Learning how to serve

Well, this is my first official blog. I am currently serving as an intern for a missions organization called Students International. I am based in Dominican Republic in a city known as Jarabacoa. I hope to use this "blog" as way to share about my experiences. Plus, if I can figure it out... I hope to put up pictures as well. So here it goes!!! :)

My experience so far has been pretty easy going, which was a nice break since the last few weeks of school were crazy. The other interns are amazing. We made a "rules" video yesterday. My first appearance in film. If I can figure it out, I may try to see if I can post it here. It's pretty funny. The Bethel team is here now and I really have had a blast hanging out with them. Tonight we learned the Meringue!!! For the rest of the summer, I am going to be working at the Physical Therapy site. It is at a school for special needs children. I am really excited to work to with Amy Green (the woman in charge of PT and OT). She told me my resposibility is going to be doing more of the physical therapy side of stuff. I did not really understand when she told me this. She explained that physical therapy is helping them get to where they are going and occupational therapy (OT) is helping them do things when they get there. So, by doing PT, I will be doing different active things such as throwing/catching balls, making up obstacle courses, in order to use different muscle groups. I really do not have any idea what I am doing. But thats okay. I am excited to learn something new.

I have been learning a lot about what it means to really serve. One of the leaders gave a talk this morning about being a servant. She mentioned something by John Hayes from the book Submerge. I am not sure if this is the exact quote but I will give it my best shot. Hayes went on a missions trip to India. He said that he went to India to encounter poverty and he encountered poor people instead. I have found that I am guilty of approaching missions with that same original mindset. It is not about making memories, taking pictures or even feeling sorry for the people here. Instead, it is about relationships. I need to come not with the mentality of trying to make a difference, but to just love people. I need to learn their story instead of trying to create my own adventurous story. Gosh, this gets me excited that God has given me this opportunity to be here. I have learned so much already. Well, tomorrow is our first official day at our work sites. Hooray!