May Update

We hope you’re doing well this month. A lot is happening here for and with Jesus! One of the newest surprises happened about a month ago when Isidro’s daughter Karen and Isidro’s son-in-law Junior moved back to La Romana from Puerto Rico. They are both about 35 years old. Living in Costa Rica for seven years, they served as pastors with the Methodist Church in Puerto Rico. Through a series of “God-events,” they moved back to the DR to be with Isidro and Lucy before taking a church in Costa Rica. However, as God had already planned, the church in Cost Rica was unable to follow through with their plans to have them there. In fact, the day before they got news of this change in plans, during a time of prayer, Karen received a message from God that God wanted them to stay in the DR and work with Isidro at the church in Barrio George. Afterwards, they got the call from Cost Rica. Don’t we have an awesome God!

So, the current team working at the Church in Barrio George is: Isidro, Lucy, Pastor Junior, Pastora Karen, Fanny, Jorge, Candace, Daniel, and me & Mey! Awesome team, huh?! God is doing tremendous things here…and continues to do more and more! We look forward to seeing how God will use the gifting that He has placed here for His Kingdom!


Daniel Fisher is our current Mission Resident living here and learning about being a missionary through the Mission Residence Program of Step By Step With Jesus Mission.
Daniel is a 20-year-old fireball who reminds me of an Old Testament Prophet, in many ways, due to his quick willingness to risk himself for the love of God for those in need. Daniel came here on December 30 and will return to the US on July 6. He has been involved in many things while here. One of the most significant is that he, Isidro, Walter Strathy (Outreach Director at Covenant Church in Greenville, NC), and the board of Step By Step With Jesus, started a new program called The Kingdom Business Fund that has helped two members of the church in Barrio George to start their own businesses. Freman, a Dominican Sunday School teacher from Isidro’s church, has started his own small cafeteria through this fund and is selling everything from homemade juices to homemade “hot pockets” (empanadas), sandwiches and French fries. It is turning out to be a wonderful success for him. And, he is giving some of his profits that he borrowed, back to the Fund, in order to help others start new businesses. Daniel has also helped Norma start a new business where she makes and sells plastic bags of different kinds of condiments such as: ginger, pepper, paprika, garlic, etc. She sells them to corner markets at wholesale price and is able to make money for her family in this way. She is also giving some of her profits back to the Fund to help others start new businesses too. Daniel is doing much more than I can mention in this newsletter, but, suffice it to say that I am very proud to be a part of his growing knowledge and skills in him being a bright and shining star among missionaries…now and for the future!




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!

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 & 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? Thru these ways:
1) Pray for us here
2) Share your generosity by giving to Step By Step With Jesus Mission by contacting Amy Bissette at bissettea@ecu.edu
3) Come on a mission team thru your church or thru Covenant Church in Greenville, NC by contacting Donna Sheets at donna@connect2covenant.com
4) Purchase one of the books that I’ve written by email: “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
6) Be a part of the Kingdom Business Fund by contacting Amy at: bissettea@ecu.edu and giving to this mission
We love you all. From Marcos, Mey, John, Adrian, Perla, Candace, Daniel, Isidro, & 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!