Colossians 3:14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
This was the theme verse for the group I was fortunate enough to travel to the Dominican Republic with at the beginning of the month. I was invited on the mission by my best friend. It is something she has done before, so I had some idea what to expect, but it still did not truly prepare me for what I would experience there.
I was impressed by the beauty of the island while flying over it. It is green and lush and has a mix of mountains and valleys. Driving past the sugar cane fields felt familiar, very similar to the cornfields here. It wasn’t until we got closer to the city where we would be staying that the scenery began to change.
The homes became more run down and there was garbage everywhere. It was obvious these people lived in poverty, but I still did not have a truly clear picture of what that meant until we took a walk on our first day.
The neighborhood is called Little Haiti and the conditions there are unlike any you would see in America. The children were outside playing in an empty lot which was nothing more than dirt and garbage. They have no toys, so they find ways to make their own. There was a boy flying a kite he made out of a stick, some string and a plastic grocery bag. Another boy was rolling an old tire with a stick and a piece of a plastic milk jug.
Laundry hung from ropes tied to the trees or was flung over fences or gates. They have no electricity or running water. Until the mission built a community bathroom, they had none at all. Multiple families live in shed-like structures with narrow alleys in between. We saw a woman thinly slicing plantain and frying it outside over a makeshift fire pit made out of an old tire rim. She was bagging the fried plantains to sell. This was her only source of income. Many people will have an area outside their home where they attempt to sell food or other commodities because they have no other job opportunities.
Dogs run wild in the street and are clearly malnourished. If there isn’t enough food to feed the family, the dog is definitely an afterthought. Despite all this, the people were smiling and very friendly. The kids immediately approached us and were happy to pose for pictures. The adults were not put off by our presence and we even received hugs from some.
Some of you might be wondering how that can be. What I learned is that poverty to people who live in difficult circumstances is not the absence of things, but is described by them as an empty heart, not knowing your abilities and strengths, not being able to make progress, isolation and no hope or belief in yourself. They are not focused on the material things they are lacking. It was clear from watching them and by interacting with the young men who were charged with helping us for the week that they had joy in their lives.
Happiness and joy are not the same.Happiness is fleeting because it is more often than not based on your circumstances. Joy stems from the heart and they have it because they know the love of their Heavenly Father. The pastor who felt moved to set up his mission in this the poorest of neighborhoods is a daily reflection of Christ’s love for them.  They are content because they understand that this life is temporary and they have hope for an eternal life which will be glorious. When we encountered those who were not believers there was a noticeable difference. Their eyes were a reflection of their empty souls.
This trip was life changing for me because by witnessing the difference love can make in this life, as well as the next, it has reinforced my desire to share the hope we have in Christ with others. He truly is all we need.
That’s why I vow to keep following. One day at a time.