Greetings from the DR!!! Today was our "Dominican Snow Day" as nearby public events limited us from interacting with the community as much as we had originally planned. Keeping in mind that this was a part of God's plan for our trip, we first ate breakfast at Primera Iglesia Bautista de Sanfrancisco, then leading recreation for its conjoining school. Lucky for all of us non-Spanish speakers, many of these students spoke English. After playing with the students and fellowshipping, teams were challenged by Ephesians 5, and some were asked to share personal stories of faith. After a bit of downtime we were treated to an authentic Dominican lunch, complete with the experience of dining as opposed to eating. Taking the opportunity of this unexpected free time, both teams visited the Mirabal Sisters museum, learning about the brave women who led to the overthrow of the Dominican Dictatorship in the 1960s. This was a humbling experience and students and faculty alike appreciated the historical authenticity. After visiting the museum we returned to the church and were able to split into small groups and prayer walk the surrounding communities before our dinner. After eating, we returned to our hotel and debriefed our day, where more students shared their faith stories. We are growing closer every day, both to each other and to Christ. We are all excited for Medical missions where we will be hosting a free clinic for the residents of the community, with donated medicine that the team spent 5 hours sorting yesterday. We are heading towards the bittersweet end of phase 3 and although we are all excited to share our experiences with you in person, we all have gained a deep love for this country and leaving will not be easy.
Until next time,
DR Razuljo