Most Memorable Mission Moments 

The Gift of Thankfulness

 ELLEN - A medical team was working in a village.  It was the second time that they had worked there.   As the team was setting up, a small, older man walked up to the team.  He recognized several team members and he hugged us warmly. 

     He said to me, “You don’t remember me do you?”  I said, I am not sure.”  He said, “I was here last year and your team dressed my infected legs and feet.  I could hardly walk, but you dressed my legs and feet and gave me antibiotics and dressings and creams and showed me what to do to take care of my legs.  I am here today to show what you did for me.”  He lifted his pant legs and showed us his healed legs.

     He said, “ I am here to say thank you and to offer my help in any way.”  That gentleman worked with us every day that we held the clinic.  He did everything from running to a store for us, to helping clean up and  to assisting us with patients.  We were all touched by his words and actions.  Almost every team member talked about him when we had a team meeting.  Once again, the Lord took me to a place that I hadn’t been before.   He showed what it means to be humble. 

Ordination of the First Dominican Deacons

BOB –Twenty Five years ago, I was ordained with 13 other Servants of the Lord in Omaha, Nebraska.  We were the first vocational deacons to be ordained in the diocese.  When Bishop Warner said MAKE HIM A DEACON IN YOUR CHURCH, I knew instantly that my life would be entirely different.  Little did I know what the Lord was planning for Ellen and I.  I want to stress Ellen´s role, because her life changed at the very moment mine did, and the two of us were off on a very special and wonderful spiritual adventure. 

     In February 2007 as we processed into an auditorium in Santo Domingo, where we would ordain the first group of Dominican vocational deacons, my mind flashed back to the moment in November of 1985 when I was ordained.  This time 3 men and 3 Dominican  women were entering into the servant hood ministry.  Their lives would be changed, but the history and ministry of the Dominican Episcopal Church would also be changed. 

     What an honor to be among the first 13 deacons in Nebraska and to be present at the first ordination of vocational deacons in the DR.  Making it even more special was the presence of Jim Visger and his wife.  We had studied for the deaconate together, and were ordained at the same time.  Indeed, it was a moment in my ministry that I will never forget. 

Cultural Understanding

ELLEN- I think some of the most important moments in the DR are times when I have learned that in this culture, things aren’t always what they seem to be.  There was a child who came to our summer camp program in the mountains, for the first time.  Every time the counselors looked for him, he was in the dormitory sitting on his bed.  The Counselors became worried about him and one of counselors was asked to talk with him.

     The next day the counselor took him aside and started to question him about his behavior.  The boy listened, but finally stopped the counselor.  He said, “At home I share a bed with three brothers and sisters.  This is the first time I have had a bed to myself and I am going to enjoy it while I have it.”  

     This moment humbled me to the point of tears.  Many of my experiences in the DR have humbled me.  These events are God´s way of showing me the true picture of the people who make up this culture. 

Jiamani Flood

BOB - As the public information officer for the City of Lincoln, I saw and worked several weather disasters including tornados, blizzards, and flooding.  Because Relief and Development grants were probably called for, the Bishop asked me and two priests to travel with him to Jiamani after a devastating flood hit that part of the country.  None of us were prepared for what we encountered as we entered the city.    

Many Children Died

     Where there were once small homes and businesses, there was absolutely nothing.  It was as if the homes never existed.  The homes and their contents were completely washed away by a tremendous and unpredicted flood.  Water even tumbled through a cemetery and washed away bodies.    In many cases, my mind found it difficult to accept what I was seeing.

     We visited with an acquaintance of the Bishops who was caught in the raging flood water.  He told us he experienced  10 minutes of absolute terror as he battled the raging current to save himself and his young daughter.  He was lucky.  An estimated 300 people in the DR and 3000 people living in Haiti died in the flood.  Most of those who died on the DR side of the border were women and children.  The husbands of these families were looking for or working in other parts of the county.

Even though the closest Episcopal Church was 90 minutes away in Barahona, Bishop Holguin assigned a seminary graduate to coordinate diocesan relief efforts in the community.  The Seminarian was scheduled to work there for three months.  At the end of this period, a church community had been established and the people requested that the diocese continue its ministry.

     Through this tragedy, our Lord and Savior brought hope.  The diocese purchased a significantly large piece of property in Jiamani.  A large new church was built along with dormitories for groups coming to help people in the area.  In June, a children´s shelter and school will be blessed.  The community is recovering.  After the Haitian earthquake, Jiamani served as jumping off point for relief volunteers.  The Church served as our main control point for sending ERD supplies into Haiti.

     Once again our Lord showed us how He brings good out of tragedy.

Nebraska Visitors

ELLEN - I remember our first Nebraska mission team to come to the Dominican Republic.  Most of them were from St. Matthews Church, Lincoln, NE where Bob had served as deacon for 10 years.  We had planned to work with them the whole time and it was so wonderful to have people we knew and loved come and work with us.  There was one person in particular that I enjoyed watching during the whole trip.  We had been friends for years.   I had never seen this person become emotional before.   But on this trip I saw this person cry.  Mission has a way of changing people and I think it changed this person´s life.  He has been instrumental in establishing the largest independent scholarship program for the diocese.  He also arranged  for a  Rotary club to work cooperatively with a Dominican club to do all kinds of wonderful projects.  Because Dominicans blessed him, he in turn has blessed hundreds of children who are attending two Episcopal schools in San Pedro.

US Embassy Honor

BOB - Ellen and I became missionaries because of a hungry desire to serve Christ and his people.  When and Ellen and I were nominated by the United States Embassy to receive a distinguished service award for our work in the DR, we were at first embarrassed.  We knew so many other people who had done more than we had for the Dominican people.  When  your country wants to honor you, it is almost impossible to retain the humility that Christ demands when you serve him. 

4th of July Honor

     So on July 4, 2006 we joined five other people at the national theatre in Santo Domingo to receive this special recognition.  Ellen and I were driving an old English made Ford at the time.  And, both of us chuckled as we parked our little car in a VIP parking lot full of giant and new SUVs.

     The huge theater was completely full and we were escorted to our seats by a US Marine.  (This for me was very special.)  For me the most memorable part of the entire evening was not standing on stage to receive the reward.  For me the most significant part was the joint presentation of Dominican and American flags as first the  Dominican and then the United States National Anthems were played.  With tears in my eyes, I suddenly realized that I am an extremely patriotic American, but I had fervently adopted the Dominican Republic as part of who I am.          

      

Other Most Memorable Mission Moments

·         Palm Sunday parade through the streets around Epiphany. (Ellen)
·         The Designation of Epiphany Church, as the Diocesan Cathedral. (Bob)
·         Christmas Carolling in neighborhood around the Church (Ellen)
·         The visits of three Presiding Bishops.  (Bob)
·         Vivencia Kids celebrating Christmas at our apartment. (Ellen)
·         Attending a Exhibition baseball game with Hall of Famer Juan Marichal
·         Bringing in the year 2000 with a 11 30 p.m. Epiphany Church service. (Ellen)
·         Woman preparing bags to share what little food she received with her neighbors.      She received a gift of food from a US church team. (Bob)
·         The first Vivencia.  (Bob and Ellen)