the experience of love

I got home last night with a new found love, the Dominican Republic. Though it was just a week, I was so pleased with all that we were able to experience in such a short time. I cant wait to go back. Our team read a great book before coming on this trip called Foreign to Familiar, which is about being aware, understanding and communicating with other cultures. It was very helpful in preparing us and having grace toward ourselves and others within those differences. One of the things I love most about trips and experiences like this is that it never fails to expand my mind, heart and love for God and his children.

Before leaving and for a least the first 2-3 days of the trip I had the children's' song "oh be careful little eyes what you see, oh be careful little ears what you hear… little hands what you do… little feet where you go…[little mind where you dwell]… for the Father up above is looking down in love, oh be careful…" stuck in my head. The day I left, my mom told me she felt that for whatever reason I needed to be reminded to "look at their hearts, not their conditions". At first I was kind of taken aback when she said this. Of course I would look at their hearts! … but these words were not from her. Having those things in mind all week helped me to see how much I do focus on destitute conditions before people's hearts, because the destitution is impossible to ignore (and, in my opinion, completely wrong to ignore). Now I see that God was reminding me to see that we are all broken people in need of and deserving of His love. Through the holding of childrens' hands, laughing over language barriers, painting a school room, listening to the stories of staff and children, being a part of creating a safe place for the staff to let loose and relax, enjoying the growing togetherness of our team, exploring the needs of the community, encouraging the strengths and giftedness of each COTN-DR staff person, learning about the daily conditions and struggles of those living in the bateys (and the Dominican Republic in general), learning, listening, worshiping and creating together I experienced love in so many different forms. Though our humanness shone through quite often, there was a constant reassurance that God does love each of us and wants the best for us. He cries with us, laughs with us, dances with us and holds us. That is a love far greater than we will ever begin to fully understand or experience this side of heaven, but certainly one worth fighting for. On the plane ride home I read another great book called unearth about re-entering into our monetarily wealthy American society and how to healthily process overseas experiences and, specifically, overseas missions.  There are so many quotable pieces in the book (it's an easy read, I highly recommend it), but one that really stood out to me was this…

"Love is entering into the pain as well as the glory of this world. There is no way to love authentically without getting messy. And messes will surely erupt as broken people collide in their pursuit to be like Christ. When I think of great lovers in this world, I think of the people who endured heartache and struggle in their efforts to love well. These people are people who give of themselves without expectation or restraint, to love without return… Love will at times sting deeper and ache more than you think you can bear. Although it demands so much of you, it is the most heavenly gift we can engage in here on earth" (unearth, pg. 57 & 59)

And now… pictures :)

 We met these children at the Skills Center (the COTN schools rotate every day) located in Pueblo Nuevo. One of the greatest examples of love this week was the lack of inhibition that children have. They come up right away wanting to play games, hold your hand, be held, learn English, teach Spanish, ask questions, do your hair, laugh (sometimes fight over you, "mi americana!" haha) and take lots of pictures (note Paula sporting my sunglasses). I was reminded so many times that we are called to be child-like (not child-ish) and love others - and be loved - without constraints 

one of the older boys, Chin, and Rambo (one of our awesome interpreters) unloading meals that are packaged in the USA at Meal Packaging Events

the children at the school in Don Bosco at lunchtime eating meals provided by COTN

(rice, lentils, veggies, spices and chicken)

the I Love Baseball boys hard at work

Having fun making faces, if silliness is a love language we were saturated in love! :p

This sweet girl just wanted to sit on my lap most of the afternoon (no complaining here)

Rambo and me getting ready for hand prints at the school in Altagracia

Vicky practicing her ABC's 

 The finished product! We all had paint on our hands and were doing crowd control while the children were hand-printing the wall, so we weren't able to get any pictures in the midst of the action :(  It was so fun though! :D

el fin!  

(Tree, flowers, verse about being rooted in love, food pyramid, vowels in balloons, ABCs, 1-20, Days, and Months) truly AMAZING that it all got done in one day (including siesta at lunch)!

Emmanuel, Raymond and Juanchi (our main interpreters) at the waterfalls enjoying the last of the chocolate frosting, yumm!

Saying goodbye to the staff after a refreshing, fun day in the water (there are pictures on other cameras at the waterfalls, to be posted later)

COTN Dominican Republic International Office (excited to be adding 2 more flags to that line up, Haiti and Liberia)

The children loved to take the camera and taking pictures of each other, these are my two favorite

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully, so that you may be filled with the measure of all the fullness of God."  -Ephesians 3:17-19 (mashup of NIV and NLT versions)