The day started with some “mission trip housekeeping”. That meant going through and sorting about 12 suitcases full of donated clothes, exchanging money and finding internet access to update the mission blog. The house has wifi but we can't track down the password. The DR has an interesting communication infrastructure. No land-line phones or mail but cell phones. Breakfast was sweet rice and the ever-present and very delicious bananas and pineapple.
Around 11 am the team loaded up the bus and truck and travelled northwest to a town called Oregano Grande. This is a town located about 45 minutes from Azua and across a river. One familiar with this trip will remember that this is a village visited two and three years ago. It's secluded and in a beautiful setting between the mountains but very poor. The adventure is that the team needs to wade across a fairly quick moving river to get there. This is always a great time for photos and laughs.
The team participated in a worship service, delivered bibles and handed out tracts, crosses and candy. Of course, any time we come into contact with people we tell them that we are Christians from America and want them to know Jesus. Many prayers are offered for them to not only know Christ but for any personal issues they may experiencing. A seven year-old boy recited Psalms. It was especially moving when we found out his father was buried the day before. The new young pastor told us that they have not been visited by missionaries for two years (maybe us?).
After a late lunch of chicken, spaghetti, potatoes and rice Dan, Paul, Sonia, Megan and Betsy got dressed and attended Pastor Wilfredo's wedding. The rest of the team loaded the bus and truck and traveled to a neighborhood in the city to show the Jesus film.
It truly turned out to be a special night. The writer of this blog finds it difficult to put into words certain things of a spiritual nature that can happen during a mission trip. “Surpassing all human understanding” is a fitting description.
Part of the team set up the sound and video in a church while the others canvassed the area with Pablito encouraging people to attend. After prayer a good turn-out was realized to include Shawn's family's Compassion child Jenkys. Prayer and worship was followed by a greeting from each team member.
Prior to the movie the men of the community were called to join a group across the street from the church in the secluded yard of a house. Using Pablito for interpretation Jim, Mark, Eric and Shawn witnessed to about 10 men detailing their own sinful lives prior to knowing Christ. If you know anything of the culture here in the DR you understand how amazing this was. Men do not respect, lead or serve their wives and children are usually only considered a result of an act of desire. Men certainly do not confront their own sin in this culture. The Lord used these 5 team members for exactly the length of the film (His length) to plant the seeds of change. We can only pray that these seeds will root and produce fruit.
After the team had packed up and were boarding the bus Nataniel called and invited everyone over to Wilfredo's wedding reception at the rehab center. Never would we have imagined eating a wedding feast on the basketball court poured by this team last year! The bride was beautiful, the groom handsome and the dinner tasted especially good as the best man was paying for it (Dan). There was a lot of question as to the origin of the meal itself because of the near-dark conditions but that and Laura leading the group singing Happy Birthday (in Spanish) to Lance made for a memorable ending to a late, but great day.
