Friday was our day to have a womens meeting with 200 Dominican women from the area churches. I had been sick Thursday night with a tomach thing so I missed this but Dana said it was wonderful. We had our last dinner and conference. Friday night was Vintage night and we were to dress in vintage clothes and hats. We had a lot of fun with that. Dana led worship again and did a great job. We are so blessed to have Brandon & Dana at Weatmeade. Dana has such a sweet spirit and she is so gifted. We have had a wonderful time together this week. Wenve made new friends and enjoyed rconnecting with our SCORE missionary friends.
last night after worship Dana and I and several others went out to witness to prostituts on the street with SCORE missionaries. Several listened, one came close to praying and one gave her phone number for followup. We also got to tour the Lilly House which is available for those who will commit to Christ and get out of prostitution. They can stay there to be discipled and learn a new way to make a living. There is a 12 yr old there now - please pray for her and many others who see no other way to survive.
After a great night of sleep we had breakfast and a little leisure time by the pool. Then we packed up and were picked up to go to the airport at 11:45am. We had a good flight here to Miami and should be boarding for Birmingham at 7:15 and scheduled to arrive 8:45.
It will be a late night for us but we will see you at church tomorrow, our LORD willing. Praying for a great day at Westmeade tomorrow! Love you all.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Saturday
We are in Miami and should be in Birmingham at 8:45 tonight. I was sick Thu night and Friday and got behind on blogging. Great trip and I will add more as soon as I can.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thursday Night
We went to a special needs orphanage this afternoon. Just go visit a place like that and you will instantly have "Radical Gratitude". Dana said the orphanage was much cleaner and in much better shape than when she was there last. We rubbed lotion on the kids and held their hands and prayed with them, sang with them, blew bubbles and just spent time with them. Most all are bedridden and just lay in bed all day long. So very sad. There was a 2 month old baby that had been born premature so the mother abandoned. Not sure if anything was really wrong with the baby but he looked malnourished and dehydrated. Dana and I would both have brought him home if we could. His name is Ventura. Pray that someone will care for this little one. I assume that they think he has special needs but he may just need to be held and cared for. He is a beautiful baby. We could not take pictures there. It was tough but we just hope we brought a little joy into their lives for this one day.
We had another great service tonight with Dana leading music and our message brought by Ellen Vaughn. She is an outstanding Christian author - but a very humble lady. She tells the funniest stories. She talked a lot tonight about Remembering and Forgetting. Things to remember (Remember our Slavery, remember our deliverance, remember our deliverer). Forget our sins, forget our shame, forget our successes. By that she meant our past successes and not let success of the past keep us from concentrating on what God has for us today.
1 Cor. 15:10a By God's Grace I am what I am and His grace toward me was not ineffective.
We had another great service tonight with Dana leading music and our message brought by Ellen Vaughn. She is an outstanding Christian author - but a very humble lady. She tells the funniest stories. She talked a lot tonight about Remembering and Forgetting. Things to remember (Remember our Slavery, remember our deliverance, remember our deliverer). Forget our sins, forget our shame, forget our successes. By that she meant our past successes and not let success of the past keep us from concentrating on what God has for us today.
1 Cor. 15:10a By God's Grace I am what I am and His grace toward me was not ineffective.
Thursday afternoon
Thursday afternoon
This morning for our devotional time Dana led us in several beautiful songs and Sarah Liborio shared her testimony. Some of you know her and have heard this or you may have heard me share some of her testimony from my last DR trip. God is being glorified through her life as she shares her painful experience of losing her wonderful husband last December 22. Many of our Westmeade people knew her husband “Hugo” because he was full of life and full of Jesus. God brought those two together; a girl from Kansas and a boy from El Salvadore. She has a beautiful story about how God brought them together. They married and were serving as SCORE missionaries. They were home in Kansas after just having their second child when he died suddenly of a brain anerysm. They had a 2-yr old son and a newborn daughter. I can’t tell you the whold story but she shared about God’s faithfulness through all this. God has led her to write a book and she is working on that now.
Our mission project this morning was going to a village near the SCORE complex. A lady who has recently become a Christian owns an open air restaurant that needed painting. She had signs about “beer” that she wanted covered up because she no longer wanted to sell that in her café. It was originally red with these signs and we were painting turquoise so I wasn’t sure it would cover but God blessed and it covered beautifully with only two coats of paint. We did some trim work in cream. I will try to post some pictures but it really looked good when we finished.
She took us in the back of the café to an area where her home was. It was a simple house made of concrete blocks with curtains separating rooms and a tin roof. We met her special needs son (about 30 years old), Milton. We also met her mother. Tata and her son were Christians but her mother was not. Later several ladies went back and with an interpreter shared the gospel and the grandmother prayed to receive Christ. The gospel was also shared with a granddaughter who is pregnant at 14. She was interested but not ready to pray today.
We had actually divided into 2 groups and the other group went to a village to paint houses for a couple of ladies. I’m sure they had a good morning as well.
