Homesick at Home

But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." - Luke 18:16-17

Just yesterday my wife Janet said, "I feel homesick." We have been back from four weeks in the Dominican Republic for about ten days now. We certainly missed our family and friends, but I know what she is feeling. Until this trip, I had never been away from home for more than a couple of weeks at a time.

God put people in our path. People who were warm and friendly. People who opened there homes to us: Yolanda, Enmanuel, & Ramon, their family, Mauricio and his wife and children, Victor and the Orchestra, the people at New Tech.

One month will never replace a lifetime with our families, but God did place these people in our path. Not only that, He has placed them in our hearts. They are our Dominican family. They are beautiful people with a heart for those less fortunate in their country.

There were a number of take aways for us. One family that we feel a bond with is the family of our driver, H. He and they spoke almost no English. In fact, they spoke about as much English as Janet and I speak Spanish. Hola! That's not much. They took us out for dinner; we took them to church. H and his wife received Christ while we were there. Seeing the renewal of their relationship, the smile on the face of their daughter, and knowing that they have accepted the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ is a take away for us that no one can take away from us.

We replay the events of our experiences in the Dominican Republic daily. We pray for guidance in planning our next trip there. We know that God will lead the way. We miss the children and pray for them and our new Dominican friends.