Prince of Peace

As we pulled up to the school, her face was a mask of despair. After being turned away by the teacher from attending for the day, Lily* slowly made her way towards home. A troublemaker, they say. Suspended they say. As we climbed out of the car and made our way into the courtyard, the principal called her back. She wanted her to attend this morning.

As she went to class, they gave us a little background. She was up through the night after hearing about the Boston Marathon explosions. She was afraid all night. She was saying things about her mother dying that way. They asked us to speak with her later in the day. While we were preparing the snack, the opportunity presented itself.

Lily came to the room wanting a drink of water, but God had other plans. We started talking with her about her fear. She was scared of the explosions in a place she had never been. A place so far removed from her own world. Yet the tragedy happened in the place we call home. We reminded her that God is in control, that He is bigger than anything else in the universe. That God wants us to be at peace, even in the midst of chaos. We talked and shared. Then we prayed.

We prayed against the fear. We prayed against any weapon formed against her. We prayed for her to be filled with peace. We prayed for obedience in school. At one point, I looked at her while praying and saw a bit of fear in her face. I can't blame her. At 8 years old, it's gotta be pretty scary for four grown women to surround you, lay hands on you and start intensely praying, especially when two of them are speaking a language that you don't know! So after we prayed, I hugged her and spoke to her.

I reassured her that we didn't do that to scare her, but because we love her. Because we want her to be successful and to listen to her teachers. We want her to be at peace. So I led her in a prayer, to own the process. To confess with her own mouth her need for God's peace and help. Her teacher came into the room, and Lily apologized, promising to try her best. We made a deal. She would daily ask God to help her, and we would daily pray for God to help her, then by the time we leave Friday, we would see a change.

But we saw the change starting in just that one day. The little girl who came in looking rejected, with the weight of the world on her shoulders, the one who looked apathetic and angry at the world, changed. By the end of the day, there was a big smile across her face. Her eyes were bright. Every chance she had, she came over for a hug and to say "te quiero mucho!" After school, while I was eating lunch, I was told I had a phone call. I expected the missions director back home. Instead, I heard a beautiful little voice saying, "Hola, Ashley!" She had called to talk, but with the language barrier, it didn't go much further than that.

I'm not naive enough to believe she's going to be a perfect angel from now on, in fact we saw the next day that she's not, but I believe there is a change already. I believe she's heading in the right direction. Her fear is gone, but her obedience in school needs work. I believe that the rest of our time here will help seal the work God has started in her heart.

Please continue to pray with us for Lily. During our last two days here, we will continue to work with her to help her with obedience, and with her teacher to best control and teach Lily, so that everyone involved can be happy and grow in wisdom.

*Name has changed to protect my sweet new friend.

Will You Be My Partner?

In less than two weeks I will be back in this beautiful country:

The Dominican Republic! Though this photo is from my last trip to Nagua, we will be working exclusively in Santo Domingo this time around.

I can't wait! This week-long trip will focus heavily on Children's Ministry and be jam-packed. It's a "small" trip, meaning there's only two of us going this time, myself and the lovely Brenda.

Brenda and I have done a lot of Children's Ministry together here at home, so I know this will be a wonderful trip! Our traveling team may be small this time, but the work load is not! We be working in almost every area of CM that you can imagine.

Our mornings will be spent in a local school run by our friend Pastor Forchue, organizing activities, providing snacks, and building relationships with students and teachers.

Once the children go home for the day, the fun will continue with just the grown ups! We'll host teacher's workshops to strengthen the skills of the teachers in this city. By partnering together, we plan to increase the resources and effectiveness of the local schools to give the children the best possible education.

Our evenings will be spent working with our friend Pastor Sergio and his Children's Ministry, running services specially for the kids. Last time we did this, expecting 50 children, more than 200 showed up!

As you can see, we will be BUSY this whole trip! It's going to be a lot of work, but it's going to be so worth it! Not just for the impact the Word of God will have in the lives of those we minister to, but for the relationships that will be formed and strengthened through our visit.

