by Linda Cliff
It has been a few weeks since I returned
from the DR. My time there was one of
hard physical work, living outside my comfort zone in terms of the activities
of daily living and growing in my spiritual life. During our orientation to our time with the
House Upon the Rock Ministry, Sharon Branson stated that one of the goals of
the Ministry was to “ruin us for the normal Christian Life”. Since my return I have been reflection on
this statement and these are my thoughts to date.
Prayer.
This is something we all do as Christians. We pray to give thanks, to ask for direction,
to commune with God. What I saw in the
DR was people praying as part of their lives.
Our first day in the DR we attended church service with a local
congregation. Three weeks prior to our
arrival they had been told that their landlord would no longer be able to rent
them the place where they held their worship service. They had contacted us and asked for our
prayers that they would be able to find a place to worship. This was announced at a local church service
and God moved someone to donate $20,000 for the purchase of land on which to
build a church. When this was announced
at the service we were attending, the joy of this answered prayer was
overwhelming.
Then there is the man who
prayed for a new home and was convinced that God would fulfill his request in
2015. We helped to finish building his house during our trip.
There is the Doctor who had no more medicines
to give to the people who visited the clinic.
She started to pray two weeks prior to our arrival in the DR asking for
direction about her role in the Ministry in Pedregal. We arrived with three suitcases filled to the
brim with medications that she needs to do her work.
One day on the worksite, I looked up from
mixing mortar to witness two members of the Mission
team bowed in prayer. I do not know what
they were praying about, but my wonder was what can I learn about my daily life
and the place prayer has in my day to day activities. These thoughts were reinforced when I was
working in the clinic and saw the clerical staff bowed in prayer when the
doctor was working with one of the clinic patients. I also heard the doctor praying with a
patient who needed spiritual care as well as physical care.
So how have I been “ruined”? I have seen powerful answers to prayers while
I was in the DR. I have learned that
prayer must be an integral part of my
day. If I am speaking with God and
letting Him know what my needs are and what His wishes are for my life, He will
have the opportunity to answer my prayers.
This requires that I spend time in his Word, time with other Christians
and time in prayer-- time depending on Him during the day to day.
I am sure as time goes by there will be
more insights that will come to me because of the time I spent in the DR. I have much to be thankful for!
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