April 2011 Update

The Story of Little Christian, the Preacher, in Barrio George…
Like all other eleven-year-olds, Dominican boys in Barrio George, Christian likes to play with kites he makes out of torn plastic bags from trash piles here. He also enjoys playing baseball, and is OK at it, and enjoys playing jacks with the other boys. Little Christian has a smile that lights up a room and everyone in it when he enters. There’s just something so authentic, so loving, and so real about him. Christian comes from one of the very poor families in Barrio George. But, he doesn’t let that steal his positive attitude at all. Christian is one of those we work with (and his family) through our Step By Step With Jesus Mission. Little Christian enjoys going to church where he hears Isidro and others preaching and teaching about the Gospel of Jesus.

But, what is different about Christian is his amazing and mystifying ability to preach in a way that is bringing hundreds of young people to Jesus! Several years ago, Pastor Isidro recognized Little Christian’s ability to understand, at very deep levels, about the Word of God. Pastor Isidro, and I, and others have taken Little Christian under our wings because of this mystifying gift that he has with God’s Word. We desire to encourage and teach him about the spiritual gifts he has and how to use them.

On January 6th of this year (about 3 months), we launched a new church plant in Barrio Sabanita…about 3 miles from the church in Barrio George. We did this because of the children from that Barrio we actually pick up to come to the Compassion International School in Barrio George. You might remember that about a year and a half ago, Isidro fought for those kids (mostly Haitian) who had been dropped from another Compassion International School there in Barrio Sabanita when it closed. So, through the kind and generous hearts of people at Covenant Church in North Carolina, we bought a bus to bring them to our Compassion International School. For the last year, they have been picked up and taken back home by this bus after classes in Barrio George.

Since then, both the kids and some of their parents have wanted to come to worship in Barrio George, and we have bussed them there and back for worship, too. About 6 months ago, we were approached by many of the children and their parents with their desire to have a church, like the one in Barrio George, in their own neighborhood. So, we began to pray about this and to look for potential leaders in order to form a team for this new church plant.

One of those who we chose was…..you guessed it…..Little Christian. He was also feeling led by God to do this. So, along with a team of about 7 other people from our church, we began training Christian a little more about leading worship, leading them to Jesus, and preaching. This new church plant was opened on January 6th with Christian preaching, and he has been preaching many times there since. At present, there are between 100 to 200 people showing up for worship about 3-5 times a week there.

We call Little Christian’s preaching “mystifying” because it’s hard for any of us to believe two things about his preaching:
1) The depth and yet simplicity that he preaches with. (and we know that this depth comes directly from God because an 11-year-old could not preach the way that Little Christian does without it coming from God)
2) And the fruits of his preaching…the results that we see from him preaching.
There have been over a hundred people come to the Lord after Little Christian preaches and gives an invitation for people to give their lives to the Jesus. It’s just incredible! When people come forward and are prayed for by Christian many fall to the floor, by what some call “being slain in the Spirit”, and experiencing the closeness of God, a time of rest and restoration with God, visions from God, and healing from God. It’s just amazing! Little Christian’s way of preaching, inviting others to Jesus, and laying hands on people is not done in a “circus-y” kind of way…it is done in the simple faith of an 11-year-old who truly loves Jesus with all of his heart and with the simple faith that really believes that Jesus does what He promises when we believe Him and trust him.

What will God do with Little Christian in the future? God only knows. But, we’re trying to keep up with God doing so much through this little 11-year-old right now. About all of you who have come on mission teams to the DR, here, have already met Christian and know who he is. Those of you who will come will have the chance to come to know him and maybe hear him preach, too. And, I assure you, like the rest of us here, you'll watch and experience the power, the love, and the grace of God through this mighty and loving warrior for Christ…11-year-old Christian…too.

Other News:
Food, clothes, medicine, clean water, school supplies, and the love of God are continuing to be shared here in La Romana through Step By Step With Jesus Mission and through your kind and generous giving. Thank you so much and God bless you as you give. We couldn’t do this without you!

Daniel Fisher is our current Mission Resident living here in La Romana, and he's doing great things for Jesus. He will be here for 6 months, as he continues to learn how to be an authentic missionary for Jesus through our Step By Step With Jesus Missionary Residency Program.

Candace O’Quinn is living here permanently and working in mission through Step By Step With Jesus Mission where she teaches English & Flute in the Compassion International School in Barrio George, leads a Bible Study for some girls at the school, is developing a Child Sponsorship Program for the poor kids in both Barrio George 7 in Batay Anon, and works with me in other areas of mission here. She is a real treasure, and we are all thankful for her here.

Step By Step With Jesus Mission offers wonderful opportunities to share God’s Love:
Come along…& let your soul experience the freedom & grace to love a Dominican through God’s heart! It will change them & you forever! How can you be a part of this?
1) Pray for us.
2) Share your generosity by giving to Step By Step With Jesus Mission by contacting me here at marcosandmey@yahoo.com or Amy Bissette at bissettea@ecu.edu
3) Come on a mission team through your church or through Covenant Church in Greenville, NC, by contacting Donna Sheets at donna@connect2covenant.com
4) Purchase one of the books that I’ve written: “Chinese Scientists In My ’54 Chevy: Mission Stories & Mission Principles of Mark Lykins”, “Planting A Culture of Mission In Your Church”, “Gifts of the Poor & Why We Don’t Want To Receive Them”, “Ten Things That Drive Me Crazy About Christians…And I’m One Of Them!”, “Comfortable In The Lap Of Our Papa God…And Why He Wants Us To Get Down Now”, or others that I’ve written, by contacting me at marcosandmey@yahoo.com.
5) Sponsor a needy child in Barrio George or Batay Anon by contacting Candace O’Quinn at Candace@onebodygreenville.org

We love you all!
Marcos, Mey, John, Adrian, Perla, & the rest of your Dominican family!

And remember to walk…step by step with Jesus! When we give to those in need…we give to Jesus. He will remember. And, one day He will say to you, “When I was hungry you gave me food…” And we will ask, “When did we see you hungry & give you food?” And He will say “When you gave to the least of these, my brothers & sisters, you gave it to Me”.

Grace & blessings in the name of THE missionary-Jesus-who sends us all out into mission!