my heart...

I just miss this place so much...

"Awake, my soul! I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of You among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth."

Psalm 57:8-11

When I read these verses I just see the Dominican. In an unexplainable way, I feel as though God made my heart for that country. It's crazy really. To be born in one place, but feel so at home in a country where they don't speak the same native language and their culture looks drastically different than the one I grew up in. I never even thought I would leave the U.S. and here I am preparing to move back down to the Dominican Republic. God's plans are so crazy and beautiful :)

This time has been so good for my heart and soul. I miss the Dominican more than my words can express, but I understand more each day why I am supposed to be here. I have been falling in love with the Lord all over again. I can't get enough of His Word and I am so blessed to have this time where I can simply seek Him. I can't stay away from Paul's letters and the truth that is flowing out of them. I'm learning to ask for open ears to hear the Spirit's direction. I'm overwhelmed by the Father's relentless and gracious love for me and all of His children. He's breaking down walls in my heart that I didn't know existed and restoring me to my identity as His daughter. I'm learning the importance of praying boldly and praying things that require me to make changes in the way I live. I'm learning to find joy in the precious little moments of life. I'm seeing the reality of the spiritual battle we are fighting. I'm seeing the Kingdom of God coming to earth through a group of fire-breathers who are a part of the Human Trafficking trip I'm going on this spring. Mostly, I'm being transformed by a God who knows me better than I know myself and planned long ago that I would fall in love with the Dominican Republic and spend my years there being a part of His vision for Esperanza. Thankful doesn't even do justice to describe my heart.

This article gives one of the most detailed descriptions of human trafficking in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. You should read it. Really, you should! And watch the video too. It hits so close to home when you walked over that same bridge every week. But the thing is... human trafficking (sex-trafficking included) is happening in Dajabon, in Thailand, in Boca Chica, in Cambodia, in Atlanta, and all across America in our own backyards and in places we don't even expect. We must educate ourselves and we must do something about it. We can no longer be silent. Human trafficking doesn't have to steal anymore lives. There are so many ways to become involved! So many! I urge you to pray about ways to fight trafficking... and if you are looking for something specific, just let me know.

FREEDOM is coming!

...and this is my heart :)

You should also read the update I just posted on my world race blog here!

tie-dye, jaibon, and esperanza...

If you know me well, you know that I love tie-dye and I LOVE Jaibon. So what better way to end the summer than a day full of both?!?! Right before I left Jaibon, we made shirts with the boys and they absolutely loved it. Somehow I even managed to make it through the day without getting dye on my hands OR clothes!

LOTS of tie-dye!

Jose pointing out his shirt!

My brothers :) I cannot wait to see them in December! solo faltan seis semanas :)

I believe that my life in Christ is a continual process of surrender, rebirth, and new life. Today was another painful and beautiful one of those times. In August, God asked me to give up life in the Dominican until next summer. Getting on that airplane to come back to the States was probably one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. I went kicking and screaming (ok, maybe it was more like crying like a baby) to the U.S. and God has brought so much beauty from that process of surrendering my heart to Him.

Recently I've been feeling like I have too tight of a hold on the Dominican once again. While I am sure that Esperanza Vision is God's dream and not mine, I also know that the Dominican sometimes becomes too much of my focus. Today I was sitting outside and the Lord asked me if I was willing to give up all of my hopes and dreams for the D.R. After more tears, I finally placed Esperanza Vision and my heart for that island at the feet of Jesus. It was something that needed to happen in my heart. I still firmly believe that God has called me to this vision in the Dominican, but I also know that it must remain at His feet. And the more I chase after God's heart, the more peace I know about the Dominican and Esperanza.

*side note* blueberry green tea = wonderful! pumpkin spice coffee = even MORE wonderful!

Fall is the best time of year to live in America :) Hands down.

"Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told."

Habakkuk 1:5

And that, my friends, sums up my thoughts on Esperanza... I am utterly amazed at what God is doing!

Oh and click here to read my update on my world race blog.

bring YOUR Kingdom...

This was my prayer for the Dominican at the beginning of this summer..

And it still is today. After I took this picture I walked down the beach for a while. When I came back only the faint remains of "bring" and "Kingdom" were there. But "Your" remained deeply etched in the sand. I kept thinking that it was fitting. It's not my Kingdom that I want to see. It's not the Kingdom of social justice that I want to see. It's His Kingdom that I want to see on this earth.

I've been thinking about this concept a lot recently during this whole Esperanza journey. Sometimes I think it can be easy for missions organizations or ministries to get wrapped up in whatever "change" they are trying to make or whatever wrong they are trying to right. But in the end, it's not really about that. While loving our neighbor, showing them Jesus, and working towards social justice are all good things, our focus has to be on God and His Kingdom first. I want to worship the Lord, not the work that I am doing for Him. And so while we are still in the beginning processes, it has been good reminder to place my focus and our ministry's focus on bringing the Lord glory.

"As much as we want to change the world, our goal cannot be a particular change. Our ambition is the will of God. We need to meditate upon God as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and in His Word. As we meditate day and night, He then gives us the wisdom and understanding to do what He has called us to do."

-John Perkins

My prayer is that my life points towards Jesus and out of the overflow of His love in my heart comes new life and the Kingdom of God in the Dominican Republic. I pray that people are changed and restored by the powerful love of our Father. I pray that people find hope... not in our home, but in Christ alone. I pray that Esperanza is a place where people feel the presence of God and find freedom. I pray that He makes beautiful things out of us... "bestow[ing] on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes" Isaiah 61:3. I'm so thankful for the lessons that God has been teaching me during my time here. A month ago I would have given anything not to get on that plane back to America, but God is so gracious in showing me purpose here.

Panera is my new best friend. Unlimited coffee, my bag full of books, and sweet, little booths make for some great days :)

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."

1 John 4:16

time is a flyin' by...

