"De Fiesta" -- Campamento de Joven

Last weekend I attended Asociacion Joven de Iglesia Evangelica Dominicana 's summer camp. While I was a day late to the "fiesta" due to the first week(s) of school in Boca Chica... and I have to admit I was dreading a weekend out of town and the bus ride to Bani. Despite my reservations I was amazed at how a couple days making new friends, reflection, and worshiping with some amazing young musicians. 

Worship team preparing for Saturday morning's worship.

Friday afternoon started with group games in our 4 designated groups, I was on the "Azul" team. We played trivia with questions about the previous day's charlas and bible studies as well as sillier questions about team member and council members names, years involved in the program, and churches. We took second at the game but were apparently still in last place for the weekend thus far. After some free time and dinner the group headed into the "temple" for a 3 hour worship service. Despite the length, the speaker offered a great message about the importance of the youth and God's plan for us. She spoke of how she was a Doctor of Pharmacy when God called her to ministry, but that she has been able to continue in ministry because God gave her many talents, the hospital that she used to work at continues to use her expertise often and pays her for her training thus financially supporting her ministries. Her point was that if God calls us to serve in a unique way, God will help us complete the task. My favorite parts of all the worships throughout the weekend was the music. There was a mix of traditional and contemporary music and each service the music worship leaders changed. There was always a full band and several singers to lead the group. The pastor who spoke also invited anyone who needed or wanted special prayers to come to the front. She along with the other pastors and leaders prayed over the youth. This element of worship is totally out of my comfort zone but it was actually a really beautiful element of the service and it was obvious that some of the youth were waiting on this moment and many people were very emotionally touched. The music continued to pray and while I didn't go up to the front, I felt a release after an extremely busy and draining summer. Even though it is not in my traditional church background, something about praying hard and singing/listening to the music for 30+ minutes was relaxing and energizing. Strangely it seemed to be just what I needed to dive into the camp experience. 

Blue team having a small group discussion

Youth receiving special prayers from pastors.

Saturday started with more worshiping (although much shorter) and a charla on relationships. Now, the evangelical sense of dating is not what I, the UCC, or Caminante would prefer... the speaker made some good points. He started by saying that there are 3 main points to a Christian relationship: Love, Care, and Respect. This, I don't think any of us can argue with. He found these 3 steps from Paul's writings to the church, Paul states that the church is like Jesus' wife and from that men (and woman) can learn how to treat one's wife or husband. He also made a well argued point about the seriousness of dating and the importance of remembering that the "point" of dating is to build a (possibly) long term relationship that may or may not end in a marriage. He also reminded them to remember that one day each of them will probably be a spouse to you should always treat your boyfriend or girlfriend as though he or she may be your husband or wife one day. Now, he did go on to make a very brief statement about homosexuality but he didn't go on nor was it unexpected so I let it slide without too much grief. Although I did make the observation that there were at least 2 young people at the camp who I thought may be struggling with their sexuality. 

Worship Band

The afternoon went on with more games, a dinner of "sombreros y corbatas," and another worship service. The service also included another personal prayer session but this one was to ask anyone ready for the "metamorphosis" to come forward. Again about half of the group came forward although this Pastor prayed with much more force. As the time went along she called on people to come forward for special prayers such as low self-esteem, going away to college, being a leader of Christ, etc. As the closing worship I think many of the youth were appreciative of the special attention. I liked how she called attention to the issues that many young adults deal with in daily life and prayed for strength, self confidence, and gave praise to youth as a whole. 

Putting back together Plantains with tape and glue!

Some of the Villa Duarte Youth!

Villa Duarte Youth!

Following the worship was the best part of the weekend, an amazing talent show. Each church prepared a skit to present... including black lights, slide shows of their years activities, dancing, singing, and presentation. IT WAS AWESOME. As the last act, two youth presented their new CD by performing their songs... while they have work to do, it was a perfect place for their first performance. We finished up about 2am and moved into the award ceremony of the weekend. Unfortunately the blue team ended up in 4th place, but I still had fun playing and discussing with my team. 

Villa Duarte Youth singing.

A youth group performing a skit!

A youth group performing a black light dance!

Sunday morning came early and the Villa Duarte crew loaded into our hired van and headed back to the church... a few students stayed for worship but most of us headed to our homes to catch up on sleep! I was exhausted but the good kind... and I felt filled, refreshed, and ready to take on the new school year. 

Beautiful Feet

"He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." (Mark 16:15 NIV)

Meeting Sister Denisse and sharing a first meal together at Caminante!
It was Onea's first time out side of the US after working for GM for many many years!

I have been taught all summer long by the amazing young people that I have been privileged to work with. First I was blown away by the dedicated Dominican youth volunteers who worked for four weeks to make our summer camp possible. While I shamefully stated on many accounts that I wished American youth could be as selfless... my call to be reminded of the amazing youth in the US was abundantly filled by 12 young adults and Global ministries staff. These students came on a People to People Pilgrimage with Global Ministries. They were chosen to participate for their dedication to the church and their communities as well as their cultural and ethnic backgrounds. 

