Feliz Navidad!

I just wanted to take a moment to say FELIZ NAVIDAD , Merry Christmas to you all!

I pray for blessings for each of your families and I pray that you will join me in remembering our brothers and sisters in the Dominican during this holiday season.

I have received several emails recently with Greetings and Blessings from the church members there. They wish to express to each of you that they think of you, even if they do not know you, and they pray for blessings for your family! It is amazing how the family of God is always connected and how we can pray for those we do not know and God can answer our prayers and bless those people! Incredible! 

God Bless Each of you and I hope that you will receive many Incredible blessings in 2009!!

Much love to you all, 

from, 

Tiffany

Euri Fabian, Omar Cedeno, Mariel Stevens, Victor and Yudermy Jimenez, Wandy and Yamille Guerrera, Ricardo Luis, Jessy Luis and all of their families.  Merry Christmas!

Unforgettable moment #4

                                             Yudermy with her cousin Illonca
Franklin with 1 yr old daughter Alondra
Christopher with his cousin Nestor
Victor with 4 year old Kimberly

Kimberly sure loves her baby cousin!!

... I don't know about you but when I am extremely hot nothing sounds better than a dip in the pool! I think I was just as excited (if not more excited) than the kids when Victor came in and asked... "Que persona quiere ir a la piscina??" "Who wants to go to the pool?!"

It took a lot of preparation but we were on the road by 2 pm with a car packed to the brim, we were traveling a few hours away to visit Yudermy's cousin Illonca and her husband Franklin who is the pastor of a new church in Punta Cana. 

Most of us would drive 2 hours to a pool, spend a few hours and then return home, but not here in the Dominican! If your travel time is more than about 10 minutes, you are spending the night, possibly even two! 

... We had a wonderful time with Franklin and his family, I enjoyed playing with the kids in the pool and then visiting the new church in Punta Cana... the people are so on fire for the Lord and it was an amazing service singing praises to God with the Dominicans!

So that is my favorite moment #4 from the Dominican Republic, ... more to come! 

Moment #3

The rains came Down and the floods came Up...

I will never forget during the second hurricane that I experienced in La Romana, getting a call and hearing that the church was flooding pretty badly. When Victor and I were able to get out to go to the church the rain was already up to our knees and beyond, people were wading through the streets as the mighty rush of water went flowing in all directions. Children could be seen playing in the water and store owners could be seen standing on the stoop where the water had flooded up too. This storm was particularly bad, people lost their homes, my friend Jordany and his family lost almost everything they had, there was no school, no church, no classes of any kind for a week and when the rain finally subsided we were all left standing in wonder at the destruction the waters left behind. 

I will never forget going to the church with Victor and his young son Nestor, seeing the sadness come across Victor's face as we realized that all the sound equipment had ended up under water, and that most of that equipment was ruined. Then in the midst of it all, standing there in the water, Victor turned around, grinned and threw up his hands saying, "what's a little water?"

He told me, "this is life, life happens, now we pick up the pieces, we clean what we can and we move on, thanking God that we have our health and our families and our homes."

Personally, seeing all the sadness around me made me feel sad, but for Victor the sadness only lasted for a moment as he was immediately reminded of how many blessings God had given to him, his family and his community. I stood there after taking the picture of Victor and I praised God for this wise man that He had made my host.

I have truly learned So much from Victor in such a short amount of time, no pictures or words could ever express my gratitude to him and to God for allowing me to stay with his family and to learn from them. 

SO, now, every time it rains? I give even more thanks to God because I will gladly run through the rain clutching an umbrella because I'm reminded of how lucky we are; we do not have hurricanes in Southwest Virginia but God is still protecting us as much as He protects those who Do live through hurricane season year after year. 

Next time it rains, and others are complaining, you know where to find me... I'll be the crazy chick jumping in puddles saying... "what's a little water?" God Bless and Take care of those you love.

Meeting with the Elders and Deacons

Have you ever felt really really small? I can honestly tell you that I felt a wee bit small standing in front of the elders and the deacons of my church. I must say that it was a little intimidating staring at each of them as they stared back at me, but as soon as we prayed together, the burdens of worry and anxiousness disappeared. I felt so blessed to be able to share my heart and my passion for the DR with these men whom I have so much respect for. It was exciting to see the looks on their faces as I spoke to them in Spanish a bit, answered different questions they may have and then to share with them the video presentation I had spent so many hours stressing over. I can say with full confidence that God was with me that night and I am so thankful for the opportunities He has blessed me with recently to share this excitement for the work that is being done in the Dominican!

I was told that my church supports my efforts and will gladly bless me with monetary support when I begin classes at bible college and from there, only God knows. I am very hopeful and excited to begin preparing and sharing my presentation with the congregation and with other churches. Thanks to all of you who have lifted me up in prayer, I truly appreciate it!

Meeting with Jim went Really Well

Although I was a nervous wreck, my meeting with the Senior Pastor at Belmont went really well. 

I met with Jim Bayne to share about my trip to the Dominican, and although I was a bit embarrassed when the computer started acting up, I did appreciate the time it allowed me to share stories with Jim and to answer questions he had. 

Once the computer finally decided to work I was able to share with him the DR presentation I had created. I was very pleased when he said that he was excited about my passion for the DR and that he looked forward to me sharing this with the elders and deacons the following week and eventually sharing with the congregation. It brings me great joy to know that Jim is pleased with my work and with my heart for service in the DR. He was very supportive of my desire to finish my education at a bible college before relocating to La Romana and he stated that the church would support me in my efforts of a bible college education. Praise God!

At this point I look forward to sharing more with everyone and seeing how God uses my weakness to prove His strength in every situation!

God Is Good. (Dios es BUENO).

Favorite Moment #2

Well some of you will remember my awesomely bad story of getting locked out of Victor's car in the rain on the way to pick up some of the guys at church...

My favorite moment #2 comes from that day... much later, when we finally arrived at home and were able to relax a bit. 

Victor had allowed Omar, Jeffrey, Melkis and Ricardo to come over for an evening of dominoes but unfortunately Ricardo had skipped out on us due to the rain. Omar and I were up against Jeffrey and Melkis and while goofing off and trying to get them to smile in the pictures, Omar and I came back from losing horribly to win the game!! YAY! 

I was so happy because I was finally improving in the world of Dominican Dominoes. :-)

This was a great night, getting to know Ricardo's friends better (especially Melkis who I had yet to spend a lot of time around). It was a stressful day but a great night spent laughing and joking and watching the boys eat lots and LOTS of popcorn. hehehe. 

Favorite Moment #1

I've decided now that I'm home to update the blog every few weeks with a picture and "favorite moment" from La Romana. There are so many things I simply cannot share in a 5 minute presentation so I thought this would be a fun way to share with all of you.

Moment #1: Playing Baseball with our neighbor and missionary friend Carlos, Nestor (Victor's son), and Marleena and her brother Benjamin. That day was so much fun, playing baseball in the street and occasionally having to dodge the motor-bikes that would come whizzing by. This was the day that I learned how competitive siblings can be, especially when there's a baseball involved! hehehe. It didn't matter who spoke one language as laughter and sports can always bring people together! Its the smaller events and moments that get overlooked but I'm happy to have stumbled upon these pictures today. 

