Higuey, it’s not a vacation!
People often ask me why I like it here in Higuey, why did I choose to serve here. So I decided to write a little bit about what life is like and try to explain why I like serving here.
First, like the title says it’s not a vacation. When I refer to where I serve I commonly refer to Punta Cana because it is a place known by most people. I DO NOT however live in Punta Cana. I’m not far from it in distance but in lifestyle I am. There is no mall or movie theater in Higuey. There is a cool super market named Iberia , but that’s not the mall! There are dogs everywhere, some have owners most are strays. Most of you know that I hate dogs!!! But Jehovah has protected me…they don’t even smell you! There are fresh meat markets everywhere in fact I walk past at least 3 pig or cow heads a day, oh the rest of their body is hanging there as well. It’s not the best way to start your day with that image or smell but its part of life here. People in the Haitian community are poor! Some return visits literally live in a room with a stove, plates, fan, and their clothes. They don’t have a private bathroom…the toilet is down the ally and they share that with 15 other people. They do not have walk in closets, a washing machine, or even a fridge for that fact. No, I can’t drink, cook with or even brush my teeth with the water from the tap, but hey most of you buy bottle water also. We have to walk to the market, walk home and then bleach ALL of our fruits and veggies for ½ hour so we can eat them! No it’s not luxury living here!
I HATE taking cold showers at 7 AM! But at least we have water and water pressure (well, some sort of water pressure J) We have run out of water twice since I’ve been here…so its better to take a cold shower rather than lather up and run out of water…yikes!
Then if that wasn’t bad enough we often lose power. So there goes the milk, meat, and cheese…yum! Now these are not regular occurrences in my apartment but of course they did require me to do a lot more prayer to maintain my calm. When I prayed about serving where the need is greater I knew it wouldn’t be all peaches and cream…but this is a lot different from the states! There was a daily text recently that spoke about how those who move to serve cannot begin to imagine the contrast between Jesus’ circumstances on earth and those in heaven. When I thought about what Jesus gave up because of his love for Jehovah and for us, WOW!! I can’t complain about anything. What did I really give up? I gave up a few luxuries to serve Jehovah in a better capacity. Now it’s clearer to me why I love being in Higuey:
So why do I like it here, well for lots of reasons. Like, even though when I wake up in the morning I’m not sure if there will be power or not I AM sure that I will be able to share Bible literature with someone in the ministry that will appreciate it. I know for sure that I will find at least 6 Haitians who want to learn and know about Jehovah.
Even though every time I come home from service I am 4 shades darker, two from the sun and two from the exhaust fumes and dirt from the street, it doesn’t matter because I’ve read more than 4 scriptures with people in the ministry. Because it has truly shown me how good Jehovah is. He is oh so good! He provides for us in every aspect.
I like that there aren’t a lot of distractions here, like movies, TV, bowling alleys or video games. (Although there are some friends that have cable & video games, but we don’t) This gives me more time to study and mediate on Jehovah’s word the Bible. It allows me the time I need to thoroughly study for my Bible students. It also allows be to draw closer to the friends in the congregation. Speaking of the friends in the hall…beyond amazing! Humility!!! Hard working, god fearing people that strive each and every day to give Jehovah the glory he deserves.
Yes, I hate the fact that my family and friends that I’ve grown up with are so far away. But Jehovah’s hand is never short; He has provided me with more brothers and sisters to keep me busy. I never thought that I would enjoy reading a book, playing dominos, or going to a ranch! But I have experienced the simple pleasures and they are wonderful! Not to mention that thanks to modern technology I can see and talk to my family and friends from the States almost every day.
I love it here because I’ve started 3 bible studies since I arrived 3 weeks ago! I love it here because I feel that Jehovah is using me! I feel like Ie’m giving Jehovah my best! And what a wonderful feeling that is! I spend 90% of my time reading something spiritual, either studying for a bible study, the meeting or doing personal study. Being here has made me a better teacher, sister and person. I have learned to rely on Jehovah even more and I see His hand at work in my life even more clearly.
So No; Higuey is not the beach, far from it, but I wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else. Well I hope this gives you a better understanding of my life here in the D.R. as a “Need-Greater”. It’s not something that everyone can do but it’s something that I love. Hey and the fact that I start sweating as soon as I leave my bedroom just means I’m losing weight J
Love,
Romy
