¿Por que la Dominicana?

Why the Dominican?

Many of you are aware of the journey we have been on for the past few years.  Soon after we were married, we both felt a call to ministry outside of the United States.  We had no idea where or when, what it would look like, or how that might come to pass.  What we did know was God was moving in our lives and preparing us for a journey. 

In 2009, we were introduced to Fred Billings (President of AIM).  Jaime (J’s father) came to us and said he’d been working with a guy on his baseball team who had been on a “baseball” mission trip to the Dominican Republic.  When we met Fred, he quickly told us the story of their first trip and began his pitch for us to join him in the summer of 2010.  Although Candace was unable to make the trip due to being in nursing school, my dad and I decided we would go and scope it out for the girls.  It was clear from the start we were in over our heads.  We were trying to run a baseball camp for 200+ Dominican boys and girls between the ages of 2 and 16 with only a few leaders, a few Spanish speakers, and a whole bunch of chaos.  Initially, my dad and I struggled as we tried to run the camp ourselves in our own way (the way we would run a baseball practice in the states), but we finally realized God would do all the work if we would simply allow Him to take over. 

The following summer, Candace and I both made the trip to the Dominican.   J initially resumed work with the same community and many of the same kids from the previous year.  Candace, on the other hand being a first-timer, began her week with a plan of attack in one of the poorest communities.  She only thought she knew exactly what was going to happen and when it would happen; however, her introduction to the campsite began when close to 150 children (majority of them under the age of 5) began running down the hill toward the baseball field.  (Imagine an ant pile…) After the first day, Candace learned the lesson my father and I learned the previous year.  Yet, she returned each day and gained a new vision for these people and their children.  Between jump roping, singing, games of red rover, arm wrestling, and countless other games, Candace fell in love with the Dominicans.  In addition to the games and loving on the children, Candace served on a medical mission team.  She was able to reach out to the community by helping teach basic hygiene and sanitation, administering vitamins to children, and holding a one day clinic which
treated a variety of ailments and wounds. 

When we came home after that week, we told our story to anyone who would listen.  Everything we talked about included the island, the culture, and most importantly the people- their love, their passion, their complete trust in the Lord.  That was when we began to recognize something we didn’t expect, our bodies were “home” but we had left our hearts in Sosua.  We quickly realized God was moving in our hearts and lives for something foreign and new.  He was preparing us for a journey that begins with the Dominican Republic...

We are so excited about the work God is doing in the Dominican and the work He has chosen to do through us!  The only way I can possibly describe our excitement is from the children's song:

 

"I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart. 

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart to stay!"

We pray you are all experiencing joy today!