Becoming a Missionary to the Dominican Republic - Part 3

Contributor: Greyson Neumayer

Despite the challenges of living away from home, especially in a foreign country, God has given me an ever-growing passion to minister to other cultures.  During my sophomore year of college, I embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve and study abroad in the Dominican Republic.  

As I engaged in my first year abroad, I could not help but think ahead toward the next school year.  I felt myself longing to stay in the Dominican Republic and continue doing ministry overseas. 

Starting my Second Year

I was given this opportunity through the second year of the Global Bridge program, which is offered by Students International.  Filled with excitement, I applied and was accepted.  After summer break, I embarked on the start of another year abroad in the Dominican Republic. 

During my previous year, I lived in one of the largest cities in the nation, Santiago, working in a ministry and building water filters for families in need.  This second year, I live in a town central in the country, named Jarabacoa, and work in a ministry named Microfinance, which helps individuals learn financial literacy and supports small businesses. 

Apart from teaching financial literacy, my site acts like a bank.  During the week, my two site leaders and I meet in various communities around Jarabacoa.  During these meetings, we open with a time for a prayer followed by a worship session and a short devotional.  After that, people who want to save money or take out money do so, and we document the transaction.  This encourages and teaches them how to save money and invest in their future financial endeavors.  Through these meetings, we teach practical skills as well as the most important thing, the Gospel. 

Serving in the Microfinance ministry.

It feels surreal to be back at the base where my missionary adventures started and where I gained a passion to minister overseas.  This is because during my Senior Year of high school, I participated in a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, in Jarabacoa, and worked in Microfinance. 

As I look back, I can not help but look at how I have grown as a person and reflect on all that God has done for me and through me. I look back on the insecure high schooler who came, and now I see the person who decided to obey the call to serve the Lord.

Challenges

Even with all of the blessings of living abroad, challenges inevitably come.  Working in ministry has many challenges, and serving in a foreign culture, language, and country outside of your homeland brings additional new opportunities and ways to grow in leadership. 

One of the challenges I faced while living abroad was learning the language.  Part of the Global Bridge program was participating in two-hour Spanish classes twice-weekly.  Anyone who has attempted to learn a second language can agree that it is not for the faint of heart and that it takes time, patience, and much practice. 

Contrary to popular belief, many missionaries struggle to learn a second language, and I was no exception.  There were many days when I felt frustrated, discouraged, and sometimes wanted to give up learning entirely.  However, with the help of my very patient teachers, encouraging classmates, and others around me, I kept going.  While I am still far from fluent, I am very pleased with how much I have grown in my language skills.  I plan to continue to practice and grow in my Spanish skills for many years in the future. 

Another challenge was adjusting to a foreign culture. Living, serving, and interacting with people who are linguistically and culturally different from yourself is a skill that requires experiential learning. While it may not feel like it, culture shock is the result of one who is interacting deeply with another culture and an intimate invitation to seek the Lord on a deeper level.

Inevitably, I faced culture shock after I arrived, but I challenged myself to work through it.  I often felt overwhelmed, disconnected, and isolated.  But through these challenges, the Lord invited me to trust in Him, reminding me that this is the result of connecting deeply with another culture and living cross-culturally.  

One example of culture shock is the language barrier.  The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish.  When arriving in the Dominican Republic, I barely knew any Spanish.  Adjusting to a culture that actively speaks a new language instead of English was a strange and uncomfortable transition.  I was not just learning a new culture and way of life; I was also learning a whole new system of speaking and communicating with others. 

Reverse Culture Shock

Culture shock is a normal part of embarking on traveling cross-culturally and is widely known by people who have lived abroad.  What is not as widely known and talked about is reverse culture shock.  It is the shock that travelers experience when they return to their homeland after spending so much time in another country. 

This reentry can be difficult, as the returning traveler misses the newfound home and identity of the host culture and country.  As I continue traveling cross-culturally, going back and forth from the Dominican Republic and the United States, I have felt this reentry shock a number of times. 

It is strange to feel more a part of a host culture and country than the culture and country from which I originate.  I often feel more connected to the Dominican way of life than I do to the American one.  While it is a gift from the Lord, it can be strange and difficult at times. 

As I engage in this second semester of my second year of living in the Dominican Republic, I will continue to challenge myself and grow in my discipleship with the Lord.  I know this next semester will continue to challenge me, and I will be faced with growing in maturity in Microfinance, living, and exploring the Dominican culture.

Final Thoughts

Because of God’s grace, I seek to obey Jesus’ words and command to “make disciples of all the nations” for the rest of my days (Matthew 28:19, ESV).  This experience over the last year and a half has brought profound personal growth and deeper trust in God, and it has continually allowed me to see myself mature into the person I want to become, and most importantly, who I believe He wants me to become.  

I embarked on this adventure as an insecure, anxious, and fearful person, and I have transformed into a courageous, confident, and adventurous man who embarks to tell everyone the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I pray that I will continue to do that, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I will continue being transformed into the leader He created me to be.