(Originally posted April 10, 2017)
I am going to give it my best effort to update you all on many of the things that have taken place in the past 14 days - as briefly as possible. The post will probably end up a little longer than others, but trust me, there is so much that has happened that it is worth hanging in until the end:)
14 days ago, on March 28th, 2017, the Lord finally (in His perfect timing) brought the word He gave me 7 years ago to pass. It was the beginning of the chapter I've been waiting for since the summer of 2010. My pastor and I boarded our plane with my 8 checked bags and we flew to the Dominican Republic. To say that I had a huge conglomeration of feelings is an understatement. I felt like someone had ripped out part of my heart and held it back in Mississippi as I left. Another part of me sat in that plane amazed. Was this really happening?! What would unfold over the next days as we looked for where I would live and when would God show me the work that He wanted me, Megan Mowdy, to do in Sabaneta? It wouldn't be long before we began to find the answers to the questions and hopes and desires that tumbled around inside of this humble, trembling heart.
Day 1. Lots of dead ends. I was trying to keep my eyes upward, as a dear mentor of mine always tells me. "Eyes ever upward, child. Eyes ever upward." However, it was hard to deny the fact that time was slipping away so quickly before my pastor had to return to the States.
(My pastor and I at lunch on Wednesday, our first day in Sabaneta. Y'all. This man loves the Lord with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength, and it is evident in all he does. He is like another father to me and shares the same burden that I have for the people of the Dominican Republic. I am so thankful for his influence and the way He has invested in my life over the last 8 years. I don't know what my life would be like with him and the other leadership in our church, Pursuit Church of Meridian, MS. Thank You, Lord, for my church.)
Day 2. Followed more leads on the second day. By lunchtime, still nothing. We had looked at so many apartments and followed so many leads, we were tired and wondering, "Lord, where is it? We know you have a place. Show us!" By dinner time we saw a house and had plans to sign a contract the next morning! We had always thought I would be in a small apartment, but instead of that, the Lord gave us a home that would double as a team house when Pursuit teams come! Praise the Lord! We stepped back from the house to take a picture and tears stung the back of my eyes as Bro. Jimmy said, "You can call this, 'La Casa de Megan.'" We thanked the Lord together, standing there on my dusty driveway in Las Espinas, Sabaneta, Republica Dominicana.
Day 3.
After a morning full of getting the run-around, we only managed to get the contract signed and the house swept out by lunch. We couldn't clean until the water and power were on. That morning the woman at the power company told me that the power wouldn't be turned on before Monday (this was Friday.) Whaaaat. We were hoping to sleep in the house by Saturday (the next day.) And the water wouldn't be flowing through the house to get it cleaned until the power was on. Needless to say, we were exhausted and had prayed a LOT by the time we sat down to eat lunch. Guess what? Somehow the power was ALREADY ON. We had free power for the first several days in my house. The Lord turned it on for us, I'm certain ;) And a new friend here in the DR helped us get the water going. Suddenly, in just a matter of hours, we had cleaned the house, went and bought appliances and beds and made it back to the house to eat dinner. The people at the appliance store told us that it would be delivered that night "if the Lord wills." Well, guess what? The Lord willed it!! They came that very evening and we got those things unloaded!
All that we had left that we wanted to get accomplished before Bro. Jimmy left was to move my bags from the apartment where we were staying into my new home.
Day 4. Saturday morning we did more work around the house with the help of new Dominican friends. Cabinets were painted and appliances installed. That afternoon, my bags were moved and then, all of a sudden, it was done. I was moved into my new home with the help of Americans, Dominicans, and Haitians alike. All of them were people that were provisions from the hand of God to settle me into the place that He has called me to live in and to extend His grace and glory.
That night Bro. Jimmy shared some last-minute things with me and we walked around my home, praying, anointing it, and dedicating it to the Lord. It was one of the most special moments in my life thus far. This house is the Lord's - may He be glorified in this place. And may all who enter it know and experience the life-changing hope that is Jesus Christ.
Day 5. 4:30am Sunday Morning. It was time to get into the cab and begin the ride to the airport. My heart felt like it was being gripped by the sadness that was inevitable. I stood on the curb as Bro. Jimmy checked in for his flight. He came over, hugged me, prayed for me, and told me that I was going to rock this. My heart in that moment didn't feel like it was rocking anything, ha. Not only was my pastor about to board the plane without me, but I was realizing that as much as I had tried to prepare my heart for the moment that I found myself in this country without my pastor or church team, there was no way that I could have been ready for the overwhelming emotions that crashed over me. I don't have words to put together to accurately describe how difficult that entire day was for me, but I can honestly say it was the most difficult day in my life thus far. The enemy took advantage of that heartache and piled on top of it an acute feeling of being all alone in a country (even though others are here that I'm so thankful for) and a heavy anxiety that came in waves.
(I am not sharing about the hardship of this day for someone to tell me how brave I am - because the reality is, I've been a trembling mess for several days. But like Paul said in the Scriptures, I boast in my weakness so that the Lord might be made great. So that His strength would be put on display in the midst of my inability to do this on my own.)
I was such an emotional mess that I had told the Lord I couldn't go anywhere or see anyone that day. "I'll start tomorrow, Lord." I felt like my mind was in a cloud and was afraid I wouldn't be able to understand the Dominican Spanish or be able to communicate effectively. God had other plans.
That afternoon I finally fell asleep from sheer exhaustion about 3pm. The Lord woke me up at 3:45 because I would receive a message from a woman who heard I'd made the move. She and her friend wanted to come see me. I believe that the Lord didn't want to waste any time and that night renewed a connection with this woman because He wants me to work with them in some capacities. It's amazing to think about it.
I'll write more about the invitation I've received from them to partner in the ministry already happening here in another blog post. This one has already turned into a novel -- there's just so much to share!
One more thing: I have to give praise to the Lord here on my blog for bringing a lost piece of luggage to us all the way from the airport two days after we arrived. Things can be replaced, but there were a few sentimental things in this particular bag that I was so thankful to have back in my possession. God cares about the things that matter to His children - big or small. Thank You for loving us so perfectly, Lord.
Please stay tuned for more updates from the first two weeks here in country. There is so much to praise the Lord for.
THANK YOU for your prayers and for your financial support. I couldn't do it without y'all.
