DR Day 6

Today we went to an orphanage in La Romana that was very well off.  The girls were in school, church, and had the opportunity to practice sports and other hobbies.  Marc Anthony and some other famous people donated money to help the orphanage out, and you could definitely tell. Even though the situation of the girls was the same, they all had hope through the Lord and this orphanage.  As soon as we walked through the gate, a girl named Madeline grabbed my hand.  She was 15 and knew some English, so we clicked immediately.  A few girls performed for us in the church, and then we went out to the courtyard to play volleyball with the kids.  Several of the members on our team had children at the orphanage that they loved with all their hearts and helped sponsor them.  It was really hard to see them say goodbye to their “kids”, but I’m thankful for their ministry and love that knows no cultural boundaries. 

We tried dulce de leche de coconut and empanadas today, which were both AMAZING! I could really get used to this Dominican food-except for the cake of course!

Later, we went to the baseball game to watch our boys play, but unfortunately it got rained out.  However, the rain stopped just long enough for Dustin to share the Gospel with the other team before it started pouring again.  Then, that night we went around and collected all of our team’s thoughts and lessons learned from the trip, so here is a quick recap:

-Value people over self.  Tell others how you can live with so much joy and what gets you through each day. 

-Prayer and reading the Bible really does work.  Focus on them without distractions.

-Help others win in this life. It’s not just about us winning.

-Live in the now. It’s the only time frame that matters.

-Give, give, give.

-Be thankful for what you have.

-Don’t question God. He has you where you are for a reason.

-Be strong and courageous.

-You can’t make excuses.

-God’s creation extends and continues everywhere.

-Sometimes just being there for someone is enough.

-Love transcends all languages.

-Don’t limit God’s power and what he can do. 

-Remember what broke your heart and go home and change something.

-Use each other for accountability.

-Even if you have to sacrifice material things, live in peace.