This past December 5,000 Dominican students graduated from an intense year long English program throughout the country. UASD plays host to one of the locations where the course is taught. These students must come to class Monday through Friday for four hours a day to learn everything they can to become fluent in the English language. While the Spring Breakers were visiting, we tried to take advantage of times when these ambitious learners would be on break from their class in the hopes that they would want to practice their English with them.
I was really touched by an experience that a girl from the University of Oklahoma shared with us about her time with students near the English Immersion building. Over the couple of days that she spent at UASD, she kept running into the same two Dominican students during their break time. The more she talked with them and learned about their lives, the more she grew in compassion for each of them. She recalled to us that she really just wanted them to both hear the message of what Christ did for us from someone—whether or not she got the opportunity to. I really admired her attitude, because it’s important that as we think about sharing Christ with others, it’s not about ourselves at all. It’s not about how well we are able to communicate with our words who God is, or how much we smile, or even how much we pray. It’s remembering God’s heart (not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance—2 Peter 3:9) and trusting him with how he’s going to speak to people. Later in the week, she saw one of the students talking to a leader of the spring break team about how to know God personally and the other student was talking to Leyla about how to be involved in Vida Estudiantil! So cool that God allowed her to see that her prayer was answered and that these students were cared for as they heard about the love God has for them!
On another note, today is my birthday! I was a little bummed as it would be my first in a foreign country and was prepared for it to not be super amazing. But on the contrary, my teammates, friends, and family made it one I won’t forget!
Bri woke me up with my brother on Skype ready to be the first to sing me happy birthday. Then she had a scavenger hunt leading me to gifts galore! Jimmy and Rob coordinated with my family and knew to make me some delicious banana-chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. I treated myself to a massage, relaxed, received a fun package in the mail from my best friend Lin, then went to Vida Estudiantil at night. It was totally cool because it just so happened that there was a concert on campus tonight! We got to hear some great music with lots of my Dominican friends and dance! Then to top off the night, I came home to find more clues leading me to the freezer where I got spooked by a video camera inside awaiting my reaction to finding ice cream cake and Jimmy and Rob jumping out from the darkness.
Another bonus is getting lots of notifications on facebook from all the birthday wishes. Also, I’ve noted something cool about Dominican culture when it comes to birthdays. Not only does everyone wish you a happy birthday, but they also tell you all the very specific things they hope God blesses you with in the next year: blessings, joy, peace, fulfilled desires, (and admittedly, someone even said the man of my dreams!) Thanks to all who made my birthday special—I was definitely not lacking anything despite being far from home!
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