building an altar to remind myself. 

Remind myself that I'm not worthy, but I'm called. That I'm nothing, but he LOVES me. That I'm a heap of gloriously and seriously BEAUTIFUL ASHES and yo quiero ser portador de su gloria-  I want to be a bearer of his glory. 

Un Año Nuevo

Happy New Year!

This past Saturday Dan and I boarded a plane from Minneapolis to Santo Domingo. After a wonderful Christmas visit with my family, we were heading back home to our dear San Juan. The plane touching down amongst palm trees and sparkling blue water was a sight for sore eyes. We had only been gone two weeks, but we'd missed home. We were prepared for it to be tough to get back into the swing of things, especially since we have hit the ground running (landing an hour AFTER our first team of the year arrived!), but the transition went smoother than we planned in many ways. We just love what we do!

We have 2 teams this week (Volunteers in Medical Missions and Danville, PA). Both teams are doing barrio clinics and have been so much fun to be around. I don't think I will ever stop being blown away by the amazing people and teams that God brings here. There is just so much talent, love and generosity!

But before I get too far ahead of myself, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on 2011 and all the amazing things that happened. Here's a little photo collage of our past year:

Diego got to spend the first (and probably ONLY winter of his life) in Bristol, CT where we stayed with Dan's family during our fundraising and transition into our new life in San Juan (JAN 2011)

Visited Family in Minnesota on our way out of the country- enjoyed the last bit of cold
with a good night of boot hockey! (FEB 2011)

My sister announced during a family photo that she was engaged! Yay! (Feb 2011)

Boarding the plane for our flight to Santo Domingo! (FEB 2011)

After a couple of weeks of training, we said goodbye to Shannon and Joe and sent them back to the states for their new role as Executive Directors (Mar 2011)

We met Nicole Eby and were SO happy to have her become a long-term part of our Solid Rock staff (Abril 2011)

Took our first trip to the beach (Abril 2011)

Experienced a first ever city-wide concert of worship with the Northwoods Team (June 2011)

Celebrated my 26th birthday with awesome friends and food! (July 2011)

Discovered a new love for snorkeling (Aug 2011)

Diego and Genny (a street dog) fell in love and she became part of our family (Sept 2011)

Attended my sister's wedding in Minneapolis- Yay! (Oct 2011)

Had our first Dominican Thanksgiving Feast to share with our wonderful friends and family (Nov 2011)

Blessed by a visit from Dan's parents for the holiday :) (Nov 2011)

Went to an awesome Medical Conference in Cabarete with 2 of my favorite people- got hats! (Dec 2011)

Enjoyed our first Christmas season in San Juan (Dec 2011)

Spent Christmas in Minneapolis with the family (Dec 2011)

So excited to see what new adventures 2012 has in store!!