The eyedropper in my Kipling bag.

"Sometimes working in a Third World country makes me feel like I am emptying the ocean with an eyedropper. And just when I have about half a cup full of water it rains: more orphaned children from the north migrate to where I live, more abandoned and dead babies are found, more people are infected with HIV. It is enough to discourage even the most enthusiastic and passionate person." 

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis

I had been reading this New York Times Bestseller on my trip to Santiago and this really hit home. I had traveled for hours on public transport to share a message that goes completely against the culture. Hope. 

We, from the Western culture, have got it. We go to the Passion conferences and sing "Mighty to Save" and when someone has a foundation to save something, whether a whale or a starving child, we are SO on that! We love to help and give and basically feel like we are doing something to change the world. 

This mindset is still making it's way here.

Don't get me wrong. Dominicans will give their shirt off their back... Feed you their last meal... Give you a pedicure when you just stopped over to say hello (yes, this has happened more than once) but as we have advertised and publicized and announced the beauty of the Lily House which has a spa, gift shop and pastry shop so that these women can make a living in an "honorable" way... we have seen that the culture is not quite ready for this.

Buy a cupcake from a former prostitute?! Get my nails done by a woman who has lost count of the numerous men from her past?! But she's changed! Yeah... We know that. But the country is not quite here yet.

I actually realized this as I gazed across the classroom and noticed all the Kipling bags. HA-HA! Ok Americans might not find this funny... But Bermudians, don't you remember when those things were in style?! So flipping expensive, but everyone wanted one! Lol. I never had the privelage of owning one, but I remember those little monkeys that each bag has like it were yesterday.

Anyways!!! While I looked around the room I actually thought... They're not here yet. Just like Kipling bags are JUST now in style here, maybe the Passion craze isn't too far behind. 

And so I picked up my eyedropper and shared. 

I shared what God is doing and how HE has changed lives and moved mountains and wow... I was excited! And the students were excited too!!! They asked questions and participated. Then I packed up my eyedropper (I trust you understand the metaphor) and walked out to the rest of the school and it RAINED. Like a billion other students!!! Young, little, happy Dominican faces... What will it take to change the mind-set of the future?! 

Pastor Nate Jude reminded me of this again in his message this morning. He spoke of when he used to work at a plant nursery and how one day his boss told him and his workmates that as soon as they finished planting a certain number of trees they could leave. Well he and his buddies worked their butts off, so excited to get it done and go home early. Once they had finished, long before lunchtime, his boss laughed since he knew it was impossible. Nate insisted until his boss took him to another section of the field to show him several more trees to plant. They wouldn't be done before the end of the day. 

By reaching the lowest of the low, the filthy, the sinners... Prostitutes... We are going against the culture. But to expect that people might recieve a pastry that they made with their hands, even more so. 

Still we will continue to share and educated. We will pray and serve and fight for the women that we have the blessing of being with every single day.

I was reminded of the eyedropper yesterday when a Lily called. Frustrated, angry, ready to give up. We talked and prayed together over the phone... Thankfully the Lord calmed her heart and life went on. All is well in the world...until something else happens and another Lily struggles... And it rains.

One of our "homeless" (he is actually a run-away) boys called yesterday. "Hey, just to let you know. I came home. I'm working with my dad and I'm doing ok." Yay!!! Our little eyedropper drops a pinch of water in to the cup... But how many other other kids are sleeping on the streets tonight.... And it rains.

I'll be meeting with a girl from the streets this week. Woohoo! One sweet soul that is one step closer to knowing her Savior. Then how many more women are out there... And it rains.

One of Robersy's boys got baptized and another recieved Christ. Robersy's cup is almost over flowing I think! God has been so good to the baseball ministry! But within a group of 70+ kids, there are others who still need the Lord... And it rains.

There will ALWAYS be work to do. Dory said it best when she said, "Just keep swimming." :) The cool thing is... Robersy and I aren't in this alone. There are hundreds of men and women all over the Dominican Republic with the same heart.

