Gifts

Morning devotions were led by Paul from 1 Cor. 12 focusing on spiritual gifts. Thanks to Mary it went down a path of spiritual journey in which the entire team benefited. Breakfast was pancakes, hot boiled eggs, and the ever-present fruit.

Monday's are always a visit to the marketplace. The team passed out about 500 gospel tracts while witnessing firsthand how most of Azua shops. These are small stands set up along the streets selling everything a person needs. There are no Walmarts in Azua. Tailors, cobblers, bags of grain, piles of produce of all colors, freshly caught fish, hanging meat, live chickens, stacks of clothes and piles of shoes all decorate the crowded street as people jostle and motor bikes try to squeeze through. The sights are both colorful and filthy, the sounds are noisy and chaotic and the smells are usually not pleasant; in other words a great Azua experience. Without details, the team was able to also touch some lives on a personal level on their walk.

The next stop was Estebania to visit Pastor Wilfredo and his village of fellow Haitians. This incredible servant of God makes his living as a dentist but works tirelessly for his poverty stricken people. The team has supported this ministry for many years because of Wilfredo's dedication to the Lord. The children were dressed in their best and greeted the team as they always do with song and dance. The team helped with feeding the kids, played with them, and discussed future plans with Wilfredo before having a lunch of chicken, beans, and rice in his humble living area. Wilfredo's wife made a special cake in honor of Dan's birthday last week.

While some of the team was enjoying Dan's cake at Wilfredo's, Dan and Nathaniel were purchasing household items for the family effected by the fire. The daughter will be released from the hospital tomorrow and they have no place to live and apparently the situation with the father is not good. It's a sad story but the team is using their people resources to help this family recover. Nathaniel was able to have a deep spiritual conversation with the mother which is a blessing.

About 5pm the team was invited for a meeting and supper by a well-known local pediatrician. The delicious meal consisted of beans and rice, goat, chicken, potatoes, yucca, avocado, tomato, and french fries. This woman has a heart for young women (girls, actually) and the incredible rate of pregnancies in Azua. She noted she once had a twelve year-old who was pregnant. The health, psychological, and social ramifications of this cultural statistic is very sad, to say the least. It's rare in this area for a girl to be married before having a child and most girls are pregnant by age 16 or 17. She would like to offer her services and resources to the new center being built by Nathaniel and the team. This will be an incredible gift to this impoverished area.

The evening was concluded with the Jesus film in a dusty ball field. Mostly kids but many young men were in the attendance of over 100. Dan, Paul, and Nataniel talked and praise music followed. It was a good day. The team is healthy, eager to serve, and working together well. One Spirit, one focus, many gifts.