But before I go, I need your help! Will you be part of my team? Now before you answer, let me explain what that means. Being an Aspiring Ashley Partner means you agree to support me in prayer, encouragement, and/or funding. Some of you may want to partner with me, but can only offer one form of support. That's perfectly okay! I'll take all the support I can get :) But if you can support me in all three, that's extra awesome.

Missions trips are a lot of work, a lot of fun, and a lot of blessing for everyone involved, and I'd be foolish to hog all that! I would love for you to partner with me in the work and funding so you can also partner in the fun and blessing.

I ask that you give as you are able, whether money or time. This trip will cost $1200 USD to cover the transportation, lodging, and materials for outreach, so I need your help. While I ask for your financial help, please know that for every missions trip I take, I also pay for part of my trip out of my own bank account. In asking for funds, I ask that we truly partner together to make an impact on the lives of people around the world.

In return for partnering with me, I will say a huge THANK YOU! and you will get a follow-up letter so you know exactly how your support made a difference.

To join the team, please comment below, or email me at ashleyweb7@hotmail.com. Details of how to donate are available via email. I look forward to being partners with you!

Dominican Republic: The Ministry

Disclaimer: This might be a little long...but there are pictures!

This post has taken me a long time to write. Notice it's almost February, and the trip happened in October? I've been going back and forth since the trip trying to figure out how to write about this for someone other than myself. Because I've discovered a whole bunch of issues I never knew I had. First, I never put photos of other people on my blog without their express permission, but never had a problem doing so from missions trips. After Peru, I didn't think twice before putting up photos from that trip, and I'm not sure when I changed, but I did.

Because it bothers me that we go on these missions trips and then use these people's photos and names and stories and lives for our own gain. To say "look how good I am, see what I did?" To shock people with the conditions. To awe them with what we're doing. To raise funds for our organizations. But how often do we think to respect them by not using their photos and life stories for the whole world to see? And yes, I understand that these photos and stories provide "proof" of the missions work happening, where sponsor's money is going, etc. But how do we find the balance? With this new awareness, I've had a hard time with this post.

Then there's the safety thing. So many countries that are visited for missions work are dangerous, and sharing these names, stories, locations may cause problems for the people themselves and the ministers in those locations. This struck me hard not long after we came home. One of the men we ministered a lot with, who was with us nearly every day, went missing and hasn't been seen, aside from one reported confrontation with a group of people where he was pushed into a vehicle. This is someone I got to know. I went to his ministry, his home. I shared a meal and prayer with his wife and children. And suddenly he's gone, leaving behind a family and life.

In sharing the stories of the ministry work we did and the people we met, I have a responsibility to honor these people and their stories. To respect their privacy and safety, to treat them as the people I know them to be, not just statistics or stories to entertain. To find the balance between sharing and invading. Compassion did a post that addresses a little bit of this. I've come to the conclusion, it's okay to share photos and stories, but there needs to be  balance and respect. Every detail of their stories do not need to be shared. Names shouldn't be shared unless the person gives permission. Specific locations and photos that could identify those locations are off-limits.

For all these reasons and more, I've found this post difficult to write. Here's my best shot.

Much of this trip was more information-gathering than hands-on missions (visiting schools and churches, getting to know the pastors, cast the vision we have for the area, get their input, etc.) but we still did our fair share of ministry! Pastor spoke at several venues and we met with lawmakers to discuss the plan we have to help their country. We also did a giveaway at one of the outdoor church services. If I'm remembering correctly, over 400 people showed up! And they were so orderly and calm about waiting in line for their turn! New England needs to take lessons!

I did a little "medical missions". And by "medical missions" I mean I applied a bandaid to my little sweetheart, the local pastor's daughter. We had made friends with a woman visiting from California and she burned herself pretty badly while making tea, so I treated her, too.

Then, there was my favorite part of the trip, the children's ministry! I had planned for one night of a children's service. I was told there was about 50 children that would come....there were a few more than 50...

