Howdy!
Or buen día as they say here in the DR. Yesterday we went to the capitol of this wonderful country, Santo Domingo. We were so tired – or at least, I was – that I had no energy to write the blog last night. But it was a good day, so the exhaustion felt good to have. (I got to hold a bunch of pigeons and feed them out of my hands. Pigeons are heavier than they look.) The Dominican Republic has an ancient feel to it in some places. One of those places is Santo Domingo, where you can stroll among the ruins of Christopher Columbus’ house after grabbing KFC on el Conde. History is palpable: Dr. Bob told us how the cannon balls would simply be absorbed into the walls of the fort on the river because the walls were made of live coral (which are still there). It was because of this ancient feel that I felt the truth of Dr. Bob’s words when he told us to watch for the skyline of Santo Domingo as we were driving in. He said it was an analogy of heaven. Dr. Bob told us to imagine the highway as the road of life, and the capitol as the Shining City we were all heading towards as Christians. It was a comforting metaphor to end a mission trip on. Because our time here is over. For now, at least. But it is heart wrenching to think that we won’t be heading out to help people again on Monday. I’ll be heading back to Birmingham to start school again. Everyone else will be going back to the normality of our lives in America. (Except for Christina, who will be relaxing on a beach here in the DR for the next week.) This trip will be a thing of the past. Mr. Bobby said that we had a choice as we leave the country: we could let this trip just be something that happened to us, or we could work to make it something that changes us. So, what is it I learned from this trip that should change me? As simple as it seems, I learned that God is still there, still working, and still cares. I struggled with a lot of apathy towards church and towards God coming into this trip, but the smallest of things can help change the mind. One day I lost my wallet. You know, the tiny thing that has my ID, all my money, and my debit card inside. I was understandably panicky about that. Dr. Marsha, though, kept a calm head and prayed to ask God to let me find it. Internally, I scoffed at this. God doesn’t care about wallets, after all, I thought. It could very well have been stolen at clinic and I would never see it again. Not five minutes later I found it in a place I had already looked. I had to sit there for a moment with my wallet and the fishy feeling all divine appointments have. I thought about all the people I have met this week, patients that will praise the providence of God over a pair of reading glasses. In the middle of abject poverty, disease, boiling heat and suffocating humidity, these people respond “By the grace of God, I am doing well” whenever you ask how they are doing. After sitting in the evangelism station with Mr. Bobby and hearing how he initiates conversations with people about God, I feel like my faith has been restored a little bit and I might have the courage – by the grace of God – to strike up similar conversations with my classmates. After reading this blog of the experiences we’ve had in the DR, I hope you too have felt that fishy feeling of God moving. If not, take a look around. If God can reach me here, he can definitely reach you in your living room. If you come away with nothing else from reading our blog, know this: God loves you as he loves the people of the DR. God is looking for you and reaching for you just as he was looking and reaching for me. He sent his Son for you, to die for you: the greatest act of love in the history of time. And so, as we pack up and prepare to depart, I will leave you with the words I was using to say goodbye to my patients this week: Dios te bendiga. God bless you. From the heat and the sea breeze, ~Samantha Chapman UABSO Class of 2025 Buenos Dias,
My name is Cory Dixon and this is my second blog! It’s been so such an amazing trip to the Dominican Republic! It has been such an amazing, edifying, and humbling trip. We got to serve the wonderful people of the Dominican Republic for two whole weeks. Today was unfortunately our last day of clinic, and we lost Brenton and Beck as they flew back to the States. However, it was such as sweet day! Today we went to a church where the pastor was one of our translators. The pastor was the translator I was talking about in my past blog. It was such a wonderful time being able to serve his community and see how he interacted with them. He was such a light to me while we were on this trip to the DR. He always smiles and was a help to all of us throughout the entire 2 weeks. At the end of each clinic day, we pray for every pastor and usually we do it through a translator. Mr. Bob asked who wanted to pray for him, and I jumped at the chance. Since he was a translator, I prayed for him and his community. So, that the pastor could be equipped to care for them as he took care of us for the entire two weeks. Seeing this image, it was such a blessing to pray for him. It was a great reminder that Lord cares and blesses us more than we deserve. After clinic, we were able to relax and enjoy some much-needed rest. We then went to a local pastry shop and got some desert while we were able to fellowship and laugh. What a joy it has been on this trip! The Lord continues to bless our time here and bring people to hear the good news every single day we have been here. Our leadership is so intentional in living for Christ. Tomorrow is our last day in the DR. We are going to Santo Domingo (the Capital) to explore the beauty. I am so excited to see what God has in store tomorrow! All Glory be to God, Cory Dixon (PS. I miss Dad. Hope you miss me to!) Hi,