Learning to hand craft Coconut Jewelry with the Nin@s Trabajadores.

Having a blast playing with the Nin@s Trabajadores and Street Situation Groups of Caminante.

Together we were reminded of God's love and devotion to us as we traveled around Boca Chica and Santo Domingo. We dove into amazing discussions and observations about social structures, education systems and the importance of education, the family, poverty, and need. From day one, I felt rejuvenated by their passion for learning, energy for playing, and ability to form a loving family group in a few short hours. By the end of their time, I had been reminded why I too had felt called to come to the Dominican Republic, to serve Global Ministries, and to accompany Caminante. 

Visiting La Torre, a poor community north of Caminante.
Here the community built and runs a three room school for Elementary students.

Through fresh eyes and open hearts this group of young adults made observations and statements of faith that blew me, and their leadership team, out of the water. While visiting La Casona, Center for Capacitaction the students recognized the importance of education and "how easy" education accessibility is in the United States. Again the students were touched by the drive many students have to receive an education when they heard firsthand how many students have to walk several hours each day to a public high school because their own community offers only elementary classes in a three room community school. We also discussed how many students are disadvantaged due to a lack of supplies and or uniforms and that some schools are staffed by volunteers with little education and some teachers lack the passion to teach, rarely lesson plan, and cancel class often.

 

Small group games and discussions with Dominican youth were an incredible success in Monte Rey.

The small groups self selected and discussed issues
including gangs, education, teen pregnancy, abuse, and drugs.

Another topic of discussion throughout the week was the many reasons why children and adolescents work outside of the home. Many of the students made very insightful observations after discussing with the different groups of Caminante or witnessing interactions on the streets. The group met and several had intimate conversations with a homeless boy who had been trafficked from Haiti after wanting to run away from his family. While the young boy initially lied saying his mother abandoned him in a Boca Chica hotel, the group helped to speak in Creole with him and eventually came to a story that we believe to be closer to the truth. Later in the week a few of the students had the opportunity to walk down Duarte, Boca Chica’s main strip after dark. When they gave their observations, one of the younger girls in the group told the group, “these girls do NOT want to be doing this… they were scared and the men were saying, ‘don’t worry, baby. It won’t hurt.’” This was such an important observation because many people believe that prostitution is a choice of work, this young student quickly realized that the young girls did not have a choice and more importantly were very young and scared being coerced and sexually abused by their “clients” and “pimps/boyfriends”. Despite being young in years, the group – from different backgrounds, families, social and economic statuses – was incredibly mature and thoughtful about very difficult situations.

Visiting the first western church in the "New World."
It is located in Columbus Square in Santo Domingo.

Watching an outdoor concert in Zona Colonial, Ruins of San Francisco. 

This group of young adults lived up to their name, “pilgrimage.” They were called, as Mark said, to “go into all the world” to learn about God, faith, themselves, human kind, and the world. Sometimes it takes an adventure, a new experience, to open the mind and heart to a special type of ministry. These amazing young people offered a ministry and a mission to Caminante’s kids by getting dirty in the coconut jewelry workshop, playing hard on the beach, and spending hours talking to other young adults in the communities visited. Now, with these new understandings and experiences, they will speak to their churches, families, friends, schools and communities to preach their expanded understanding of God, faith, and religion. Romans 10:15 says, “How beautiful are the feel of those who bring good news!” I know that these tanned, tired, and a little sandy feet WILL bring good news of the Caminante and the faithful work its staff and youth are doing to better the lives of Boca Chica’s children.

"And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”" (Romans 10:15 NIV)

Saying "Happy Birthday" to Franny and "See you Later" to the group!

 

IED Women's Retreat

I came to the Dominican Republic for many reasons, one of the most important being "for the experiences." Global Ministries bases its partnerships on accompaniment... this philosophy allows for bilateral growth and sharing of backgrounds, challenges, expertises, and experiences. Earlier this year I was invited to participate in several summer camps of the Iglesia Evangelica Dominicana (IED - Evangelical Churches of the Dominican), last weekend I was able to attend the first of these sessions with the Women's Association. 

Morning Bible Study - Staying cool under the mango trees!

In the days leading up to the retreat I was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, I was excited to see what would happen but also very nervous to be far away from Boca Chica and know only a small handful of the women participating. My nerves were not helped by the fact that I did not know how I would actually get to the camp, located in Bani about 2.5 hours from Boca Chica. Wednesday afternoon I finally found a ride to the camp with the Secretary Executive of the denomination and my good friend Kelvin, Reverend Cancu's driver and personal assistant. I also had the pleasure of meeting IED's new missionary from Global Ministries of the Methodist Church!

