Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend! For those of you who are interested and have been praying with us about our ministry needs, I wanted to send a quick update on all the God is doing here in Monte Plata. I also have some great updates on my blog so check it out!
Answered prayer:
We have a house mom!! Alejandra officially arrived on Thursday to begin her new assignment as house mother for Casa de Amor, where 5 little boys live. She and her 5th grade daughter Juliambar, are from Santo Domingo. Please thank God with us for this wonderful answer to prayer, and continue to pray that the two would adjust to life in Monte Plata, at the residential facility, at a new school, and at a new church. Pray that the they and the boys will grow closer together as a family every day. Pray for wisdom as she begins to love, care for, and discipline the boys. Continue praying for a house FAMILY (emphasis on wanting a husband and wife) for our older boys’ home!
I am also thanking God for several unexpected financial contributions to my missionary account over the past two months. I just received a financial update from Kids Alive about my missionary funds and my account is strong and healthy. Praise the Lord for the faithful and generous giving of His people! Thank you to all of you who are part of my financial partnership team!
Continued prayer:
We have two groups arriving in Monte Plata today. The first group is made up of college athletes from California. They are here to hang out with our kids at school and minister to them through relationships built while playing sports. Please pray that the Lord blesses their time with our kids and that God also uses this trip to call some of them into ministry.
The second group arriving today is through Medical Missions International. Although they are not working specifically with Kids Alive, they are staying here on our school property in our team housing. As I write this, I am staring at hundreds of clinic bed sheets and blue medical towels that are hung to dry in front of my house. Their Dominican support staff must wash these EVERY DAY after the doctors return from clinics. This would be hard work using an American washer and dryer, but it is even harder with our “lavadoras” that require a lot more manual labor to use. These doctors will be here for two weeks, holding clinics in Monte Plata for several days and then traveling to neighboring cities for the rest of their time. I will be translating for them in their Monte Plata clinics, especially on Monday when school is canceled so they can use our classrooms as consultation rooms with patients. One of the other missionaries told me that she once got to translate for them in the operating room!! I am keeping my fingers crossed that I get to, as well! Pray that the Lord uses this group to meet the very real physical needs of our community and that people are healed both physically and spiritually through the Lord’s work through them. Pray that the Lord gives me the language I need to translate specific medical terminology when needed.
The arrival of these two groups means great things for our ministry and also means that we missionaries with be much busier than usual. Please pray that we are continually sourced in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. Pray for peace for our ministry sites, clarity of direction, time provided to be alone with the Lord, and wisdom as we continue forward in the work the Lord has given us.
In Christ,
Kristin
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” -2 Corinthians 12:9-10