Notice some of the kids sharing chairs?? The place was PACKED! I taught them the Spanish song I had learned in Peru. I call it Chicky Chicky. I knew a lot of the kids coming had been in church and the children's program for a while, so I had written a lesson that would be appropriate for kids who know Jesus, and kids who don't. It's basically a lesson that God made us all with a special mission in mind, tying in the Gospel message. When it was time to pray, this was the response we had.

We ended the night with some singing, puppet dancing, and candy! It was so much fun, and such a fun time! I had a blast and it was one of those "This is What I'm Made To Do" moments. When we went to church later than night, the kids flocked around me, so I think they enjoyed it, too. 

Several nights we went to services at the home of a man who opens his property to church services and kids programs. The same day as the first kids program we did, Pastor spoke at the service in the yard. I had a pile of kids all around me the whole night. We danced together during the praise music, and sat on the grass together during the message. I kept trying to get them to listen to the pastors, but, like any other children, they kept talking and trying to ask me questions that I just didn't understand. A young man came up behind me and translated a few of their questions (hooray!). Soon after, Pastor had an altar call, so I asked this young man to translate for me as I started talking to the kids. I explained that Pastor was asking for anyone who wanted to know Jesus to go forward. I asked if they knew and loved Jesus, and they all said yes. So I suggested we pray together, me in English, and they in Spanish. I may not have understood every word, but man can these kids pray! 

As Pastor continued praying for the adult's various needs, the kids and I continued praying, and soon it turned into singing. My young translator started singing a song in Spanish that I recognized, so I joined in. It was "Let It Rain". It was such a sweet time of fellowship! Worshiping with my church kids is always a highlight of my week, and getting the chance to do it in the DR in two languages was so special! Huge thanks to my great translator and good luck with your studies at university!  (excuse my sweatiness...the Dominican is HOT!!)

That night the high continued! We stopped at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant where we got some so-so rice and chicken, and some delicious lamb! Once back at the hotel, we all agreed we wanted to swim to cool off, and got permission from the manager (it was past 11pm). While I was changing into my suit, I heard a drumming sound out my window and assumed it was just the AC. When I opened my door , it was POURING! We still went swimming, and it was so much fun I can't even tell you. It was raining the hardest I've ever seen, and then it just rained harder!! We were just swimming and laughing the whole time, it was marvelous. It was like God smiling down at us, cooling us off, and just delighting in what happened that day as much as we were.

 The second night of ministry was a God-organized thing. It wasn't supposed to happen. I showed up for a church service, and was asked "Ashley, can you share something with all the kids that are here?" Suuuureee....Almost immediately, a message formed in my head around one of my favorite Bible passages, Psalm 19, particularly verse 1. Talking about how the entire world was designed to show off God. I used my camera as an example (a Children's Minister can turn anything into an object lesson at the drop of a hat!) that pictures help us remember people and events, just like nature reminds us of God. 

 Sorry for the blurriness. The lighting was weird, and the power for the lights and microphone kept going out! This was the night of the giveaway, and there were hundreds of people, mostly kids! Way more than I've ever spoken to in my life, especially spur of the moment! But it went well, I think. The power outage didn't help keep the kids attention, but hey, they got the message.

This trip was so great, different than most I've been on. Maybe because I know that we'll be back, that it's not a one time thing. There's so many stories I could share, but this post would be so long!! I can't wait to return in a few months, hopefully with a better command of the Spanish language. We'll see how good this Berlitz program is!

Do you have a favorite missions memory? What do you think of the privacy/respect issue I talked about at the beginning? Its part of my new outlook on missions that I will try to share soon.

Mi Amor Deborah

Guys, I'm having a really hard time trying to blog about the Dominican Republic. There's so much we did and saw, so much that happened, that I can't decide what to share or how! And when I finally thought I had decided, my computer chose to act up. So, for tonight, I'm just going to share Deborah with you.

One day early in the week, a few of us went door to door (to specific houses of children in Pastor Sergio's program) to meet them and invite them to the kids program we were doing that week and some of the services. Our last house of the day was Deborah's.

