DR News Update February 29, 2008- Palmarejo, Santo Domingo
Greetings Saints:
The scripture teaches us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, and sometimes we are jolted from a place of joy to sorrow suddenly. I have a prayer request and a praise report, and I believe the tragedy I will share with you indeed has a silver lining.
One of the most contested areas of spiritual ground I have ever visited as a missionary is the Haitian town of Palmarejo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. We have seen God move powerfully there in this town of two thousand with no church, teen prostitution, drunkenness, HIV, malaria and oppressive squalor steeped in spiritism, namely a virulent form of voodoo called by the locals “echiseria”. We have witnessed to the witch doctors and although they serve Satan, have conceded our God is more powerful than theirs. We have prayed for this town and now three new churches have been added in the past seven years. Pastor Victor has more than 25 people who travel to Pantoja each week from this village to his church. Hundreds have been saved, outreach medical clinics have been held, and we have many friends in this village. One old woman who is 104 years old remembers when the infamous dictator Trujillo was first in power in the 1930’s. Our friend Yunior who is seven years old and stricken with polio lives on the very edge of this town where in the year 2000 we first put stakes around Pantoja declaring this ground for the Kingdom of God.
On February 29th, 2008 a boy ran from his home after a candle caught fire, yelling to his neighbors. In this squatters’ village of shanty homes of wood and rusty zinc roofs, this fire swept through and destroyed 48 homes displacing 137 families in an afternoon. The fire truck, when it arrived had no water and as it pumped water from a local cistern the fire raged from house to house. The fire left complete destruction in its path. We thank God in His mercy that there were no fatalities and the only injuries were to neighbors trying to beat down the fire as it spread.
I heard this news just the other day, after also consoling Dr. Francisco and Pastor Victor on the passing into glory of Papa Lebron, Francisco’s father, Antonia’s husband. We also just had two funerals here in our church at New Covenant in Laconia NH. Many years ago the Lord gave me this proverb, “Sorrow carves into our hearts a greater capacity for joy”. It was said of Jesus, “He learned obedience through the things He suffered.” Also, “He endured the cross because of the joy set before Him.”
It is true that we, who love our neighbor with purpose, open our hearts to a great deal of grief! And our sadness is in keeping with the deep consolation that love brings. But! We are enduring in this fallen world the effects of sin that one day will be brought to nothing! One day we will live in mansions that cannot burn and our treasure will be in the very Presence of God where moth and rust cannot corrupt. One day our hope will be realized as sickness and death are not outcomes any longer. Redemption in all its glory will catch us up into the fulfilled promises of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!!! It is against this great backdrop of Christ within, the hope of Glory that we persevere with great energy and purpose, undaunted by the grind of disappointment and the setbacks of tragedy.
As to our dear friends in Palmarejo, let’s for the moment simply pray with gratefulness that all that burned was that which is perishable. Let’s pray that this will bring a deeper awareness of God’s presence in their midst, and that saints from the four corners of the world and nearby neighbors will pour out in compassion to this precious, impoverished people.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
Ken Peters
PS--- Please pass this on to your prayer teams!
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