Doing, Doing, Done...Maybe

FEB 18. (a.k.a. beginning of busyness) -
We were off to Orlando for 8 days of conferences. International Capacity Conference spanned the first half of the week and Realtime the second half, with, of course, travel time before and after. Every year, FCA hosts ICC at a location somewhere around the world close to one of their international partners. This year, it was hosted in Orlando so that the 43 international leaders who were able to attend could also enjoy Realtime Realtime is an event that happens every 3 years where the majority of FCA staff and many of their spouses come together for a time of fellowship and fun.
ICC days were packed with sessions and workshops and just enough time to connect with other international leaders over lunch and in the evenings. Our main highlight was getting to personally know other Latin American leaders. We Latinos (I was told on several occasions I seem more Latina than American so, yes, I say “we”) were known as the rowdy bunch - no surprise there. Pretty sure Asia wasn’t quite sure what to think of us, especially during bowling night.
One of my personal highlights was connecting with a few Guatemalans - I felt like we already knew each other just from talking about familiar places. ICC will be held in Guatemala next year and I’m fully planning to take extra time, if we go, to show Miguel my other home country :D
Miguel’s personal highlight was having Willie, another one of our 3 Dominican directors, along. He was approved a visitor’s visa and was able to make the trip with us, much to Miguel’s delight. He enjoyed, still enjoys, poking fun at Willie’s reaction to America - I guess since Miguel considers himself an expert on all things travel and America now ;)
The entire ICC conference was so encouraging. There’s nothing quite like seeing so many countries represented in one place, united under one goal - to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Realtime was a very different experience, with 1500+ people in attendance. Our highlights there were being able to connect with people who have been to the Dominican before on trips and have supported the ministry here in various ways.

MAR 3 (a.k.a. busyness sets in) -
Only a few (short) days after returning home from Orlando on the 26th, our first visiting team of the year arrived. A 16 member team, consisting of fathers and their baseball player sons, spent 5 days with us helping with a much needed house addition for a coach Miguel works with and running baseball clinics - and of course enjoying playing several games, Americans vs. Dominicans. It was an incredible start to the year for mission trips! We are hoping to host up to 15 groups this year and are within sight of that goal. Five Dominican baseball players gave their lives to Christ after hearing the gospel and testimonies of who Jesus is come from the lips of other players and coaches. One of the American baseball players, who joined the trip last minute, also gave his life to Christ! God knows every person’s heart and how to reach them. He was baptized in a pool that evening at the facility where the team was staying and has truly gone home a changed person.

MAR 11 (a.k.a. crazy busyness begins) -
Several (even shorter) days after the team left on the 8th, our boss flew down from the States to oversee some staff training and evaluations for several days. We were away from home for most of that week since these sessions were taking place in Boca Chica. We came home for the day on Thursday and headed right back on Friday because...

MAR 16 (a.k.a. crazy busyness full force) -
Two guys, J & A, flew in for a weekend stay to get to know the ministry and begin planning a mission trip in August. Miguel had university that Friday and Saturday, as always, so I met them and arranged lodging for them in Boca Chica. That evening, Miguel took them for dinner as I headed right back to Punta Cana with our two other directors, Willie and David, and Willie’s wife for a dinner with the FCA board of trustees who traveled to the DR for their annual directors’ meeting. We had the opportunity to share what is happening here in the ministry and what kind of impact is being made in the DR through FCA.
We stayed in PC overnight and headed back to BC Saturday morning to take J & A to San Pedro and visit staff and several ministry spots there all morning. Back to BC for the same thing in the afternoon. Lots of questions and answers later, I left them with Willie and another staff member who speaks English pretty well while I kept an appointment with our accountant.
On Sunday, Miguel and I headed home to Higuey for church and to (try to catch up on) rest before heading into what was “supposed” to be a normal work week. J & A had been in Santo Domingo meeeting up with some friends that Sunday morning and were planning to spend the afternoon and evening with us.
We got a call two hours after church ended, from the international office in Kansas City, where someone happened to be in the office since she wouldn’t be at work on Monday. A call had come in from the son of a German couple who was on the board of trustees. He said his parents had been in a car accident here in the Dominican Republic but didn’t have good phone or internet connection, so they hadn’t been able to share a lot of information yet about what had happened. All their son knew was that his parents were at a hospital somewhere and no one knew yet how badly they were injured. We soon received more information on which hospital  they were taken to and headed out the door the same time as J & A arrived at our house. Upon arrival at the hospital, we were grateful to find that no internal injuries had been sustained. Mr. G. had a few fractured ribs and his wife had a broken rib and several fractures on her leg. The injuries were enough that they were admitted to the hospital for the week before being cleared to fly. Their original plans had been to stay a few days for vacation after the trustees’ meeting and instead they spent twice that time in a hospital room.

