Week 3

Earlier in the year, a group had to cancel their mission trip with Makarios, so this week we had a week off due to that. As a group, we were able to talk about all of the things we enjoyed from our first week of work, and we noted all of the things we want to do better for the next weeks. There are 11 teams we need to prepare for and only 6 weeks left of our internship. That means that every week except for one, we will have two teams here at the same time, equalling to over 40+ people a week. That is 40+ people to cook and clean for, organize the day for, and make relationships with. So, this off week was definitely needed to prepare our minds and hearts for these next few weeks along with exploring the different beauties the Dominican Republic has to offer. Some of those beauties included $7 pedicures, surfing, snorkeling, zip lining, and playing with moneys!! It was a week full of fun and adventures, and now we are preparing the Mak House for all of the teams!

God has really challenged me this week. My word of the summer is “Obedience” and I’m not going to lie, this week I got lazy with doing that. Since we were going to new places every day and spending long days in the sun, I was so tired, and I didn’t take the time I needed to to have quiet time with the Lord as often as I wanted to. This made me realize that I really need to hold myself accountable when life gets crazy and busy. I am realizing that I need to work for my relationship with the Lord because it is not going to build without me trying. Relationships are a two way street, and I know He is doing everything He needs to be doing in the relationship, I just need to do everything I am supposed to do. I need to take time out of my day to spend with Him and turn to the Lord during all of my bad days AND my good days. This week has been really good, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t need the Lord. I ALWAYS need the Lord!!

Other than that, I am thanking the Lord everyday for me being here and praying for all of my fellow interns as we prepare for the weeks ahead of us. They are going to be very long and tiring days but very rewarding days. Please pray for all of us so that we have the courage to strike up new conversations with people we have never met. Please pray that we don’t let our tiredness mess with our moods and our willingness to dig deep in the relationships we make. Please pray that we use these next few weeks to build lasting relationships and shine the Lord’s light through all of us. Please pray that these groups take something away from this trip and that God works in so many ways through them. We are so excited and so nervous for these next few weeks, so please pray that we can love each other and be patient with each other as these weeks progress. Thank you!!