(Saturday, 8 November 2008)
No matter how hard I try, I just can’t stop thinking about tomorrow. Now, normally, this is a good thing. Well, at least according to the popular song of the 70’s, it is. “Don’t… stop… thinkin’ about tomorrow…” etc. But as I sit here in the meeting of the national church board of the Dominican Republic, I find my mind wandering to all that which wis not around me in the church in Las Yayas.
Now, I’ m not merely suggesting that I am wishing away my time here in the DR. By no means do I think that I am doing such a thing. What may be the cause of my wandering mind is the sheer boredom I feel when church leaders gather to bicker over the most mundane of details.
After all, I arrived just two days ago—my head continues to spin. I spent my first full day in the DR, immersed in the drama of the Iglesia de los Hermanos (Church of the Brethren). I sat at the table of the Comité Ejecutivo (Executive Committee) of the church for more than eight hours. And, of course, this being the DR, we did not start the meeting on time. So we wound up creating, revising, amending, and probably beating to death the agenda for the board meeting tomorrow.
When Irv, Nancy, and I finally arrived at our motel in San Juan de la Maguana, I think it was around 10 pm. They asked me if I had any questions about what I experienced that day. All I could muster was that I had lots of questions, but that it would take many more days and meetings to find answers. And so as to not belabor my much-needed rest, I bit them goodnight. This was my first full day in the DR. It involved traveling by truck around 2 ½ hours, waiting an hour or two for the meeting to commence, eating some typical foods of that region for both lunch and dinner, trying to comprehend what was being said in the meetings until ultimately zoning out due to lack of interest, and traveling another hour to our motel in San Juan for some peace and quiet and rest.
Today, it feels like we’re recapping what we (the Executive Committee) talked about yesterday. The only difference is, there are more people here today. In addition to the ten of us at the meeting yesterday, there are seven more gathered today. These representatives make up the National Board. Today, same result: more drama and more bickering.
One thing that I am constantly reminding myself is that these people have recently gone through some tough times filled with anguish and frustration. This committee and board is trying to earnestly cleanse the church of the corruption that has been plaguing it for far too long, as well as stunting its growth. I cannot possibly empathize with my brothers and sisters here in regards to these troubles. Never have I, in my life-long career of church-going, run into any difficulties like those of my fellow Brethren here.
So what am I really saying? I don’t think it’s that I will, or even necessarily want to stop thinking ahead. In reality, what I’m doing right now is praying. My prayer is probably about ten-fold. I’d like to pray, first and foremost, for my brothers and sisters in the DR. I also pray for Irv, Nancy, and myself, that we may be sources of comfort, counsel, and positive energy. I’m praying that I may never stop thinking about tomorrow, but that I may keep my mind and heart here in the now, in my daily living. As always, I pray that God would use me and fill me with love so that I may, each day, spread this love to all. Dios te bendiga!
Paz y bendiciones,
Jerry