I've been able to share with many of you about the world race and I know that others have read the updated tabs on my blog, but if you have missed those, I wanted to give a quick world race update. Things have flown by incredibly fast since I have been back in the States. It's hard to believe that I have been here almost 4 weeks. This past month has been full of fun visits with friends and family, lots of coffee and tea, researching, reading, planning, praying, learning, support raising, and anything pumpkin flavored that I find :) I have loved being able to experience fall again and see the leaves changing colors. I miss the D.R. with all of my heart, but the Lord is encouraging me and providing new blessings each day here. I leave for training camp for the world race in a week. It is a five day training session of sorts where we meet everyone we will be going with and prepare more for what we will be doing. I am so excited to find out more and get to know the people I will be spending 4 months doing ministry with! AND, I get to drive to Georgia for it... I love road trips- and spending 7 hours in a car with loud music and windows down (hopefully!) and some good coffee is sounding wonderful right now :) And hopefully I'll be able to see some good friends in Atlanta and Knoxville along the way :)

This is my support letter that I recently mailed out... it contains the more concise version of the update on my life :)

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope that this letter finds you well and enjoying the first taste of fall! As you may know, I have recently returned to the United States after serving at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic for the past year and a half. During my time there, the Lord gave me an immense love for Dominicans, and I’d like to take a moment to share with you the dream He has placed on my heart.

In December of 2009, God began opening my eyes to the issues of sex-trafficking, prostitution, and abusive home situations in the Dominican Republic. I feel called to spend my life bringing hope and restoration in Christ by opening a safe-home in the D.R. for the women and children affected by these issues (To read more visit heathercolbert.blogspot.com).

After discovering many ministries in Thailand and Cambodia that are already working to fight against sex-trafficking, it became a desire of mine to go and gain wisdom from their experiences. In late August, I found out about The World Race Human Trafficking Edition, a mission trip in which participants not only spend a month in both Thailand and Cambodia but also India and the States. This trip is specifically designed for those interested in long-term ministry involving human trafficking. Upon praying, applying, and being accepted within a couple of weeks, I knew that the Lord was opening a door for me to learn from and serve alongside individuals and organizations with whom I share a passion. I know this will be an amazing training experience in ministry that will prepare me to eventually open a home for women in the Dominican Republic.

I wish to request your involvement in several ways. Spiritually, I ask that you pray for me. I covet your prayers. As internet connections are available, I plan to blog updates of specific prayer requests (heathercolbert.theworldrace.org). Should there be a time when I cannot provide exact direction on how to pray, I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit for the intercession He promises in Romans 8:26.

Financially, I invite you to consider becoming a one time or monthly sponsor as the overall cost of my expenses for January through May is $7,300.00. The Lord has given me peace in His provision as I seek first His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33), so I am trusting and waiting expectantly to see how and from where the resources will come.

I am excited beyond belief for this upcoming journey and I ask that you prayerfully consider becoming a part of it. Thank you so much for all of your love, support, and prayers along the way! They mean more than you know!

In Him,

Heather

This is my prayer card that we sent out with the letters :)

Throughout the next couple of months and when I'm on the world race in the spring, I'll also be updating my world race blog... so check that one out as well! On that blog, you can click "update alerts" on the left-hand column to receive an email when I have posted on the blog. This is the link: www.heathercolbert.theworldrace.org

On a side note... this is my third post in October and it's only the 7th... Elizabeth, I know you must be proud :)

beautiful things

All around, hope is springing up from this old ground.

Out of chaos life is being found in You.

You make beautiful things. You make beautiful things out of the dust.

You make beautiful things. You make beautiful things out of us.

I can't get these lyrics out of my head... or stop playing the song on repeat for that matter :) It reminds me so much of the Dominican and everything we want Esperanza to be about. Our prayer is that Esperanza brings hope to people and that they find new life in Christ. And we know and trust that God is going to make beautiful things through this ministry.

The Dominican (as always!) has been on my heart a lot recently. I am so thankful for everything about my time spent there. One thing I never expected to gain there were new American AND Canadian family members. The people in these pictures have blessed my life more than I ever thought possible... and the greatest part about it is that they continue to do so! I worked with, ate with, and shared a room with these people. I was with them almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We hung out together, laughed together, and cried together. And after spending a year and a half with them, I most certainly consider them a part of my family. You would think that we would have gotten sick of each other, but really, it just feels weird not having them around every day. Right now we are all in different places, but they continue to encourage me and support me and remain such a special part of my life. You all are HUGE blessings :)

Elizabeth, Julie, me, Christine, and Bryson

Bryson, Elizabeth, Christine, Coco, and me

I love and miss you guys!

I'm also missing those MC kids, limoncillos, cafe con leche y canela, the Jaibon boys, warm days, the twins' laughs, Chipa's smile, las cocineras, adventura, rice and beans, starry nights, mi hermanito, culto, Jonel's confused language, baking whatever we could find in the kitchen, mod-podging anything in site, watching basketball with 10 kids piled on a bench, playa popa, getting rolos, and hanging out with some amazing kids...

welcome fall :)

It's fall! I am now back in Louisville and loving this fall weather! Today was a perfect combination of resting, going to the St. James Art Fair in a sweater and scarf, lots of coffee, my Bible, my journal, pumpkin chocolate chip bread, talking to some dear friends, and getting to cross lots of things off my checklist :)

Last week was incredible and better than I could have imagined. Being at Johnson and spending time with my sisters there was so encouraging. I spoke in some Missions classes about OO and Esperanza and people that I didn't even know were very supportive. At the end of one of the classes, everyone stood up and prayed over me and the ministry... it was humbling for sure. Knoxville now has a worship night in the Square Room one Wednesday a month. It just so happened (thank You, God!) that this month's worship night was last week when I was in Knoxville. Emilee was singing at it with Bill Wolf and United Pursuit Band was playing! United Pursuit Band is my favorite... insane lyrics! And I think anytime I get to hear Emilee sing I cry :) So needless to say, Wednesday night was amazing and such a blessing being able to worship with them.

