I have saved my clothes from goats

In the Dominican Republic, not only have I saved my clothes from goats, but I have done a lot of other things as well…

I have slept with demon bugs flying around my room.

I have lived with my phone on airplane mode. (It’s possible).

I have bathed in a river.

I have washed my clothes in that same river.

I have saved those same clothes from goats.

I have woken up every morning at 5:30 to the sound of chickens squawking out my window.

I have heard 3 languages being translated/prayed at the same time.

I have thrown my leftover chicken to chickens…(sorry chickens).

I have seen chickens walk around me while I sit on the back porch of our home. (There are a lot of chickens here).

I have cliff jumped and slid down waterfalls.

I have yet to look in a mirror (Lord, Jesus above).

I have taught a Zumba class in the Dominican Republic.

I have ran at 6:30 in the morning (just once, but it counts).

I have popped about 30ish bug bites (apparently that’s what you do to them).

I have seen bats fly around our heads during devotions.

I have had strangers cut me fruit on the beach.

I have not used a fork or knife or plate in a month. (We only use bowls and spoons for every meal).

I have ran a kids camp in a different language, and we are about to run a teen camp too.

I have watched an older Dominican lady chase a pregnant goat down a mountain, with an unconnected garden hose while yelling in Spanish. (That was great).

And, I have witnessed God’s light in the darkness.

The list could go on an on. I have had so many new experiences here, and I would not trade any single one for the world. I am so thankful to be able to have been a part of the ministry in the Dominican Republic and I am so thankful to God for allowing me to see His light in brand new ways.

His presence is everywhere. And it is so exciting. I feel myself becoming more connected to Him. He is fully engulfing me in a hug and won’t ever stop. It is so easy to decipher His voice from my own, and from the devil’s. The devil has attacked us multiple times while we’ve been here: There was spiritual warfare going on during the night in our dorm room, there was exhaustion and sickness spreading, and of course, don’t forget about those demon bugs attacking during devotions. However, those struggles fade, those problems end, those issues die. Why? Because God is here. And He is forever here. And He is stronger than any bad dream, any cough, and any crazy, large, flying cockroach.

I have literally seen Him surrounding us. Not only with the beautiful scenery, but through devotions that we have twice, if not three times, daily…We had a worship night a week or so ago where in the pitch black. We were sitting outside, and we couldn’t even see our hands in front of our faces. Then, the music played and the Holy Spirit entered. Suddenly, there were voices crying out to God, arms in the air, and His life being breathed in. Then, fireflies filled the space. We had never seen them here in the Dominican before and there were quite a few of them too, not just one. Also, in the middle of the darkness, heat lighting began to occur off in the distance. And this was no regular heat lighting. It was huge. The amount of light that came off of each strike was as bright as a camera flash. I even thought someone was taking pictures before I knew what it was. It wasn’t light you saw in the distance like regular heat lighting, oh no, it was like you were standing right in the middle of the flash. With every beat and powerful lyric of the song, there was God striking the sky right ahead of us. He is always right ahead of us, covering our futures in His light if we only listen and follow Him. In the middle of the darkness, God is ever present, and in more ways than one.

Now, I look forward to whatever the future holds. But I know whatever it will be, God will be there too, shining away.