Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Re-entry to the Dominican Republic was a bit of a shock this time.  I found it hard to find my step, to go forward, to wait.  I heard no voice, saw no vision.  It seemed I flailed about for an eternity... and then I imagined a very small voice that said "trust God even in the void".   Like learning to walk all over again, first steps are pretty shaky but off in the distance I can see God's peace and joy.

With Servant's Heart Ministries I have had the privilege to work along side a wonderful and varied group of committed, talented and compassionate people.  I would say God has given Phil and Donna Williams a "Gift" of hospitality, encouragement, wisdom and practical help.  With years of mission experience on the north coast, they are dedicated to bringing together trained mission volunteers and key people from the local communities to develop and run practical programs.  The emphasis is on meeting real needs and bringing lasting change.   Locals and visiting interns and teams work together providing opportunities to gain acceptance and understanding of differences,  learn from each other and develop the possibility of on going relationships with both individuals and communities.

It was such a thrill to welcome back to the DR my good friend Luckny who had been away working on a cruise ship for almost ten months.  While it was hard work he praises God for the opportunity to work and see the world.  While he was away we welcomed into the world a beautiful baby boy named Carlos Manuel, the youngest of Luckny's three sons. Luckny is looking forward to the next contract which begins at the end of January.  Please pray for him as it is very hard work and he will be away from his family for a long time. (I know a little of what that is like)

December 1st Sandy and I became the owners of a small, 2 apartment casa in Sosua.  It was owned by a former medical mission worker and I had been renting one of the apartments up until the time it was sold in the summer.  That sale fell through and the owner asked me if I knew anyone who might be interested... We are hoping to rent out one of the apartments and I will live in the other. The original owner walked around the complex when she first purchased and dedicated it to God.  Sandy and I would like to continue in the same way.  We already have a mission couple booked from mid January to early March.

Sandy and I ran into Jason's mom in Sosua.  Jason was a young boy from Los Algodonas (where we lived in 2008) with cerebral palsy that required an operation to straighten his leg.  He had never walked and we spent months after his operation improving his mobility with therapy (bribes of pizza) and providing nutrition.
Before we left at the end of the year he was walking.  Now, according to his mother, he needs another operation.  There is quite a complicated and colourful story behind their relocation to Sosua.  We went and visited him at his home (which is not an improvement from Algodonas)  He appeared in very poor condition.  I would appreciate your prayers for Jason and his family.

A new addition is being added to the Hugs for Kids school in Cangrejo and 2015 looks like it is going to be a busy year at Servant's Heart Ministries.

Yuberky, a young lady from Esperanza will be graduating from English school in the beginning of the new year.  Some of the people at Runnymede Community Church helped her with the cost. She applied herself and worked hard.  I am impressed with her ability to understand and speak English.  I am hoping that she can get some work translating for mission groups.  I would like to hire her but I don't have anything full time.  I would appreciate your prayers for Yuberky, that God would provide work for her and that she would not become impatient and discouraged.

There has been an encouraging answer to prayer in the DR.  The Dominican government has taken a stand against the sex trade with tough new laws directed towards men who take advantage of impoverished women and it seems to be having a positive effect on Sosua.  Mayor Ilana Neumann has been busy putting a new "Family Friendly" face on Sosua.  Please pray for her as there is strong opposition to the reforms she is making.

I am hopping to return to Canada for a few months in mid June and return to the DR in the beginning of September to help with school enrollment.  I am asking if anyone can give me some employment when I return so that I can continue to finance my work in the DR.  I love doing drywall and painting and general handyman type stuff.  If you know of anyone who needs that type of work done I will be available for two and a half months.  God willing.

I am grateful for the Runnymede news emails, facebook, and my itunes link to the weekly Runnymede Sermons. Also Skype lets Sandy and I connect almost daily.

With thanks and praise to God for His wonderful blessings in 2014,

Sincerely

Dave Chapman
and Sandy, MLRHG (My little red haired girl)

"...Peter ...walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid..."  Mathew 14:29-30

Here is something from "My Utmost for His Highest"  by Oswald Chambers.

http://utmost.org/keep-recognizing-jesus/

"If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, “Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?” Be reckless immediately— totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything— by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness— being willing to risk your all."

I don't believe in being reckless so this is a stretch for me.  But I want to follow Jesus completely.

Dave C

November 7th 2014

Day 5 in the DR.

Struggling with doubt.   Why am I so surprised?

Struggle builds character, so it has been said.  Perhaps I have not struggled enough.  I thought that if I trusted God and believed in Him he would direct my steps.  This is what it says in the Bible;

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

I have tried to do this yet at the moment my paths seem a confusion of blind alleyways, and a maze that leads ????.  Have I been fooling myself?  Am I lazy?  Or stupid?  

However I am not at the end of the path yet and listening to my own understanding rather than trusting Him is what causes me to worry.  

I will continue to trust in Him for He is faithful.  I will wait for His direction to guide me.  He has put the Holy Spirit in me as He promised.  I will not give up.

Dave Chapman

Dave Chapman will be returning to the Dominican Republic Nov. 2, 2014, through the PAOC Mid Term Mission program.

Painting a mural with Iesa's mom,
Iesa, Lulu and Mary (taking the picture)

Dave Chapman 
With  Servant's Heart Ministries

My only boast, my only confidence, my only hope is in Christ.

