The Secret Life of Missions

I've been thinking a lot lately about Missions. In particular, Short Term Missions, the damage they cause, and if we can do better.

It's a lot, I know. My head is a fun place.

Here's the truth that most Christians don't like to think about, let alone acknowledge: Short Term Missions often do more harm than good. Think about it: how does spending tens of thousands of dollars to take teenagers to a "poor" country to do skits or construction help people? We can't even speak the language! Wouldn't it be more effective to send the money with a few skilled adults who could support the local leaders in a project they actually need and want? By paying local workers and suppliers a fair wage to build something that is truly needed and structurally sound?

It's time to get honest with ourselves: why do we take missions trips? 

Do we take short term missions trips for ourselves, or the people we're there to "serve"? Are we causing harm to the population we're going to? How do we tell their stories? Are they projects to fix and poster children for our blog, or intelligent and dignified people living their lives? How do we speak about their country to folks back home? And the kicker: is that country/city truly any different or improved after our visit?

These are tough questions, and I have more, and I don't really have answers yet. But I know that something about STMs needs to change. Don't get me wrong, I love missions (whatever that means)! I have been on several STM trips, and even have one scheduled for this summer. I'm not ready to throw out the whole thing. But that is precisely why I want to fix this thing we call missions.

Somewhere over the years we've twisted what the Great Commission is all about and made voluntourism a multimillion dollar industry. Can a short term missions trip accomplish good for all involved? Or are we just kidding ourselves and making everyone think we're super holy?

I'll be exploring all these themes over the next several weeks, and I hope you'll join me.

What are your experiences with missions: the good, the bad, or the ugly? Have you thought about the dark side of STM work? Is there a way to salvage STMs? Tell me your thoughts and let's explore this topic together!

Some resources that have started me on this thought journey:
- When Helping Hurts (book)
- The Very Worst Missionary (blog)
- The Failed Missionary (new podcast)

I'm Going to India!!

In case you missed the title up there...I'm going to India!

An internet friend posted recently that she had open spots for "folks who don't live in the Grand Rapids area" on an upcoming missions trip with WCSG Radio, so I applied. Because #missions and #India. Also because I've watched Ronne post about so many other trips over the past few years that didn't work out for me to join.

This time around, though, there was no reason to say no. When I asked for the time off, my boss actually said he's going to see about putting me in the employee newsletter and having the facility sponsor me! So once work was clear, that was it. See, God and I have a deal: I'll take action on any missions trip that comes my way unless I get a no from Him. No no's means it's a yes! And it's no coincidence that her post was just a few days after I put this random internet image on my vision board for the year:

So now, the details.
Right smack-dab in the middle of July I will be heading to the Kullu Valley of Northern India (right in the Himalayas!) with Orphan Outreach and WCSG Radio. Together we'll get to meet and love and play and learn with the children at DUF (House of Grace) Children's Home while they're on summer break.

A staggering statistic I just learned? 35,000,000 children in India are orphaned. THIRTY-FIVE MILLION. That's 9% of India's children! And that does not represent the insane number of homeless kids living on the streets! This trip is a chance to make a difference for a few of them, and I am so excited to meet them.

(How great is this logo?!)

I'd love for you to join me.
I would love for you to partner with me in prayer and funding. As with all of my missions trips, I am committed to paying for at least half of the trip from my own pocket, and raising support for the other half. If you would like to donate towards this love adventure, you can do so here by putting my name (Ashley Webster) in the participant line. For those curious, the trip code is IN18-07WCSG, but it's not required to make a donation.

Current prayer requests:
That God would prepare the team for the work of this trip, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. That he would instill us with wisdom and boldness, humbleness and grace. And, selfishly, that the temperature would be a little below average while we're there. 95 degrees is not this lady's ideal climate.

I am so so excited for this adventure! It will be my first missions trip where I don't know anyone on the team, and my first time to India! Have you been to India? What should I know?

"Dirty Faith"

Christians are called to serve "the least of these", but what does that really look like? What does it mean to be a follower of Christ, and not just a believer in Christ? Nowell outlines this kind of life with a mix of personal stories, statistics, and scripture analysis to stir readers into action. Using his experience with street kids in Brazil, Nowell has a clear vision of what loving the orphan, widow, and prisoner actually means, and he does a good job or clarifying this call for the reader.

Dirty Faith is the latest release in the Christian social justice explosion, and I put it on par with David Platt's Radical. The message isn't radical or new; it's the foundation of a biblical Christian lifestyle. But in today's culture of self-centered faith and easy sacrifice, it's an important starting point for anyone looking to get back to New Testament Christianity. For those already involved in serving the least, this  book will not present anything new, but will confirm what you're working for. I'd recommended for anyone wanting to make a difference and not sure where to start, for anyone who feels like something is missing from their Christian walk.