Where's Waldo or Where's Tiff?

Well I know some are wonderin' where I am as I just keep bouncin' back and forth!

I came down to Blacksburg again for a few days to visit family and get caught up with some friends from church which has been great!

One thing I noticed though is that each time I travel down the mountain my ear has started hurting a lot worse. Yesterday both ears were hurting pretty badly so my dad took me to the doctor and I'm happy to report that I'm not in danger of losing my hearing anymore but I am stuck with this vacuum effect behind my eardrum which is causing the pain. The doc said because my ear was in such bad shape while in the D.R. that it will take at least 4-6 weeks before I'm pain free and my hearing returns to normal but God is good and I know that the power of prayer is so much more effective than any medicine ever could be!

I will admit that I am very anxious to have this clear up, its been a lonnnng process of trying to get my hearing back and I am fed up with the ever constant migraine that has visited me for almost a week now! I appreciate your prayers and the concerns that have been sent my way. 

God is truly great with the way he encourages us through one another. 

On a different and much happier note... Tiff has a job! It happened very quickly and I am very thankful. I found a call center job off Plantation Road in Roanoke and it pays well and has many perks like 8-5 shifts and weekends off, which I've never had before so that is exciting. I'm looking forward to being able to attend more bible studies and do more things with the youth at church now as well as spend more time with family and prepare for the next trip. 

I'm surprised at how many have already asked me, "so when ya going back?"... and I'm even more surprised that I already have an answer to that one! 

This job I took is perfect in many ways but the biggest thing that drew me to it was the fact that it was a 6 month contracted job which ends at the end of April. I've been asked by the church in La Romana to try to come earlier and stay all summer so that I could try to avoid all the hurricanes as well as be able to do more classes throughout my stay there. The 6 month contract seemed to be an answer to prayer as I know no other job would allow me to return so soon to the Dominican. I will be starting different fundraisers soon as to be prepared long before May. My current hope (unless God guides in a different direction)... is to return to La Romana between May 5th and 8th and stay until August 5th as I promised my little sister that I would Definitely be stateside for her birthday in August next year. 

I would truly appreciate your continued prayers for God's wisdom and guidance in my life as I make a lot of decisions and as I am searching for a place to live. Finding a job came easier than I thought it would be but unfortunately finding the right apartment has been a lot tougher than I though it would be. I know that God is with me every step of the way so I am excited to see where I will end up and how the coming months and year will shape me and prepare me for the life of missions I know God has called me too! God is truly teaching me to rely Fully on Him so that is what I'm striving to do!

God Bless each of you as you listen to His voice and I would love to hear from you... 

What is God teaching You today or this week?? 

 

Oh the Joy of Email

I'm trying my best to transition back into life here in VA. 

God has showered many blessings on my family and friends and I'm looking forward to the upcoming weddings and times of catching up with those I love. 

So far I've attended my cousin's baby shower, had lunch and caught up with friends and celebrated an engagement of two of my good friends and now I'm looking forward to going to a wedding this weekend. 

I can't believe how much has changed in two months, God truly works in mysterious ways and I am so glad to be a part of His plan in this world! 

I'm currently sending out my resume and Praise be to God I already have four interviews lined up for this week! I know that I have a lot of decisions to make but at this moment I am at peace knowing that no matter what path I take God is right beside me guiding me along the way and that I still have a bright future to look forward too. 

I truly thank God for technology, for this blog, and for the gift of emails and text messages as they have come in very handy as my friends from the DR keep in touch. It is truly wonderful to know that I have brothers and sisters all over the world and that just because I leave one location doesn't mean that relationships have to end. It brings a smile to my face each time I see an email or a text from a friend from down there or from right down the street... I know its hard but I'm determined now more than ever to try to be a better friend when it comes to keeping in touch! :-)

God bless each of you as you go about your day and I hope that your inboxes are filled with messages to bring smiles on Your face too!

Home Sweet Home...?

I've been asked close to a hundred times in the past few days, "SO, how does it feel to be home?!"

I have several responses to that one...

After the ordeal of trying to come home, it's a Huge relief to be back in Va with family. I must admit that the huge hugs from my sisters and parents has been great the past four days. At first I answered the question with "It's great to be back and I love catching up with everyone..." Today I realized that the time with family has shielded me from the reality that is my life at the moment... I'm in a place where I have to make a lot of tough decisions.

Once I was at my house trying to focus on the finances, returning phone calls and sending out my resume, reality began to sink in. I know this sounds silly but Reality really struck when I was grocery shopping. As I'm walking around looking for long grain rice I had become so used to buying in La Romana I'm getting more and more overwhelmed at all the huge signs in English and everything being in dollars. My brain is a little confused and I rush to a deserted aisle where I say out-loud... "I am NOT in the Dominican Republic! Now what do I do?!"

In this moment answering that first question, "How does it feel to be home?" would've been answered with "I'm Not home."

I guess during the past 4 days I knew I was back in Va but part of my brain had been hoping and waiting for the time I'd wake up and still be in Victor's house. It's hard to try to take care of things when I can't run into the other room and say, "Victor, Help me!" ... I can no longer run to the church and be greeted and comforted by my dominican friends ... right now everything is just_ different. 

Don't get me wrong, I truly am happy to see my friends and family here in the States, each person is very special to me and I've missed everyone like crazy... I'm just having to realize that it may take time for me to figure out how I fit into a life in Va once again. 

Right now if you ask me how I feel about the phrase "home sweet home" I would tell you that I'm struggling as each time I hear someone say "welcome home!" parts of me are screaming "HOLD UP, wait a second, I am Not home." Home to me is where my heart is and in this moment my heart is still back in the Dominican Republic praising God with my brothers and sisters and singing in Spanish at the church. 

Some of you may remember that it was difficult for me to leave the dominican last year as well, because I felt like I had found my home and yet I was having to leave. 

This time I am sad and I am missing my life in the DR, but I return to Va with a totally different thought process. I come back a different Tiffany, as I am now more determined to live a life of Hope as I work towards the future I know God has prepared for me. While living in the DR I caught several glimpses of the live God is preparing for me there and although I'm very anxious to live that life, I'm trying to accept this waiting period as God prepares me in my own country before sending me to another. Those who truly know me will tell you, "Tiff is not a patient waiter"... I never have been, but at this moment, I'm truly trying. 

I come back this trip with hope in my heart for the future as I am confident that God is using this time to help me mature and to prepare me for a great work serving others. Every day here is a chance to Thank God for his many blessings, this week has been spent thanking God for cooler temperatures and the hot water and many blankets it's taken to warm me up, not to mention my home, my car and all the many people I've missed the past few months. 

I do miss the dominican way, more importantly I miss the people and I hope one day all those who I love in the Dominican will be able to meet my awesome friends here in the States. 

