We are home

We have been home for a week now and are missing the experiences we have had in the Dominican Republic, the people we have come to love, know serve, and serve with and the relaxed culture.  We laughed, prayed, cried, played, with some amazing people.  Our team of 52 represented 7 states and 3 countries yet we gelled right from the start and worked together like a team who works together on a daily basis, it was  God thing.  We ran out of medications but God always provided what we needed when we needed it.    Our team verse is 1 John 4:19 "We love because He first loved us."  We shared our love and compassion openly with our team and those we met which created smiles, tears, laughter, meals, jokes, opportunities and hugs.  We each left a part of us in San Juan De La Maguana and the experiences we had there has given us SO much more in its place.

On Monday we did our first clinic which we worked to work out kinks and learn a bit more Spanish as we learned our roles.  During our lunch break we were asked to pray over a young woman on our team who is facing a hard time.  No one asked for details or why, we all responded by praying over this young woman, vocally and silently, for God to give her strength and courage as she faces what is laid ahead for her.

On Tuesday we saw a lot of sick people at the barrio clinic and that evening we met a family of three who one of our doctor's had the tough task of letting the parent's know that their 13 year old boy had maybe a year to live.  He has a neurological disease that is degenerative and lethal, he had to drop out of school a year ago.  Their faces are etched in my mind, his mom crying as we entered the room to pray, his dad's face had a brace stance yet broken edge, and the young man's face was pained and after we were done praying he cried out in agony as he thought one of his parent's was dying and then realized it was himself we were praying for.  I can still hear his cries.   I am still praying an d asking you to pray with me for him and his family as they go through this, for Val as she had to relay the diagnosis to his parent's and Roxanne as she helps Val through this.

On Wednesday we saw quite a few patients, two stand out in my mind the most.  The first was a young married woman who has been caring for her younger siblings after her mother's death.  She was extremely overwhelmed in the news that she was pregnant and how her father would react to the news.  One of our translators talked and prayed with her until Pastor Enul was available to talk and pray with her.  The next patient was a young mom of a one month old boy who appeared to be a proud momma, yet when she got the news that her boy was healthy her face and body language lit up the room as nothing else could.

Thursday found a good portion of our team ill, our doctors helping those on our team and those visiting the clinic at the barrio.  By the end of the day about half of us had some type of stomach virus that demanded a bathroom be close at hand.  We still worked as a team and got everything done and got almost all the scrubs cleaned and organized so the staff would not have to.   There are rumors of a large spider being left in Matthew's bed, but Luke got the wake up call instead.

Friday found us doing the finishing touches and heading to Santo Domingo to spend some down time in the historic region and our hotel before leaving for home Saturday.  We got home about 2am Sunday morning.

We saw a lot, loved a lot, prayed a lot, laughed a lot (thank you Kristi), learned a lot.  Each of us experience something different and reacted different so please ask us individually about the experience. We each got different take away from this experience so please don't be surprised at the different answers you hear especially since we are at different stages in our life in Christ.  

1 Peter 5:6-7 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exaclt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

I thank you all, we thank you all, for your support through prayers, hugs, listening, donations, and hugs.