Day 3: 2025 Dominican Republic
The Kingdom of God wants us!
We had a FULL day today and we saw God move in every part! This morning, the Universal Church came together with a church service held by Mission Emanuel with our very own international speaker, John Bourgeois, on Matthew 20! He preached on God’s grace and how it offends our pride and how grace really isn’t about us at all. Mission Emanuel’s worship pastor summarized it best saying: The Kingdom of God doesn’t need us but wants us! As beautiful as John’s sermon was, the Spanish translator, Emmanuel, showed an exuberant and passionate expression of the Word. Life flowed from his translation and the picture of the Universal Church was filled by the Holy Spirit this morning!
After church, we visited the women’s co-op and were able to buy items that the women of Mission Emanuel make and sell - beautiful jewelry, paintings, ornaments, stationery, and more. We then went and did home visits in Cielo, bringing families food and prayer. We noticed that women with little didn’t ask for prayer for material items or worldly cares. They asked for spiritual blessings and for God to draw near to them and help them in their spiritual walk. Truly, what else matters? The women showed us that hospitality is merely just a mindset and not a performance.
We noticed while walking around Cielo that no one was in a hurry (unless in or on a motorized vehicle). No one is on their phones or screens and, put perfectly by Tucker Thomas (11), is that Americans view time as an asset, while the people of Cielo live in today and in the moment. We have a lot to learn from them!
At night we went into the city of Santo Domingo and did a guided walking tour. This city is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! We learned the deep history of Santo Domingo and a lot about Christopher Columbus.
what we observed:
Gratitude - the people we have met are grateful beyond words
Universal Worship
Lots of joy! From morning coffee, to worship, to the elderly, to birthday celebrations, to the bus rides, to how God is working in our attitudes… So. Much. Joy.
The deep relationship Mission Emanuel has with the community
Genuine hospitality
HOw we saw god at work today:
Worship included songs like "This is Amazing Grace" and "How Great is Our God," sung in English and Spanish causing tears to flow as you could feel the Spirit moving among us in the room
Passionate worship and translation of the Word
The radiating joy from the band - endless smiles
John and Emmanuel, the translator, were seemingly intertwined by the Spirit
prayer requests:
For rest - many of us are exhausted and need energy and rejuvenation
That God continues to keep away the spirit of complaint, that we have spirits of joy and gratitude
Christ is magnified in everything we do and say
That we are able to truly care for the people of Cielo and the community we are serving
Please pray for healing of sickness and that the Lord keeps us all healthy