As I find myself in tough situations I no longer am stressed and worried as I was a year ago wondering, where will I live, how will I eat, where will I work, ... those questions still linger but my Hope and Faith is in Christ, and I know I'll be taken care of. 

Whatever each of you are facing in this moment, I want to encourage you, because this world is not our home! As that old hymn says "we're just passin' through"... we have the hope of Heaven so nothing we face here on earth should be allowed to drag us down. We are SO blessed in this country... and in Va I am So very thankful that Hurricanes do not threaten our every move. ...

As I'm keeping each of you in my prayers today I am also thinking of my friends in the DR and praying for them as well... 

these people mean so much to me and I hope that I can share these relationships with those of you who are willing to listen...

Please keep in your prayers: 

Victor and his family, Yamile and her family, Mariel, Omar, Euri, Carlos, Ricardo, Francisco, Jeffrey, Melkis, Kenny, Rhode, Pascual, dear Margarita, Paula, Nairobi, and so many others...

God is good and I praise Him for what He's taught me and is continuing to teach me. 

Many blessings for each of you and thanks for reading!

The Airline was Not my friend

I guess I need to fill everyone in on the reason I made it home a day late. My twelve hours of travel time turned into almost three days... what an adventure that was!

here is a run-down of my trip home...

I purchased my tickets in May so over the summer I continued to receive email confirmations of my flights for August 1st and October 4th... 

found out that I was supposed to leave Friday night not Saturday night so...

6:00 pm Friday Night October 3rd ... Victor and I head for Santo Domingo

8:00 pm We enter the airport and are told to wait for an hour

9:00 pm Victor said goodbye & I tried checking the bags, but was told wait for two more hours

11:00 pm I get anxious & want to know Why they won't let me check my bags. I'm informed at this point that there are No Jetblue flights that night or the next day.No one could tell me Why.

11:30 pm after calling Victor he comes to my rescue, drives back to the airport and we go together to get some answers... we are told they still don't know why. At this point Victor demands to see someone from Jetblue or he's calling a lawyer... that made attitudes change Really quick as we were immediately shown to the Jetblue office. 

12:00 am I'm learning that Jetblue cancelled all midnight and early morning flights in JULY

I explain that I purchased the tickets in MAY and that it was in JULY that I got a 2nd confirmation email, No notice of cancellations

Jetblue ignored the fact that my primary contact was email and instead called AUGUST 

22nd to tell me of the cancellation... (at this point I'd been in the country for a month with a suspended cell phone as it doesn't work in La Romana). 

5 people begin working on another flight for me, I'm handed the phone where I'm   apologized to by a supervisor who said it was their mistake, I was overlooked and no email was ever sent. 

1:00 am I'm calling my parents telling them I'm stuck in the Dominican Republic for at least another night, possibly for the entire weekend...

I speak to yet another supervisor and I explain that my dad was waiting for me and that I Had to be on the earliest flight possible. They put me on a flight from Santo Domingo to NY at 12:30 pm Saturday, problem was... No connecting flight to NC

2:00 am I'm calling my parents again and we're discussing the fact that I don't feel comfortable staying in NY for a day and night by myself. Jetblue promises that a Jetblue Rep will meet me just outside of Customs to take me to a driver who would then take me to the hotel... this sounds good to me so I agree.

Saturday Oct 4th 08 

4:30 pm I land in NY

5:45 pm I'm still walking around looking for the Jetblue rep ... after being sent to Information and Hotel reservations I'm told there is no reservation for me, take two air-trains to Terminal 6 where Jetblue reps are. 

6:00 pm I'm Lost... big surprise... a flight attendant meets me in the elevator and asked me if I was okay and after hearing my pathetic story she takes me to the jetblue people in terminal 6 where she had to interrupt the guy who was upsetting me telling me he had no notes about anything I was saying and that I should've had a phone on as they tried to call me back in August. At this point I yell to keep from crying and I start From the beginning and tell this man and his manager the whole story and what I was promised by the Jetblue Supervisor... after listening, they send me to an office to speak with someone higher up.

6:30 pm I enter the office and the flight attendant explains what's going on, I'm directed to a chair where a nice lady named Phyllis asks me "honey what's wrong, are you okay?" to which I replied by bursting into tears. After 48 hours without sleep and 24 hours without food I was exhausted, and my patience was completely worn down. I said through all the tears, "I just wanna see my dad! I want to be in Virginia NOW"

These nice women had to call 5 different hotels but finally they found a room for me and by 7:00 pm I was finally in a hotel room and what a relief it was to finally lay down!

By 9:30 am Sunday Oct 5th I was being tackled by my little sister Leah in Charlotte's airport and I had never been so happy to see my family in all my life.

God is so good, keeping me safe and allowing people like the flight attendant and Phyllis to cross my path as without either of them I would probably still be in NY upset and ready to come home. My amazing trip to the DR had ended with a very stressful couple of days, but through it all I've learned many lessons. No matter how much I plan or think things are under control, I Have to trust God every single step of the way, I am never in control of anything and the devil likes to throw the unexpected at me just to see if I'll trip and fall. I have a Wonderful God who loves me and will catch me if I do happen to fall and He has blessed me with a great family who have learned as much as I have during this experience. I praise God that I can now share openly with my family the desires God has placed on my heart, and although some don't understand why I want to go live in a 3rd-world country, I am very blessed by the guidance and advice everyone has given me. 

I look forward to the next trip and the next adventure... and as I've promised Victor and my dad... it will NOT be on a Jetblue flight, lol. 

 

Oh The People I will miss

I'm not good at Goodbye, never have been, as I always think, "it Can't be goodbye, what about tomorrow and the future?" ... Well we are never guaranteed another minute or another day so I must say my goodbyes and continue to pray that there Will be a future and more time with these people here.

One of the saddest moments yet was riding in the car yesterday, laughing and talking with Victor and then having him look at me and say "tiffany, i go to miss you." The language barrier has never gotten in the way of communicating with Victor (thank the Lord), and this is one of those times where we both know what we're trying to say whether it comes out correctly or not. I have never been so happy to hear someone say "I know God has a plan for you"... I have so much respect for Victor and for the people here and it means so much to me that they see God working in my life and that they too have hope for a future for me here in the Dominican. 

There are so many amazing people I wish I could introduce all my friends and family too..

my brothers Omar and Jeffrey who are amazingly talented at any instrument they touch, Jeffrey is a goofball and so much fun to be around and Omar has a heart of gold and is willing to help anyone he meets, he is such a good friend. 

Sweet Nairobi who always has a grin on her face, I swear no matter what mood I'm in I can't help but smile when she's around, she is such a special girl and I see her growing up into a beautiful young woman every day.

Mariel and Paula, two of my favorite girls on this earth... Mari has been my angel, always helping me with the english students, she has so much on her plate and yet she is always so friendly, so upbeat, and so happy... and the same goes for Paula, both of these girls care for their fathers and siblings, they cook and clean and act as mom and sister and friend all the while going to the University to study and to improve their lives and the lives of their family... Truly remarkable women. 

