What did I do in DR in the middle of November, besides escape the cold of Boston? I went with 3 other IV global project staff to investigate partnership opportunities for our summer Hispaniola 2012 trip to walk alongside the Haitian poor. I loved staffing the pilot Hispaniola trip last year & this short vision trip fired god-fueled anticipation for what is to come!
UNITED IN MISSION|unidos en misión – We met at the office of la ADEE – la asociación dominicana de estudiantes evangelicos – the IFES movement in the Dominican Republic. Both InterVarsity & la ADEE are a part of the IFES, the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, so it was deeply encouraging to meet people who do the same work in a completely different cultural context. We shared about what we do & a deep joy rose in my heart as I felt the unity of this ministry – shared hearts to reach campuses for Christ, to see deep transformation in students as they study Scripture & engage in real, life-giving & godly community!
this was in the ADEE office..a unified purpose to see students encounter Christ!
HOPE RISING AS WE WAIT|esperando con la esperanza – We had long meetings with the ADEE staff every night as we worked on crystalizing the vision for this summer’s trip. This partnership – Dominican & American students working together with the poor as well as on Dominican campuses – is new & exciting, yet fraught with challenges & hurdles in leaping from one culture to another. Yet we are daring to hope that God has purposed this trip to exalt his name; we felt a deep sense of the Holy Spirit stirring our hearts with HOPE for this venture, particularly for how it will impact the deep Haitian/Dominican divide on campuses & in the hearts of most people on the island of Hispaniola.
ADEE & IV staff - God is doing something in our midst!
IV & ADEE staff after a 3hour long meeting...late dinner at good old mcd's!
GATHERING MOMENTUM|momentum ganando – While 3-hour staff meetings are great, campus staff LOVE to be on campus with actual students, seeing where God is on the move. We got a tour of la UASD – la universidad autónomo de santo domingo, the biggest university in the capital -from Marina, a student leader/staff at la UASD’s ADEE, getting a taste of the culture of Dominican university life. We had an opportunity to attend a ADEE meeting at la UASD to share the vision of the trip with their students & hear their thoughts. It was great to see to hear their thoughtful questions & see them rally around the vision of partnership & seeing God at work in their country!
brendan sharing the vision with students from la UASD
after an encouraging meeting together at la UASD
A fun fact – in DR university culture, presentation matters! We weren’t allowed to enter the library because the guys were in shorts, my arms were bare & my flip-flops wayyy too casual. A slightly embarassing “WE ARE AMERICAN” moment where we learned that education is so highly valued in Dominican culture that pursuing it demands a certain decorum & respect, even in one’s dress!
marina & the colossal biblioteca that we're weren't allowed to enter jajaja :)
Pray for this new partnership that is growing by the grace of God! Pray for good communication between American & Dominican leaders, for faith & the Holy Spirit to continue to lead us! May God provide the right students for this trip – students who thirst for the presence of God on their campuses, who have a heart for the poor & a desire to follow God wherever he leads!