I was supposed to leave Knoxville Thursday afternoon, but through some cool God-things, I ended up staying until Friday afternoon. Thursday night there was a human trafficking forum in Knoxville so Emilee and I knew we had to go since I was able to stay until Friday. One of the speakers was from International Justice Mission, an organization that works to fight sex-trafficking. The forum was soooo good! It gave us a lot to think about and we were jotting things down all night so we would remember what the Lord was showing us. One of my favorite things that he said was that genuine love has a way of casting out fear. I kept thinking how true that is and how genuine love is the whole reason we are pursuing this dream. We fell in love with the Dominican people and it changed everything about our lives. Any fear or hesitation we ever had fell away in the presence of the genuine love of Christ and our genuine love for Him and His people. I just pray that we always remain rooted in the never-ending love of Christ.

Thursday night, Emilee and I made pumpkin cookies which we had been talking about doing since the beginning of the summer. Check! They were awesome. Friday, I rode back to Louisville (or Luhvul as I'm trying to teach Emilee how to say:) ) with Sara and James and it was wonderful to be able to catch up with them... I miss you guys! Yesterday we had an open house at my home in Louisville and it was such a blessing to see people that I hadn't seen for over a year and catch up on life. I was able to share a lot about Esperanza and what the Lord is doing. Thank you so much to everyone who came by... you ALL were so encouraging and I appreciate your support more than you know! God is good and I am blessed with very uplifting family and friends!

This is my sister, Emilee :) We are really bad at remembering to take pictures, but this is the one that we managed to take!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

1 Peter 1:3

I read this verse last week and LOVE everything about it. It's so fitting for Esperanza and I think we are going to put it on our prayer cards. It's our whole goal and dream... to praise our Father and bring Him glory... and to share His promises of new birth and new life into a living hope (esperanza!)... and all of that because of the resurrection of Christ! Amen.

the story...

I have been adding lots of updates to my blog recently in hopes to update everyone on what God has been doing in my life. He has done so much in my heart the past few months and I am so humbled by the doors for opportunities that He is opening in my life. He is so good! So here are a few links to both my current blog and my new world race blog that will hopefully fill you in on where I'm at!

Click here to read... The story in a nutshell

Click on the "my dream" tab to read about the dream God has placed on my heart.

Click on the "esperanza" tab to read about the story of Esperanza.

Click on the "world race" tab to read about why I am going on The World Race.

Check these links out as well as the other tabs at the top of my blog for more info!

johnson :)

The past few days have been so good for my heart. On Friday afternoon, my parents headed for the Smoky Mountains and dropped me off at Johnson on the way. While the people have changed and there are a few differences here and there, it feels good to be back at my college home. It's been a weekend full of eating at my favorite Mexican restaurant (and speaking only in Spanish with the waitress :) ), going back to Crossings, eating some free chick-fil-a, lots of coffee and chai tea, and some quality time with some great friends.

I've been staying with Emilee, my sister who spent 2 months with me in the Dominican this past summer. She is awesome and shares the same dreams as I do for the DR. We have been doing a whole lot of talking and planning and thinking and dreaming about Esperanza. It seems like each day this dream of having a safe-home for women in the Dominican becomes more of a reality. I am more in awe of God each day and everything that He is doing. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed by everyone and everything He places in my path. He is so good! I couldn't have dreamed up His plans for my life or Esperanza if I tried.

"O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago."

Isaiah 21:1

Amen. His faithfulness is perfect. Sometimes I smile just thinking about how many times over the past few months I have begged God to give me answers about the future. He is opening my eyes more every day to His vision, but it had to come in His timing and not mine. And for that, I'm thankful :)

AND, you should check out the tabs at the top of my blog... hopefully they will explain a little more about this whole dream for Esperanza :)

the beginning of an update :)

I am currently sitting in the United States, drinking some amazing chai tea, rocking out my tie dye t-shirt that Andres (one of the boys in Jaibon) made me, and listening to Dominican worship music. So much has happened in the past few months and this is going to be the first of a series of blogs that I hope will serve as an update on where I am in life and with the Lord :)

Most of my summer was spent at the orphanage in Jaibon. I am absolutely in love with the boys that live there. I have had the amazing opportunity to invest in them and become a part of their family. Many of them talk about how they are all a part of the "Colbert" family and they refer to me as "hermanita" or sister. My time spent at that orphanage is one of the things that I am most thankful for in my life up until this point. They taught me so much about life and love and selflessness and the Lord.

This is Jonel... the little five-year-old love of my life!

The last week I spent in Jaibon, we didn't actually have a volunteer program going on. It was a blessing to be able to spend so much time with the boys and my sister, Jacqueline. This is Jacqueline, Chipa, and I with our completed 500 piece puzzle!

After saying goodbye to everyone in Jaibon, I spent my last two weeks in the Dominican in Monte Cristi. Saying goodbye to the people in Jaibon was definitely difficult. It was so odd to find myself in that place. Volunteers say goodbye to those boys every week, but I had never been in that position. The longest I went without seeing them was a month or so. Entonces, the Saturday I had to say goodbye was not fun. I spent my last couple of weeks in Monte Cristi with the kids there and it was so good to hang out with them again. My last two weeks in the Dominican were full of processing, prayer, packing (whoa, that's a lot of p's!), and spending time with the kids and leaders who have become a part of my family. I was so encouraged the last few weeks I was there and the Lord used that time to do so much in my heart. I went from having no idea where I was going next to being overwhelmed by the Lord's goodness and big plans. I couldn't have dreamed them up if I tried (more on that later :) ). And my Dominican mama, Coco :), was the biggest support ever! I loved soaking up time with her and my sista, Christine. God not only gave me some new Dominican family members, but some American and Canadian ones too :)

So I am back in the States now and have been here for a week. It has been an extremely difficult transition, but I know it's all for the sake of the Kingdom. And for that, I will continue to lay down my desires and my heart at the foot of the cross. I have so much peace about being here right now and the Lord's plans, but I definitely left my heart thousands of miles away. God is bringing me joy in sadness and showing me His promises of new life. He's picking up the pieces of my heart and blowing me out of the water with His crazy plans for my life. I surely don't deserve them! He is so faithful!