My dear Jessie who is Ricardo's sister... I wish she were my sister, she is so kind and I love talking to her. She speaks perfectly in english and she's so helpful in explaining things to me and I know that I can trust her with anything. :-)

And Ricardo, he is a great friend and I am so proud of him for pursuing his music, he will be a great rap artist one day and I know he will go far in life simply because his focus is on sharing God's love with young people, fame and fortune are far from his mind and for that I believe God will bless him tremendously. 

This whole experience has blessed me with truly amazing friends and the best part is that they are all my brothers and sisters in Christ so if it turns out that we never again see one another on this earth, I have great joy knowing that we will spend eternity together in heaven! Praise God!

Sunday Sept 28th Happy Birthday Euri!

Today I had the great privilege of throwing a birthday party for my dear friend Euri. After cooking all afternoon I was excited when people started arriving, our "small gathering" turned into about 30 people filling Victor's house, but it was a great time of fellowship so we didn't mind. We had a big dinner and then celebrated Euri's birthday with cake, dominoes, and lots of laughter.  Oh and by the way, Euri isn't kissing the cake, lol, he's just blowing out the candle! 

It was a gorgeous day and an amazing night, one I will never forget. I heard this said on 7th Heaven one time and it kinda stuck with me... cheesey I know but I'll share it anyway

"What makes a birthday? A day where we celebrate a new life on a new day and on that day every year we celebrate with a person who has another chance to start fresh, to look forward to something new happening... when you think about it, Everyday is someone's birthday somewhere, so why not celebrate those new chances for a fresh start Everyday?" 

This got me to thinking, and I think we should take the time to celebrate with friends and family whenever we can because its true... it's someone's birthday Somewhere, so why not join in and celebrate a new day and a fresh start? I'm glad for new days and fresh starts, the devil likes to get at us sometimes but its good to know that the Lord is watching over you and he blesses you with each new day, a new day not to duel on the things of yesterday but to make a fresh start for yourself. 

I pray that you all had a chance to Rest and to Celebrate with your families Sunday... Even the Lord took a day to rest, so I think we all can use a day too!

God Bless each of You

I just wanted to go to the grocery store.

So today was a huge day for me because Victor gave me his car to go pick up some of my friends. I've driven with him and with the family a lot but today he trusted me enough to take his car out alone. So I drove extra slow, extra careful dodging every little hole and every stinking motorbike person. 

Everything went perfectly... until I try to do something nice. The guys were not ready yet so I thought "ya know Victor did a nice thing by letting me take the car, I want to do something nice for him" so I filled the tank and then headed to Jumbo to buy food to make a great dinner for everyone once we finally got home. Wouldn't ya know... I'm sitting at a red light RIGHT IN FRONT of Jumbo and ... the car dies. 

Okay I'm sure you're thinking "no problem, she gave it a minute and then it started again." 

Oh no, I Wish I could tell you that is what happened. Picture this... I'm sitting there in the black mazda that has now decided to completely lock up on me to the point I can't get it in neutral in order to push it to the side so I'm trapped in the middle of the street with angry dominicans yelling at me in spanish (and I'm glad I couldn't understand them) and people going all around me. So what do I do? Well... first I panic, then I look over and I see a police officer so I try to get her attention. She's not looking at me so I get out of the car and wouldn't ya know as I'm yelling for her someone comes by and the next thing I know the door is shut. Once again... no problem, I'll just open the door...

"Oh, no."

"oh, no no NO!"

"Oh please oh please"

I'm locked out of a car that is not mine that has died in the middle of the street, the keys as well as my money and ID are now locked inside and I'm trying to explain all this to a dominican police officer who I still don't think understood me. 

Okay... don't panic, this is not that bad. 

"Are you KIDDING ME???"  I scream, as rain begins to POUR down on me. 

Ok, I've always said I believe God shows us how much he loves us through the rain... let me tell You, he was REALLY loving me in that moment as I was soaked within seconds. 

So I'm thinking... this really can't get any worse, I'll just ask to use the police officer's phone (as I like an idiot did not think to bring Victor's cellphone with me). 

"Por favor, yo puedo usar tu telefono?

"Lo siento... no es trabajando, no tengo minutos" 

Police officer... carrying a dead phone... wonderful. 

So at this moment... what else is there for me to do? I sit down on the sidewalk in the pouring rain and I pray... and then I pray again hoping for a miracle.

The nice lady police officer feeling sorry for me at this point gathers money from a stranger so I can use the public phone that's "easy to find"... across 4 lanes of traffic. So off I go praising God that I have money to call someone and I run in and out of cars all the way to the pay phone. 

"Yay! I can call for help!".... 

"Nooooo I don't remember Victor's number!!!"

 "think... think... what number have I called recently that I can remember?"

..."Omar! help me! I can't come get you because I'm stuck in front of Jumbo. Necesito ayuda AHORA!!!!" 

So now I praise God because I remembered a phone number and I'm praying that my one phone call got the message across and that help was on the way.  So I return to the car and can't get over people's ignorance as they see the yield lights blinking and no one in the car but still decide to yell and honk their horns instead of going around the car. 

One nice gentleman stops, asks if that is my car and he says "I go to find a mechanic" (in spanish of course). Praise be to God! The mechanic comes, I say, "Please I just need to get in the car," and I am very blessed because the man was speaking a little english. He told me not to worry that I'd be in the car in no time but that he would charge me.

As I watch him work in the rain Omar appears and we both stand there dripping wet and I have never been so happy to see a friendly face. 

He asked me... "if this happened in the States, what would you do?" 

I said... "first? I would call my dad! because I would have my phone with me!" 

he said "No I mean would a person you don't know help you?" 

I said, "sure, I made all kinds of new friends during the year I drove my Kia and had to push it Every single time it rained because the starter would go out." hehehe. 

After about an hour now of standing in the rain the door to the car is opened (YAY!) and Omar and I try to get the gear un-stuck, he starts rolling and we push the car to the side of the street. By this time I have the mechanic and then another guy who actually got the door open. A third gentleman comes with a car so I can jump start it but we have no cables... Lucky for us I remembered that Victor had a secret compartment in the trunk with a bag in it... lo and behold Jumper cables! After about 20 more minutes the car finally decides to start. So now I learn an important lesson... No one stops to help you out of the goodness of their heart.

I have three dominican men arguing with Omar about me paying them a ridiculous amount of money... all because they see dollar signs when they see an American. I had already told the mechanic I would pay him for getting me into the car but I had not planned on two other men I didn't know because Omar and I were thinking, we'll push the car and call Rick and Suzanne to come jump the car, but these men never gave us a chance. SO as Omar argues that I only have a little money another man comes and he's trying to run off with my jumper cables! 

After 600 pesos (they were wanting 2000 pesos EACH (close to 100 bucks each for getting my car jumped), three very not happy dominicans, and one almost thief, Omar and I drive off to head home. ... "What a day Omar, I never thought it was going to be that difficult."

(phone rings)... "Uh Tiff, that's Victor, he's very upset and worried." 