3/5 Stars, Recommended.

I received this book from the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

Live58

(Look! It's a button for my Freedom Friday series! It still needs a little tweaking, but I'm digging it. Thanks Leah!)

Someone shared an amazing video with me this week and you guys HAVE to watch it. It's called 58: The Film. It's about an hour long, but seriously, go check it out right now. You can see it on Netflix, or on their website. Go watch. I'll wait...

Wasn't that a great film?! I was stunned by how amazing the visuals were, the stories, the hope. I believe this film did a great job of not only painting a picture of what poverty really looks like in the world today, but of giving hope of a better tomorrow.

Some of my favorite parts was anytime Wes Stafford was talking. You can see this man's passion for the poor and orphaned leaking out of him when he speaks. And the whole retelling Bible stories while in the locations they happened was phenomenal. I got chills a few times. Actually, I think I experienced the entire range of human emotion during this film.

I've always loved Isaiah 58, so this film was right up my alley, and I loved every second of it. I hate that people live as shown in the film. I hate that this kind of injustice exists. That my life in the US practically depends on the forced labor of these beautiful people.

But I love the hope Isaiah 58 and this film provide. Because God says it doesn't have to be this way. God says chains can be broken and burdens eased. The oppressed can be set free. The hungry can be fed and the naked clothed. And He says that I can be a part of it! And so can you!

Not only can we be a part of it, but He expects us to. Compassion (i.e. love) should be a part of our DNA. The possible actions to show compassion are even more numerous than the people in need of love. Some ideas:

Sponsor a child with Compassion International. It's only $38 a month to save a child from poverty, illiteracy, trafficking, and more. That's less than ten bucks a week. Let's be honest, most of you spend more than that on coffee.

Fund an Exodus Road operation or investigator to find and rescue girls trapped in brothels. This month Exodus Road and their partners provided the intel for a massive rescue in Mumbai. Eighty-Nine girls are now free from sexual slavery because of the work they're doing. EIGHTY-NINE. Look! How amazing is this?!?! Read the story here.

[Source]

Love someone! This is the easiest and hardest step of all. Who in your neighborhood or city is in danger of going under? Find someone around you who needs love and bring it to them.

For more ideas, check out Live58.org. Then just start looking. Once you decide to open your eyes to the issues in this world, you can't miss them. Poverty and injustice are everywhere. Decide to be a part of the solution and find your place! Together we can see poverty destroyed in our lifetime.

What did you think of the film? What jumped out to you the most? How do you fight injustice?

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!

Is It Worth It?

This post is part of the Freedom Friday series of AspiringAshley. For older posts in the series, click here. 

Once upon a time, my family was normal. Well, fairly normal. My parents worked to pay the bills. We had the things we needed, and the things we didn't (within reason). They loved us and each other. We were active in our church. We helped our neighbors and supported missions. I worked at soup kitchens with the youth group. Sure, we filled our pool with bubble bath, danced in the kitchen, and once chased a squirrel around my bedroom, but mostly, we were just your average American family.

Then, Mom saw The Sign. "Hungry, please help." And things changed.

Her name was Mary, her husband was Bill. Some bad choices led them from success to the streets. To drugs and alcohol and a dirty mattress in the trees. But my mom saw past the dirt and the drugs and the sign to the woman beneath. That day, that one decision to stop and talk to the Woman With The Sign was the beginning of a ten year relationship, to a song, to a ministry.

There were court dates and housing agreements and hospital visits. There was laughter and there were tears. There were mistakes and there was forgiveness. But mostly, there was love. Love like Jesus. Because my mom didn't see a homeless couple. She saw her friends, Mary and Bill. She saw the potential and gave them hope, dignity, family.

And while I know there were times when it was painful and seemed hopeless, I know without a doubt that if you were to ask my mom today, "Was it worth it? Was befriending two drug-addicted homeless people worth it?" she would say yes in a heartbeat.

Because the thing is, when you think of missions, of ministry, of justice as just "work", it will wear you out. But when you think of it in terms of people...well, it changes everything. Justice becomes a lifestyle, the air you breathe, as natural as smiling. Justice becomes family. It's no longer "I have to do this to be a good person", but "I have to do this for a good person."

So when you say "Is it worth it?" the people who are coming along side the hurting are the ones who will respond, "well, duh!" while giving you an offended look. (Okay, maybe not...maybe I'm the only one who uses the "duh" anymore.) Micah Bournes puts it into words a little better than I do.

Is Justice Worth It? feat. Micah Bournes from World Relief on Vimeo.

I was 15 when Mary and Bill became family. Know what happens when your mom introduces a homeless couple into your life as family? It changes how you live life. How you view compassion and justice. My mom has shown me what Bournes put into words: "You never stop fighting for your own." You don't give up when it gets tough, you get stronger.

