I'm back in the DR and visited Los Higos for the first time today. A lot happened while I was gone and I think it will take a while for me to get really caught up.
One exciting thing- while I was gone they has a large evangelistic campaign in Los Higos and several people accepted Christ (about 50!). I know that Jose Quezada was included in those fifty, which is so exciting. He has a lot of influence in the community, so let's be praying that God would use him in positive ways. Another man, Augustin, was touched. He used to belong to a different church and actually tended to speak badly about us when we weren't around. Now, however, he is attending our church! I'm not excited that he switched churches necessarily, but rather that he had a change of heart. I'll post some pictures from the campaign if I can get some from Andre.
Because there are so many people becoming involved in the church, Andre decided to stop holding the Monday night Bible teaching (which I led) and replace it with five smaller cell groups. I'm really thankful for that. I've never felt that comfortable teaching the Monday night studies, so now we'll just meet with the cell-group leaders to prepare them for their cell group, which I think will be more comfortable for me.
On a sad note- a young man from Los Higos was murdered last week by a total stranger. He drives a motorcycle taxi and gave a girl home. It was a trap and he got beat up, stabbed, robbed, and thrown in a field. The community is really shook up about it. The funeral is tomorrow.
On Thursday the police were going to move the murder suspect to a different jail, so a mob from Los Higos and La Joya (the town the murderer is from) waited outside the police station with guns and baseball bats, waiting for the suspect to come out so they could kill him. The police protected him when they led him to the vehicle and the suspect was not harmed. The mob was saying that they don't trust that the justice system will actually punish the man, so they were going to do justice themselves. Meri was on TV, from what I hear, representing the Los Higos junta de vecinos at the mob.
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1 comment:
Wow Arlene this is so exciting to hear! I am sorry though about the man who was killed. How terrible for his family and the Los Higos community. I am very excited about the outreach though... 50 people is a lot! At least here in the states ;)
I'm glad to hear that the people of Los Higos are getting met by Jesus, and that your church is growing! Que chulo*
I will definitely be praying for you and Andre and all of Los Higos... Our team is actually having a reunion this weekend to catch up and share more DR memories, and also to pray for the Dominican. Again I was very blessed to spend time there this summer, and to be welcomed so warmly by everyone at SI and the community, like Meri and the kids. I still have their letters in my backpack :)
Tell everyone I said hello, if they remember me ;)
Much love and Gods provision in your life Arlene!
Lorena~
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