I of course have been thinking the whole time "victor's gonna kill me"... We went home and I explained everything to Victor and he says... "I so sorry for you." and then he starts laughing!

I ask why and he says let me show you something...

First, I learn that Victor has other keys to the car... had I been able to think of his number... problem solved. Secondly...

We go out to the car and there was a button that I had apparently hit with my knee that caused the car to die... all I had to do was hit it again and the car would start... but of course I did not know this. 

So Victor says "I'm sorry for you, first time you take my car, ... you had a very bad day, next time you have cell phone, ...and my number." lol.

What an amazing host I have, he wasn't angry as I thought he would be, he was just sad that I had to waste money to get the car working again when all along he had what I needed to solve the problem. 

So many lessons learned to day. 

1. God loves me bunches and bunches

2. Always carry a cell phone and know your host family's phone #

3. why waste time and effort trying to solve your own problems when HE the Almighty one already has what you need to solve them? 

Just as I did with the car, trying to do things on my own, so it is in life sometimes... I need to focus on God to take care of things, not try to do everything on my own because He already has all the tools, I just need to simply ask. 

I hope you all found a bit of humor in all this as I'm sure I will tomorrow after a good nights sleep... God is good and I thank Him that I'm safe and sound back at home.

  

Prince Charming's in the shower

I've never been so much of a girly girl that I didn't enjoy the outdoors and different animals, but I must say that something comes over me when I see an incredibly large frog in the shower. Actually I didn't see him until I was already in the tub but I heard a noise and decided to get out and lo and behold there was a huge pale lime green frog sitting behind the bucket.

Now this may not seem like a big deal to you but after a few nights of sleeping outside with the lizards I was really looking forward to a nice shower... Alone. I'm so glad I could also be the comic relief to the family as I went into the kitchen with the look of shock still fresh on my face saying to Yudermy... "um, I can't take a shower,... Nestor, come here, help me!" Well I thought boys were supposed to be invincible but Nestor backed away just as fast as I did after seeing the large frog. So then we both run back into the kitchen and told Yudermy... um, there's a frog... in the shower. 

Yudermy went and had a look and started laughing and went and told Victor who also had a good laugh, meanwhile I'm standing there still wanting that shower by myself but now I have half the family and a stinkin' frog in the bathroom with me. So Yudermy gets a glove on, looks at me and says "are you sure you don't want prince charming?" and starts laughing really hard as I exclaim "if prince charming has to jump in the shower for me to find him, I'd rather not find him at all!!!"  Hehehe. 

Ya know I just thought, this would make a pretty great tribal name don't ya think? "one who sleeps with lizards and bathes with frogs?" lol. 

One of those unforgettable moments I thought you'd all enjoy. :-)

Life in the Dominican... what can I say? Always an adventure.

God Bless and take care. 

7 New Sisters!

If ever I thought that there was a mighty work being done in the Dominican Republic, I truly believe it now more than ever!! In the past few weeks 9 people began meeting with Victor to talk about baptism. 7 from Cuerpo de Cristo and 2 from the new house church at Pica Piedra. On Sunday we all had the privilege of witnessing 7 women, one girl about 11 years old, her mother, three teenagers and three older women accept Christ and make the decision to be baptized. There is no way to explain the joy that I felt watching these 7 women each step down into the baptistery, be immersed in the water, and stand up as new creations, their old selves and all the sin that dragged them down being washed away. One of the women was Senora Cordero, the mother of my dear friends Euri and Francisco. It was so amazing to see a woman I know so well and have spent time with over the past 8 weeks, decide to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. As I stood beside the water, filming everything for Victor, I saw the tears stream down Mrs Cordero's face, as she new that although she like all of us don't deserve what Christ did for us, we accept his gift of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation and look forward to eternity in heaven with the Father. I wish you all could've been there, seeing each of these women being washed of their sins, and seeing the joy that shown in their eyes because they now know that this life is not the end, we have so much more to look forward too!

This is the reason I desire to live in a third world country, this is the reason I can say goodbye to those I love and follow the call God has placed on my heart. God has done so many amazing things here and I want to be apart of His plans. To see people being filled with Hope and Love from God, it fills my own heart with joy and I thank God each day for saving my soul so many years ago. It is an honor and a privilege to work here with the wise elders and pastor in La Romana, I pray each day that God will bless their ministry so that more people, young and old will know the hope we have in Christ. 

Victor sat down with me last night and we talked for a long time about why it seems that some lives seem to be lived out so easily while others struggle and go through many hard times. I will never forget Victor looking at me with all sincerity in his voice and saying... "Because some people like you, like me, have hope for a future, we not live for today and pleasures we have today, our hope and our future is in Christ so we work harder than most people."

He is right, God promised us eternal life and freedom from sin through his son, but He never said it would be an easy life, and sometimes as Christians we should be working harder in this world to make a difference. Satan likes to attack our minds because its our thoughts that others can't hear, can't help us figure out, so Satan gets right in there filling our thoughts with doubt and discouragement, but today I choose to believe. Today I choose to be filled with joy in knowing that I have been given the gift of salvation and that my savior Jesus Christ is preparing a place for me in heaven. I believe that its time to start thinking not of what I Can't do, but what God Can do. He is the Almighty One, the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, and if He can take the time to create my every little part, He will take the time to walk with me and to help me when I simply can't do it on my own. 

Our God is so BIG, so Strong and so Mighty, there's Nothing my God can not do! 

I miss singing that song at camp, it just might have to be brought back again as it is so true, there is Nothing in this world, nothing we struggle with or face that is bigger than our God. 

Thanks to each of you for sticking with me through this journey, and I pray that you have been blessed through what you've been reading and that God has in some way touched your heart or opened your eyes to something you haven't thought about in awhile. Dios Te Bendiga... God Bless You.

Hearing is so much better than Not hearing

Why is it that as humans we have to be without something before we truly learn to appreciate it? I've been thinking a lot about this as for 3 weeks now I've been without hearing in my right ear and my left ear is simply tired of straining and tired of listening. Why before now did I not say "Thank you God that I can hear?" Have any of you said, Thanks to God that you can hear or see, or smell? Little things yet without them we learn their importance. 

There's been a rooster here that for the first few weeks kept waking me up with his loud obnoxious crowing at 3 or 4 in the morning, but now I realized how much I've missed hearing that. Sitting in church and watching the body of Christ here sing and shout praises to God and to only be able to hear a little of it... oh the things we miss hearing when suddenly the blessing is gone. God could've chosen not to allow any of us to hear birds chirping or the sounds of children laughing, He could've chosen not to let us see the bright sun shining or the smile on the face of someone we love, He could've chosen not to allow us to smell the wonderful smells of cookies baking or sweet flowers or the beautiful smells of a newborn baby. 

God could've chosen Not to... but instead he Chose to. He wants us to hear, to see, to smell, to feel because its through all these senses that we can explore this beautiful world He created for us. What a blessing it is to have an such a complex yet wonderful body God created. 

