United in Love

Sorry for the lack of updates recently! We have been in Guatemala now for almost 3 weeks and I am loving it! This blog however is not about Guatemala, but rather a reflection on our time in the Dominican Republic and all that the Lord did there.

When I think back on my main take away from our time in the Dominican Republic, the first word that comes to mind is UNITY. At training camp our leadership team shared with us their vision and prayer for our squad. One verse they spoke over us was Colossians 2:2 “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ”. During our ten weeks in the DR the Lord showed me in new and beautiful ways what it truly looks like to live this verse out. I began to see, feel, and experience what it means to be “united in love”.

The first way I saw this was through the cultural differences and racial divides present in the DR. The DR has a long history of tension between Dominicans and Haitians. During our stay we were so fortunate to have the opportunity to meet, befriend, and do life with people from both countries. Some of the most beautiful and impactful moments for me were getting to work, worship, and pray side by side and hand in hand with both the Dominican and Haitian people living in the DR. Time and time again I was struck by the way a common love for Jesus had the power to unite us when cultural differences, language barriers, and decades of hate and conflict sought to cause division. The kingdom of God is one of diversity. It is a body that requires different parts to work together as one. And although the enemy will try to use our differences to divide us, it is love that prevails and can unite the body of Christ. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had in the Dominican Republic to get to see the love of Jesus through the lenses of both the Dominican and Haitian cultures and people. It was truly so powerful and a beautiful glimpse into heaven.

The second way the Lord has been teaching me about being united in love is through my squad. In our first 10 weeks of knowing each other it was so beautiful to see relationships grow and transform. I think I saw this especially on my team of 5. We have really grown in our willingness to be vulnerable with each other. And it has been encouraging to see that when that vulnerability is met with love and acceptance it brings us closer together as a team. Another thing we practice as a team is giving feedback to each other. This is such an important tool as we seek to live together in a healthy and life giving way. The key to this being a useful tool is basing our feedback in love. When the heart behind giving and receiving feedback is to help each other grow to look more like Jesus it is something that makes us feel seen and cared for by each other. Finally, both in our squad as a whole and in my own individual relationships I have seen the power of holding onto to love in the midst of conflict or disagreement. Naturally when 11 people attempt to do life together in a new and sometimes uncomfortable environment things aren’t always smooth sailing. But I have seen and experienced the difference it makes when we aim to love each other well no matter the circumstances. Sometimes loving each other well means having hard conversations, extending forgiveness, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. It means choosing to see each other the way God does, even when it’s hard. But the beautiful thing is that time and time again I have seen that when we focus on love, especially in times when it feels easier not to, the Lord always brings deeper connection and value to those friendships. We are strengthened in unity when the love of Jesus is the foundation of our relationships.

I am so thankful for my time in the Dominican Republic and the ways that the Lord showed me what unity looks like on a larger scale in His Kingdom and on a personal level in my own relationshipswith my squad mates. The Lord is at work in the DR and it was such a privilege to be able to take part in what He is doing there! Stayed tuned next week for an update about GUATEMALA!!!

Dios Bendiga,

B🤍