Un Tubo Nuevo

There have been many exciting occurrences that have happened in the almost two months we have been in the Dominican Republic. One of these is that John, Jamie's dad, will be renting a place in Jarabacoa and will move there this December. He came down with us, and was a great help in getting us settled in. John has been very quick to adapt to the Dominican culture, and has made some great connections with the people here. John also bought a motorcycle, and I have been watching it while he is gone.... and riding it too, of course. However the other day the back tire was flat, so a couple of the students and I loaded it onto the back of a truck and took it to the Isla gas station about a mile away from the school. They can  fix a flat for about 100 Dominican Pesos ($2.30). After we unloaded the motorcycle the students went back to the CMA for class. Once the motorcycle mechanic got the tube out of the tire we realized the valve was busted, so I needed un tubo nuevo (a new tube). After conversing with the mechanic, and not understanding anything, I realized I needed to go into town somewhere to get a new tube. This was fine, except I had no ride, so I started calling Jamie on my newly acquired phone, but was unable to get a hold of her. This turned out not to be a problem, because I looked down the road and she was driving by. What better timing! Right when I needed her.  I waved, but my mistake is that I was also smiling. They thought about stopping for me, but the other staff member with Jamie said, 'he must be fine, he wouldn't be smiling if he was stranded.'  So there I was, stranded at Isla, and I had to make a choice. I could walk back to the CMA, or I could take a step into an unknown direction, looking for an unknown store to buy the bike tube. I started walking towards Jarabacoa, and then I was faced with another decision. Should I be angry at my wife for not stopping, or let it go and realize I am not as big a deal as I sometimes think myself to be. Thankfully with God's help I was able to choose the latter, and can now laugh about it. As I kept on walking a concho (motorcycle taxi) pulled in front of me and offered a ride, I showed him my busted tube and he figured out I needed a new one. With the help of the taxi driver, I was able to get un tubo nuevo, get back to Isla, and have the motorcycle fixed. 

This Fish was also new territory. It tasted great!

Full-time ministry is new territory for me, and it has it is having it's challenges. I am preaching every other week, doing two weekly youth lessons, and building relationships with the CMA youth through other activities. My greatest challenge is asking; where does God want to take this ministry? What should Christian discipleship look like? How can I balance my schedule while maintaining a thriving family life? What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic? I ask that you would pray for discernment and direction as the other staff and I are working through these questions. Recently their has been an onslaught of injury and sickness among the staff, and we are beginning to more deeply perceive the battle that is not against "flesh and blood," but "against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Pray that God would give us the "spiritual armor" necessary to take a step of faith into an unknown direction. Pray that we would act as the body of Christ, and as one staff member is praying, that we would be, "God's instruments of grace" to the students. 

Grace and Peace,

Matt