We want to see people saved! We want to see women off the streets! We want to see children cared for! We want to see men with jobs to provide for their families... And parents in general taking an interest in ther kids! We want to see young people educated! We want to see lives changed.

So don't put down that eyedropper friends! And when it rains... Take a moment, dance with joy for the harvest God has provided... And keep at it!!!

"Cheers" to hope with a honey bottle and a step towards change

"Each week is different. We never know what to expect. We just pray that the Lord will guide us and at the end of the night we expect it will goes as HE sees fit."

This is the warning I give most newbies as we head out to ministry on Thursday nights. Every week is different. Some are quiet and somewhat uneventful. Others are... well... worth writing home about.

Thursday was one of those nights.

Minutes after this warning we got a phone call that changed the course of the night completely. My 2 ministry partners that were on their way with Robersy literally had to jump out of our truck and jump on to a bus to head back to a situation. I contemplated sending the 2 other ladies with them.

As confident as some think I am, I freak out sharing the Gospel! (I know, I know! Sarah you are a missionary!!! That is your job!) lol. I know! but have you ever thought about what a serious message it is... And to add, sharing it in another language! What if I mess it up?! I love having my Dominican and Haitian sidekicks because they always correct me if I say something stupid! Lol.

So along with my Swedish and Dutch partners for the night we stopped on the sidewalk before we reached the first strip club and begged Jesus to take the wheel :)

We had some great conversations with several girls who were "waiting for a friend" in the park. We prayed with a regular who had lost her grandma and praised the Lord for the many clubs and bars that had shut down. "Saul" didn't even budge when we handed a tract to the young lady in front of his club.

As we neared the end of the street we saw a young lady standing at a Banca (where they sell lottery tickets, etc.) speaking with the lady working inside.

"Hola! My name is Sarah and I just wanted to give you a tract to..."

"Hey, i know you!"

"Probably... I'm around Boca Chica a bit."

"No, you invited me to a retreat the other week. How did it go?"

"It didn't"

"Is this is a church thing?"

"Um... Kind of!"

"How come she is wearing pants? If i go to your church may I wear pants?"

"Sure!"

Laughing... "Can I wear a bikini to your church?"

"Suuuuure! And I'll bring you a blanket to wrap you up like a taco!" Lol.

"I like you already... Tell me about Jesus."

Moments later we were sitting on a couch in her home with her 14yr old and 9 year old daughter listening to her heart-breaking story filled with sexual abuse, attempting to leave the country, attempting to end her life, etc. etc. Which began her life of prostitution at age 14.

God opened the door to share Christ which of course led to sharing about the Lily House ministry.

"Through my work... I have every thing I have ever wanted. I don't need your money or fancy things. My girls and I need love."

"Perfect. Because that is exactly who Christ is.

As we turned to leave she handed me a bottle of honey as a token of her thanks. With her own bottle we "cheered" (tapped our bottles together) to hope and a chance to change.

Since this is HER story I don't feel a peace to share more than what she has allowed me to share with others in order to pray. But please be on your knees for P and her daughters. She is desperate to end this lifestyle. She is begging for our help. What she doesn't know is only HE can break those chains!

God is moving in Boca Chica friends!

Thank you Edeeste!

*Edeeste = our local electricty company.

I had already begun walking towards our Thursday night meeting spot before i got the call. My ministry partner couldn't make it again :( Between moving, working and being a single mom... It's been tough getting things together. Poor thing is tired! However, since I was already half-way there (and since I try to find excuses to still find girls on Thursday night) I decided to swing by the store and then stop by one strip club on the way home. It was still early, but I was hoping to speak to a few of the girls that were there early.

As I neared the club I found 4 women sitting in the door way using the last bit of sunlight to put their make-up on. The lights were out! Yay! No lights... No men... No work.

"Thank you, Edeeste!" I whispered before reaching the entrance.

I greeted the girls and shared that they are on my heart and that we are praying for them. I shared their worth in Christ's eyes and then closed by asking if there was anything specific we could pray for.

