Global Ministries

Y él dijo: Mi presencia irá contigo, y te daré descanso. Éxodo 33:14

Me enamoré inmediatamente de la República Dominicana y su mezcla única de culturas latinas y caribeñas. Hermosas playas, música animada, cálida hospitalidad y Dios en el centro de todo. Una despedida común incluye “si Dios quiere”, por ejemplo, “si Dios lo quiere, te veré en la mañana”. Siempre me ha confortado este aspecto de la cultura dominicana.

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God said, "I will go with you. And I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14

I immediately fell in love with the Dominican Republic and its unique blend of Latin and Caribbean cultures. Beautiful beaches, lively music, warm hospitality, and God at the center of everything. A common farewell includes “si Dios quiere,” for example “if God wants it, I will see you in the morning.” I have always been comforted by this aspect of Dominican culture.

I arrived in Santo Domingo the first Friday of September, with a small welcome crew to greet me at the airport. I have been preparing for this experience for about a year now, since my second semester of grad school when I approached my professors to ask for advice about what life after college looks like.

Stateless people are individuals who are not recognized as citizens by any country in the world, and consequently are denied basic human rights – rights that individuals often take for granted: right to health care, to education, to own property, to travel, to get a birth or death certificate, etc. Without protection from any state due to their lack of legal identity, stateless people are vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation, violence. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
WCC Statement on the Human Rights of Stateless People, November 8, 2013 

Introduction:

As we end this year of witnessing God´s presence in Latin America and the Caribbean, we cannot avoid feeling in our spirit, mind and will the spiritual strength of solidarity.  Our partners continued embracing the Spirit through receiving pilgrimages, sponsoring workshops and projects, sharing resources in an ecumenical way and confronting the powers that deny the fullness of life.  The Caribbean Initiative came to closure with resources and experiences that will endure not only in the work of the continent but also globally.  The accompaniment of our partners through civil unrest, migrations, and emergencies awakened a divine presence through the experience of contingency.  The Good News were heard and shared in a powerful way. 

As part of the Caribbean Initiative, ten members of the Common Global Ministries Board traveled to the Dominican Republic the first week of April. There, they met and visited projects of the various Global Ministries’ partners to celebrate relationships and to receive and share the Good News of Jesus Christ. The following reflections will take us through their pilgrimage in this beautiful Caribbean country.

Who among us can blame another person?  The sad fact is that it happens every single day.  We all fall into the temptation without even realizing it.  We walk down the street and judge others based on their looks, perceived poverty, smell, clothes, or assumed mental states.  But why must these judgments exist in everyday society? We are called to be Christians and spreading the pure "Love" of God, but we get held back by our own prejudices in sharing The Word with the people God places in our paths.  Always make sure your heart is open-wide and welcomes every person that you meet!  Was Jesus afraid of the homeless, the prisoners, the elite scholars, or the sick and elderly?  Christ is shining through us every day, so we need to be bright for others to see. 

Lectionary Selection: Mark 1: 9-15

Prayers for the Dominican Republic:

Gracious and loving God,

We thank you for the hope and guidance you show us every day. Your forgiving love was shown through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit appearing in purity as a dove. We pray that you continue to guide us with this purity and love, where we can spread this blessing to every person that we encounter. We are sent to be light unto this world, so when we are tempted, like Jesus was in the wilderness, give us the strength to persevere and find Light through the darkness.

Today we lift up the shared mission of the churches and the work of Caminante Proyecto Educativo. Bless churches around the world to be guided by love and unity. I specifically lift up prayers for the people working here in Dominican Republic. Provide this staff with the vision and knowledge to continue our amazing work with these children and guide them to a better, more sustaining life. Give us the words and wisdom to reach these children and provide the security and safety they are longing for. Pray for these children that are trying to survive on the dangerous streets, and keep blessing the ones that have come through Caminante and are living blessed and more peaceful lives now. Help these street children find their ways back into schools and get the education and support they need to achieve their dreams you placed in their hearts and minds! Continue to unify the world and guide us all with the Holy Spirit to spread your loving kindness to every person that we meet. 

In your heavenly Name, 

Amen!

Two earthquakes and two hurricanes marked the history of the Caribbean with destruction and despair in the past few weeks. Many of our partners have suffered the devastating effects of these natural phenomena, piling up on top of the permanent social, economic, political, and emotional challenges of everyday life on these lands of sun and blue skies.