Today I give thanks for the things I can hear, I can see, I can smell, I can taste and I can feel. I thank God for the amazing Dr. Pena I was able to go see who didn't rush us through even though there were tons of people outside the door. He was caring and compassionate, asked about all my family history and what he could do to truly help make me better. It wasn't the antibiotics and drops that I truly appreciate although they are great, its the honesty of a doctor who cares. When's the last time you went to see your doctor and  you were welcomed as a friend, had a wonderful conversation, and then were shown out of the office without ever having to pay? I was amazed and so thankful for Dr Pena, he is also a pastor here, and he treats his patients with so much respect that the love of God truly shines through him. I will never forget that experience or his kindness. 

What are you thankful for today? Doesn't have to be big, it could be something small like an eardrum that works. :-)

What a family...

There's just this unexplainable joy I get when I see Nestor and Kimberly's faces light up when I ask if they want to play Dominoes. I realized last night and today how much I've come to love them as my little brother and sister, and how much I'm going to miss having them scream "Tiffannnyyyy!" when I win at dominoes or we are chasing each other around. I've focused a lot on the classes, church, and teaching but today I just stopped for a moment and truly appreciated this family. It's been wonderful to be in the house of Victor once again and to be apart of their family. I have never seen a brother and sister who love each other the way Nestor and Kimberly do, and they are so open in sharing their love with their parents too, hugs and kisses all around in this house! ... Victor and Yudermy are with-out a doubt wonderful parents and I admire what they have instilled in Nestor and Kimberly. God truly blessed me last year when he placed me with this family and no amount of money could ever repay the hospitality, the love, and the wisdom that they have shared with me. 

I admire how active Victor is as a pastor, his work doesn't stop after the sermon is over, he's involved in the lives of the people here, he plays basketball with the youth and maintains friendships with everyone. He's always there to listen and welcomes anyone to his home. His philosophy is "this is not mine, this is God's so why not share it?" I hope this mentality continues to stick with me. 

Yudermy is the most devoted wife and mother I've ever met, she is such a quick learner, and I can tell that she's understanding a lot better now in English. I enjoy talking to her and observing her as she teaches Kimberly, helps Nestor with his homework, keeps up a spotless and beautiful home and does So much more. The neighbors adore Yudermy and come to visit her all the time, she's also very admired in the church, the ladies all love her and she is a great teacher with the young children. She stays very active and involved and she is so devoted to God, its evident in everything she says and does. I hope to be half the mother and wife she is one day, she truly is amazing. 

Oh and my dear little bro Nestor, who's energy is ever abounding and his competitive drive matches mine perfectly. At first it was difficult to talk and understand but as time went on we've developed our own way of communicating and I love spending time playing with him. He is so smart and picks up on things really fast, if he had the desire to learn English I know he'd speak it in no-time as every time I've had someone at the house for a lesson he'd just walk by and start repeating whatever it was that we were saying. He's an incredible kid and I can't wait to see what he's like as a teenager!

And sweet little Kimberly who wants so much to remain the baby but at the same time wants to be a big girl and be independent. She's grown up so much over the past year and I love it when she comes in my room to have a little talk. I can understand her so much better this year and its wonderful to talk with her because children have more patience than adults and a lot of the time she just thinks its funny when I say something. I think she's liked having an older sister as I now have a shadow whenever I stand at the mirror to brush my hair or if I put on makeup before church or something, she loves using chapstick because she says she's a "little lady" when she has it on. I'll miss the moments of giggles and smiles with her and having her fall asleep in my arms almost every time we're in the car. :-) 

God has blessed us all with amazing families, and I hope today that I can learn to appreciate my own family back home as I've learned to appreciate my dominican family. My mom told me a long time ago that God placed her on this earth to be a light in my life to guide me along the path until it was time for me to light the way for someone else. Let's all thank our parents today for being that light, without them, none of us would be where we are. 

What goes Up comes back Down.

I believe each day is a new learning experience and a chance to learn to "go with the flow."

When thirty kids are not paying attention it can be frustrating and easy to just get angry but I've learned to instead, improvise. Ok so what? The kids are restless and can't sit still, what do I do? I take them outside! Make up a game on the spot so they can practice their english words & get them running around and all of a sudden the bored faces turn into smiles and laughter! I am truly the student here & the dominican kids are my teachers, I'm constantly learning to adapt to new situations, try new things, & to never Ever expect things to go as planned. :-)

I can't wait to start applying things I've learned here to life back in America, so many things need to change!... Ok so I know the truth hurts but here it is, we are just too darn busy and in a hurry all the time! Who cares if things don't go the way we think they should go, if they didn't we'd miss out on some great moments like trying to help my entire class build a human pyramid and then seeing them all crash to the ground and everyone laughing and having a great time. 

I'm constantly making plans, trying to stick to a schedule and make sure everything gets done, but ya know, from now on I'm looking forward to days where I can just let the Unexpected happen because its often during those moments that God says, "hey you! I'm trying to get your attention!"

Sure I could get frustrated and try to force a class to happen, but we learn so much more when we are just having Fun. I know crazy thought, fun? what's that? I work too much, I don't have time for fun! What do ya say we make a little time for fun today, you never know what you'll learn if you do. 

God Bless You, have a wonderful day, and make some time for Fun! 

I'm Falling in Love

I think people are funny to watch when they are falling in love. You know, the huge grin they seem to have plastered on their face and the way they seem to look as if they are daydreaming all the time. Don't you remember those moments when you completely embarrassed yourself just trying to impress that person you were falling for? 

When love is your driving force you'll Do anything, Say anything and Go anywhere just for the one you love. 

I've been thinking a lot recently as we are preparing for a lot of baptisms this coming Sunday about my life as a new christian versus my life now. On Sunday I sat there looking at the baptistry and remembered that it was just a year ago that I watched my dear friend Tresa have her sins washed away and I remember seeing her glow and the huge grin that was on her face. She's probably going to kill me but I dug up a picture and that is what I'm showing you... 

Tresa smiled all that day and it was truly evident that she felt the love of God in her heart stronger than before. 

I am excited for the dominicans here who have made a decision to follow Christ because I know that in the moment their sins are washed away and they come up out of that water they too will have the grin of someone in love, they too will be ready to do anything, say anything and go anywhere just to share the love of God that they feel with someone else. 

This is probably not the way you expected this entry to go after reading the title, but it's true, I am falling in love all over again with Jesus Christ my Savior. When I wake up I know I've been blessed with a new day, when I feel the warmth of the sunshine and I am able to get the laundry done I know its because He blessed me with the strength to do it. When I'm working out and feel that I just can't do it anymore I feel His love giving me the drive to go a little further. When I'm at the church and I'm singing my heart out I imagine my Jesus smiling down on me from heaven and that puts a grin on my face unlike any other. 

Everyone has a desire to fall in love at some point in their lives, I just pray that every person will accept the gift of the strongest love in the world... from the God that created you and me.

