Batey Chiquito

Batey Chiquito is a small campo (village) of about 30 homes 40 minutes outside the city of San Juan. It lies at the base of picturesque mountains; a view one could never tire to wake up to.Whether one enters from the east or west, they'll cross a river to arrive there.The large amounts of various animal excrements on the roads lets one know quickly that Batey is an agricultural community. 

Batey Chiquito is home to Nuri, one of the 5 Christians in the community that shines the light of Jesus to whomever she meets. Her hugs last long and are true. She is also an older, single mother to three year old Maria Luisa, a Haitian girl whom God seems to have simply brought to her doorstep. 

Nuri and her neighbor, Juana, hosted myself, the Dominican Rising team, and its partner; Athens Church from Athens, Georgia this week for a time of Vacation Bible School, teaching, and working. We all worked alongside Pastor Francisco and his wife, Chula, their 5 children, and Dulce from an area of San Juan called Guacupita who first planted the church in Batey Chiquito. 

The first thing one will notice when they arrive at Batey Chiquito is how quiet it is; strangely quiet. No loud music blaring, no conversation, no laughter. The children don't run up to greet the Americanos like in every other village, nor is it easy to make them crack a smile. Some of the villagers are very warm and welcoming, inviting one in like typical Dominican communities, others stare from their front porch painted blue.

That is the next thing one will notice in Batey Chiquito, the use of a sky blue paint and three crosses set up in yards or on the front gate. Seemingly holy, this actually denotes the fact that the residents  participate in idol worship and idol parties that involve activities Paul described in Galatians 5:19-21; "idol worship […] drunkneness, orgies and things like these." I also heard that villagers claim to have found the Holy Spirit in a statue form that they worship at a large tree in the community. They resonate with 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?" 

Despite this darkness, God is moving on the hearts of the people like Nuri, Juana, a young teenager named Jennifer who openly refused to go a festival in San Juan this week celebrating, and basically worshipping, John the Baptist with her family. Although she honored her parents by going, her heart's worship was towards Jesus only. Nuri goes to her neighbors often with the good news that Jesus saves, and although they may reject her news, they do not reject her. 

One of those neighbors in Manuel. Manuel is a hard working farmer who grows corn. His wife is fun-loving Cubana who openly welcomed us into her home and fed us as often as she could! She is also always up for chirchera, a social gathering involving jokes and a good time. Manuel is a new Christian who told us that had he known about Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross for us, he would have become a Christian sooner! His wife has heard the Gospel many times yet says it is not yet her time to receive it. Please be in prayer that that time is soon! 

Next door to Manuel and Cubana is Maria. Very thin, she struggles with depression since her father left for the capital 5 years ago and has yet to return. Never leaving the boundaries of her land now, she does welcome visitors. We were such visitors and two of the Athens Church girls shared their stories of God helping them through depression and the loss of their mother yet Maria was not ready to trust in our God. Please be in prayer for her. 

God is also moving in the hearts of the children. We had 4 great days of Vacation Bible School which grew in the number of children each day. As many as 40 children heard the truth of Jesus walking on the water, feeding the 5,000, and rising from the dead for the first time this past week. A couple had heard it before, such as Andrea, an eleven year old who knew many answers to the questions and whom God is revealing Himself to. 

There are also others sowing into Batey Chiquito. Nuri's sister Lydia has offered her land in the village for the first church to be built. She is truly living up to her name: "One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying 'If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.' " Acts 16:14-15.  Wow…you can't make this stuff up! 

And lastly, a nearby pastor, Pastor Octavio graced us with his presence and his guitar one day and led us in several worship songs at the house of Manuel and Cubana. Please view the video below of him leading us in How Great Thou Art in both Spanish and English, and welcome to the daily happenings in a small village of the Dominican Republic!

*Please note that the video is formatted the wrong way-sorry about that! 

*Also, check out Browse Photos to put some faces with these names!