Raindrops, palm trees and parades

So far it has been a pleasant Monday. Up at 6:30am to walk the dogs… then back to bed! Up again at 8:30am to go for a run, walked to the grocery store, prepared lunch (chicken put in a sauce to marinate and sweet potatoes wrapped in foil ready for the grill) then some precious time finishing up my “Read the Bible in a year” program. It took me a year, 2 months and 2 days. But I did it J

A lovely morning indeed.

But it just got better! The rain clouds rolled in and the electricity went out. Now it’s me with a full tummy and only the sound of rain on the palm trees outside… oh and Robersy playing some car game on the ipad, haha!

Did that description make you want to come visit us? I hope so!

Last week I was sick as a dog and so I never posted this, but we had the privilege of celebrating a wedding with one of the Lily House girls! A partner in ministry wrote this about the special union…

God is making some amazing things happen on this island in and through our partners. But there is one story in particular that has really made my heart SING this week, because I am such a sucker for a good LOVE STORY & I just have to share!! This past weekend a woman rescued years ago from commercial sexual exploitation by one of our safehouse partners-- who at that time separated from her then (non-legal) husband, himself trapped in a cycle of abuse and addiction-- was blessed with the opportunity to celebrate the work of God in her life in bringing her and her husband's journey full circle! After years spent apart, separately healing, learning about their true identities in Christ, and learning to lean on God and his Love for them, the two have finally been able to come back together as man and wife-- THIS TIME legally, before God, and before a community of witnesses who love and support them!!!!! And, at their wedding, this renewed and restored man of God was able to stand before the group who was present and testify as to how Christ has transformed his view of women and of himself in relation to his bride, while boys and young men-- many of whose views and hearts towards women are still being formed and who have countless negative influences pushing in on them from all sides-- had the opportunity to listen on with open ears and open hearts.

SO incredibly thankful for a God who breaks EVERY chain, who RESTORES BROKEN THINGS and whose good work in one life can multiply and bring LIGHT and LIFE to entire families and communities! 

By Mary Hooke, Women At Risk.

This is what makes each day of ministry worth it. This is why we go out each Thursday night. This is why we serve. Not to see a gorgeous wedding (although I looove weddings)… but to see lives changed!

It was a short week since I was sick Monday and Tuesday, but it became even shorter since Friday was a public holiday. February 27^th is Independence Day here in the Dominican and it is certainly a day of celebration.

Since we knew that many of our youth group kids and baseball boys would be in the Independence Day march (kind of like a parade, but mainly just schools marching) we decided to load up some of the ladies and kids from Lily House and check it out. I thought we were only going to watch, but much like the Gombeys in Bermuda, the Dominicans watch… then march with them! So we ended up walking the whole thing (me with a baby in sleeping in my arms and although she is tiny, goodness did my back hurt afterwards!!!) and then watching the celebration at the end.

It was fun to watch several of our kids and we even got to see the school that was wearing skirts made my Lily House! Too cool.

Here are some pics.

My sweet, back-breaking bundle :)

The parade

The skirts that Lily House made. YAY!

Some of our girls from youth group.

   

The celebration continued in to youth group with a Dominican themed evening which ended with a hot dog eating competition.

So needless to say, it has been a wonderful week.

For those who pray, please lift up my hubby to God Almighty. Robersy has been working hard with his boys (coaching, discipleship, teaching and ball games), but please pray that God will send him help. He is out on the field coaching on his own most days and last week he even passed out outside of church from pure exhaustion. This next week we’ll have a friend here to help him for 4 days, but be praying for someone long term!

Thank you! GOD BLESS!