Transformations in Palmarejo: Real Lives changed by the Power of God

Palmarejo: a small former batey of less than two thousand mostly Haitians, huddled on the very edge of Northwest Santo Domingo.

Eleven years ago we planted a stake with scriptures on this corner of Los Alcarrizos to declare this land and people for God and to place on notice the demonic forces that held this people captive to malaria, Aids, prostitution, polio, hepatitis, open sewage, bad water and superstitious malevolent voodoo. Three voodoo priests and no churches maintained a gloom of misery unknown and unseen not only to North American travelers but to most Dominicans, especially the insulated middle and upper class.

Healing over a decade may seem slow and imperceptible but we made an intentional effort to build relationships and return again and again to witness the remarkable changes that have taken place. There are no more voodoo priests to exploit the fears of Palmarejans. There are three churches and most of the village has been evangelized and a great many have received Christ. Prostitution is no longer a visible factor. There have been no cases of malaria for four years. Although desperately poor, there is a UN funded water supply and new roads with curbs leading in and out of Palmarejo. A Catholic school educates the children without birth papers, who by Dominican law cannot go to public school. Many are receiving health care at our nearby Ebenezer Clinic in Pantoja. They benefit from our free medical care which includes medicines they would never access otherwise.

One child stands out as a miracle in progressive healing. His name is Yunior ( pronounced Junior). He is also about eleven years old coincidentally, and we met him in 2005 on a visit to his town. Stricken with polio and encephalitis in his first year, he nearly died. He could not walk or talk. His legs were so thin you could wrap your hand around his thigh in a closed grip. His head is dysmorphic suggesting profound retardation. He drooled incessantly BUT... he smiled as wide as the tropical sun when we came to hold him, love on him and pray for him. He underwent some therapy which we sought funds for in the US, but it was discontinued because of various logistics for the family. God remained our hope that he would thrive and be well. He got new clothes, a new home from some other source, and a wheelchair but his preferred method of travel was to scuttle on his naked buttocks through the alleys of mud and bad water wherever he wanted to go.

Last year, through brother Andy's insistence we prayed for his mind and his speech. He was always non-verbal, though attentive with his eyes. We were bold to ask God for a complete healing and functional life for little Yunior.

On this September's trip we found Yunior walking without assistance for the first time AND... Praise be to God Almighty, as we live and breathe he was talking. Not gibberish but in Spanish, even yelling at his friends down the alley to come on over.
It seemed so right and normal on the one hand that God would continue to honor our prayers but on the other hand we were astonished into silence. How can this happen naturally? Is there any other explanation for a non-verbal ten+ year old to suddenly begin to talk? Take a look at Yunior's picture above. Continue to pray for him. He remains the symbol of real life transformation in Palmarejo. This community is radically different than we found it eleven years ago. And we are witnesses of God's redeeming power, and He deserves all the glory for this. We are only his servants, simply daring to BELIEVE and even that is a gift from God.

Would you join us on one of our short term missions? We will be scheduling four trips in 2012, God willing, beginning on the last Friday in January and every three months thereafter. Begin to communicate with us if you have the desire to go and check our postings here on this blog and on Facebook for further information.

May God continue to bless you to be a blessing to others in His Name. Amen!

Ken Peters