"People we are serving have very little material things . . . but are so full of joy . . ."

by Jonathan Harlowe

This was my third DR Mission Trip and each time has been such an amazing experience. 

What always has moved me on these trips is how the people we are serving have very little material things and have challenging living conditions. However, they are so full of joy and are content. It has shown me that you can have joy despite your circumstance, that Jesus fully satisfies you. An example of this on my most recent trip was when we were doing food distribution at one of the bateyes. A sugarcane worker who just got out of work was making his way to his home. When we told him we had food for him and asked if he wanted prayer, he motioned to us with both hands to come and he quickly ran to his front steps to receive prayer. This really touched me as he was more excited to receive prayer than the food we were giving him. It reminded me of the scripture that says “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6

A moment that I will never forget happened to me at one of the medical clinics as I was evangelizing with Pastor Wilson. We came across this man who needed prayer, as he was having pain in his eyes. So we prayed for him and he said the pain got better but was still there. So I told him the story in the Bible where Jesus prayed for a blind man and after Jesus prayed the man said that he could see but it looked like men walking like trees. So Jesus prayed again and he was healed and could see clearly. So I asked the man if we could pray for him again. He said yes. So we did pray for him again. Then he was pointing to Pastor Wilson’s shirt to the numbers on it, 2025. He said he couldn’t read that before but now he could. God had healed his eyes. He even put on his glasses, then took them off and he could still see. Praise God, God still heals today!

It is not just the people we serve that makes these trips great but the people you serve with. It always feels like family and we are in such unity to serve and show God’s love to others. Looking forward to my next DR Mission trip!