De Ga Je

It's been about three months since I announced that I was moving to the Dominican Republic to work with the Least of These Ministries, and from that time I have begun to experience some of the typical issues that most missionaries have to deal with.  One of the biggest "problems" is the one nobody really likes to talk about: fundraising. As the past youth group leaders' daughter, I have grown up fundraising for this event and that trip, and it is no different now that I am entering the mission field.  God has raised up some supporters for me already which is amazing, but it has proven harder than I thought it would be to begin partnerships with people and churches.

But it's not just raising funds that has made me worry these past few months.  For a while my mind was racing with things I never thought about before:

How do I pay taxes overseas?

What do I do about health insurance?

What's the best way to keep in touch with supporters?

Where will I find a place to live?

How do I get a visa?

What if the people in the Dominican don't like me?

What if I fail?

I just turned 21 yesterday, and I have never felt less grown up.  With just a couple months until graduation, I don't have much time to figure out how the real world works.

But last week I had the chance to meet an amazing missionary family, the Kelleys, who are working with Harvest Field Ministries in Haiti.  Since they are the first full-time missionaries with Harvest Field they are dealing with a lot of the issues that I will be facing very soon.  Shannon Kelley told me about a saying they have in Haiti: "De ga je," which means "Make it work."  You are picking up a team from the airport and your van broke down?  Make it work.  You want to make improvements to the community but don't have a lot of funds?  Make it work.

I wish I could say I knew exactly what I was doing, but in reality the more I learn the more I realize I hardly know anything.  But I finally realized something else: that's ok!  This isn't my ministry; it's God's.  And I trust that He knows what He's doing.  There are a lot of things I need to take care of before I leave for the Dominican, but I know it will all work out the way God wants it to.  There will always be problems in life; when they come up, de ga je!  Make it work.

Here is a picture of the Kelley family-Shannon, Lena, and Brad.  Check out their blog at shannon-kelley.com/blog.  They are doing amazing things in Haiti, and God is really moving through their ministry!