Since that day in 1995 when I first accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior I must admit I've been on the greatest roller coaster ride of my life. Accepting Jesus means you also except the sometimes hard life that follows, if you don't believe me just read about his disciples who at times starved, were ship wrecked, thrown in jail, hated by people... you name it they experienced it. But what kept them going? A love that never fails, that is patient and true, the love of Jesus. Sure I've had my ups and downs and sometimes I've even had to just spin around for awhile; but following Jesus Was and Is the best decision I will ever make because each and every day I fall more in love with Him and I am willing to Do anything, Say anything and Go anywhere just to share His love with someone else.  

My challenge to you is this... are you ready to fall in love? He's been waiting for you all this time. You thought you were running from Him but really he was running beside you the whole time just waiting for you to stop a moment so he could tell you He loves you. He says he doesn't want to harm you, he has a plan for you, to give you hope and a future if you will just seek him... with... All... Your... Heart.(verse for the week)... Sure he wants your mind and your talents too, but first, He wants your Heart. Do you have that silly grin on your face yet? If not, go have a talk with love of all loves, He'll put a smile on your face, guaranteed....

Sunday= An Incredible day!

What an unforgettable day! I've been told that when you have a day like today to journal about it because you'll want to remember all the details while its fresh on your mind. So here it goes...

The service today was marvelous! I am so thankful for great dominican friends like Euri, one of the elders Wandy and his wife Yamille who helped me in my moment of panic when the church computer wasn't working, the cd that the music was on wasn't working, and Wandy's flash drive wasn't recognized by my computer. Between the four of us we fixed the computer and came up with a solution for the music, and got the words to the song Mighty To Save typed out so I could breathe a little easier. 

I went and prayed for awhile as I was sooo nervous, then I decided to get some fresh air. I was met by Jose Luis Castrol, a professional singer friend of Victor's who was also going to be singing at church today. Victor had already told him I was singing so he decided to pick on me for awhile saying that Americans have a different way of singing and it's very "cute" like a child singing or something as apparently to him we all sing very soft and angelic like. I thought that was pretty funny. He gave me one of his cd's and then it was time for the service to start. 

The singing was a lot longer today but I truly enjoyed it, at one point they asked Ryan to come up and play drums as we sang, "Celebrate Jesus, Celebrate!" That was great to see Ryan being involved with the worship. After Yamille shared the Announcements, the offering song and the prayer Ricardo came and told me it was time. The first song was "this is my desire" which Ricardo and I sing really well acapella but Omar, Jeffrey and Tony came up too so we had the piano, electric guitar and drums going, so I honestly couldn't tell ya how that went as it was so loud I couldn't hear! hehe. 

Today the heavens opened and by some miracle I was able to speak to the congregation in Spanish without stuttering or saying something wrong, Praise be to God! I wanted to share with the congregation what these songs meant to me and to Christians everywhere. I explained the power of God in the second song Mighty to Save as the spanish version simply says "God can save" not "He is Mighty to Save" as it says in English. 

The words in Spanish and English were on the screen so I sang part of the song in English and part in Spanish. People started singing along by the end which made me really happy and overall I had a wonderful time praising my Lord in two languages! After I sang Victor came up and said he didn't know he had an artist right here in La Romana but from now on I was going to sing every Sunday (to which I was frantically shaking my head, No Victor, please don't say that!). And if that wasn't enough, Jose came up and imitated me singing and said that There was that sweet little American voice he was talking about! lol. Jose sang half the songs on his album and he was Wonderful. I truly loved a song he did called Me Salvaste (You Save Me) and it was Reggae style so he had us all up on our feet dancing, it was so much fun! As Ryan, Erin, and I were dancing with all the Dominicans I thought... this is what heaven will be like, a huge party where people from all different backgrounds will come together praising God in one voice!

Our theme for the day in music seemed to be God Can Save and it was amazing because that is exactly what Ryan chose to speak about today. I don't know if any of you have ever had the opportunity to hear speaking in English and translated in Spanish but it is quite interesting! As Ryan would pause and Rick would translate, it kept you on the edge of your seat waiting to hear more, and it truly helped me understand the Spanish as it somehow clicked in my brain how Rick was translating what Ryan said. I believe my favorite part of the sermon is when Ryan compared the new church opening to the story in Mark where Jesus was speaking at a house and 4 friends brought their paralized friend to Jesus but the house was so packed and overflowing that they had to go to the roof and dig a hole to lower their friend in to see Jesus. Ryan challenged us saying, "Are you like one of the friends who would stop at Nothing to see their friend come to Jesus because they knew Jesus was Mighty, He could Save and Heal their friend?" or  "Are you like one of the people already crowding the house, those who go to church all the time but are so focused on finding Jesus for themselves that they ignore and often push away those who need to Come to Him." 

Yes, it was great to have my friends here and to be able to speak to them and understand them, but the greatest moment for me was seeing Ryan up there impacting the hearts of everyone in the room. I truly believe Ryan is an answer to prayer as I've prayed for a year now that the Lord would send someone to light the way. Just as Rick and Suzanne will be teaching Ryan and Erin how to be missionaries here, I believe in my heart that Ryan will one day share that same wisdom with me. I am so excited to see what God will do through Ryan here. He stood there, with tears in his eyes, saying he was looking forward to the day he could walk down the streets of La Romana and share Jesus with people in Spanish, and he spoke the words I've been feeling in my heart for many years now. After church was just another great time of fellowship with lots of hugs and "God Bless You's" going all around. 

To finish off a wonderful day, we had a great night at Rick and Suzanne's house (the American missionaries and Ryan's former bible college professor). What an awesome sight to see, a bunch of Americans and Dominicans playing dominoes, trying to communicate, laughing and joking, and having a great time of fellowship. We had a wonderful dinner and celebrated Victor and Yudermy's anniversary as well as Wandy and Yamille's anniversary. Then we did something that my Grandma Hodge would be so proud of... we played BINGO! hehe. It was interesting with about 30 people playing but we had a lot of fun doing it helping each other as Rick would go back and forth from saying the numbers in Spanish to saying them in English. And let me tell you, when chocolates are on the line, they take Bingo very seriously!

It was a long but beautiful day and I couldn't think of a better way to end it than to sit in a circle listening to the elders of the church here pray for Ryan and Erin and ask them different questions. Victor tested Ryan a bit asking, "What if the elders here do not think you are ready and told you not to come here?" and Ryan's perfect response was... "Then we would go back to God in prayer and ask where He wanted us to be." 

After that there was a lot of people wondering how old Ryan and Erin are and how long they've been married. (from the expressions I saw, many were surprised at how young they are). I asked if I could share something with the elders and Rick translated for me. I told them that I've known Ryan my whole life and there is no one that has a bigger heart for missions and for the people here than Ryan. When I was young and a camper at BRCC, Ryan was my junior counselor who understood when I said I knew God wanted me to be a missionary. I told them that I have loved living here and that one day I pray God will bring me here as a missionary but I know that right now He is still preparing me but that He has already prepared Ryan and that I believe he is an answer to prayer. Pascual one of my favorite elders here and Victor started clapping and then Victor went over to Ryan and said, "Welcome." Its one of those moments I wish everyone could be a fly on the wall, just to witness the wisdom of this pastor and the elders who trust in God for everything... they just wanted to know more about Ryan and to see if He too would trust God, even if the answer was no. 

