{"id":2005,"date":"2015-01-16T16:46:30","date_gmt":"2015-01-16T21:46:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/school\/?p=2005"},"modified":"2015-01-16T16:46:30","modified_gmt":"2015-01-16T21:46:30","slug":"returning-from-the-dr-a-heart-of-thankfulness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/school\/returning-from-the-dr-a-heart-of-thankfulness\/","title":{"rendered":"Returning from the DR: A Heart of Thankfulness"},"content":{"rendered":"

As I sit here a mere 20 hours after my return from the Dominican Republic, I can’t help but reflect on God’s incredible goodness throughout our time in that beautiful country. \u00a0We were able to spend the majority of our time helping at several orphanages, mainly through VBS programs and simply spending time with boys and girls who have lived unbelievably difficult lives.<\/p>\n

\"Neighborhood<\/a>
Neighborhood From Which
Many Orphans Come<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One evening, I was talking to a lady from the church, Edia, who is heavily involved in the orphanage ministry. \u00a0I asked her how the kids came to the orphanage, and she said usually the connection is through local child services overflow requests. \u00a0She told me how three years ago, Madeleine, now 12, was found roaming the streets\u2014naked\u2014having been homeless for at least several months. \u00a0Edia described the extensive injuries on Madeleine’s feet, and how long they took to heal. \u00a0Edia went on to say what a huge change they’ve witnessed in Madeleine, a special needs child, throughout the past three years. \u00a0While she used to react with outbursts and rage on a regular basis, she now goes weeks without an episode.<\/p>\n

\"Milenny,<\/a>
Milenny, the Wisest 6-Year-Old<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Milenny, an adorable little 6-year-old I connected with, was talking to me one day. \u00a0She told me that she used to live with her dad and then her grandma. “I like it here best,” she said, “because I get to learn about Jesus.” \u00a0Later in the conversation, she told me that she got to come to the orphanage, because her grandma had been burning her. \u00a0Despite her difficult past and young age, I was able to learn from Milenny. \u00a0She has a perspective on life unlike any 6-year-old I’ve ever met, choosing to thank God for the little things and encouraging all those around her.<\/p>\n

Spending time with these orphans was no doubt an incredible privilege. \u00a0In them, I saw such a pure joy singing and learning about Jesus. During our VBS, they would always beg to sing more and more songs before moving on to the other activities. \u00a0I was also deeply impacted witnessing the people of Iglesia Bautista de la Gracia (Grace Baptist Church) pour their time and resources into this life-changing ministry.<\/p>\n

Watching my students grow and minister together was also a special blessing as they were challenged regularly to adapt and grow. \u00a0I have no doubt that every member of our team would say that he or she left the DR having been blessed to minister and also learn from these kids. \u00a0For that, I thank you. Each of you, in your financial and prayerful giving, had a hand on this trip. \u00a0Without you, I would not have had such a special opportunity to both minister and grow. \u00a0Thank you for letting the Lord work through you in this way.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As I sit here a mere 20 hours after my return from the Dominican Republic, I can’t help but reflect on God’s incredible goodness throughout our time in that beautiful country. \u00a0We were able to spend the majority of our time helping at several orphanages, mainly through VBS programs and simply spending time with boys… read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nReturning from the DR: A Heart of Thankfulness - Faith Christian School Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/school\/returning-from-the-dr-a-heart-of-thankfulness\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Returning from the DR: A Heart of Thankfulness - 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