It has been a very enjoyable day. We came back to the Embassy for lunch and will be going out again shortly to a special needs orphanage. Dana has been there before and she says it is going to be really hard so please pray for us and especially for the orphans.
“All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery…but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba Father” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if God’s children—also heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ…” Rom. 8: 15-17
This morning for our devotional time Dana led us in several beautiful songs and Sarah Liborio shared her testimony. Some of you know her and have heard this or you may have heard me share some of her testimony from my last DR trip. God is being glorified through her life as she shares her painful experience of losing her wonderful husband last December 22. Many of our Westmeade people knew her husband “Hugo” because he was full of life and full of Jesus. God brought those two together; a girl from Kansas and a boy from El Salvadore. She has a beautiful story about how God brought them together. They married and were serving as SCORE missionaries. They were home in Kansas after just having their second child when he died suddenly of a brain anerysm. They had a 2-yr old son and a newborn daughter. I can’t tell you the whold story but she shared about God’s faithfulness through all this. God has led her to write a book and she is working on that now.
Our mission project this morning was going to a village near the SCORE complex. A lady who has recently become a Christian owns an open air restaurant that needed painting. She had signs about “beer” that she wanted covered up because she no longer wanted to sell that in her café. It was originally red with these signs and we were painting turquoise so I wasn’t sure it would cover but God blessed and it covered beautifully with only two coats of paint. We did some trim work in cream. I will try to post some pictures but it really looked good when we finished.
She took us in the back of the café to an area where her home was. It was a simple house made of concrete blocks with curtains separating rooms and a tin roof. We met her special needs son (about 30 years old), Milton. We also met her mother. Tata and her son were Christians but her mother was not. Later several ladies went back and with an interpreter shared the gospel and the grandmother prayed to receive Christ. The gospel was also shared with a granddaughter who is pregnant at 14. She was interested but not ready to pray today.
We had actually divided into 2 groups and the other group went to a village to paint houses for a couple of ladies. I’m sure they had a good morning as well.
It has been a very enjoyable day. We came back to the Embassy for lunch and will be going out again shortly to a special needs orphanage. Dana has been there before and she says it is going to be really hard so please pray for us and especially for the orphans.
“All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery…but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba Father” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if God’s children—also heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ…” Rom. 8: 15-17
Thursday Morning
Thursday morning
We had a wonderful worship time together last night as Dana led our worship and Ellen Vaughn spoke. She is using her book “Radical Gratitude” as the basis for her talks this week. Tonight was about obstacles to being radically grateful. Not sure I got them all down but some are: being unsure of your relationship to Jesus; jealousy; self-focus (pride). Sometimes we get caught up in doing, doing, doing; worried about checking off our daily quiet times, witnessing, etc (and those things are very important) but our spiritual health is determined by what God has done for us and not on our own performance. She referred to the book which many of you have read “Transforming Grace” and said that Grace is far more huge than we often think about.
Some people she mentioned who have had much grace in their lives were Joni Erickson Tada who has had so much to deal with in her life and now has breast cancer. She mentioned Mother Teresa and said she met a woman named Sister Mary Margaret (or vice versa) who said of Mother Teresa “little people change the world”. She also mentioned Corrie Ten Boom who was able to forgive the Nazi guard only by the grace of God.
Ellen talked to us a lot about real repentence and many aspects of real repentence.
She talked about Marty Janko (?) who was a prisoner in Lebanon for 1 ½ yrs and how he survived his ordeal only by the grace of God whom he felt was with him all the way. He says he was guarded by the peace of God. I want to read more about his story when I get home.
In Matthew five she shared the story of the woman with an issue and the fact that we are all women with issues that we need to allow God to heal in our lives.
Dana finished our time by singing “Rescue”. She is a blessing to all of us with her sweet spirit and beautiful gift of singing and playing guitar.
We had a wonderful worship time together last night as Dana led our worship and Ellen Vaughn spoke. She is using her book “Radical Gratitude” as the basis for her talks this week. Tonight was about obstacles to being radically grateful. Not sure I got them all down but some are: being unsure of your relationship to Jesus; jealousy; self-focus (pride). Sometimes we get caught up in doing, doing, doing; worried about checking off our daily quiet times, witnessing, etc (and those things are very important) but our spiritual health is determined by what God has done for us and not on our own performance. She referred to the book which many of you have read “Transforming Grace” and said that Grace is far more huge than we often think about.
Some people she mentioned who have had much grace in their lives were Joni Erickson Tada who has had so much to deal with in her life and now has breast cancer. She mentioned Mother Teresa and said she met a woman named Sister Mary Margaret (or vice versa) who said of Mother Teresa “little people change the world”. She also mentioned Corrie Ten Boom who was able to forgive the Nazi guard only by the grace of God.
Ellen talked to us a lot about real repentence and many aspects of real repentence.
She talked about Marty Janko (?) who was a prisoner in Lebanon for 1 ½ yrs and how he survived his ordeal only by the grace of God whom he felt was with him all the way. He says he was guarded by the peace of God. I want to read more about his story when I get home.
