WELCOME

First, let me thank you for stopping by our blog. We are a family of 5 ~ Brad, Brooke, Jaden, Jake & Abie Lynn. We were called to serve the people in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic in 2008. We long to serve Puerto Plata by caring for the people there and aiding in holistic community transformation. We believe you cannot truly change the life of an individual if you don't help with the community around them. We believe in partnering with the indigenous people and churches worldwide in accomplishing these goals by establishing, trust among the local pastors/leaders of the communities we serve, helping start sustainable businesses for locals, providing pure water and health education and most importantly sharing the love of Christ through relationship and discipleship. God has called our family and we are blessed to be a part of this journey. We invite you to be a part as well...you can join us by reading this blog and sharing it with others, visiting us on a short-term trip, financial gift through Until They Know...(300 Vestavia Pkwy Set 2300, Birmingham, AL 35216), or most importantly partnering with us in prayer. God bless you or as we say it in the DR ~ Dios te bendiga!







Friday, August 13, 2010

DR - July 2010

Changed Lives...ours and theirs

by Brad & Brooke Jenkins

Let me begin this month’s post by saying how great it is to be able to write to you from the field. To tell you of the wonderful stories God has orchestrated and ordained instead of posts about the plans we have for the ministry here in the Puerto Plata.

First, let me introduce you to Pastor Jacob, pictured here on the far right, and one of the pastors I asked you to pray for in our last post. He is a pastor in Aguas Negras that we have worked with extensively this summer. He is committed to serving the Dominican/Haitian Village of Aguas Negras as well as 5 other church plants he has begun throughout Puerto Plata in the last three years. Jacob is a 50 year old Haitian widower and sweet man. We love him and he loves our family and has actually asked Brooke to be his “god-mother”, which is a quite an honor. He will soon be graduating from “Bible training” and wants her to award his diploma to him, an honor given to mothers in the DR. We will also host a small party for him afterward. Pastor Jacob, through his ministry, impacts about 170 families a week and hundreds of orphans. We thank God for our partnership with men like Jacob, he is truly a blessing!

Jeffrey with the ever popular “gang” sign pose.
One of the young boys that Jacob works with and introduced us to is named Jeffrey (11 year old). He is from a tough family and he and his step-mother fight violently. Much of this is due to Jeffrey’s defiant and at times unstable behavior. The other reasons are their need for Christ, hope, and an understanding of God’s plan for their future. Jeffrey is known as the “crazy kid” in the village and proves that true often. About a month ago as we were doing a 3 day program at Jacob’s church in Aguas Negras, Jeffrey punched a girl in the face over a jump rope. Moments later, he stood in the street swinging and kicking at adults that had come to defend the little girl and to “teach him a lesson”. This group included his step-mother who held a 2x2 piece of lumber and the others holding rocks and sticks. Pastor Jacob and I kept them from using them, except for his step-mother who beat his legs, arms and head with the piece of lumber. Jeffrey then pulled a knife and the scene became more intense. I was able to back Jeffrey against a house and began to pray in his ear that he would be calmed by God and feel God’s presence. He broke down and handed me the knife. We were able to walk away from the crowd and he let me share the story of Jesus Christ, the hope of salvation and transformation through Him. Through his sobbing and tears he said he wanted to be changed. He accepted Christ! He then asked me to share with his step-mom and to tell her about what he had done. She was not ready herself and doubted God could really change Jeffrey, but seeds were planted. There has been a change in Jeffrey and just last week his step-mother, Lydia, told me she sees it. She has come to church twice in the last month and Jeffrey has been going since that day in the street. We praise God for His faithfulness and redeeming power. We also pray for his step-mother that she would recognize her need for Jesus in her life.

Two changed lives
This is the day I met Jeffrey. I told Brad that afternoon I felt a strong connection to him, but didn’t know why. He was the most disruptive child at the program and acted very tough on the exterior.  But there was something when you hugged him that changed.  The next day was the day Brad shared above and the Jeffrey became my little brother.



WOW...we have some other info to share...
Well, we are winding down our summer. In the last month, we have said good-bye to our wonderful interns and hosted 2 other teams. We also had the pleasure of sharing our home with the Little’s who will be joining us on the field as DR ministry partners once they have raised their support and sold their home in Hoover, AL.

The Alliance 29:11 sponsored team and Reel Life Adventure team joined forces this last month in Munoz on various water projects. Each team spent a week building a 6 stall shower house and for the first time people there don’t have to bathe in a bucket or a contaminated river. They also each spent the week training and distributing between the two teams 145 Pure Water filters in the community. In addition, to the water projects the A2911 team did VBS in Munoz and the Reel Life Team built a house in Javillar for a single mother of 6, whose house was falling down around her.

***For additional ministry photos and captions please click on the above link for July 2010 Photos***

We would like to conclude by thanking you for your prayers and support of our ministry here in the Dominican Republic!

 Praise God, my (Brooke) MRI came back and all is healed nicely with some remaining torn fibers. I am  up and moving around with ease. The only pain I have is when I over extends myself. Please continue to pray for complete healing.

 After a busy summer please pray for some downtime for our family. It has been great, but we are in need of some quality time as a family, please pray for that in the upcoming weeks.

 Please pray for a great start to the school year for our family. The plan is to on start back this month.

 As we wait on the property we continue to have ministry opportunities open up to us. Pray for discernment in what we are to do and where we are to trust God to provide someone else to meet those needs.

 As we wait, we also are in need of rent and utility funds. Until missionary housing is built we are responsible for our rent and utilities. We are covered through September, which leaves us needing your help to raise the remaining $2100 to extend our lease through December 2010. We’d also like to praise God for the add’l $50/month support that came in since our last newsletter. If just 18 people would commit $25/mo. we’d meet our needs. We are so thankful for how you all have supported us and trust God will provide our need. Please pray as we trust.

 Lastly, please pray for the property and the resources to be received. We have our RNC # which means nothing is stopping us now. All we need is cash in hand to negotiate our property. We have the interior walls to the orphanage sitting in Birmingham waiting to come. Please pray for God’s provision.

As ALWAYS, none of this would be possible without God!! We give Him all the glory for what is taking place and we give thanks for all of you!! You are His tools that make what we do possible!

From His fields…Brad, Brooke, Jaden, Jake & Abie Lynn