This world is full of injustice and evil. But it also holds wonder and freedom and love. The only remaining question is which side are you on? Call me crazy, but I'm on the side of wonder and love! I am free. I will use my freedom to free others.

Ponnammal, friend and co-worker of Amy Carmichael, was quoted as saying,
"Let us work until we drop, but let us never lower the standard." (From A Chance to Die by Elizabeth Elliot. Go read it, it's one of my favorite, most inspirational books).

So let's fight injustice together. Let's stand on the side of the hurting and use our freedom to bring about their own. Let's fight with everything in us and never compromise for the sake of ease. Because it is always worth it. 

To learn how to make victims of slavery part of "your own", connect with The Exodus Road.

"Pursuing Justice"

Ken Wytsma, founder of the Justice Conference, uses his new book to give the reader a complete understanding of what "justice" means. Wytsma traces justice and related issues (grace, righteousness, etc.) through the Bible, history, and current events, bringing it all together to show why justice is important to God -and should be to us. Using Scripture, personal stories, and creative interludes between each chapter, this book creates a clear picture of a justice-filled life.

I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it! Wytsma is a great writer, and quite obviously has a wide understanding of justice. However, where other books on the subject give the reader action steps or ideas to live a life of justice, Pursuing Justice is much more theory than action. I described it to a friend as academic yet accessible. To live a just life, we must truly understand what that means.

That is why this book exists. To change the way we look at life, to see the world as God sees it, so that our every action is flowing from a heart of love and grace. When we understand that justice is not simply "an eye for an eye", we can make this world a better place for all and be walking examples of Christ's love and justice. If we grasp the message Wytsma is sharing with us, then we don't need action steps. Our every action will be a step to a just life.

And don't just take my word for it. Check out what someone much more verbally skilled than myself has to say about this book!
Pursuing Justice | Book Trailer from The Justice Conference on Vimeo.

So go check out this book. I give it 4/5 stars.

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Verse of the Year: 2013

Finally had a chance to pick my verse of the year from church! And it's only February 6th...go me! I'm so happy with my verse(s); they couldn't be more perfect!

Background before I share the verses: Just today I was thinking about where my life is heading (and liking it!). That my ministry life has been shifting to a stronger focus on Children's Ministry and Missions (no big surprise). Just today I signed up as a blogger for an organization working to end human trafficking (more on that later), worked on a program for the kids, and did some work for the missions department. So I'm loving life and where I'm heading, excited for what God's got in store and what the vision of my leaders is.

So when I closed my eyes and picked a card from the bin after the first major staff meeting of the year, I picked the perfect one. Not only is it pink(ish), but the two verses are perfect for where my life is headed. The first one I read was Acts 10:35

In every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of the ol' KJV. The "-eth"s always throw me off. I got the basic gist, and liked it right away, though. How much more perfect does it get for someone in missions?! But I wanted wording I could relate to, so I headed to BibleGateway. (If you don't know about BibleGateway, check it out! They have every version you can imagine, plus Bible studies and commentaries/concordances. They rock!) The easiest-to-understand was the NKJV, but I really like the Amplified.

But in every nation he who venerates and has a reverential fear for God, treating Him with worshipful obedience and living uprightly, is acceptable to Him and sure of being received and welcomed [by Him].

Yes!! Now the other half of my "background info" is that the major thing holding me back in a lot of ways is finances. I make enough to pay my bills, though it sometimes gets tight because I get cancelled for shifts on occasion. Added to this, I am not longer under my dad's insurance, so I need to buy my own, the lowest cost I'm eligible for is nearly $300 a month! Not cool. So when I flipped my card over, I was glad to see Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Two verses, two perfect words for my life this year! Can't wait to see everything that's in store, and to share with you as it comes to pass! Do you have a verse (or two) for your year? What is it?

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.

"Sent"

Sent by Hilary Alan

What happens when an average upper-class American family responds to God's call to forsake everything and follow Him to the other side of the world? They are forever wrecked by God and see the world in a vastly different way. I very much enjoyed following this family as they find out through experience what it means to truly "go and make disciples". From the moment they heard the call, to the moment they left the missions field, this family desired to serve the Lord whatever the cost. Even their young teen children were excited for this mission and actively sought God's will for their lives. It's no surprise that was one of my favorite things in the story! Missions and young people finding their identity in God in one book? Basically my dream story!

This book isn't meant to be a how-to on missions, or a report of the ministry work they're doing. Instead, it's an honest look at the trials of missions work, in addition to the blessings that come from it, as discovered by one family. I found myself laughing and crying at various points while reading their story. A great glimpse into the life, not just ministry, of missionary families.

Recommended, 4/5 Stars.

*I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review*

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.