My name is Jen Dixon and I have been here since Saturday, June 10th. It’s been so sweet to join in on all the fun the team has been having here. It’s been so humbling and encouraging to hear about all God has been doing here. Today we went to a little sugar cane village to do medical missions. There was one particular man we were able to help that stood out to me. He was a 78-year-old man who walked into the clinic with the biggest smile on his face. He was ecstatic to receive an eye exam and reading glasses. Come to find out, all he wanted glasses for was so he could read a Bible. He told us he became a Christian a week ago and was not able to read the Bible. When we gave him his glasses, he had the biggest smile on his face. He then proceeded to ask where the bibles were and if he could have one. We immediately gave him one and sent him to the evangelizing part of the clinic. It was so encouraging to see his attitude and desire just to read God’s word. The joy of his spirit and gratitude he had was so encouraging to all of us. He could not stop telling me and the others how he was so grateful for all that he had. He had very little but was thankful for the food and shelter God provides for him every day. It was a sweet reminder that God will always provide for his people and the joy that comes with being God’s children. After clinic, we were able to fellowship at a fun pizzeria and celebrate Brenton’s birthday. We then went to the beach to watch the sunset but ended up jumping in with our clothes on. It was a sweet time just floating in the water reflecting on all the Lord was doing here in the DR. We ended our last night with Beck and Brenton by playing a huge game of catch phrase. What a joy it has been so far. The Lord continues to bless our time here and bring people to hear the good news. Tomorrow is our last day doing medical missions out in the villages. Excited to see what God has in store! All Glory be to God, Jen Dixon Athletic Trainer Hola blog! Soy Emma! I’m blessed to be one of the SCORE interns this month!
It’s Tuesday the 13th today! (I’m not quite sure exactly what day this is for the team, and that would be because I am actually not officially apart of this team!) That being said, because of the way this group has welcomed me into this team, I feel very much a part! So, in today’s blog I’d love to share how I’ve seen the thoughts and actions of the believers in Acts 2 reflected in this amazing team! Right from the beginning, I felt welcomed and invited to dive into service alongside this skilled set of nurses, doctors, and soon-to-be doctors! As the day went on, I could clearly see this team strived for a togetherness as the Christians in Acts 2:44 did. Throughout the clinic, as our Dominican brothers and sister passed through each station, I could see the group’s resemblance to the early body of Christ, using their varying skill sets to bring God His due glory. Finishing out the day, I got to attend the group’s nightly worship. I was blessed to take part in the team’s mirroring of v.47 as they looked back on the care they provided and praised God’s hand for weaving in and through their work! One of the most important yet difficult things Christ calls us to is His true humility, and just as the believers in Acts 2 walked humbly, this group has served with a Christ-like humility that has both convicted and encouraged me! I am so grateful that God allowed me to come alongside this crew to learn how to imitate the believers of Acts 2 and ultimately, Christ! Thank you to this team for your kind hospitality to me! Adios blog! -Emma Martin, Samford Nursing Student Howdy! My name is Sam. Today was the beginning of the second week of our mission trip, but it was my first day in clinic with everyone. I flew in yesterday afternoon on very little sleep and not a little bit of anxiety, but made it here to SCORE alright. I did forget to bring my swimsuit, though, which was disheartening. Not that many of us have the energy to swim, anyway. I am the optometry student on the trip this time around, so I was over in a corner of the church in el Piñon asking people, “Cuál es la línea más pequeña que puede ver?” until they told me it was time to pack up. Today I had a distinct impression of the perfect timing of God. When I came to the Dominican Republic last year, I was a baby first year optometry student and probably should not have been speaking so confidently to patients as I did. We saw conditions that we had just learned about in neuroscience and our beginner’s optics courses. Today, I saw conditions, again, that I had just learned about. Things that I would have had no idea how to handle had I seen them last year. Nothing too complicated, but fishy in the way all divine appointments are. It inspired a mystified sense of gratefulness to, not only God, but to my professors for teaching me well enough that I knew how to handle the conditions I came across. I am excited for the rest of this week. Not only will I get some great practice in clinic, I will increase my fluency in Spanish, learn about the culture of the Dominicans, and get to know my fellow clinicians and volunteers. From the heat and the sea breeze, ~Samantha Chapman UABSO Class of 2025 As I flip through the pages of the Bible, I landed on Galatians 3:13 which reads “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…”. When I came to Christ it was as if the blinds were taken off my eyes. I came to understand that Jesus came to this earth to redeem us from the curse of our sin. A perfect and holy God became man and bore the sin for us. As we close out week 1, I have reflected on this very thing, the gospel is what saves. The Lord has been so gracious to give us the opportunity to spread His good news to the people of the Dominican Republic. Each day of the week we went to a different village and provided healing for the body and the soul. I was impacted so much on how welcoming, loving, and giving the Dominicans are. Each day of clinic, we had patients that presented with many different illnesses that they needed care for. One of the most meaningful moments I have had thus far was my time spent in evangelism. Bobby, Gabby, Essie, and I were sharing who Jesus is with this one gentleman. He was so happy that we were taking the time to share Christianity with him and prayed with him that he decided to give us gifts. Immediately after we were done praying for him, he grabbed his backpack and began pulling out mangos one by one. He didn’t have much, but his mangos were a symbol of love and thanksgiving. It was a gift from his heart, and that is one moment that I will never forget. Another thing I loved about this trip was the stories our team all shared at the end of the day. We came together and delighted each night on what the Lord taught and showed us that day. We have shared so many laughs, our testimonies, prayed over each other, and have leaned on God throughout our time here. Thanks be to God, all glory to Him.
-Elyssa Hernandez, ACOM 2023 Fun Day
This weekend started on Saturday with a much-needed off-day and break as we got to decompress, relax, and have some fun together as team. A one-day guest pass to a resort a few miles east along the coastline from where we’re temporarily calling home gave us the opportunity to spend the day relaxing and rejuvenating through enjoying the beach, paddle-boarding, playing beach volleyball, kayaking, sitting by the pool, and partaking in an all-you-can-eat buffet. It was a lot fun and such a blessing. A restful Lord’s Day concluded our weekend after we had little to do except rest after church with a local village. A great time to relax and catch up on more rest while preparing for clinic for the week. I’m sad to say our first week is over but more excited than anything else to get back into the clinic to meet and care for more patients. It’s been such a blessing to get to meet and minister to, build relationships with, and hear the stories of some of the people of the Dominican Republic. The people are just like I’d heard they’d be—kind, funny, welcoming, hospitable, fun, and energetic. I already have a few favorite stories and moments from the trip and am looking forward to making more and sharing those when I get home. Brenton Bicknell, UAB Medical Student Hey everyone, Today was our last day of clinic for this week, and we wrapped up in a place known as el Bronce. Each day, a student has been assigned a role in each of the four stations through the clinic (triage, medical, pharmacy, and evangelism). Leading up to Friday, I had spent one day in triage checking patients in and three days with physicians in the medical stations to help gather information about current illnesses. Today, I had the privilege of working in the pharmacy station, which included filling medications as well as explaining to patients how to take these medications. It has been a fun experience learning the flow of the clinic. Reflecting back on our first week, I wanted to share my thoughts on one difficult aspect of the trip and one rewarding aspect of the trip. First off, the difficult – in clinic, we’re often seeing patients with a wide range of backgrounds, from children to people in their late 80s. Some of the issues we see simply cannot be addressed in a pop-up clinic like ours, and though we prescribe medications to help ease pain or discomfort, sometimes the illnesses are not treatable. This becomes especially difficult when it is an illness that can be treated in the U.S. with long term care or can be treated with lifestyle changes that the people we’re seeing simply don’t have the ability to make. It is something I feel like I have struggled with this week, especially in some instances when I feel like we are putting a band-aid on a bigger issue. That being said, there are a number of cases we have seen in which we have been able to help greatly, and it is important to remind myself that our support goes beyond just medical treatment. One aspect of clinic that has been incredibly rewarding is praying with patients after discussing medical treatment. Many of the people here are very receptive to prayer and often pray alongside us in their language, whether Spanish or Creole. We often all share smiles after praying, and there is something deeply gratifying about sharing smiles with someone else, despite the presence of a language barrier. Prayers for guidance, grace, and communication would be greatly appreciated going into week 2. So far, it has been a great experience growing closer to the team of providers and fellow students while helping bringing medical and spiritual support to different communities. -Beck Wilkes, Student at UABSOM p.s. If there is anything specific any of you would like to see included in the blogs, make sure to leave a comment underneath the blog. My name is Cory Dixon and I am a first-year medical