Encounters Each Day
Written by seminarian, Andrew smith
I didn’t know what to expect after stepping off the plane in Santo Domingo. We got our bags and walked out of customs into a crowd of Dominicans speaking Spanish and I thought, “How are we gonna find our ride?” Luckily, before I knew it, Fr. Thomas approached me and asked, “Milwaukee?” I knew from that moment on the Lord’s hand would guide us safely through this adventure! As always, God makes everything work for those who trust!
Coming into the trip I knew we would be living poor among the poor. Attempting to live like the locals became a beautiful way to enter into life in the Dominican Republic. The time bore fruit in providing a valuable insight into what a small area of the Universal Church looks like outside of our own Local Church in Milwaukee.
Amazingly, the less you have (material possessions and plans) the more free you become to trust in God’s plan and live presently with the people around you. We found ourselves exchanging “Buenos dias” with the locals while walking to the parish, La Sagrada Familia, in Sabana Yegua every morning. From the start we felt a connection with the people of the Dominican Republic even with a language barrier.
This continued to be the case as we worked at the parish's recycling plant, dug a latrine for a family, and played baseball with the children of the town! The Holy Spirit always enriches our relationships beyond what we think is possible!
In talking with many people from La Sagrada Familia to the many other small rural chapels, we found a deep faith in the Dominican people. Even amidst the locals on the streets in Sabana Yegua, our departure saying of “Dios te bendiga” (God bless you) would nearly always be received by youngsters playing or adults sitting in lawn chairs with a response: “Amen, amen!” The overall belief in God as a society seemed very strong, which refreshed us seminarians as our culture in the United States grows increasingly more atheistic. Despite the strength of a general belief in God, the Catholic Church has been struggling due to a lack of priests in the area for hundreds of years. What a gift to see the Catholic faith survive a long period of time without shepherds! The sheep clearly yearn for shepherds!
It was beautiful to witness the missionary work of the Milwaukee priests devoting their lives to the Dominican people at La Sagrada Familia and creating a clear difference of the local culture. So much that is good in Sabana Yegua started and is supported by the La Sagrada Familia parish, from classes for women to learn textile work or hair salon techniques to establishing a pharmacy and mini medical clinic! Praise God for the gift of zeal of the Catholic Church to serve the incarnational needs of people!
Some of the most valuable time came from conversations with Fr. Javier and Fr. Thomas, the two Archdiocesan priests at La Sagrada Familia, about how to meet people where they are at in the culture of the Dominican Republic while watering the people with the life-giving water that flows from the everlasting reserve of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness the Catholic Church offers to all Her children. There is a dynamic relationship between the Church and Her flock. After Mass in the remote chapels, we witnessed the watering of the flock in the generosity of time from the priests and generosity of hospitality from the parishioners.
Constantly we received coffee or yuca or candy from people that seemed to have barely enough to eat for themselves. The generosity of the people pierced our hearts with their deep love for us, which reciprocally intensified our love for the people and country. Love flourishes in the small encounters we have each day! Fr. Javier and Fr. Thomas engaged the parishioners with hearts on fire with love of Jesus Christ which became the best “class” of the entire trip.
Reflecting upon our trip brings much joy to my own heart. It amazes me to see how much goodness can come from a small trip to another corner of God’s creation in the world! I firmly believe every person capable of giving of themselves to a mission will spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and will receive even more from the people of the mission! Praise be to Jesus Christ!
