TBT: Dominican Republic, January 2015
The more I’ve talked about my time on the World Race, the more I’ve realized the stories I never got a chance to tell because of lack of internet, forgetfulness, uncertainty of if people would want to read it, etc.
I have this idea to do a monthly “Throwback Thursday” blog series for each month I was on the Race. Every month, I will write about where I was that month of 2015, tell stories, share memories, maybe add a favorite pic, and whatever else comes to mind. Super unscripted but a way for me to process the Race while you get to read about it.
So, continue this journey with me…
January 2015 was the start of my Race. We went to the Dominican Republic and worked with Hope for the DR in Lajas de Yaroa. We did prayer ministry, English VBS camp, and helped create a discipleship curriculum for women.
Until this month, I did not understand how cell service and Apple iCloud worked when it came to iTunes so I spent this month without music and it was very difficult. When I finally was able to re-download songs, my “songs on repeat” for Month 1 were “This I Believe” and “Broken Vessels” by Hillsong. A few mornings this month, I found joy in waking up before dawn to worship with these songs while attempting to sketch (don’t ask to see these sketches).
The first week of being in the DR, my teammate, Taylor, stepped on a sea urchin while snorkeling. She had dozens of needles in her foot and couldn’t walk on it for weeks. I HATE feet but oddly enough, found it fun to try to dig out the little needles. The things we do for friends! 
This property had some guard geese that lived there. They truly were attacking and protective of their property. EVERYWHERE was their property. At one point, one of the dogs got a geese by the neck and it played dead. Once the dog dropped it at the front door of our contact’s house, the geese miraculously came back to life and went into attack mode. It came toward my team and I. Taylor couldn’t walk because of the sea urchin so I was prepared to fight it off with my chaco. Luckily, our contact saved us (or he saved the goose – depends if you believe in my skill) and dragged him away.
They had a trampoline. I have LOVED trampolines since elementary school and though I’m 24 now, I still love them just as much. I had some really great conversations on those trampolines. Even more, they were probably my favorite times of the month. Prayer, deep conversations, laughter, jumping!
Speaking of the bathrooms! Wait…oh, we weren’t talking about those. Oh, well we are now… 25 girls, 3 shower stalls, 2 toilets, 2 shower curtains providing privacy to the toilets. But girls are stronger than you think. Within the first week, those shower curtains were more like streamers you would use at parties, so it was all out in the open. Friendship goes to a new level when privacy is out the door.
The word of the month was “Connection” for me. It took me to the end of this month to realize how much I was holding back in relationships. Knowing this about myself stirred me on to intentionality, and it only got better from here.
Well…that’s all I have for now. Stay tuned for next month’s addition to this “Throwback Thursday” series.
Please consider supporting me prayerfully and financially to attend the Center for Global Action in Georgia, January 2016. I have committed to 1 semester (4 months) and will undergo training, discipleship, and apprenticeship in the Worship track.
If you can partner with me financially with a tax-deductible donation by clicking on the “Support Me” tab, which will take you to the website with giving information. Thank you and God bless!
