Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
Ready, set, GO!! We have hit the thirteen week mark of our time in the Dominican Republic. The four of us have jumped out of the race blocks and have been embracing the never-ending newness that comes with a cultural move. Overall, we have thoroughly loved our time in the DR and have embraced our new surroundings, even amidst the challenges of learning culture and language, setting up life from scratch, days without power or water, and missing various aspects of our Oregon life.
Through this time, God has continued to speak the words of the above verse to me. Because of this, I have really strived to focus on three specific aspects during these first few months:
We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…
So… I don’t exactly blend in here. There are not a lot of 6’3″ blue-eyed, light skinned Dominicans roaming the streets of Jarabacoa. Shocker. Caucasian people in this town are either tourists or missionaries, with most being the latter, so I have really had it on my heart to think about how I can model Christ through ALL my actions…How do I model Christian parenting with my kids while buying ice cream at the corner store? With my boys’ discipleship group? To the lady who sneers “stupid americano” to my son while shopping? Or to the fourth motorcycle who cuts me off within the first 30 seconds of driving? There is a great cloud of people who need the Gospel in the Dominican Republic and who need the witness of the transformative power of Christ working through my family and me.
…Let us run with endurance…
Running with endurance does not mean running full speed. I have to remind myself of this often, especially with my teaching. My fifteen years in the classroom have aided me greatly in my start at Doulos, yet my long tenure in education also comes with the self-imposed expectations of what I feel my class should be like. With the adjustments of teaching at a new school + primarily English language learners + all online classes due to COVID, I have been reminding myself about 500 times a day that Paul does not state that we run with a frenetic sprint, but that it is a long-distance endurance race. Teaching takes time. Learning the language takes time. Building relationships with students, staff and neighbors takes time. God planned His good work to take place in this manner; it is up to me to remember this.
…Looking to Jesus…
Jesus modeled this race for us. Did He lay out in the Word how to best witness to a 6th grade boy who chews on his computer mouse every day during live class? No. (Unless that verse is lost in translation.) But He has perfectly shown us the example of sacrificial love that we strive to model every day we live here in Jarabacoa. My walk with God has truly taken a more focused look to Jesus for the example of how to intentionally live each step of my life. This focus has helped me as I have strived to witness to my students, mentor younger teachers and staff members, and love my wife and kids well.
In the grand scheme of our missionary journey, we know that we are still in the very early stages of this race. And while we know there will continue to be the hills and valleys that come with this challenging race course, we are excited for the adventure that comes with the race, and are even more filled with the joy that comes from the knowledge of the eternal gain that will come for His kingdom.
As we continue to run the race that the Lord has set before us, we couldn’t be any more grateful for those whom God has led to partner with us. We are deeply thankful for the role of all of our supporters in this race!