I can't wait to see each of you soon! Over the next couple of months I would love to get together and hear about your lives and share about mine. I'll probably be having some sort of open house in Louisville soon for anyone to come over and hear about everything. I hope you all are doing well! I'm excited to see some faces of people that I love soon!

agosto

It's almost mid-August and school is starting here next week! Crazy. I'm not sure how time flies by as fast as it does. All of sudden the months are just gone. It still feels like June to me, when in reality, all of our summer interns are leaving next week. It doesn't seem possible. Things in Jaibon have been busy. The past month has been full of Bible camps, work projects at the orphanage, and activities with the boys who live here. It's been amazing and I have loved getting to know different communities, but I think we are all ready for a little rest.

One of my favorite parts of the past month has been going to La Caya. This is a community about 15 minutes away from the orphanage. We have done two different camps there and I absolutely love that community. The people are so kind and welcoming. The youth are so legit and have really stepped up as leaders in the community. Normally, the teenagers are often misbehaving, but in this community, they help in whatever way possible. They are awesome.

Another thing I have loved is spending some extra time with the boys at the orphanage. We have been able to do lots of activities here with them and it has been such a blessing. They are amazing and God has taught me so much through them.

**One of them just came up to see what I was doing. His name is Luis and he is 15. He calls me his sister and I have loved being able to invest in him. He is family to me. He wants to learn how to use the computer sooo badly. He just typed this :)

mi nombre es luis y soy un hermano de heather y megusta jugar baquecbol

translation... my name is Luis and I am Heather's brother and I like to play basketball.

God has been teaching me a lot recently. I'm learning how much weight words carry... how much people are hurting... how people's pain overflows into how to act towards others... how the way I live my life is a reflection of Jesus... how God's plans are ALWAYS better than mine... how waiting and patience are much better than figuring everything out on my own... how everything is insignificant without love... how God's love is more vast than I could ever imagine. I'm begging God for just an ounce of His love and wisdom. There is so much I don't know and so much I have yet to learn. At the end of the day, I just want people to see Jesus in me and have gotten a glimpse of the Kingdom. I still don't know what comes next. And next is in three weeks :) haha. When God told me to be patient, I never thought I still wouldn't know what I'm doing when I only have three weeks left of my current position. I have no plane ticket out of the country and there are still a lot of things up in the air. I am in love with this country and these people and I hope to be here for many years to come. I feel called to this place and there is no denying that. Needless to say, I would greatly appreciate your continued prayers. Hopefully I'll have some answers soon to that never-ending questions of "what happens next?"

But until then, I hope each of you are doing well! I love and miss you a lot, even if I don't always get a chance to say so!

whoa julio...

I can't believe it is July! The summer is flying by... I just wish time would slow down. The past few weeks have been so full of many great people and great things. Graystone was in MC last week and it was the best week ever! We had a camp at the orphanage with over 450 kids each day. It was nuts, but tons of fun. About 15 of my Dominican friends helped out with camp too and we had a blast. We literally could not have done camp without them. Friday we all went to the beach about 2 hours away... I rode the Dominican bus and couldn't stop laughing and smiling all day long. They have become so much a part of my family during the past year. Having Graystone here for a week was also a huge blessing. It was so good to catch up with everyone and see familiar faces.

Last Saturday, I moved over to Jaibon with all of the interns. I will be here until the end of August. Saturday was rough... saying goodbye to all my MC family, saying goodbye to Graystone, saying goodbye to Julie, and saying goodbye to Bebo who headed to the States with Graystone. It stunk, but I was so excited to see my loves in Jaibon. This week has been busy as well, but I have gotten a chance to catch up with them which has been wonderful. Yay for coffee every morning with my sisters. They have always welcomed and accepted me with open arms as if I'm part of their own family. I feel the love of the Lord in this place.

My commitment with OO ends in September. If you could be praying for wisdom and discernment for me about what comes next, that would be wonderful. I have so much peace that the Lord's plans are good and that He will open and close doors at just the right time. He is so faithful. Until then, I'm surrendering my ideas and laying my life at His feet.

I love and miss ya'll a lot! A LOT :)

Arianni and I eating dinner... Her and her twin sister, Ari, rock my world :)

dame tu corazon...

Summer is here and it's hard to believe. The past month has been so full and has flown by so quickly. One of my favorite nights was a few weeks ago at the English Institute graduation. We have an English school in Monte Cristi that provides free English classes to middle school aged students. This past spring, our first group of students graduated after taking four years of classes. Yessica and Christopher, who live at the orphanage, both graduated with this first class. A lot of the older kids from the orphanage came to watch and we had so much fun. This night was so special for them and I was so glad to be a part of it. It felt like my little brother and sister were growing up!

Yenny, Nicol, Carolina, and I before the graduation.

Yessica!

Christopher and my roommate, Christine (you always will be!)

I loved spending this night with my Dominican family. The next Saturday, my roommate, Christine, left to head to her home in the U.S. It has been so weird without her here and I miss her a lot, but I somehow think we might end up living near each other again :) It isn't the same without you, sister! That same Saturday, a dear friend from college arrived here and it has been awesome to share life with her in the Dominican. That Saturday also started the summer Christian internship program and I can't tell you how amazing that has been! I love each and every one of the interns and am in awe of how God has worked so far.

The past couple of weeks we have done Bible camps at the orphanage, English Institute, and in the community. It has been wonderful to continue to build relationships with the Dominican people. My highlight from this past week was definitely "noche especial." Noche Especial happens twice a year and is a giant sleepover with all the girls from the orphanage. I don't have any pictures to put up right now, but it definitely goes down as one of my favorite nights here. It was full of games, good snacks, movies, tie dye, and lots of quality time with the loves of my life. I am so blessed.

Things have been busy, but oh so wonderful. I love the kids here more every day and am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to invest in them. I treasure each moment spent with the kids at the orphanage. It's honestly hard to ever think about leaving them when they have become such a huge part of my family. I just have this crazy Jesus-love for them that I can't explain.

AND, graystone comes tomorrow!!!! Tomorrow starts the week that the kids and I have been talking about for a really long time... when Georgia comes to the Dominican Republic! We can't wait to see ya'll TOMORROW :)

i'm back...