In Matthew five she shared the story of the woman with an issue and the fact that we are all women with issues that we need to allow God to heal in our lives.
Dana finished our time by singing “Rescue”. She is a blessing to all of us with her sweet spirit and beautiful gift of singing and playing guitar.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wednesday
It's been a good day here in the DR. Breakfast early and then a time of devotion and prayer in groups of three. We then packed up bags for the maternity ward and sick children's ward. We went to the public hospital where people go who cannot afford anything else. they don't have sheets/towels or anything like that unless they bring it with them. We gave out probably around 40 bags to new mothers. we prayed over babies and mommies. I prayed with a young lady whose baby died. Please pray with me for Marleny. She was heartbroken and in a ward with probably 7 ladies who had their babies with them. The moms keep the babies in their bed, there are no baby beds. All were very appreciative of the gifts. We witnessed to soem through interpreters and we left gospel tracts in Spanish with all of them. Some took gifts to the sick children's ward as well as baloons which they loved.
We went to visit an orphanage that is ready to house 16 boys when they get house parents to take care of them.
Not much time for blogging or facebook, sorry. I have to take my computer and go to the lobby for internet.
Looking forward to Dana leading worship again tonight and Ellen Vaughn speaking again. God is blessing. Thank you for your prayers.
kathy
We went to visit an orphanage that is ready to house 16 boys when they get house parents to take care of them.
Not much time for blogging or facebook, sorry. I have to take my computer and go to the lobby for internet.
Looking forward to Dana leading worship again tonight and Ellen Vaughn speaking again. God is blessing. Thank you for your prayers.
kathy
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Dana did an awesome job tonight with the music which preceded Best Selling Author Ellen Vaughn's talk. Ellen brought a wonderful talk on gratitude. The 4 talks she does this week will be based on her book "Radical Gratitude". I have just finished her book "Choosing to See" based on the life of Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman and the loss of their child two years ago. Awesome book.
Ellen is a very down to earth, funny, real person. She loves the LORD and loves and cares for people. I will definitely be reading more of her books.
We all brought our supplies up to be sorted and bagged for the maternity ward tomorrow. This will be our morning ministry project. Some will go to a children's ward at the hospital as well. We will be taking the gifts and sharing the gospel through interpreters.
"The grass withers and the flowers fall,but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8)
Ellen is a very down to earth, funny, real person. She loves the LORD and loves and cares for people. I will definitely be reading more of her books.
We all brought our supplies up to be sorted and bagged for the maternity ward tomorrow. This will be our morning ministry project. Some will go to a children's ward at the hospital as well. We will be taking the gifts and sharing the gospel through interpreters.
"The grass withers and the flowers fall,but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8)
Tuesday, October 26
Dana and I arrived at the Embassy Suites, Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic late last night. We had a good trip down even though we had over an hour delay leaving Miami while a mechanical problem was being checked. We went from Birmingham to Miami and then Miami to Santo Domingo. Both flights are +/- 2 hrs so not bad at all. All of our luggage arrived. We had checked 4 large bags, most of which were supplies many of you donated for ministry here. We brought a lot of jewelry making supplies to be used by the ladies here who are coming out of prostitution. This will help them have a way to make a living that honors our LORD. Many gave baby items that will be taken to a maternity ward in Santo Domingo. We make up little packs to give out as we go around and share the gospel with these ladies. The last time we did this we had several to pray to receive Christ. Someone donated gloves and we will give those to be used at the medical clinic at SCORE. Thank you. By sharing in this way you are being the hands and feet of Jesus. I will keep you posted as the week goes along.
The conference starts tonight so we had some time today to relax. Dana has been really busy with work, school and she led music for a ladies’ conference this past weekend. Pray for her, she has been having some sinus problems but seems to be doing better. I’m glad she has this day to rest and recoup.
There are 40+ ladies here from all over the US. We are meeting some here and there. A few of us went on a short shopping trip this morning just to get out for a while. It is a beautiful day here so we will probably go out by the pool and read and rest after lunch.
This is an all inclusive conference so all of our meals are covered and provided here at the Embassy. Hopefully they will do this again and more of you will take advantage of this opportunity.
Thank you for your prayers for our safe arrival. Our speaker this week is author and speaker Ellen Vaughn and our own Dana Starnes is leading the music. We are looking forward to what God will do this week.
kathy
The conference starts tonight so we had some time today to relax. Dana has been really busy with work, school and she led music for a ladies’ conference this past weekend. Pray for her, she has been having some sinus problems but seems to be doing better. I’m glad she has this day to rest and recoup.
There are 40+ ladies here from all over the US. We are meeting some here and there. A few of us went on a short shopping trip this morning just to get out for a while. It is a beautiful day here so we will probably go out by the pool and read and rest after lunch.
This is an all inclusive conference so all of our meals are covered and provided here at the Embassy. Hopefully they will do this again and more of you will take advantage of this opportunity.
Thank you for your prayers for our safe arrival. Our speaker this week is author and speaker Ellen Vaughn and our own Dana Starnes is leading the music. We are looking forward to what God will do this week.
kathy
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