Guachupita

One main focus of ministry here in

San Juan is in an area of town called Guachupita.
  It is one of the poorest and roughest neighborhoods in this city of 130,000.
  As you walk down the road toward this part of town the scenery instantly changes.
  The road changes from pathed to unpathed and the buildings go from structures with color to drab dilapidated buildings.
  It is a neighborhood that still shows the signs of Hurricane George (1998).
  Not only in the dilapidated buildings, but in the spirits of the residents.
  It is a community where physical and substance abuse is common, and where the difficulties of life are reflected on the faces of the residents.

David, Beth, Sarah, and Ali have heeded the call to minister in this area of town.
  Every Wednesday and Friday afternoons they go to this neighborhood.
  They play with the kids, dance with the teenagers, cook with the women, and get their hair braided by the girls.
  They are a shining light in this community of much darkness and sadness.
  Every other week I join them on their journey.
  This week’s trip sticks out in my mind.
  I had been feeling the Holy Spirit telling me that I need to be in the streets more.
  I realized that it is comfortable, peaceful, and easy to sit behind a computer or do other parts of my job.
  Guachupita is not a comfortable, peaceful, or easy place.
  So Wednesday I went to Guachupita.
  What ensued was the most peaceful, enjoyable time I had all week.
 

We first visited a friend of ours named
Doris.
  She is a single mother of three who struggles to support her family with the use of only one leg.
  She blesses us with a smile and food every time we visit.
  We then went and visited a lady who lives in the back of the neighborhood.
  We sat in the shade and chewed on sugar cane as we talked about life with her.
  After that I played with some children while Beth and David read the Bible and prayed with this woman.
  Meanwhile baby chickens were running around at our feet.

Our last stop for the day was at a house that had been difficult in the past.
  Times that we had visited before had been full of sitting awkwardly in silence as we tried to conjure up something to say to them.
  This time was very different.
  We were welcomed with open arms as everyone sitting down gave up their chairs for us.
  The women of the house then brought out some coffee for us.
  A domino game started up with a teenage girl, her grandfather, David and I.
  We laughed and played dominoes as the food began to come: fried plantains and fried chicken.

We had such a great time in Guachupita on Wednesday.
  The people are starting to become comfortable with us and their hearts are beginning to soften for the Gospel.
  Please join us in prayer for this community.
  Pray that the Holy Spirit would invade this community like never before.
  Pray that they would see God for who He really is: someone that loves them dearly and desires to be their peace and their comfort.

 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your continued prayers and support!
  You are helping bring hope in Christ to

San Juan,
Dominican Republic.