Ice cream shops have a lot to offer January 10, 2008
Welcome back! I am currently sitting in an ice cream shop sipping my jugo de pera (Pear juice) and charging my cell phone. Yes, charging my phone in a public place. I figure they have power so I’ll take advantage of it unless they tell me otherwise. :) Other than that, I am just sitting here with the sun on my back, sweet music in my ears, and people to watch. It sounds like good Friday afternoon activity to me. I don’t actually know how long I’ll be here. Our driver dropped us (Nathalie – a missionary from Martinique, Kayla, and I) off in Bonao and said he’d be back. That was two hours ago. :) That’s just a bit of island time though. I won’t be worried at least another hour.
After Christmas break, getting back on that plane to spend 22 hours in international travel was not exactly my idea of fun. The red eye flight, delays, security lockdowns, almost missed flights, and lost luggage did not improve the experience for me in the least. By the time I arrived back in the Dominican Republic I was already ready to get back on any plane back home. That first night I sat on my bed for a long time and I had to ask myself why I was here. There is something different about my mission experience than some. I am not building churches or evangelizing. I’m not even teaching children enough English to change their lives. Knowing why I am here is key to feeling worthwhile. So I just sat on my bed. Not sleeping, not crying, not able to read my Bible because it was who knows where with my luggage, and just begging God to spell out why I was back. Somewhere in the middle of my begging I must have fallen asleep because as normally happens, I woke up the next morning. But when I woke up I felt the strongest peace. I wanted to look on the wall to see just one child’s name written there by God to keep me here. But I no longer needed the reassurance. I don’t have to know for whom or exactly why I am here. The important part is that I am here and it fits. I realized that when I am at home in my comfort zone, I don’t constantly ask God if that is where I am supposed to be and why. It’s the same here. He has me here for a reason and I’ll leave it to him to work out the details. It’s his plan not mine.
Luckily my classes went more smoothly than I imagined possible for an entire week. The kids must have missed me or something. But I’m not complaining. I am sure before long the roll of the eyes and chaotic classroom habits will return, and I’m not going to think about that right now. For now I’ll just remember the hugs so tight, the smiles so big, and the Spanish so fast I can’t understand a single word. :)
Well, I’ve been in town for quite some time now and I should probably remind our driver we are here. Time to try out my Spanish skills on the phone. I’ll talk to you all later. It should be sooner than later because it’s one of my new year’s resolutions to blog more.
Micah 6:8
Ashley
