(Originally posted January 16, 2017)
Eight times I've boarded planes that have carried me to the place that I've come to love -- my feet have walked the dusty streets, aware of but not caring about the sweat rolling down my face, greeting all with an "hola, hola!", stopping to speak with curious Dominicans and sharing Bible Stories and praying with them as God gave the opportunities.
If you were to walk those streets with me, you would find that the majority of people spend most of their time on their front porches or with their front doors wide open to try to get some air flow through their un-air-conditioned homes on hot days.
Many times my teams and I have been invited to sit on a front porch in the plastic lawn chairs or small wooden chairs that the people would quickly pull out to accommodate us, giving up their very seats if there weren't enough extras to seat our small team of missionaries. Telling our story. Asking about their lives. Sharing as the Holy Spirit led.
Other times we have been invited into their homes. Usually if this is the case, there is someone sick and unable to come to the front porch for whom we are asked to pray over for healing. I could tell you many stories of these encounters. Even as I write now, I have pictures of people flashing through my mind...like Ramon, our friend who was in an accident that took part of his brain, leaving his head open and paralyzing him.
When we met him, he was lying in a very hot room, sheets wrapped around his legs, head propped on a pillow, and a fan blowing on his body from the corner of the small room. Two female family members took care of him with eyes of love and compassion. When we came in, the only part of Ramon that he was able to move was his eyes. His eyes seemed empty - lifeless. We had never seen anything like what we found in that little room that day...so around the lumps in our throats, holding his hand, we spoke of Jesus and His love for Ramon. We prayed for him, asking the Lord to heal Ramon for the glory of His name. We sang over him. We walked out and up the street from his home, we were all emotionally overcome. The next year when we found ourselves in his home again? He was sitting up on the side of his bed. Smiling. What, Lord?! Look what You've done!!! When I asked if I could take a picture of him, I was going to take it of him on the bed...but before I could, he stood up in front of me and smiled big for that picture!
There are so many other stories that I could share. Like the one of Dinora, who had had a stroke and was paralyzed also. We met her for the first time the same day that I spoke of earlier in this post...the first day we met Ramon. Our encounter with her was similar. We gathered around her, shared God's Word with her, held her hand and prayed for her healing. Short of a miracle from the hand of God, she would never walk or care for herself again.
Now, four years later, every year that we have returned, we have found her progressing, walking, and understanding and responding to the Gospel. She is the very first believer (besides our friend Miguel) to be baptized after confessing faith in Christ after all the years that we have been going and working in Sabaneta. Glory to God!
If I could wrap this up in a handful of words, I might say that behind every door, there is a story. There are people who are living lives just like you and I. They may look different than us or speak a different language than us - but when you look past that, they have joys and sorrows and struggles and victories just like you. Just like me. They laugh together and they cry together. And just like us - they need hope. They are looking for something to satisfy their needs and desires. They need Jesus. He is the only answer.
I am going in the name of our Lord to sit in those rickety chairs and to listen to those stories. I am going to walk through those doors and hear the hearts of people as they allow me to hear bits and pieces of longings and desires. And then I am going to give them hope. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I am going to give them Jesus.
I cannot get on the plane until I am 100% monthly supported. I am currently at 65% monthly supported. Please pray about becoming part of my ministry support team prayerfully or financially. Yes, pray with me that God will provide...but don't JUST pray that the Lord will provide. Listen for His prompting. YOU might be one way that He wants to provide. If that is the case, you can find information on how to give on the "Join the Team" tab at the top of my webpage.
( www.meganinthedominican.org)
Our God is great. I am honored to have the opportunity to commit my life to sharing Him with the people of the Dominican Republic.
Blessings to you!
