Mi Amigo

 I want to tell you a story. I've got to take you back to last summer. I was home from my first trip to the Dominican and my angst in waiting to go on another trip was almost more than I could handle. You can go back and read here about my feelings for the Dominican. I got the chance to go back and words cannot describe the happiness I felt. I got the information and attended a meeting and found out that it was the high school trip for the year. I was okay with that and was excited to serve alongside some people I didn't know. While on the trip, I met this guy:

Michael Clark.

All I had known about him before the trip was nothing that had me interested in being his friend. I thought he was young and that we nothing in common. After the first day back in my favorite place, something clicked with us. He came over to me while I was crying and told me that he knew how I felt and that I needed to stop...in a kind way, because even though he would never admit it, he would probably cry, too. 

We spent seven amazing, humbling, breathtaking days in La Represa. We talked about our shared love for that place, the people and how we both never wanted to leave. As the days went by, God showed me a new side of Michael. I saw a tender, God-glorying side that showed me the connection that we share for loving on people just as they are and sharing the love of Christ with them. 

Michael is an amazing person and although I am beyond envy, I am sharing this story to ask you to pray for him. He left a couple of days ago for the Dominican and is spending 6 weeks..yes, 6 weeks down there. I can feel the jealousy rise as I type, but I could not be more excited for him and for what God's doing in his life. So please pray for my dear friend. Pray for the groups he will work with as he is serving. Pray for the people in the communities as their lives are touched by Christ-followers and the Word of God. Pray that Christ is made big. I know that Michael is going to do great things while he is there. 

Especially if he teaches them how to play signs. 

And I can't wait to see my house he's building for me.