Morning Bible Study & Drama - Jesus and his disciples with the leper woman

When we arrived, Thursday afternoon, I realized how important this event was to the women of the church, they had come from all over the country, and despite Caribbean time, most had arrived early to help set up, socialize, and get the best purchases in the bazaar.  Everyone was so excited to meet me and my church ladies (and Kelvin) had made sure that I would be well taken care of. I was even given one of the best beds (a sturdy twin with a nice mattress compared to the flimsy metal bunks most stayed in)... I tried to trade beds with every woman in the room and ended up succeeding the next night and trading my luxury bed for a mat on the floor. The love and care continued throughout the weekend... I was personally summoned many times to discuss my life, my work in Boca Chica, and of course asked if I had eaten by no less than 3 people after every meal. On Friday afternoon I was joined by my friend and coworker, Olga. I was very glad to have someone to debrief with on the journey home on the bus, unfortunately there was no special car to take me home...

The IED church I attend is very modern, open, and inclusive, which is one of the reasons why I love going there so much. When I first arrived I attended another church where I was asked if I was a Christian and felt very disheartened by the fact that in Dominican culture only a certain denomination of Christians are called "Christians." At the conference I found that some IED churches still uphold many of the more conservative Evangelical traditions, but was hopeful at the number of young, open minded, and modern women who are working to develop the church and continue to introduce new members. Many, including Pastor Cancu's wife, even spoke out for their rights as educated and independent women during a charla (workshop) on the family. The presenter, who was male, unfortunately spoke from a very machismo, male dominated understanding of the bible. After some amazing female led bible studies it was very disappointing to listen to a male, who was a psychologist, speak in such an oppressive way to a room full of joyful wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and daughters. My heart was filled though as many of these women stood up and intelligently debated with him, even after he distastefully had the nerve to say that one woman was not a Christian because she was not following "God's word" (which he further stated he was teaching). One woman had the bravery to debate with him that yes, speaking from her experience, it was a woman's right to leave an unhealthy and abusive marriage. It should be noted that there were many woman who loved every word and "amen'd" his many demeaning lessons... I hope they continue to discuss amongst the association and help these women understand that a Christian wife and mother does not define an oppressed woman.  I feared this man's "teachings" because I felt they easily justified husbands to verbally, physically, and sexually abuse their wives. While the charla presenter was a dud, the overall cultural trends of the church I heard were hopeful. Two other formal charlas were given on health and personal finance, both were given by male speakers. In the future I hope that the IED Women's Association will first, seriously consider only using women as charla speakers and second, well research the presenters before inviting them to speak. 

Singing and Dancing in the Evenings

While I loved getting to know the younger women of the churches, I was fascinated at some of the rituals of the older generations. Worshiping at IED Villa Duarte on Sundays is a 3 hour affair, but wow, these church ladies love to be "well churched." For many of the older woman, the day started at 5 am out on the lawn with a prayer circle. I took time to watch each morning and they participated in a ritual that is, I believe, unique to the camp weekend. The woman stand in a large circle with some woman in the middle, possibly leading prayers. But each woman prays individually, most out loud. Several of the female pastors and other leaders went from person to person praying with them. Most women were still or slightly rocking but a few shook and danced. Many woman seemed to shake and flail when someone was praying with them. At times women would shout out or wail and the group often broke out into song together. The second morning, the prayer circle seemed to have more healing. Several people were touching and massaging different parts of the women's bodies like arm, knees, feet, and backs. The ailed women were mostly sitting on benches in the center of the circle. While it looked and sounded at times like a revival, the feeling that the dramatic praying was for attention or show was not present, unlike revivals on television or even the ones I have witnessed on the streets in the Dominican. The women seemed to be truly moved by the prayers and the energy in the circle, maybe even just the joy of being united with the other women. After breakfast was a morning worship and bible study, which all were very enlightening and led by different church groups. My congregation led one morning and I was honored to participate in the drama and play a young Mother Mary. The day was filled with charlas, crafts, and socializing, and in the evening a music and dancing worship time. 

Trudi teaching us how to make hand baskets.

There were certainly times when I felt out of place and intruding on a very sacred time for the woman, there were others when I felt right at home... enjoying the calm camp grounds, participating in the craft, chatting with the woman. The style of praise enjoyed by the woman, and many people in the Dominican Republic, would put most American Christians outside of their comfort zone, I was so intrigued to have been able to put myself into a new experience and learn more about myself and my faith as I traveled through this spiritual weekend with the women and the church. The retreat theme was "transformation on the mountain," and a transformational and rejuvenating experience it was, for all.  I was invited to many different areas around the country to visit people's homes and churches and I sincerely hope I can fulfill some of those heartfelt invitations in the coming months. The few days spent with these faithful women, outside of my comfort zone, and with God's people reminded me just what I was called to do, accompany  grow hand in hand with the people, and learn about myself, my God, and my journey. I will be headed back to Bani in the end of August to attend the young adult's retreat and look forward to a whole new population and sharing their faith experiences.