The past few weeks of have been full of so many good things. I spent a little over a week in the good 'ole US of A... journeying around through Arizona, New Mexico, and a little bit of Colorado. The Lord knew I needed that week more than I did, that's for sure. I spent my days with my two sisters, helping one get ready to get hitched. It was so good to be them... who know my heart and sometimes know me better than I know myself. I also met some other pretty sweet girls who were in the wedding... Katie has good friends, what can I say :)

The wedding was beyond amazing! It was incredible to watch my best friend get married. I'm so excited for her and Mike and the gift of marriage God has blessed them with. I see Jesus all over their relationship and the wedding was such a preview of the team for Christ they are going to be. I loved every second of it. Here are some fotos... :)

Going back to the States was good for me in more ways than I realized. It gave me such a needed time to think, pray, spend time in the Word, and seek wisdom from my sisters. I missed home (as in the Dominican) so bad while I was State-side, and yet, it was exactly what my soul needed. The Lord filled me up to overflowing with His love and opened my eyes to His faithfulness and grace that are at work all over my life. He confirmed over and over again that He made my heart with a special place for the Dominican... and I will forever love these people with a Jesus-love that I can't explain. I was able to share my dreams of opening a home for women stuck in prostitution and sex-trafficking with my friends and God continued to fan the flame of this vision. Through their words and encouragement, He gave me so much peace about being patient, yet continuing to move forward and chase the dream.

By the time Monday morning rolled around, I was sooo ready to hop on that plane and head back to the place I call home. I got in late Monday night, caught up with the Hopkins, and crashed, excitedly awaiting the next day. Tuesday was the birthday of a good friend of mine who cooks for us in Jaibon. I was supposed to go straight to Monte Cristi on Monday night, but instead went to Jaibon for a day to pull of a little birthday surprise. So I got up Tuesday and had an amazing morning full of birthday surprises, muffins, pictures, good food, good conversation, and catching up with the boys who have worked their way in to a very special place in my heart. They are pumped about summer and all the Americans that are coming and I am excited about returning to Jaibon in a month to spend the last half of that summer with them.

After lunch, we headed to Monte Cristi, where the rest of my day was full of catching up with my OO family, spending a lot of quality time with the kids, passing out American chocolate, showing off Katie's wedding pics to all the kids at the orphanage, and a roof/coffee date with my sister. I went to bed that night so full of love for these people and this place and so thankful that the Lord has blessed me with this life. I deserve none of it, yet He has given me the desires of my heart. I love it here so much. Being in the States confirmed that I'm not sure I will ever leave.

And God continues to reassure me to dream big and bring the Kingdom to earth. When I begin to think that maybe I can't start this home for women, He crosses my path with someone who assures me that I can. My prayer this spring has been that He will raise up leaders who are passionate about this very thing and I am seeing those answered. God is so faithful and my heart's beating desire is to bring His hope and unconditional love to the Dominican. And sooo, this home will open. I'm not sure when, but it will. In His timing and not mine. And I can't tell you how excited I am about that :) If you want to hear more about it, just ask and I'll be more than happy to share :)

So I'm back in the Dominican, filled with the Spirit, refreshed after a week with my sisters, excited about the future and bringing the Kingdom, content to be with my kids, and excited about the start of the internship program on Saturday. I am so humbled by the Lord's grace and kindness. He really is too good. I hope each of you are doing well and would love to hear updates on your lives whenever you get a chance!

dream big.

we wait for You...

Yesterday, I spent the day in Jaibon. I love those boys so much. They are so genuine and have such big hearts. They all had new clothes, shoes, and socks and were very excited to tell me all about them. Their smiles light up their faces and I would be content just sitting, talking, and hanging out with them for hours. They are great! I also got to spend time with my sweet sister, Jacqueline. Jesus continues to teach me so much about life through her.

By the time we got back to Monte Cristi last night, I was so ready to spend time with the kids here. I had only been gone a day, but it seemed like I hadn't seen them in forever. I hung out with them the last couple hours of the day, thanking Jesus for these kids and in awe of His love for me and His children. I am blessed.

I told Christine this morning that I feel like my heart is a mess right now. I've prayed over and over that people would see Jesus in me and that His love would be what is flowing out of me... that my heart would be broken for what breaks His and that I would have an unconditional love for His people. As thoses prayers are answered, I sometimes feel like I become an emotional mess. I love the people here with a love I can't explain... one that only comes from Christ. I care about them more than I ever thought possible. I'm living life right next to them... sharing in their joys, their hopes, their dreams, their pain, their struggles. I love it. And when I leave one orphanage to go live at the other, I feel like a leave a piece of my heart in the other town. And if I can barely leave these places to go live an hour away when I know I will see them again soon, I don't know how I am ever going to be able to leave this country. So I pray for just an ounce of God's wisdom and that He would continue to open my eyes to His vision for the Kingdom in the Dominican. He is so good.



Hosana is the granddaughter of Tia, the orphanage administrator in Jaibon. She might just be the smartest 1-year-old I know. And she's pretty stinking cute :)



Learning how to cook sweet plantains with Jacqueline.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
Isaiah 43:19

...You are making all things new.

si Dios quiere...

The last week of our spring program officially ended yesterday. It has been a whirlwind of craziness, fun, and lots of energy! We had some amazing groups and it was incredible to see the different ways the communities surrounding Jaibon and Monte Cristi were impacted. My lack of blogging is hopefully ending now that I have a bit more time on my hands :)

I moved back to Monte Cristi three weeks ago. It was pretty rough. I am in love with both orphanages and I can truly say that I don't like one more than the other... however, Jaibon has this special place in my heart... and I just wasn't ready to leave. God taught me a lot in Jaibon, opening my heart to His dreams and plans for my life. And although it sometimes scares me, I know my life is nothing without Him and I will continue to lay my life at His feet, forever humbled by His grace in my life.

