Churches and Voodoo bracelets So many of the churches here are full of young moms. Not like 20 something year old moms but like teenage moms trying to raise babies while they themselves are still babies in many ways. Many of the people here in the small villages are very wrapped up in voodoo. Everyone wants what is best for their babies so they will go to both the church and the voodoo priest. While the YWAM Orlando youth team was here, we were able to do 4 different VBS's in some of the local villages. The pastor at one asked us to pray for a baby and dedicate it to the Lord. We had the dad on the team prayer over the baby and were able to explain to the aunt and mom that God was able to protect the baby and they removed the voodoo anklet. We were able to pray and educate quite a few moms at these little churches in the villages.
Praying for babies here has a lot more spiritual significance than we realize. We love holding babies and praying over them! This is one of the greatest privileges that we have here. And it also gives Mom a short break! | | | |  | | Dale praying over this sweet baby and dedicating him to the Lord. Hannah had put him to sleep....one of the things she does well. | | |  | | This is a very typical voodoo anklet that the voodoo priest will put on a baby when they go see them. Please pray that we can educate more moms and that more of these will be removed and that parents will trust the Lord. | | |  | | Little things like holding and loving on a baby while Mom enjoys the service is often the thing that helps us be able to speak truth into the lives of those here. | | | | |  | | Family Update:
Ned is working in the office here most days and enjoying it. Debbie is over communications here now. If you are interested in coming for a visit or bringing a group, please email her at:
YWAMAzuaOutreach@gmail.com. Jesse and Hannah are enjoying a summer break from school. The biggest news is that Sammi is headed to NY on Aug 8th to work with All-Access Productions and then to Bethany Global Univ in MN in January. Check out her info at http://FaithfulJane.com. Sad to see her go but trusting God with her future. Please pray for our family during this changing time.
| | |  | Christmas in July!
We are excited to see friends and family this fall/winter. We need to make a trip home for a visa change, church visits, a short break and holidays with our family and friends. We will have been in the DR for 2 1/2 years without a trip home and we have not spent Christmas in Indiana in 20 years. WOW! The kids are praying they get to see snow for the first time.
Want a visit? Email us and we will see what we can do.
Can you help make this happen? We still need to find a way from Florida to Indiana. Also, gift cards for gas or restaurants would be appreciated too. We will need some extra funds to make this trip a reality. Please pray about helping toward our furlough time in the states.
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Life lessons from water and about balance Everyday we must keep an eye on our water supply. We only get water from INAPA, the water company, every 7 to 10 days. So we really have to watch how much we use and that we don't run the cistern dry and mess up the pump. We get very little rain as we are close enough to the beach that the sea breeze blows the rains away. We watch the sky cloud up and the rains come over the inland mountains and even hear the thunder many days... and then the breeze blows it away. We live in a desert area where watering of essential plants is needed. Water is essential to our bodies as well.
Water is also only a good thing when it goes where it is meant to go. The balance of having water but having it IN the pipes and in the toilets etc...not the imbalance of having water run down the hallway or all over the bathroom or kitchen floors or out of the tanico onto the ground outside. Balance is needed.
The Bible describes Jesus as the Living Water and we need to check every day how our "water" supply is. Are we spending time with Him? Unlike with our water supplies and rain here, we are in control of how much He comes into our lives. We also need to have a balance in our lives. If I spend every waking moment in the church, who will tend to my children? We need to balance having a constant flow of Jesus in our lives as we go about our daily tasks. Keeping Him always in our minds and on our tongues. Always sharing Him with others whether this comes from giving a hug or giving a cold glass of water or by showing someone where in the Bible it says that God loves them and sent His Son for them.
Learning these life lessons and sharing them with the people of the Dominican Republic are part of what we do here. Balance is a big deal here with Christians. They don't always see that you can play baseball and be a Christian. Many churches here require their members to be in church 7 days a week. Learning to keep Jesus forefront in your life inside and outside of the church building is a lesson we are working on to model and to teach to others.
