This week, World Race participant Abbey Spiker takes us to the streets of the Dominican Republic as her and her team share the love of Jesus with those they meet. She reminds us that ministry opportunities are all around us, waiting for us to step out in faith to partner with what God is doing around the world. Check it out!
My team has been going to La Treinta, a mixed Dominican and Haitian community, a couple times per week and every Sunday for church. La Treinta is known for poverty, drugs, and prostitution. Anytime you tell people you were in La Treinta or live there, they will definitely give you a look, question why you were there, and most likely assume the worst. On Tuesday, my team was able to go there to pray for people on the streets. Even just walking through the roads, it was dark and we could feel a lingering heaviness.
We went straight towards a certain corner where you can almost always find someone hanging out. Once my team got there, we split into groups. Half of us went over to a gas station where there was a woman standing. My team leader, two squad leaders, and myself stayed and started a conversation with the woman sitting on the corner. Not too far into our conversation a man came over. We had only just started telling her about Jesus when he abruptly came over. He was working and collecting metal from the streets and as he approached us, the woman grabbed her purse. I started questioning if something was about to go down or not. But, he set everything down and started sharing his story.
His name is Alexander; he is in his mid 30’s and struggles with drug addiction. Letting the addiction take over his life, he fell away from God and stopped pursuing Him. Alexander told us how he was planning on going to Colombia to be a preacher and do what we were doing. He shared his knowledge about the Bible and told us his struggle with his reputation: he went from preaching on those streets to being known for his drug addiction. In his voice, I could sense the hurt and struggle he had with his current situation. He had not eaten in days because he would spend the money he would get from working to get more drugs. Alexander lived on the streets and was estranged from his family. Although he had two children, he hadn’t seen them in years. Recently, his oldest son came to see him but Alexander was too ashamed of his situation to see him, so he hid. Hearing his story was utterly heartbreaking.
My teammate Victoria boldly spoke to him and shared what the Lord had impressed on her heart. She asked him if he wanted to be free from this addiction that was truly taking over his life. He threw his crack pipe into the streets and eagerly said yes.
We prayed over him and it wasn’t too long into the prayer that he fell to his knees. Everyone moved to the ground as we continued to pray over him. My eyes were full of tears. I was moved by the Spirit as I got to be a part of this miracle. After we prayed, he moved to the wall behind us and I could instantly see a difference in his demeanor.
Alexander began to preach to everyone around us and quite a crowd formed: a couple prostitutes, a guard, workers from the other side of the street, and people walking by stopped to hear what he was saying. It was absolutely incredible.
This was incredible to be a part of – and it’s only one story from our time here thus far. The harvest is ripe! One of my squad leaders, Lindsey, went over to the women we originally talked to and prayed over her and another prostitute. Across the street, the other part of my team was able to do a Beauty For Ashes teaching about the way we view God and a woman received Christ and a man received physical healing. The Lord was working that day!
All of that was in not even a full afternoon, just a few short hours (or what felt like 20 minutes). I have been blown away by the Lord and how He shows up. We invited everyone to church and we are praying that they will continue to seek out the Lord. Please join me in prayer for Alexander and his salvation and all the women we met that afternoon, they would feel the Lord’s love for them and receive it.
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Mark 2:17
Do you want to share the love of Jesus with others around the world? Check out our upcoming trips!
I love this!! So inspiring!! We need these stories of hope in this crazy world today! Thanks for sharing!