"Pray that the lights come back on... We need to work to provide for our children."

Oh.

My heart sank. I have heard a familiar story from most girls on the street. Isn't it a mother's joy to provide for her family? Goodness me... My mother would do anything to make sure my sister's and I were well taken care of!

Now, right in front of my eyes, four women fighting to place food on the table... By selling their own bodies.

As we celebrated mother's day yesterday these four faces have been on my mind. They are doing what they believe is best since they....

"Are not good enough"
"Are not educated so I can't get another job."
"Are not worth anything better."
"Have nothing else to give."

Oh Satan is such a LIAR!!!!!

Every Thursday for over a year we have prayed over, cried with and hugged on precious souls that have believed these lies. If only they would understand their worth in Christ. Only HE can break the chains! HE will have the victory!!!

Pray for these mothers on the streets!

I didn't pray that the electricty would return... But I did pray that God might shine a light in the spiritual darkness we find on the streets each week, and that God might provide for their families in a miraculous way. He is able!

Praise God that He has had the victory in many other areas this week too!

Six boys came to Christ as Savior this week through the baseball ministry!

One lady that we met through street ministry turned up at our house to enroll her son in Robersy's team. She wants him to hear about Christ and learn that there is more to life than baseball. Following  her salvation months ago, this young lady quit her job at a bar and is seeking a more "God-honoring" work.

Robersy shared Christ during the preaching at Juan Dolio church and the church in Los Fundos.

A sweet Lily finally understood that her salvation is secure in Christ as we studied HIS promises in our discipleship time.

Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever! HE sought me and bought me with HIS redeeming blood. He loved me eer I knew HIM and all my love is due HIM, HE plunged me to voctory beneath the cleansing flood!

Searching for a quiet place

Drills humming, hammers banging, dogs barking, girls talking, guys shouting, bikes buzzing, buses honking… such are the sounds of the Dominican Republic. I've attempted to slip away to find a quiet place. 

As outgoing as everyone thinks I am, I CRAVE silence. Each day I look for time to be alone with my thoughts, to pray, to meditate, to read… BUT there is little quiet to be found most days.

Each Tuesday morning I've been studying David with the women at Lily House. We think about his call to be King, his fight with Goliath, his friendship with Jonathon. But there is one area that has fascinated me lately.

When Saul was searching for David in order to kill him, David hid within the mountains and caves. But he wasn't alone! 1 Samuel 22:2 tells us that he was travelling with about 400 men who were “distressed… in debt… bitter in soul.” He was their leader! 400 men with a bunch of problems. With so many problems I doubt there was much quiet as they hid within the caves.

Have you ever traveled with your family or some friends?! Golly… I have faded memories of rope and duct tape for how rowdy my sisters and I were as we traveled around the states, Canada and Scotland! LOL. My poor parents!

Now think about David travelling with 400 men with serious issues!!! Phew!

This is why I am in awe…

Can you imagine David sneaking out of the cave before the sun had risen… the sound of men snoring in the background… and David writing the Psalms. Prayers, words of anguish, songs, fears all penned as he sat before the mighty throne of God Almighty.

Makes my struggle to find a quiet place seem petty!

Then I read Psalm 63. 

“O GOD, YOU are my GOD; EARNESTLY I SEEK YOU; my soul THIRSTS for YOU, my flesh FAINTS for YOU.”

“My soul CLINGS to YOU; YOUR right hand UPHOLDS me.”

“Quiet” is the last thing my heart ought to crave in comparison.

It has been an honor to SEE this verse in action this week. Women and men who THIRST for HIM...

Robersy shared with me about one of his boys who couldn’t stay quiet during the devotional at baseball practice. He just had to share what God had been teaching him.

A young lady who attended youth group asked to publicly apologize to another girl that she had offended. She wanted to make things right before God.

Even this morning (Tues) a teary Lily gave thanks for her new Bible. She had been praying for one and understood that it was GOD who had provided.

Oh GOD give us the same desire!!! More than QUIET... may we crave HIM!