It made me think of the very first mission trip I was supposed to go on, to Mexico that I unfortunately had to miss. And I remember my dad saying, what will you do if God says No? Just because the answer is No sometimes, does not mean that God is not going to open up a door or a window for you in the future. That very next year, I won a scholarship and so my mother and I were able to go to Mexico, to follow the dream I knew God placed in my heart. It was during that trip that I truly knew I would be a missionary one day and that I was not meant to "settle down" in America. I believe God answers my prayers, not in My time or in My way but He does answer prayers, and I trust in Him to show His power and perfection through answered prayers. I never dreamed I would win a scholarship to go, just as I had no idea I would be blessed with an opportunity to be here at the same time with Ryan and Erin, or that I would be able to teach here, or live here for two months. My tiny little brain thought, a week maybe two but through God, I am here for one more month. 

I can't believe it but it's already a month down and a month to go, and I'm already dreading the thought of saying goodbye once again to my family and friends here. The one thing that gives me hope and peace in my soul is knowing that God does answer prayer, that he is bringing Ryan here to do a great work, and it makes me happy to know that another person who has the same desire that I do will be here with our brothers and sisters in Christ. I look forward to the day God has prepared for me to be a missionary, if he says No to the DR then I will go back to him in prayer, because I know with everything that I am that He is the One true God and that He wants me to share his love with people who are different than me. 

Dios es Bueno, y El puede mover montes! God is good, and He can move mountains!

God Went Out For Ice Cream

Ok so you are probably wondering why I would title something "God went out for ice cream" so I'll explain. Tonight after the new church opening Victor was very tired and ready to go to bed, so we headed home. As we were driving home, out of nowhere I hear, "we need to go get ice cream" which the kids loved as they started jumping and screaming for joy. So off we went to Bon, the ice cream store. We went in all excited about ice cream but we had no idea what God was planning to do at that moment. 

After about 15 minutes of sitting and talking with Yudermy and Victor as they enjoyed the ice cream I hear a voice speaking in English. I turn and the man at the table next to us asks me, "You speak in English?" and I said "yes, yes I do." He said he was surprised when he saw me walk in and heard me speak in Spanish and then he asked me if I was an American, where I was from, and what in the world was I doing in the Dominican Republic in a small town like La Romana. 

I shared with him a bit, and asked him where he was from. He said he was born here in the DR but had been living in FL until a recent job promotion brought him back here. Our conversation quickly turned from polite questions to an in-depth discussion when it came to 

"why are you here?" I shared with him how I've been living with Victor and that Victor is the pastor of Cuerpo de Cristo here and about the work we have been doing for the past month. The man (who's name is Jorge) asked me why I would want to stay here for two months. I told him that I love it here, the people at Victor's church are so on-fire for God and I enjoy working in the community with them ( I also told him about the new church plant and the work with Starfish missions). His response was less than encouraging. 

"No you do not want to live here. Trust me. I loved it here when I was young but now, things have changed and I hate all the crime and bad people here... and its no different in any of the churches I've seen either. There are tons of Jehovah witness churches and others that are packed with people, but yet these churches are located where crime has the highest rating, the church is focused on getting peoples' money and they aren't in the least focused on the community."

WELL, anyone who knows me knows that I stopped for a second and said... "Ok Jesus, I'm here, HELP!" So with Victor watching me, I scooted closer to their table and began to share. I can't remember the exact words, but I can tell you that the Spirit was present in that room and in me. I told Jorge that yes, there are bad people in the world, you can find them everywhere but you can also tell those who truly believe in God and those who do not. I do not know the people he speaks of but I can say with all honesty that he would not find those kind of people in Cuerpo de Cristo. I told him that it's one thing to know About God, its another thing to truly Know Him. As Christians, when we truly Know God we are baptized and have a personal relationship with Him. We change from the inside out and leave all the wickedness and temptations of the world behind us. I encouraged this complete stranger to give Victor's church a try, and I promised him that what he would find there would be people who have the love of God in their hearts and smiles on their faces. I love the body of Christ here because the people truly work as the body of Christ, hands and feet that help one another, help other churches and are out in the community wherever there is a need. 

                I told Jorge when the church service starts and what he could expect to see there, then I introduced Victor and told him that I had been sharing with these people about the church. I say that God went out for ice cream tonight because I could feel him right there beside me as Victor then began to speak to Jorge and his wife in Spanish. Jorge's wife began to share her frustrations with the "church" in general and how we should not be focused on peoples income but on what's in their hearts (they have huge issues with the idea of tithing). I cannot tell you all that Victor said, but I can tell you this much, after about 5 minutes of sharing with this couple, their demeanor completely changed, the skeptical look on Jorge's face and his wife's crossed arms turned into a slight smile and open arms leaning in to hear better. THIS is the reason I came here, God is working in such awesome ways here and I want to be a part of it! I praised God in this moment, and as we said our goodbyes and Jorge promised to try coming to the church on Sunday, I looked at Victor and grinned when he said, "Thank you, I know God made you do it." 

I told him that I am truly beginning to see that "cada momento es un opportunidad por Dios trabajar" Each and Every moment is an opportunity for God to work. We were just going out for ice cream, and God came too, I don't think he was there to indulge in some brownie or chocolate chip ice cream, but I do think he was there to plant a seed and to do a little watering. 

Do I believe that Jorge needed to hear from God tonight? Absolutely, but not in a church (as we saw his reaction to that), no... Jorge needed to meet God over a bowl of ice cream. 

So where do You need to meet God? I'm sure He's willing to go anywhere to meet you. Did you know He has a special plan and a special moment to bring you to Himself?

He's not pushy, he's not going to drag you into church and down the isle to be baptized. He's patient and He loves you soooo much that He's willing to wait for you, as long as you will come to Him. 

I'm not the best speaker and I tend to babble sometimes, but I want each and every person who reads this to know something. I want you to know the Truth, that the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE loves you, that He sent His son to die for Your sins because He wants you to live Eternally with Him. 

He wants to see Your name in the Book of Life, and so do I! ... 

Michael?, Jackie?, Denny?, Leah?, Courtney?, Joan?, Jamie?, Libby?, Anna?, Cheryl?, Donald?, Sean?, James?, Jamie?, Chanh?, Chelsea?, Max?, Kevin?, Tammy?, Brad?, Erin?, Stacy?, Pete?, Melanie?, Tiffany?, Tresa?, Letisha?, Tom?,  Tracy?, Ashley?, Chris?, Brittany?, Kendra?, Sara?, Linda?, Dawn?, Tim?, Margaret?, David?, Tabitha?, Tammy?, Brandon? Karen?Matt?, Josh?, Audrey?, Bain?, Kenny?, Tyler?, Pam?, Aaron?, Brianna, Keith, Kevin?, Ryan?, Victor?, Euri?, Francisco?, Benjamin?, Marleen?, Ricardo?, Tony?, Manuel, ... Jorge?

He's calling your name, whether you see it written or not is up to you!