A Great First Week

The Shaheens are blessed. We have had a wonderful first week here in the Dominican Republic. So much has happened each of the days here that it would probably take me 10 pages to write it all down.  I do want to share a couple thoughts on what we do each day.  Here goes:

Our facility here in the month of June, July and part of August is packed with 3,4 or 5 teams worth of short term mission groups.  That is most definitely a lot of work for us here at the Highlands, but it is alo a huge blessing to meet so many new people that want to know the Lord in a bigger way.

Wyman and Grace love living at a place that has so many people here all the time.  They had such a wonderful time with the FCA baseball group from Virginia and the church group from Hart Co especially.  Today they went to a village with the Hart Co group to play with other kids and share the Gospel.  What a great way to live out your childhood.  I could never have imagined that my kids would have such great role models around them on a daily basis.

I see the ministry here really blossoming over the next few years.  I have a meeting with a group of young pastors in San Pedro de Macoris on Saturday.  They want to know how they can help the new baseball ministry.  I am so excited about this meeting.  It will be a huge blessing to have Godly young men helping me in our discipleship program. I also spoke with the GM of the Dominican SF Giants professional team today. His name is Pablo.   They rent our baseball fields/facilities here at the Highlands every day in order to workout, practice and play games.  He told me that I can speak to his team next week and cast my vision for FCA in the Dominican Republic.  He also said he would love for me to speak to his team often.  I will tell them my story next week and invite them to sit with me once per week in the future. 

Please pray that both of these meetings/opportunities be fruitful and a blessing for all involved. 

Jodi and I have been taking a spanish course every morning (M-Th) from 9-12noon.  It has been fun to see Jodi and the kids learn new words and phrases every day.  I have been working really hard to pick up the language by talking with all of the people on this campus and reading the spanish Bible.  Mercy and Julio, our teachers, say that I will be able to speak pretty well by November.  Please pray that God continues to give us the energy and excitement to learn spanish and the courage to use it with people we do not know.

Tomorrow the FCA Atlanta Baseball trips come to town.  Hooray!  We are excited to see our friends.  I have a few young men that are staying with us at our home next week and that will be a great opportunity for discipleship.  It will also be pretty cool to have a full house.  I am sure Wyman and Gracie will love having Noah, Nick, Jonah and Austin over the house.

Jodi, the kids and I would like to send our blessings to you.  We love all of you and pray that God fill up your heart with His love. 

In His grip,
Mike, Jodi, Wyman and Grace