Sponsorship Coordinator.   I will continue working with Servant's Heart Ministries as Sponsorship Coordinator for the “Hugs for Kids” program.

My first year with Servant’s Heart Ministries encompassed getting a little first hand experience with all the mission programs especially “Hugs for Kids” sponsorship and the school, while helping out visiting mission teams with Relief and Development work, house builds etc. It has been a year of learning and an adjustment in understanding my role in the DR. While I feel confident that God has placed us here for a purpose, it has been hard practical work and not the exciting mountain top experience of our first year in the DR. Still, I am excited about where God is leading us. There is great joy in trusting Him even if there is some anxiety as well.

The DR and Sandy. Though we will be apart for a while, with my wife Sandy’s firm faith, support and encouragement behind me I will not be alone. In the first year I did not feel distant from her, but that we were working together. Skyping often, we shared our day, exchanged stories, discussed problems and shared ideas. My vision, confidence and faith is in Jesus but as I am drawn closer to Him, Sandy and I seem to draw closer to each other God has blessed me with a wonderful wife. This year Sandy will visit more often and we are in the middle of purchasing a home in the DR with the intention of eventually being together full time.

This Summer. I have been grateful for the time spent with my church family, Runnymede Community Church and especially the chance to participate in the annual “Family Camp”. It was so refreshing to spend the summer back in Canada with Sandy. I am particularly thankful for the opportunity to work and help finance my return to the DR. Thank you to all those who hired me to do reno and painting work.

Prayer Needs for the Dominican Republic
• for love, unity and peace between Christian missionaries, groups and organizations.
• protection from Satanic attack.
• reconciliation between peoples and governments on the island of Hispaniola.
• for a deep hunger to know Jesus.
• that visitors looking for love would find it in coming to know Jesus.
• that the Holy Spirit fill believers to overflowing with the wisdom and knowledge of God.
• boldness in sharing our faith.
• and for myself, please pray for Sandy and I while we are apart.

Praying in the morning, the hour before the day begins, God reminds me that I depend on him.
In the day if anxiety wraps it’s fist around my heart, I remember ... When my own judgment and abilities fail me, I have a quiet, peaceful confidence that trusts in Him and keeps going.

You can donate:

• by visiting my online web profile at:https://paoc.org/donate/DavidChapman
• or through Runnymede Community Church, designated as: for Dave Chapman in the Dominican Republic.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support.

Dave Chapman
Sponsorship Coordinator
with Servant’s Heart Ministries
in the Dominican Republic.

coloured in photoshop

Test illustrations of some of my line drawings coloured in photoshop

Walking in the Cotton

Walking in the Cotton
dave chapman

We were having a goodbye party for the children of Los Algodones with cake, juice, balloons and videos when I was astonished to see Jasien walk in all by himself assisted by a cane. I wish you could have seen my face, I think my chin bounced off the floor.
I had been giving Jasien therapy for months, he was born with Cerebral Palsy and he had been given an operation to correct his misshapen leg but he had never walked before.

the Dream
8x10" Oil on canvas Painted this several years ago. I was trying to capture a night sky. There is a figure (side view) in the foreground resting on a large upturned hand. It was painted as a reminder to myself that I and all my dreams are in the hand of my Heavenly Father. I find I have to keep reminding myself of this so I keep this painting where I can glance at it from time to time.

New Pen and Ink drawings

I have been doing some very basic sketches in ink lately.  I really like the freedom to create something out of nothing.  Just an idea drawn out in pencil and inked.  Playing with the composition, contrasts and textures created by black line on white paper.   To create something interesting using simple ideas.  

“Ship”  Sometimes my life feels like it's at the mercy of whatever way the wind happens to be blowing.  I guess this is true for everyone.  This is just a sketch I did to express my frustration.

“Dr. Bob’s Three Legged Dominican Dog”  We went up and down the road to Los Algodones at least twice a day carrying people to clinics and every now and then women in labour.  We would visit Dr Bobs clinic twice a week and arrive home at the village in the dark.  Navigating the road was sometimes a challenge as the water level of the river we had to cross would often put out our headlights and we would drive almost blind and mostly by memory.

This is a pen and ink drawn from memory.  I've added one of Dr Bobs adopted three legged dogs in the background. (can you find it?)  On one of our last trips we weren't quite fast enough and Sandy had to deliver a baby in the back of our Jeep.  ( That only happened once)

So good to know we were in God's hands through all of this and that He gave us the strength to do what we had to.

“the Car”  We had the use of a little "Jeepetta" as they call it in the Dominican.  We drove it every day transporting the villagers to clinics and hospital.   There were times when we had more than 12 people in it if you count the babies (it's made for 4)  Driving at night in the D.R. was a real challenge because the primary vehicle used by the locals who can afford it is a motorcycle.  They would ride on the side of the road with no lights at night and spotting them took Sandy (my wife) leaning out the window and saying "I think I see something,  oh yes its a bike"

“Haiti”  It was so hard to watch the news about the earthquake in Haiti.  So many of our friends are from there.  It was also disturbing to see the money being thrown at the problems with so little understanding of the situation.  The problems facing Haiti are going to take a long time to overcome but from what I know of the people they are equal to the task if only they could be given the resources locally.  My heart breaks for Haiti.