The 21 boys in Jaibon became like my kids. I have an unexplainable motherly and unconditional love for them. I want to see them grow into men of God... they already have such a pure love for their Father. I'm amazed by their childlike faith. Their smiles melt my heart. My family just keeps on growing here... :)

One of the hardest parts of leaving Jaibon had to do with saying goodbye to my sisters that cook and clean there. They became part of my family just like those boys did. I learned more from them about life and love and selflessness than I ever thought possible. They loved me like they knew me my whole life and their thoughtfulness amazed me. Their genuine hearts and sure faith gave me glimpses of Jesus. I spent my free time listening to their stories, laughing about the differences between Spanish and English names for food, hearing the joys and struggles of life in the dominican, learning how to light dominican stoves and make coffee, and simply sharing life together. They're family now. Leaving was no other word but hard.

I will see them again though, and I think God used my time this spring in Jaibon to quietly whisper to stay. To stay? To stay. I can't imagine leaving the Dominican. I am in love with these people and I feel like God created my heart to be here. I want to invest myself in them... in bringing change and restoration in Christ... in sharing the truth of the Gospel with them... in breaking the chains of promiscuity and prostitution that are everywhere. And while I'm not sure exactly what the future looks like, I do know that I have a crazy passion to invest myself in this country... si Dios quiere :) So for now, I'm in constant prayer for wisdom on what that looks like, and I would appreciate yours as well :)

This is my sister, Jacqueline. She knows how to cook better than anyone I know and her pure faith and wisdom taught me a lot about the heart of God.

Jacqueline and Betsaida. Betsaida's selflessness and genuine heart showed me what it meant to truly put others above yourself.

And Jacqueline and Dominga! Dominga's spunk, openness, and solid faith taught me a lot about true love. She constantly offered me a place in her house and truly meant it.

I love the Dominican so much!

Si Dios quiere...

soy dominicana...

It has been over a month since I have updated this little blog and for that I apologize! Things here have been wonderful and crazy and joyful and draining. I have been living in Jaibon for the past month and I cannot express how much I have loved it. I fell in love with Monte Cristi three years ago and have fallen in love with Jaibon this past year. God created a special place in my heart for this area and these people and I just can't describe it. The people in this community are so genuine. I haven't met people that are so happy and content with what they have. They love from the bottom of their heart. The boys that live at the orphanage are so full of life and joy. They are extremely respectful and love God and their brothers. I'm beyond blessed to be sharing life with them.

The past weeks have been busy. For two weeks we had over 250 people in Jaibon alone, and 200 more people in Monte Cristi. It was lots of fun and I really enjoyed seeing that many people experience the DR, but it was definitely exhausting. This week, we have 60 volunteers here... which used to seem like a ton, but now it feels like there are barely any people here.

Last week we ran a dental clinic on the property and a medical clinic in some local villages. It was amazing to see the doctors and dentists use their skills here. I am clearly not gifted in any of these areas, so it was neat to see them sharing their talents with the Dominicans. I even had minor surgery! One of the doctors cut a wart off of my finger ;) I did have 250 people asking me if I was ok though... haha.

I also got to celebrate my birthday here! It was the best one yet! Having my Dominican family remember and celebrate with me was priceless. Here they don't really give gifts on birthdays, but instead they throw water on you... ALL day long. Christine, one of the other leaders, announced this tradition at dinner on my birthday, so in addition to all of the Dominicans throwing water on me, I had 250 volunteers dumping any water they could find on me. It was crazy but fun! It happened to be a cool night and it took me about 2 hours to thaw out after having ice cold drinking water dumped on me. I ended the day hanging out with the boys and them singing and counting off the years of my life and a surprise oreo cake that Sharon made. It was wonderful :)

Soy Dominicana ahora. I am now Dominican. :) And I take pride in this fact. Haha! The other night I was at the boys' worship service with them and they were like, "Why aren't any Americans here?" I replied, "I'm American." And they quickly assured me that I am Dominican now and no longer an American. Then last night Jose asked me why I don't have big, red mosquito bites like all the other Americans. So I said, "Remember, I'm not American." :) So to the kids here, I am now either a Dominican or a Heather... but either way I count it as a success :)

I will be here in Jaibon for another week and a half. I've already started to get emotional thinking about leaving so I'm trying to push those thoughts out of my mind. Don't get me wrong, I love Monte Cristi so much, I just have this special attachment to this place. But I am excited to love on all my little girls in MC! I have missed them.

Life is beautiful. God is faithful. Hope you all are doing well!

i love jaibon.

I figure it's time for a random update blog :) so here goes...

As my last blog mentioned, my parents were here a couple weeks ago. It was great! My parents, along with the parents of most of the other leaders came down for what we affectionately deemed "family week." We loooved showing our parents around where we call home!

Last week, I spent time finishing some last minute things before craziness starts with all of the spring break weeks here. I finished all of my literacy modules... lots and lots of lesson plans... who would have thought I would still be lesson planning after graduation?!

Last week I tutored the five oldest kids at the orphanage in Monte Cristi. We did M&M math, percents, graphs, ratios, probability, and all those other things you can tie in to eating candy :) My brain hurt after trying to teach all of those things in Spanish, but it was fun!

I am in love with two little twin girls at the Monte Cristi orphanage, named Ari and Arianni. They are three years old and full of spunk that makes them seem years older than they supposedly are. The other day we were tossing a ball to Arianni for a good hour with each person having to say, "ready?" The person receiving the ball had to say yes before you were allowed to throw the ball. It was great :)

Last week we had several "rain days." Equivalent to those snow days that everyone is having in the States, just not quite as cold :) When it rains, it basically shuts down the whole town because the roads are made of dirt and when dirt gets wet... it turns to mud! And lots of it. We had a couple of adventurous days filled with trecking through puddles and sinking in mud while hoping not to fall... it was hilarious.

I moved to Jaibon (the other orphanage) yesterday! I will be here for 5 weeks and I am sooo excited. I just love it here so much! The past two days have been great and I enjoy every minute that I'm here. The boys that live here are great and so full of life and joy. The women who cook here make my day every day. I love spending time with them too. So now my days consist of leading groups from high schools, churches, and colleges. I wake up early to fresh coffee, reading, and conversations with Jaqueline, Betsaida, and Fefa. We work and teach all day and eat the best food I have ever had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At night, we have activities with the boys who live here and have become a part of my family. The days are filled with many "Oh Jaibon"s because things always happen unexpectedly, but it's the beauty of living here. I see God in smiles and creation and conversations and sunsets. Cows and goats are herded past our common area daily and we eat food made from completely natural ingredients. The older Dominican women melt my heart and crack me up all the same time. God is good. He is beautiful and faithful and I am so thankful to be here.

