Kristin Hamner's Page
Well friends,
The summer is over, and what an incredible summer it was! Here's how it looks by the numbers: Together we built 25 latrines, worked on 3 churches, expanded 5 schools, broke ground for 1 clinic, and helped with 5 water purification systems. Not to mention running 11 medical clinics, each stocked with medicines for about 1,500 people. During these clinics, we directly cared for over 7,000 people and then donated the rest of the medicines to our and others' year-round clinics, where they will be put to good use and care for many more needy families. Last but no least, we provided countless VBS programs that reached out to thousands of children with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Not too bad for three months' work!
And what is surely more important and more valuable than all the above mentioned things, is that lives were changed--lives of the Dominicans, of team members, and of our staff. One young summer staff lady and one team member were touched so deeply during their time here that they have felt, heeded, and responded to God's call, and will remain in the Dominican Republic all year teaching English in the Foundation for Peace Alliance schools.For me, this is truly an answer to prayers. Last year I felt torn between my two positions: working with the Foundation for Peace teams coming down, and also teaching English. Last Spring I was out of the classroom a lot hosting groups, helping with retreats at home etc. I felt like I couldn't serve my students the way they deserve. So I prayed that God would open the doors and send someone else to help with the English classes, and He sent me two gifted young ladies with whom I am very much looking forward to working.
God is so good, and I am once again blown away by the way He is leading and guiding this ministry. Every struggle we have faced, when given up to Him, has been taken care of in awesome ways. I asked for one teacher, and God has sent two! Just amazing!
Having the summer teams here was a busy and yet oddly refreshing time. Much of my time was spent running about, trying to make sure the groups had work and water, and taking care of all the little things that inevitably come up. But I also had some peaceful moments with some team members who expressed their excitement and joy in some of the little things that are part of the Dominican culture--things that in the course of the year I had come to accept as normal until reminded how incredible they truly are.
Now as summer winds down and I have a little time to myself to reflect on those little blessings, I see this place with the new, fresh eyes of the summer team members, and also with a heart that feels deeply connected and a mind that is beginning to truly understand and appreciate this place and this culture.
God has been teaching me a lot lately and has worked on my heart. I recently began seminary classes at Mizpah Bible Institute, the seminary where the majority of the pastors we work with here were trained. What a blessing it is to study the Word of God with other very passionate believers, and to debate topics of doctrine as we wrestle to find the true meaning of the scriptures--knowing all the while that there are mysteries we will never fully understand until we reach Heaven.
As I step forward into another year with the Foundation for Peace, I thank God for this blessing, this time to grow and learn in Him, as I serve this group of people whom I have come to love and know as my brothers and sisters. Please keep me and this ministry in your prayers, asking that God will continue to be in control and give us the wisdom and guidance to build the ministry in such a way that more people can be cared for and reached with the Gospel of Christ Jesus!