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| | | |  | | Thank you so much for your support in order to live and purchase needed items. This "moto" and the car in the background are very needed for us here in Azua where we drive 40 mins to the nearest grocery that has safe meat. Thank you!
The "moto" is much cheaper to drive for local errands and ministry so we use it more often plus it is a great way to cool off..
| | |  | | Ned doing what he does well. Ned is working a lot in the office here. Their accountant left after his 2 year commitment about 2 weeks after our arrival so Ned is filling a much needed spot here on staff. | | |  | | New Mailing Address!
Walker Family
Agape Flights
DMG 27519
100 Airport Ave
Venice, FL 34285
We love mail and are also not able to get things as readily and cost effectively here. If you would like to purchase a needed/wanted item and send it to us, please send me a message. We have some items that could be purchased at Walmart for as little as $5 but are unavailable or too expensive here. | | | | |  | | Life here at YWAM Azua is much different from the city of Santiago. It is more of a frontier town, much like an outpost town between two cities or areas. We are about halfway between Santo Domingo and the Haiti border on the south coast of the Dom Rep. The local stores are about the size of a local convenience store and sell about the same items with similar pricing.
It is small town in which almost everyone knows everyone or is related to them. The town pretty much knows that the white people live down the road to the beach, though some think we are German because we own a German Shepherd dog. So it is a nice town with nice people who need discipleship and need the love of Jesus. What a privilege to show them God's love. | | |  | | Meet Jürgens and D'Joudy!
They are a sweet young Haitian couple who just got married in March. We have started mentoring them in their marriage. We in no way have all the answers about marriage but walking through the adventure of life and marriage knowing that you have a couple who may have walked through it before and who will pray with you is a blessing. We are excited about this new chapter in our lives. Marriage is something that takes a lot of work and commitment but mainly takes a lot of prayer. Please pray for us as we help them walk together in marriage. And if you have any great marriage resources, please share.
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| | | | Get Ready Azua! Here come the Walkers! Due to Ministry Opportunities with YWAM Azua, we are moving! I am surrounded by boxes and "mess" as I type this up this morning :) In 4 days, we will move to the small town of Azua on the south coast of the island. We are excited to move and work with YWAM Azua. Check them out here.... http://www.ywamazua.com . There is a large Haitian population in this area along with a lot of rural Dominican farmers. It is very much where the desert part of the island meets the beach. It is a beautiful area of the island but not nearly as "green" and fertile as we have been used to.
We are also sad to be leaving the city of Santiago that we have grown to love. We will also miss our friends here and knowing how to get to the stores, the doctors, the dentist, etc... But we also know that God will provide what we need in Azua.
We ask for your prayers as we transition to this new area. We are in a way "starting over" with finding out where we can get our necessities. We are also very much in need of some extra finances. Moving is expensive here! Houses here come with nothing provided and though we have our furniture and appliances, getting water and electricity transferred and running can get very frustrating and expensive. Our expenses will go up some also so please consider donating or supporting us monthly.
| | | Yes, this is a short update and will get another update up as soon as possible.
We finished up a Chapel Project build on April 25th and it was another very productive week with lots of salvations and rededications. We have not been allowed to visit Little John as he is in the "protective care" of the government. We still pray for him daily and check to see how he is doing. We were in the cafeteria of the grocery last Sunday and one of the workers was able to give us an update that he is doing well. We are still trusting God that He will do what is best for this little guy.
Debbie has been able to share or preach in quite a few of the churches here where we have become friends with the Pastors. Please pray as she preaches to a very large congregation in Cien Fuegos on Sunday!
Thank you all for your prayers and support! Many blessings from our family to yours. Please send us any prayer requests so we can pray for you during our family prayer times! We appreciate you partnering with us! | | | | | | | |
What are the Walkers doing right now?
We are moving!!
The last week of August, our family will be moving long-term to Santiago, Dominican Republic. We will be working with YWAM Santiago and the Martin Family! We are super excited about this transition. But also praying for wisdom as we figure out visa's, residency, what to do with our things, etc...
As always, we are praying that the Lord will use us wherever we are!
Lord, help us not to miss the things you have prepared for us to do!