I love and miss you all so much! And that's the truth :) Come visit :)

becoming dominican...

In Dominican culture, it's customary to get very dressed up for any sort of special occasion. The special occasion last Saturday was the arrival of our parents. When the Dominicans that we live with found out we were going to the airport to pick up our parents, they told us that they would fix our hair for us... which if you do not know, is an all day process :) Here are a few pictures that document our day full of hair straightening... who knew I would spend more time here on my hair than I do in the States!


Shortly after breakfast, they rolled our hair and put them in these ginormous rollers with strict instructions to be outside in the sun so that our hair would dry faster. This is Elizabeth, Carolina, and I sporting our rollos.


After some partial air-drying, you get stuck under this ancient beauty chair where air gets blown on the rollers and you kind of resemble someone from the Simpsons. Your head is pretty much stuck to the dryer and it's kind of nerve wracking since the kids are slinging soaking wet laundry over the electrical cords. But hey, it's all part of being a Dominican :)

Next, they wrap your hair around your head, bobby pin it down, and put a net over top of it to keep it in place. You wear the "tubie" the rest of the day until you leave for whatever occasion you are going to. For us, we were given orders not to take off our tubies until we were on the bus and headed to the airport.

And the end product is EXTREMELY straight hair! It was great to be able to run our fingers through soft, straight hair once again. Saturday was great and full of stick straight hair and patiently awaiting the arrival of our parents at the aiport.

It's all just a part of becoming Dominican :)

love them.

This morning we went in to Dona Nena, a local elementary school, to teach English. Most of the younger kids at the orphanage go to school there so it was tons of fun to see them looking all grown up in their school uniforms! I'm amazed at how fast they are growing up... it feels like they should still be babies, but yet here they are learning simple English. It's crazy!

Joanni... lookin' so big in her uniform!

Luz Maria peeking out of her classroom.

Mineli, covering up her toothless smile!

Carmelito.

muchas cosas...

God has been doing a lot of change in my heart recently. Stripping me more and more of my selfishness... teaching me to dream His dreams... breaking my heart for the human trafficking that still exists in our world... showing me His restorative power... and so I figured it was time for a little change to my blog as well :)

I continue to love life here. After a busy couple months, I have been enjoying this week (it's the first week we haven't had a group in a long time). I've been able to spend a lot of time working on my literacy program, hanging out with the kids, and resting. Yesterday we did a mini-camp at a batey and I loved it. I love being out in the "campo" (rural Domincan) and visiting with the people who live there. They are beautiful and have such pure joy. It makes me fall in love with this country even more.

I'm reading Chronicles of Narnia right now and it is soooo good! There are so many biblical parallels and God is using it to teach me more about His character. Read it :)

So my roommates and I still had our Christmas tree set up in our room and thought we needed to change it up a bit. Entonces, we made it into a family tree! We each drew pictures of ourselves and every member of our family and hung them on the tree. Each day, we are going to pick someone on the tree and one of us has to tell a story involving them from the past (funny, interesting, silly, serious, whatever!). Just a little creativeness we decided to throw into our days :) I love it! Here is a picture...



AND, we are extremely excited about family week! In a week and a half, my parents, along with the parents of most of the leaders who live here are coming to visit! We can't wait and have a daily countdown going :) I'm pumped!

anddddd... my best friend is engaged :) heck yessss!!!!

God is good!

update...

I just wanted to post a quick update about the earthquake since I have been getting questions about it. Tuesday afternoon I was laying on the floor of my room lesson planning when the building started to shake. We had experienced an earthquake here this past August so I knew immediately what it was. I could hear the Dominicans talking to each other outside about the earthquake and I yelled to see if the girl who lives next to had felt it. She hadn't and neither had most of the Americans that are here with us right now. Most of them were outside and didn't know it was happening. It only lasted a couple of seconds and wasn't bad at all. At that point I just assumed that it was a little mini earthquake that had happened here in Monte Cristi. Around dinner time we found out that our friends in Santiago and Jaibon had felt it as well and they were hours away from us. I still assumed it was just a little earthquake in the Dominican... after all, we had barely felt anything. Later that night, I was teaching math to the five oldest kids at the orphanage when my mom called to see if I was ok. It wasn't until then that I realized it had been a much bigger earthquake than any of us imagined. Shortly after that we had everyone call home to say they were ok and it wasn't until around 11 at night that we were actually able to look up what happened online and see the extent of the major earthquake that hit our neighbors in Haiti. Everything is fine here and I haven't seen any structural damage anywhere because it wasn't strong enough here to do that.

PLEASE continue to pray for Haiti. They lack resources to meet their daily needs, much less to respond to a natural disaster. I urge you to find an organization where you can donate funds to help with relief. They need all they can get right now. I also urge you to remember that these are families, children, brothers, sisters, son, daughters, fathers, and mothers that have lost loved ones, homes, jobs, food, and lives. Let's not forget that these people are faces, hearts, and souls... not just numbers on a news story. And most importantly, let's remember the fact that our God holds the whole world in His hands, that His heart is breaking too, and that He will fulfill His promises of bringing hope and restoration.

He is Hope.

Yesterday was National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. God has recently been placing on my heart a life devoted to bringing restoration to the women and children affected by prostitution, sex tourism, and human trafficking. Each day, He seems to place something or someone else in my path that breaks my heart and opens my eyes to the world around me. While I still feel ignorant, God is really showing me the pain, ache, and hurt that people are experiencing because of these chains that are binding them. Prostitution and a promiscuous life affects the heart and soul. Not to meantion the fact that human slavery still exists all over the world... and sometimes I think we really just have no idea how much pain people are experiencing... because if we did, wouldn't everyone choose to do something about it? And once we see these faces, and hear the facts, we have no choice but to fight these injustices and love our neighbor as ourself. My heart just yearns to provide a way out for people stuck in prostitution (because they are surely not defined by their current occupation), to provide a safe home, to bring them restoration through Christ, and to shower them with the unconditional love of God. I don't know what this means for my future, but I do know that I am in constant prayer about it and that I will go where He sends me.