Stone walls, about 7 feet tall, surround the property. A small, rundown house is tucked in the corner. Plants of all kinds have taken over the courtyard as chickens peck around for food. Benito and his wife take care of the property in exchange for the housing. As soon as we arrive, they bring out chairs for us to sit on. As we start talking, a somber little girl comes out of the house, very shy, clinging to her dad's leg. Our leader jokes about bringing her home with us. At this, Deborah runs to the house to ask her mom if its okay :)

Deborah starts to warm up to me as her parents talk with the Pastor (I speak next to no Spanish, so I just played with her, offering her some fruit snacks from my bag). The first few pictures I have of her show a very serious, stiff, and kinda confused little girl. She was so sweet, and leaving that house, I knew I would never forget this family.

The next night, we had an outdoor church service, and guess who was there! Deborah and her family! She came up to me right away, still kinda shy, and warmed up very quickly. Before long, we were playing, laughing, dancing, best friends! I took a "selfie" of us and showed it to her. It was the same as the first few, stiff and serious. I soon learned why. She kept looking at the camera, then at me, then staring at the photo again. I started pointing to us, and to the photo, saying our names. After about two minutes it clicked (with both of us!) I realized she had never seen a picture of herself, and didn't understand what a camera was. She realized what was going on and was so excited to show her daddy! She kept yelling "Papa! Papa!" until we found him and showed him. Then we took more pictures :)

Throughout the whole night, she never left my side. She sat on my lap in the grass during the service. One of the sweetest moments of the night was when I was holding her and singing. All of a sudden, she leans over and gives me a big kiss! This little girl is so sweet! I have lost my heart to this sweetheart and will definitely never forget this family. I can't wait to go back and see them!

This last photo is Pastor Sergio, Benito and his wife, me and Deborah :)

Dominican Republic: The Country

For this post, I'm mostly just going to share the beautiful pictures I took on this trip of the country and some of the places. Let's start with the hotel! It was way more than I expected! We each had an apartment-like suite! 

The view just outside our hotel

The courtyard, as seen from my front door. Yes, front door. As in, I had more than one :)

This is from the night I stayed in sick. I laid there, under the fan, watching Big Bang Theory while alternately freezing/sweating and feeling nauseated/dizzy. Not how I thought I'd spend my time here! 

Our first day out, we saw this beautiful rainbow right over the neighborhood we were working in!

 The following are some of my favorites shots from Los Frailles Este, the area we were in.

 We met the woman living in this next building at her mother's home next door, where she lives with 5 other children. She (the mother) is battling cancer, while one of her sons is sick and they don't know why. She came to Christ recently and is so on fire it's ridiculous :) Wonderful family. While at their home, we prayed with them, and were able to spend time with them at some of the services.

 I feel like this photo sums up the area. A mix of poverty, modern technology, and unfinished work.

This next photo was taken on the way to Nagua. This whole road was full of palm trees. At first, they were alive. Then there was this. A forest of dead palm trees. Kinda creepy, huh?

And can I just say, Nagua is stinkin' GORGEOUS!! These photos aren't even enough. It's just endless sky and water. Really, the whole time I saw more water than ever in my life. It was amazing and beautiful, all over. This is where we ate lunch, just to the right of these buildings.

 Then we went to the beach! I found this giant palm branch, and since it was a Sunday...

Palm Sunday!

 See us out there?

Such a perfect beach day, and the water was so warm. Nothing like back home!  

 Some of the places we did ministry. This is a church, similar to most of the churches we went to

 Some private schools

  Finally this last photo is a building we are praying about and looking into for a ministry we want to set up that would "serve the servants" working tirelessly in the Dominican. Pray with us that God will continue to open doors and soften the heart of the Mayor (whom we met with on the trip) to help us best serve His people! 

  Those are my photos for the day! Hope you've enjoyed this little glimpse into the country of Republica Dominicana!

