DR 2008 Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

I cannot believe how quickly time has passed since I returned from the Dominican Republic! It clearly has taken me awhile to get this letter out to all of you, and I do apologize for that! I am not sure how to even to begin summarizing 3.5 months in the Dominican Republic. Most of you have received my infrequent updates, so here is an attempt to give some highlights. On the airplane ride home, I made a list of close to 150 people that directly impacted me in the DR this summer; old, young, from Los Higos, the church there, the kids club, SI staff, other interns, a few of the team members, and that didn’t even include the many more people like each of you who supported me through prayer, encouragement, and finances. Wow, what a blessing.

“Themes to Remember”

Reading the Gospels in a small-community, rural village culture brings on an entirely different (and more real to me) way of understanding them. I really could picture a lot of what is in the Gospels actually happening in Los Higos, with slight modifications. (eg: the widow and her 2 mites)

Poverty comes in lots of forms- we who were sometimes “ministering to the poor” realize a little bit of how poor we are in love, very often, and sacrifice. And yet we still, all of us, have SO much…

Without love, nothing is worth anything, at all.

Be satisfied in God alone, and come as you are

The Little things- God works in incredibly big ways and incredibly small ways too (but always with a purpose). He REALLY does. (Timing, nature, stars, storms, sunrise/sets, ocean, rain, orange-tinted glasses, people, themes….)

God doesn’t always answer our questions- but gives us himself and says, “Come, my child,”

“Memories to never forget”:

Worship, prayer and learning from the SI staff

Worshipping in Los Higos

Sitting and talking with kids one-on-one

Hearing testimonies

Playing cards by candlelight

Teaching flute lessons

Seeing Diogenes’ face as he learned (very quickly!) to play the piano

Dominican Fashion Show

Warm greetings, sweet coffee and incredible hospitality

Two-hour conversations with my host mom, Maritsa

Conversations, adventures and time with the interns

Quiet times outside in the hills of Los Higos, the beach, SI base

Times of exhaustion, frustration, confusion, and doubt- and God’s faithfulness to say, “Here I am, come to me, and rest. I will be your satisfaction and strength.”

Well, I apparently have a lot more to share than I even thought I did, and this is just the little bit that happened in the 3.5 months I was blessed to be in the DR. Thank you, each of you, for your prayers, encouragement, letters, and financial support, and the ways that each of you has poured into my life so abundantly. You have all been a part of the ministry God is doing, and thank you for allowing me to as well.

In His grace alone,
Erin