Before I tell you a little more about my trip, I'd like to tell you about my week.
On Friday, a friend of mine gave birth to a beautiful little girl. On Saturday a friend of mine got married to an amazing man. Yesterday, my friend's father who was diagnosed with stage 4a cancer (4b cancer is untreatable) was declared cancer free. God is good. I just had to throw that out there.
I met a man who's a full time missionary while I was in the Dominican. His name is Dave Schwulst. He and his family moved from my town a few years ago (I can't remember how long). His story is truly amazing.
Dave was in his prime while living in the United States. He made a ton of money, had a great house, and was the epitome of the American dream. Then he and his wife felt God's call to be missionaries. His wife spoke a bit of Spanish when she was in high school/college, but Dave didn't speak a word of Spanish. But they knew it was God's call, so they obeyed, and along with their two young daughters, they packed up and moved to the D.R.
They gave away everything they had, which was a lot, to live in relative poverty and serve God.
I got to talk to Dave a bit and he told me about how his men's ministry is difficult because of the way women are viewed and treated in the culture. Believe me, it's worse than in the U.S. He is faced with the challenge of making disciples of men who think women are objects. His desire is to make them into leaders. It will be no easy task. He also told me about how he has struggled with addictions in the past, and how they have affected his life and his relationships. He was really open with his past and even though he seemed like a great example of a Christian man to me, he was incredibly humble.
He made me realize that submitting to God is more than just following His laws. It's trusting Him with your life; every aspect of it from your job to where you live. Dave and his family submitted to Christ in a way that seemed radical to me, but it's really what all of us are called to do. While Dave is a good man, there is nothing extraordinary about him. He strives and he fails and he goes on with his life. God does not call us all to be missionaries and to give up everything we have, but he does call us follow and submit to Him fully.
"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." - 1 Peter 2:13-25
~So
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