"Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you" Psalm 116:7.
It's hard to believe it's been over two weeks since my first entry; I feel as if it were just yesterday that I was praying that God would press upon my heart the words He wanted me to share last time and now I find myself here again. This time, however, I have the pleasure of saying that the festivities of this summer are in full swing and that I am updating you from my lovely hotel room in San Pedro, Dominican Republic. I have yet to say that the reality of me being in another country has set in...DID I MENTION HOW EXCITED I AM TO BE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY!?!? The traces of God's faithfulness are so evident in my life. I have dreamed of traveling since I was little and, after the devastation of my Greece trip being canceled last summer due to the refugee crisis, it was something I simply pushed aside. However, as always, God's plans are greater than my own and He needed to use last summer as an opportunity to mold me and provide me maturity in my faith. As a result, God blessed me and prepared the way for my first departure from the US to land me in Latin America.
Thus far, I have roamed countless streets, located the local Chinese restaurant, explored caves and swam in the gorgeous waters of the Caribbean. I have been greeted by far too many vendors, welcomed graciously into homes and consumed enough chicken to last a lifetime. I've read of the diversity God established (Acts 17:26-27) and I've learned to appreciate what small diversity I encounter in the states, but I've never imagined cultures such as this. I've found all of my premature assumptions to be dismantled; San Pedro is far more different than what I dreamt it to be. There are no words to accurately convey life in the DR. The town is of low income, but not much is needed to get by here. The streets are littered with trash, vocations are hard to come by and the traffic here is the scariest thing I've ever seen, though I appreciate their free spirits far more than I should. Upon arriving I thought the town to be impoverished, with their lack of good housing, air conditioning and cleanliness standards; they were clearly in need of repair (oh, what an American mindset). It’s amazing how much change can occur in the time of merely a week. Slowly, I’m beginning to appreciate San Pedro for the unique culture that encompasses it, rather than continually comparing it to the United States. Their relaxed culture is truly a beautiful thing. One of the most enjoyable aspects about San Pedro is that many people sit outside of their homes or shops and socialize with others. Unlike back home, I have yet to be rejected when attempting to start a conversation; everyone here loves to talk. The days here seem to last forever, but yet take no time at all. The heat and food have probably required the most adjustment; I feel like I get tired quickly. I praise God for the fact that He blessed me with the ability to sleep anywhere and through any conditions; when I'm slowing down there always seems to be a chair or space on the floor to take a quick, rejuvenating nap.
We prayed for translators and have yet to go a day without one. The saints here at the church we are working with have generously taken time out of their schedules to go sharing with us and help see His kingdom built. Having never needed a translator before, I was quite interested to see how sharing the Gospel would go through the aid of a third person. It seems odd at first, but the reality is that the Holy Spirit cannot be confined by language barriers of any kind and that, regardless of how poor my Spanish may be, God will use that to His glory. Contrary to what some may believe, the Dominican Republic is actually flooded with religion and almost all of the people here have heard the Gospel numerous times. However, after being told that their works bring them to salvation or being oppressed by a strict set of religious laws, many of them have grown callous towards God. As a result, we have encountered and shared with people who can recite to us exactly what the Gospel says, but who choose to defer a decision to follow Christ. Dominicans may be very loose as far as schedules and showing up on time goes, but they are very loyal and will only commit to something if they know they'll be faithful in it. Thus, many want no association with God because it would mean giving up their current lifestyle and that is simply not something many are willing to do. Despite all of that, God has been faithful. We have been granted the opportunity to pray and share the Gospel with many, see people give their lives to Christ and train believers on how to share their faith. I even had the opportunity to use my ASL (American Sign Language) while sharing and located a pocket of Deaf people in the community!
I remember praying that God would use this trip to radically change not only the lives of the Dominicans but my own and, as always, God provides. On Sunday, Sabino (the pastor of the church here) preached on Exodus 11 and how Pharaoh's hardened heart was a slow process, caused by continual choices of disobedience. He shared with us that God's will for our lives is non-negotiable. I realize that I negotiate with God a lot; in fact, I was currently wrestling with God over some decisions He had made for my life that I had yet to "approve". When I gave my life to Christ I committed ALL of my life, not just the areas I was willing to surrender control in. It was evident that I needed to stop negotiating, stop bartering, and allow God to do with my life what will be done regardless of my futile attempts of resistance. I've discontinued my negotiations and in doing so have let go of some plans that I had intended to see fulfilled. As some of you may have noticed, there is an underlying theme regarding God's faithfulness throughout this post – I’ve encountered a plethora of it while on this trip and it's what I cling to. Ecclesiastes assures us that there is a perfect timing for everything, “a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh…a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak” (3:3-4,7). As my times with the Lord become more enriching with each day that passes, I find myself thirsting for a heart such as His. I’m learning to see his beauty in the quaint smile of a friend, the sought after breeze that brings refreshment and the moments of silence that allow me to listen rather than speak, to heal and mend after being torn. With His enduring faithfulness and abounding peace I know that my soul can rest as I serve a GOOD Father.
There may only be a team of seven of us physically in the Dominican Republic, but to the saints who have prayed and sacrificed financially for my benefit you are laboring alongside of me in spirit and I am so grateful. If you would like to partner with Reliant to enable me in my missions for this summer and this upcoming year the giving process can easily be done online at www.reliant.org/morgan.cline. I ask that you pray for the safety and health of our team and that the Lord grants us favor with unbelievers. Praise the Lord for the people who have already given their lives to Christ during our time here and for the changes God is doing in the hearts of those we have yet to encounter. Whether you have been committed to this journey the Lord has sent me on or have simply stumbled upon this page, I want to thank you. Thank you for taking the time to invest in my life, for your prayers, for your support and for the encouragement that brings overflowing joy to my heart.