An organization working to fight human trafficking with a house located in the Philippines.
www.love146.org

An organization and jewelry business in Thailand providing a way out of prostitution.
www.nightlightinternational.com

Another organization and jewelry business in Thailand providing a way out of prostitution.
www.rahabministriesthailand.com

A factual article about prostitution in the tourist cities of the Dominican Republic.
http://dr1.com/articles/prostitution.shtml

There is Hope. He is Hope.

hope :)

Surely the islands look to me...
Isaiah 60:9

Hope is everywhere. Thank you sweet Jesus.

You're undeniable in this place...

So the month of December turned out to be a busy one, but one in which the Father taught me so much. He's been stripping me of myself. Showing me His face. Showing me how to follow Him. How to love people from the depths of my soul. How to overflow with a love that's not my own. How sometimes it may hurt. How these people are His beautiful children and how His hurt is broken for them in their pain. I almost don't even know where to begin explaining the past few weeks. I think that's why I have been putting off posting a blog. Because it's too much to write about, too much to explain, but in short, here's a glimpse of the past few weeks. We spent the week of Christmas in Jaibon at the orphanage there. God knew I needed to be there for Christmas. The first picture is of the boys doing a Christmas play. It was awesome... the best nativity skit I've ever seen. These boys have such a special place in my heart and I felt like their mom making sure Christmas Eve was perfect for them. I have been blessed enough to have spent the most consistent time in Jaibon and I truly have begun to feel a motherly role in their lives. They come show me things they have made, or tell me about what happened during their days, or run up to tell me what they are doing with another volunteer before scurrying back off to play. I love it and I'm not quite sure how I'll ever leave this country. Good thing I don't have to worry about that anytime soon :) So the week of Christmas was amazing and the Lord truly filled my soul to the brim with blessings. More so than ever before I felt Him revealing the importance and significance of Christmas. We spent Christmas day building and doing work projects before heading to the beach for the afternoon. All day I kept saying that it didn't feel like Christmas. But then I heard God's whispers across my soul asking what Christmas should feel like. And in my head I thought, well I'm not with my family. But the thing is, I was. I was with my brothers and sisters from the Dominican Republic. And maybe I wasn't with my blood family, but isn't Christmas about Christ? And while we may realize that it's not all about the presents, do we realize that it's not really all about family and friends either? That we could spend Christmas by ourselves, alone with God, and it is still Christmas... the day of Christ's birth. The day Salvation came to earth. So more and more God whispers to me that this story isn't about me at all. And for that, I am thankful.

So my week in Jaibon was far too short. I desperately want to go back and I shed some tears before leaving to come back to my home in Monte Cristi. God renewed my soul in Jaibon. Reminding me of my purposes here and filling my heart with an unending love for His Dominican children. Specifically these three very special women. Jaqueline, Betsaida, and Fefa cook and clean at the orphanage in Jaibon. And let me tell you, I have never met anyone who cooks like Jaqueline. She takes pride in everything she makes and asks the Lord to help her before she starts cooking a meal. She is such a precious child of God. These women were placed on my heart in an undeniable way. It's like I just knew that they were a huge reason why I was in Jaibon that week. So most days I looked for pockets of time where I could stop by the kitchen for a few minutes and spend time sharing in the lives of these awesome ladies. God could not have filled my heart more with love for them. I listened to them talk about their families, talk about their stories, about things in the past and things now. God's plans were so specific with placing me back in Jaibon again. And when Saturday morning rolled around, I could barely say goodbye. And so now, I can't wait to make it back to Jaibon again. God opened my eyes so much through my relationship with Jaqueline, Betsaida, and Fefa. Through their stories, I saw the realities that exist in this country. And though it may be easy to glance over the hard things, I want to bring life to people who are hurting.

By Saturday afternoon we were back in Monte Cristi. I can't explain how attached I am to both orphanages. One I have to leave Monte Cristi, I hate it. But when I have to leave Jaibon, I hate it as well. So much of my heart is attached to both places. And my purposes and roles are so different at each place. It was so good to see my brothers and sisters in Monte Cristi again. I had definitely missed them. The week of New Years, we spent some time out in rural bateyes (or little villages surrounding banana plantations). Life in the bateyes is completely different than in the towns. There isn't running water and people wait for a truck to arrive with their water for the week. Though the people live in poverty, I see promiscuity as the true oppression of these villages. We had a camp and most of the kids from the village came. I felt God pulling me towards the group of teenage girls, so I spent most of my time with them. Many of them had babies on their hips and were feeding their children while making bracelets and playing name games. The Dominican teenage boys had no respect for the Dominican girls and it made me want to take them all home with me.... to build a house and let them live there and help them develop skills and find a job and learn about the unending love and compassion of our relentless God. So God began to break my heart once again for the Dominican people. My eyes were opened to the realities of life here. I saw the chains that people are in. I saw where freedom needs to be proclaimed. I saw where darkness needs to be shattered by light. And I am burdened for the hearts of these girls. I want to see them freed from their bondage... to be able to truly live and be told of their worth in the sight of the King.

And then there are these girls :) My sisters, Yenny and Yessica. Even at the orphanage, I find myself wanting to spend all my time with them and Carolina and Nicol and Yulisa and Coral and Nicole... these teenage girls who are going through the same stages of life that I went through. I want to be a constant in their lives... to love them unconditionally... to show them that they can't do anything to make me not care... to show them that their Father loves them much more than I do. I feel the Father placing hurting girls and women on my heart. I want to release girls from the chains that they are in. And so I have no idea what God is going to bring in my future, but I know that I am in love with this place and these people and I just want to invest in their lives.

Hopefully that offers a small glimpse at what's been going on :) Sorry for the lack of updates. There is so much on my heart and I will try and be better about posting more often... although I won't make promises I can't keep :)

God is good! God is faithful! And God is undeniable in this place!