MAR 19 (a.k.a crazy busyness turns to just busyness again) -
The whole week while our friends Mr. and Mrs. G. were in the hospital, we were blessed to be able to assist them with translation, clarifying hospital reports, straightening out the police report, and following up with their rental car company. It did require a lot of road time, since the hospital is about 40 minutes away, but it was a joy to be able to serve and be relatively close by. They've been such an encouragement to our own faith with their stories of international travel to spread the Gospel.
They were scheduled to fly home, attended by a doctor, on Saturday (the 24th), but due to some unexpected pain, that flight has been delayed until tomorrow evening. Mr. G. is up and walking around and making use of the hospital cafeteria while Mrs. G., whose leg has several fractures, is patiently waiting to get back home.

THIS WEEK - (a.k.a. due for a break)
We are looking forward to Easter! Miguel will have a break from university classes for the weekend so we've already made plans with friends on Friday and Saturday. We look forward to celebrating the hope that Jesus Christ's resurrection brought and take a few days to rejuvenate before heading into, only God knows, what next week will bring :D

Best 16th Birthday Imaginable

This morning it hit me like a ton of bricks. It does that sometimes. 
I crawled into Miguel's arms sobbing until the wave passed. The rest of the day has gone well, but sitting here writing right now is really taking a lot. Writing has always been more personal for me than talking, and while I can have a conversation about it with people and be ok, a whole year and 2 months later, I still can't write about my youngest brother's death without a waterfall running down my face. 
Today, February 11, 2018, would be Anthony's 16th birthday here on earth. 

Since the bonds of time don't exist in heaven, they probably don't celebrate birthdays; but I know they do celebrate. They celebrate living in the presence of God for all eternity, no suffering, no pain, all joy - unfathomable, incomprehensible, complete joy. And I rejoice in that - knowing my goofy little brother is having the best, sweetest birthday right now. But while I find comfort in knowing the greatest gift has been given to me, the hope and confidence of eternity after death, on days like today, my humanity kicks in full gear and those moments of weeping need to happen for the healing of a broken heart to continue. 

Memories are powerful. I love remembering the goofy, corky person who is my youngest brother. I love listening to songs like "This Town Still Talks About You" that sooth the soul. But I want to also see the future. 
A comment one of the bros said once echos around in my head on days like today, "We'll never know Anthony as an adult, a father, a career man. He'll always be almost 15 years old in our minds." and my human self grieves for not getting the chance to know the man Anthony. He would have been such a good dad. 

A few months ago, right around the year anniversary of his death, I begged God to let me see a glimpse of Anthony as an adult - maybe even as he is right now. And Father God, in His abundant love and grace gave me a picture that I've been holding close to my chest until now. 

In a large living room with a crackling fireplace, he was seated at a beautiful grand piano playing music he composed himself - something complicated and upbeat that carried you along with it. He seemed to be around 22 years old. Our family was all there, including members who would be around by the time Anthony would turn 22. The main focus of everyone wasn't just the music coming from the piano made by the lively fingers dancing over the keys but also the laughter of quite a few children playing around the piano stool. He turned around with his signiture goofy grin as he threw one of the smallest children in the air while laughing off the compliments and general applause we gave him. It wasn't a quiet setting. Everyone was talking, the fire was crackling, the room was filled with laughter. And Anthony - I'd never seen a smile so big on his face. In that instant I knew God was showing me that right now, in this moment, he's the happiest, joyfulest he's ever been. 

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope."
1 Thess. 4:13

"The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil."
Isa. 57:1

Preparing for a White Christmas!

November has come and gone and we barely realized it was here due to the flurry of activities each week held.

Along with daily visits to baseball fields for one-on-one time with coaches and Bible studies with athletes, Miguel started a small group for a few of the coaches who have a thirst to go deeper than the regular outline of devotions and basic discipleship. He began with three coaches and in a month's time that number has doubled. We are so excited to see these individuals grow in their relationships with Christ and begin to apply the teaching they receive to their daily lives and the way they disciple their own families.
Another joy is the addition of two baseball players who gave their lives to Christ as a result of gleaning from the truths Miguel has been sharing and watching their coaches change as they apply those truths to their every day habits! 

We celebrated Thanksgiving twice this year. Wednesday evening with a few of our church and work friends who are American or like family to us. And Thursday afternoon with a big community of missionaries an hour away. 

Last night FCA DR had our annual staff Christmas dinner to mark the end of the work year and officially kick off vacation season. Instead of taking time off during the summer, all of our staff members get most of December through the beginning of January off to celebrate the holidays and spend valuable time with their own families while recharging for a new year. 