student at ACOM in Dothan, Alabama! I have been blessed to be set apart for this trip to the Dominican Republic (DR). I just wanted to share a little about my experience so far here in the DR. We have been able to use medicine as a vehicle to share Christ to each of the people who come in to our clinic. Through the clinic, I have been blessed to see many villages and the heart of the people here. It has been such an honor to work alongside such amazing native missionaries who have pushed me as well as others to share the love of Jesus to their people of the DR. I will share just one of the many experiences I had here. On my first day of being in the clinic, I was working in evangelism with Spanish translators who were also missionaries. The problem we had was most of the people there did not speak Spanish. They were refugees from Haiti and spoke a native Haitian language. This becomes a problem as we translating from English to Spanish to Creole which is extremely hard to translate the gospel twice in three different languages. So, through God’s sovereignty I got to see our translator take the reins and share the gospel with the Haitian people whom we were serving. It came out of nowhere as trying to translate the gospel that many times became too difficult. It was amazing, and it showed me that we were there really to come alongside these wonderful people and help serve them so they can serve those around them. The gospel is real and was being shown by not only us but by the people of the DR. It was such an honor to just be able to be a simple cog in the machine to be able to share the gospel with these folks.
I hope this was encouragement to all of you because it was such an amazing experience that I had. I hope God is glorified through this writing, trip, and everything we do. All Glory be to Him. This morning when we arrived at our church in Monte Largo where we would be working, we had the opposite of yesterday: the church was large and spacious, there were windows, and a nice breeze for the inescapable heat. By His grace, we were able to serve these people to the best of our abilities for their medical needs as well as their spiritual needs. Although we did our best, we prayed with patients that the Lord may grant them healing, wellness, and that they may know the love of Christ in their lives, for we knew that ultimately, we are at His mercy. The day went well and students were able for have new experiences in the medical stations that they otherwise would not have had. For example, there was a pregnant woman who came to the clinic and we were able to provide her comfort after using a fetal doppler to let the mother hear her baby’s heartbeat. Today’s village was smaller and resulted in only half a day of clinic, which was a blessing to provide us with much needed rest for which we were all grateful. I look forward to continuing to serve the communities of the Dominican Republic through His glory. Vanesa Figueredo, ACOM Medical Student Upon our arrival to a village in San Pedro, our team was met with a challenge- a tiny church, half the size of yesterday’s, which left us wondering how we could fit all our stations and supplies. With the grace of God, the team was able to work together to make the best use of a small space. Despite the heat, it was beautiful watching all the volunteers from different backgrounds work towards the same common goal of letting God work through us to help as many patients as we can physically and spiritually. The team provided care to church and community members by listening to worries and treating them. It was a joy to watch the smile on the patients’ faces when we ask to pray for them at the end of each visit, and seeing how much a simple act means to them. Another thing that stood out to me today is that when a patient experienced an emergency down the road, part of our team was quick to run over and provide help with no hesitation, not leaving until ensuring the patient is taken care of. I’m grateful and humbled seeing what God has in store for us each day and how He can use us and push us to provide for others.
Sandra Fanous, ACOM Medical Student Today we went to a church in San Pedro. The team provided medical care to the residents, the pastor & his family, and members of the church. We provided care by treating abdominal pain, headaches, cardiac and respiration abnormalities, and skin irritations. We also provided evangelism care by listening to the patients and their stories. We shared the gospel with them, and it was a joy to see the patients leave with hope for their physical and spiritual well-being. There were many laughs and many tears. It was so fun to interact with the people here in the Dominican Republic and practice speaking their language while learning from their culture. Seeing the joy and wonder in the children here was so inspiring as well. An impacting moment from today was when we were standing outside of the church with the sun shining down. We all had a hand on the pastor, and as we were praying over him and the future of the church, I felt a wave of instant gratitude and thankfulness for the goodness and grace of God. It brought tears to my eyes while thinking back on all that we did today. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to be here and serve Christ while combining my love for medicine and this culture. These are moments in my life that have impacted my walk with Christ and moments that I will never forget.
-Hunter Lane, UAB Nursing Student |
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