Dear Called To More Network,

One missionary described re-entry as “like stepping back into your life after it’s been on hold.” That’s exactly how it felt when we landed in the Dominican Republic on August 4th. After 13 months on the road Stateside, we have found the island both familiar and new at the same time.

Our community here welcomed us warmly—people were excited to see us but without the pressure, they understood that we weren’t on vacation, just doing different work. That sense of connection and the joy of reconnection have been gifts. Our apartment, on the other hand, needed some attention. A sink hose failed the day before we arrived, flooding the apartment—including a waterfall cascading down the stairs! On top of that, there was a bedroom ceiling repair, layers of dust to tackle, and plenty of deep cleaning. We’re thankful nothing was ruined and we had no unwelcome guests, but it’s taken time and energy to get our home back on track.

Through it all, we’ve been reminded that God calls us to live in interdependence with others. Sometimes that means asking for help—even with the “dirty jobs” we’d rather handle ourselves. Our belongings survived. We found our home intact after the flooding—and for that, we’re thankful.  But we are more grateful for the people who showed up to help us restore it. More importantly, we’ve seen again and again that our true treasure isn’t what fills our apartment—it’s the people who fill our lives. For us, the treasure has been our relationships with the people willing to walk with us in both the fruition as well as the messy moments.

“…collect treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moth and rust don’t eat them and where thieves don’t break in and steal them.  Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” -MATTHEW 6:20-21 CEB

Another encouragement has been our Spanish. Surprisingly, conversations have flowed more easily—maybe because time away relieved the pressure of trying so hard. It’s small, but a meaningful sign of growth for us.

We’re also grateful for our time in the United States—for the churches, families, and friends who hosted us, listened to stories from the DR and Haiti, and shared what God is doing in your own lives and communities each day. It was a reminder of our partnership of working together in the kin-dom—God’s face is everywhere, not just where we find ourselves.

Together with the Reese family (Tim & Stacy Reese – Journey with the Reeses), we hosted a pastor from the American Baptist Churches of Ohio. In just five days, we visited seven pastors and their ministries from North to South in Santiago, Sosua, Villa Altagracia, and Santo Domingo. (Check out the video clips on Facebook!) It was also life-giving for our kids to reconnect.