Grace’s medical team’s trip to the Dominican Republic was amazing — the team worked seamlessly together to serve the people in two villages in the El Seibo region. We set up a clinic in the school house of each village and saw over 100 people in each place. Here are some of the team’s stories:
Chad Wyatt, Worship Pastor at Grace Orlando and Trip Leader
“It was a blessing to watch the medical team worship God by serving the people of El Seibo. They all understand that medicine is their purpose on this earth, and they use it to glorify the name of Jesus. We realized after our first day of clinic that God was using us to answer the prayers of these people — prayers that they have been praying for months, possibly years. What we see as everyday modern medical treatment, such as pain relievers, antibiotics and multi-vitamins are so much more to these people. They are proof that God is real, and that He hears them, and He loves them.”
Dr. Scott and Cissy VanLue
“Imagine life with no electricity, no indoor plumbing, no birth certificate and no education past the eighth grade. Meet 19 year old Felix. This is his reality living in a Haitian sugar cane village deep in the heart of the DR. He came into our clinic with leg pain and lots of attitude. I watched in amazement as Scott took Felix under his wing and encouraged him to not just follow his dreams of playing professional baseball, but to be a servant leader first and foremost. Scott treated his knee, gave examples of strengthening exercises he could do, and best of all prayed with Felix. We watched a surly, angry young man transform before our eyes. He stuck close to our group after that, even offering to help load the trucks. Here in this community men cut sugar cane from adolescence till death. Baseball can be a way out of the fields for a lucky few, but Felix is on his way to leading as a servant regardless of where he ends up. Felix was injected with hope, health and spiritual healing from a few “Americanos” that day. Please continue to pray for him as God brings him to mind. Dios les bendiga!”
Melanie Confusione, RN
“This woman walked into our second day of clinic radiating Christ. She was shining in white from head to toe without blemish (and it was pouring rain outside). She was full of joy, though she had waited awhile. I told her in my fragmented Spanish that her outfit was incredibly beautiful, and then I had translated that she shined Christ and righteousness, and I wanted to look like her when I am 87. She explained that her husband had died, and her son was killed. She was VERY angry with God, but then she asked Him to forgive her for her anger against Him, and He did. She said, ‘Now I walk with JOY in his glory.’”
Jenna Wimmer, NP
“A family of five piled into my small corner of the one room schoolhouse. I slowly made my way to the grandmother of the family. It became clear she was the one who still ran the family and made sure there was enough to go around — not an easy task when you live off of $2-3 a day and are dependent on the older men in the family to make the wage. She suffered from hypertension, anemia, and chronic pain — most likely arthritis in her hands from working her entire life. I knew there were limited things I could do for her, only basic medication. But along with the meds, I was able to just pour life into her — sharing with her how beautiful I thought she was, how Jesus had designed her perfectly. It was simple, small, non-extravagant. No gaping wounds to clean, no surgical stitching, no cysts to drain (all of which we did there), just simple primary care.
As she got up to go she hugged me, held my face, kissed my cheek and just said in her language, ‘Thank you my daughter, you are beautiful my daughter,’ and she hugged me for what seemed like 10 minutes. I embraced back and didn’t let go. There was something so sweet in her embrace — something so sincere. I wasn’t saving her life, I wasn’t drastically altering her course of health, it was purely an interaction the Holy Spirit designed to pour life into me, and I hope pour life into her. And I was struck by the idea that we are all in the same family. We are both women, and I will soon join her group as a mother. We are so similar — we are both loved by a passionate God who designed us as lovely vessels to share His gospel. I am grateful to be reminded by this dear grandmother of the love Jesus has for me — even if it takes getting me to the DR to show me.”