Every month, we marvel at how true God's grace has been to answer our personal prayers for a truly Biblically sound church to plug in to. We started attending services at our small local church right after getting married and around the same time that our pastor officially stepped into his role (the same pastor who did our premarital counseling and performed our wedding ceremony), and which now finally has a name - Abundant Grace Church. We love growing alongside our fellow believers and being involved in the changes that are happening in the community as a result. It's difficult to find churches here that are truly living and serving in the capacity that Christ has called us to as His bride. Many evangelical churches leave a sour, legalistic taste in the mouths of the communities they are established in, which results in many people (believers and non-believers alike) to hold Christians at an arm's length and not want to get involved or trust that grace and love are actually real. We are humbled to be able to be discipled as we disciple others - to be poured into as we pour out. 

Is it hard for anyone else to believe that the end of the year has begun? We're already a week into December and time has been flying by with wrapping up University finals, finalizing work stuff, and preparing for our trip to the States.
Miguel is trying to brace himself for cold weather and stave off nightmares of all the things that could go wrong on his first experience flying, and even leaving the island.
Thanks to our sister-in-law, he has a thick winter coat custom made waiting for him as soon as we arrive. :D

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers during Miguel's residency visa process. They were all answered!
On Nov. 27 we headed to the U.S. embassy for a 9 AM interview appointment. That morning, there was a problem with their computer system and our appointment was delayed for another hour and a half. But once we got in, the entire interview took less than 10 minutes and we were on the road again within half an hour! We are so excited to be able to take time to travel to the States for the Christmas season - and be together this time! Last year, we had plans to spend the season together here in the DR, but my youngest brother, Anthony, died in a car accident on December 11, and the unexpected trip to Michigan extended through Christmas. It was not easy when we had planned to celebrate together and instead mourned apart.
God's grace has continued to pour over our lives this past year, even in the darkest moments. While it will be difficult to spend this holiday season with a gaping hole in our family, it will not be without hope. Through the tears, we will be celebrating the joy and wonder of knowing Anthony is living with our Savior - that he is truly celebrating the reason we have Christmas.
We'll also get to celebrate a new addition to our family - this time in the form of a sister-in-law. My younger brother, Lewis, is getting married Jan. 6, '18 and we are thrilled!

Below is an outline of our schedule for this trip. We know it's a busy time of year for most people so we've carved out several days before and after the busiest time to be able to travel a little.

• St. Johns, MI - Dec.17-23 - we are open to traveling an hour or two to see you (or you can come see us!)
• Dec. 24-Jan. 6 - we have this time blocked off to spend with family and local friends
• MI - Jan.7-9 - we will have a few days left for last minute get togethers before heading out
• Atlanta, GA - Jan. 10-16 - our schedule is wide open so far but it will fill up fast! We have multiple places to stay and many people who are excited to see Miguel again. Let us know where you'll be and you can help us introduce Miguel to big city USA.

Let us know when and where we'll see you!
In the meantime, Merry Christmas!

Goodbyes Are Hard. Period.

He told us he sent in his resignation letter and they're moving to Tampa in December. Not only have they been some of our best friends, but he's also been our boss as the director of FCA DR for the last year.
Yet another difficult aspect of the lives of missionaries - the many goodbyes.
And while we understand their decision, fully support them as they move forward in the ministry God has for them in this season, and know that our relationship does not end here, it's difficult to prepare to say goodbye to people who've become family to us.
Goodbyes are hard. Period.
We can come up with strategies. We can look at the positive side. We can become numb to people coming in and going out of our lives. But it's still hard. Because every time we invest in lives, a little bit of our hearts are given to those lives.

FCA DR fall sports camp

The first question that comes to mind for most people is how this will affect the ministry and what it means moving forward. To answer that, first of all, this is God's ministry. Period. So our first response is to trust that He knows where to guide us. Secondly, there has been prior preparation and strategies that we'll be implementing, such as handing more responsibility to the three regional directors (Miguel and two other staff members) and working more toward a Dominican run ministry. At the same time, our founder, who lives in the US, will continue with fundraising for the ministry as a whole. (We still fundraise for my personal salary and expenses.) So, as a whole, there isn't a lot that will change outwardly. My job in administration stays the same with a few additional responsibilities, as does Miguel's job as regional director with a few additional responsibilities. We'll continue expanding our role as group coordinators and will be the go-to for most international communications.