Dominican Republic: The Food

To kick off my week of Dominican blogging, I'm starting with the easiest subject (and the one that I was made fun of the whole week for taking pictures of): Food! Trying new foods is one of my favorite things about traveling. It's a way to jump right into the culture, and there's no better way to make friends than to share food! 

In all my travels, the only regret I have is that I didn't get gastronomically adventurous sooner. I regret that I didn't try the Chicken Butt or 1000 Year-Old Egg in Taiwan. I regret that I didn't try the Stinky Tofu (okay, maybe not that one...). But after that trip to Taiwan, I decided I would try everything a country has to offer from then on, and I have! Remember the grubs in Peru? There was nothing strange in Dominican Republic, but everything was delicious! Wanna see some of it? I thought so! 

Unfortunately,  this is the only picture of our first meal in the DR that I have. It was at a fast-food type place (Sort of...there was a drive-thru window, and it was fairly fast) that served chicken, beans, yucca.  They had a dozens of chickens roasting on spits near the dining room. There were no doors or windows, or lights because it had all been damaged by a hurricane (it was very close to the water). Anyways. I was sitting and went to scootch my chair in, when my flip-flopped foot slipped, hitting the horizontal metal leg of the table. I knew as soon as it happened that it was bad. I looked down to see my big toenail broken and blood already dripping down my toe. So, I quickly excused myself with some water and tissues to perform minor surgery on myself. At one point, as I was carefully removing part of my nail, I had a small crowd of Dominican men around me making sound effects and "ooohhhh!!" and "aaahhh!!" noises. (I'll put up that picture as soon as I get it from my team mates) Kinda fun! haha. The final damage was half a toenail missing. I kept it carefully cleaned, bandaged, and wrapped the rest of the trip, but by the time I got home I didn't even need a regular bandage. In case you were wondering, it's pretty hard to make a pharmacist understand that you need gauze, tape, and an antibiotic ointment when you don't speak the language!

One of our first days was spent in Nagua, a coastal community on one of the most amazing beaches I've seen in real life! A few pastor's there took turns feeding us during that day. Meal one:

 Fish, rice, some sort of crab dish, tostones (my new favorite thing!), and fresh avocado. Fun fact: I didn't like avocado until I had it on this trip. Now I can't get enough! 

After service that night, we ate and fellowshipped at another Pastor's house:

The most surprisingly delicious meal ever: Yucca, Onions, and Cheese. I don't know what they did to the onions, but it was all so yummy together! I've actually been craving this since we've been back. 

One night we decided to eat at a mall food court, and I quickly decided on my usual mall-food-court-fare, Chinese. 

 It was pretty good, more like real Chinese food than what we get at home. I was happy...until I saw what Pastor discovered.

They ordered these fish, pork chops, chicken, rice, and salads. I tried some of the fish and it was so good! I was definitely jealous. Plus, their place had a waiter  who brought their food to our table in the food court. On the bright side, I learned the proper way to debone a fish from Pastor! 

Here's another lunch at one of the minister's homes. This cheese was everywhere and SO GOOD! Those pita-type things were actually crunchy, so not really like pita...more like over-sized crackers. Those drinks are homemade orange juice and tamarindo  which is made from some local fruit. It was yummy, almost cider-like.

 And of course, no food discussion of the Dominican would be complete without my new favorite fruit...coconut! There were vendors all over the place, so we had some twice. This time was right in front of our hotel, and bought for us by a fellow visitor (who lives half an hour away from us in the states!).  The vendors use machetes to cut off the top. Some will pour the milk in a cup, others just give you a straw. Once the coconut is empty, they pull some quick moves with the machete to slice the coconut in half, then use a spoon to scrape out the creamy white fruit. Which, by the way, is way better than I thought it would be! Real coconut tastes nothing like the shredded coconut used in desserts back home.

So, there's my little wrap-up of foods I ate in the Dominican Republic this trip! It's not terribly varied, but it was all so good! 

My new favorites? Tostones, Coconut, whatever that cheese thing is!
What's the best (or worst!) food you've tried while traveling?

Check back for tomorrow's post: The Country and Sights.