Cielos

This past weekend one of my roommates dad's flew in to Santo Domingo and I was invited along to accompany their grand reunion! At first I was worried about playing the part of 3rd wheel, but they were both so inclusive and welcoming. That and the dad sweetened the deal by paying for some really nice meals ;)

He had flown in with a mission group working for the week in a very poor barrio located outside of Santo Domingo. They stay in a pretty sweet hotel during their time there, apparently because safety and medical reasons make it impossible for them to stay directly wit

h families. Mission Emmanue

l brings groups 3 times a year, plus a long summer stint for those really wanting to dig in and get their hands dirty.

On Sunday, their 2nd day in the DR, we had the privilege of joining the group as they attended a Haitian church ceremony and a Dominican church ceremony. The Haitian ceremony was all in Creole and none of us understood a word. They sang to us and prayed over us, and we awkwardly did the same in return. The loud energetic style isn't really in line with the American way, so I think everyone was a tad bit out of their comfort zone. But it was still cool to see people worshipping in their own way in their own language, reminding us

that God is everywhere. I wasn't sure how the Haitians felt about having us there, but most seemed happy to see us. I have my own conflicting opinions and feelings about some mission work, so I wasn't sure how they would respond to our presence, but they gave us welcoming hugs and kisses all aro

und!

We also attended a Dominican church service, which felt pretty much equal to the

church service I attend here in Santiago. Afterwards we had some time to check out the

surrounding pueblo and it was a really moving experience. All the kids were so adorable and friendly and wanted nothing more than to just play with you. During the service I sat beside thi

s 9 year old girl, and she and I got silly in the back singing and dancing. She asked me when I was going to leave and I said later that day, which made her sad so she kept asking when I could come back and would I visit her? She also

insisted that I just HAD to come meet her family and see her house and look at her room before I took off. I went with her afterwards for the tour, and it's definitely a rough life that she lives. The house was teeny tiny; there were flies and bugs everywhere; all the kids were crammed into one room and one bed. Not the kind of life I'm used to. I could also tell by looking around just how little they had-the sparse furniture, the bare closet, the broken trinkets they not only saved but valued.

Experiences like that that open your eyes once more to the blessings abounding in your life.

The church cooked us a delicious typical rice and beans lunch, and Ashley and I left with our bellies full and lots to mull over on the ride home. Those were some really cute kids. I hope the group has a successful week and gets a lot done for that community, because they really need it. Even though those are some lucky "3rd world" volunteers-everyone gets to work in air conditioning! :P

Moving song of the moment: Lost get Found-Britt Nicole :)