Miguel and I can't help wondering what the future will bring. We're excited to see this new model for mission trips take hold and see how God will use Americans and Dominicans working side by side to demonstrate His love to the coaches and communities we serve. At the same time, more than ever, we are realizing the utmost importance of staying tuned to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to guide, not only this ministry, but also us.
We ask ourselves, what does God have us here in this particular city for? We see the small local church we're a part of begin to grow and flourish and wonder, what part does God have for us in this body? We see the needs of a community of street children and wonder, how can we be Jesus to them?
And for now, the answer is one step at a time. Each day, asking our Father to show us who needs His love, today. To pour out through our conversations, our work, our presence in this town.

Marriage retreat 

October has been a full month!
A generous donor gave enough to cover a weekend marriage retreat for all FCA DR staff and spouses, as well as several coaches and their wives, at a nearby resort. October 1 also marked 6 months since our wedding day, so it was the perfect way to celebrate! We thoroughly enjoyed getting away for a few days and relaxing while eating great food and participating in a wonderful couple's conference.
The first week of October brought FCA DR's fall camp. A group of Miguel's coaches and baseball players joined others to participate in the three day tournament, daily discipleship groups, and evening evangelical sessions that our staff worked hard to prepare.
October 11 marked ten months since my youngest brother died, which seemed more significant in some ways than any other month. It seems crazy how life can go on appearing unaltered while underneath, everything has changed.
October also brought with it new neighbors. Another Dominican-American couple joined the leadership staff of our local church and we are so thankful for a growing community. Cross cultural life and marriage brings its own challenges and joys and its already been a special blessing to share them with someone else.
And today marks two years since I first stepped foot on Dominican soil! So much has happened in two years that in many ways it seems much longer. Yet, I wonder how time can fly by so fast.

Daily happenings include daily discipleship and mentoring through baseball for Miguel, while he juggles the added responsibilities that mean supervising more staff in implementing long term ministry strategies. Please continue to pray for open hearts in the coaches and athletes we work with. So many don't realize how much influence they truly have in this country. The coaches spend more time with their athletes than any other adult and our prayer is to teach them how to use that influence for Jesus. Relationships and unconditional love is the key to bringing change to a culture where fatherlessness and abandoment run rampant.
I've personally been staying busy with a wide range of things including writing a ministry handbook to help steer the upcoming changes. Opportunities to translate and consult in legal and cultural topics for other ministries have been coming my way as well, and Miguel jokes that I could set up a small firm on the side! In reality, it's been a joy to be able to provide support for other members of the large body of Christ and assist in greater influential impact. This country has so many needs and I thank God for the priviledge of being used in whatever way possible. I've also loved being able to stay in touch with a few of the girls from the safe home who are now young adults and live close by. While it can be difficult to watch them make choices that aren't the wisest or the best, it's also a joy to be able to continue to invest in their lives and pray that Jesus becomes the center of the universe.


Through the many facets of ministry and missionary life, our main goal is always discipleship. And while goodbyes are tough we also know that investing in lives is the best use of our time.
Because it's what Jesus did.

New Ministry Developement

As you all know, when we got married I resigned from my role in the anti-trafficking world; I also made the decision to not get heavily involved in those efforts for at least the first year of our marriage in order to be able to take time to pour energy into building a strong foundation for our marriage and pursue the calling for ministry that we have together.

But, for someone who has a tendency to be a work-aholic, it's been harder than most people know. It's been a big adjustment to have such an open schedule. Even though I keep myself busy most of the time, sometimes I question whether or not I'm fulfilling the purpose God placed me here to fulfill. Especially because I am so passionate about anti-trafficking. When I was invited to join the board of a new bureau here in the DR planning to move forward with so many things that we had dreamed of doing last year and couldn't, I knew I had to say no, but it was a very hard struggle to give up that opportunity.
Do I regret it? No!! And there have been so many people who have encouraged us in this decision. I know that Miguel and I are so, so grateful that God has brought us down the path we are walking. And of course, Miguel is SO good at reminding me to take the extra time and spend those moments with Jesus.

Having said all that, I am so excited that we've been asked to take on roles as Mission Trips Coordinators for FCA DR! We're rolling out a new model for mission trips this upcoming year (currently receiving requests/bookings) and Miguel and I are spearheading it all. I'll do what I love to do in coordinating behind the scenes, as well as working with the groups when needed, while Miguel does what he loves to do - connect people to Jesus through baseball.
Our projects will be focused on the coaches. This may mean pouring a concrete floor for a coach and his family, building an outdoor block bathroom, repairing leaking tin roofs, or painting several coaches' homes in a week. Whatever it is, we'll take the talents of the visiting group and pair it with a need of a coach dirctly influenced by the staff of FCA DR.

Spread the word! Become a part of going into the world and "making disciples of all nations."