Latest Updates from Will and Audrey Partin
Additional text if you'd like, images, etc.
-
17 May 2012 | 10:08 amPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!"2 Corinthians 5:17
I recently went to a place that reminded me of my story(and more than likely your story too) as a follower of Jesus Christ. Phaeton, Haiti, is a remote village located in the Northeast part of the country that has a history that seems to fascinate, bother and excite me all at the same time. As you walk across the desert-like terrain and enter a village that has no electricity, running water, grocery store, market, starbucks or mcdonalds, one has to wonder why anyone would choose to live in such a place. The only thing to eat is what they fish out of the bay that backs up to the community. As you walk a little further, the incredible story begins to unfold.
Once upon a time, a man from New York decided to build a rope factory in an area of Haiti that backed up to a bay (later known as Phaeton). His factory brought many Haitians to this community looking for work and a better life. That is exactly what they found. At one point, the rope factory was amongst the largest sources of income in the entire country of Haiti. The community had electricity, homes for the workers built by the factory owners, plantations built for the owners and managers of the factory that were surrounded by pools, tennis courts and a beach along the beautiful bay waters. As I try to picture Phaeton in the mid-1900's it almost seems like a dream place to live and work. Life was good and the village of Phaeton was important to the world because the world needed what it had to offer. In return, Phaeton found it's identity in their contribution to the world. Then, decades later, after the factory was sold multiple times, the workers showed up to work one day only to find that work didn't exist anymore. The doors were shut, the owners were gone. The world didn't need Phaeton anymore and the people of the once thriving community were left with absolutely nothing. They were forgotten. Identity lost.
In a place that seems to have no purpose, no hope, no reason to exist, there is a ray of light that has been alive for quite some time now. Lucner, the pastor of the Christian church in Phaeton, grew up right there in the community and his parents worked at the rope factory. A man that has committed his life to the Gospel in a community and country that once pronounced voodoo as it's primary religion, stands firm in his faith with great plans to restore hope to a village that has lost everything. G.O. Ministries has partnered with Lucner to start building a new foundation and a new life in Phaeton. Already, we have found water for the community and built a temporary church to replace the old, damaged, roof-less one. Soon, there will be a feeding center, a new church, farm land, recreation facilities, cattle...all centered around the hope of a revival that Phaeton will find a new identity; one that lasts for an eternity and understands that the world desperately needs what it has to offer. An identity that brings life to the lifeless, hope to the hopeless, food to the hungry, clothes to the naked, healing to the sick and a home to the lost. An identity in the Creator of all things, God the Father Almighty.
I had never known a place like Phaeton before going there, but it sure did remind me of myself and all of those that have chosen to follow Jesus. I don't miss the moments when I seek to find my identity in the world and what it can provide for me. I love knowing that Jesus has a plan for my life. I don't miss the feelings of expecting the world to sacrifice for me because I have a Savior that died on the cross for me. I don't miss the times that I need to be affirmed for who I am in this world because I know that I have a Heavenly Father and Friend that loves me unconditionally for who He created me to be.
I had a moment where I felt like weeping for Phaeton for what it once was. But then I found myself getting so excited for who Phaeton is becoming because Jesus is alive and moving amidst it's brokenness. My time in Phaeton taught me to rejoice in my brokenness, because without it, I would continue to live in my own glory. Then the world would forget about me and I'd be left alone again and again without a true identity. Praise God that when we finally decide to stop searching for our place in the world and die to ourselves, we then become a new creation in Jesus Christ; the old has gone and the new is here!! The old Phaeton is gone and the new is here!
Read more... -
11 Mar 2012 | 10:01 pmPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
Pinnacle Moments"3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as
Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may livea new life."Romans 6:3-4
A number of different things can happen on a short term mission trip. Sometimes people come looking for an experience in a culture that is completely different than their own. Some come because someone has told them they need to serve somewhere outside their own community so they can return passionate about the area in which they live. Some have heard of the amazing
things God is doing across the world so they want to see it with their own eyes. The reality is, no matter what the reason may be, we've found that most people come on a short term mission trip in search for something...and almost 100% of the time, they indeed find "something".
We have the privilege of hosting people that are excited and driven to grow in their faith journey. Even though it might be just a small window of 8 days, we've found that God can move mountains in the lives of those who are earnestly seeking him in a week's time.This past week a group of men came to Santiago, Dominican Republic in honor of a dear friend that passed away two years ago. Tommy Barnes, a passionate, bold disciple of Jesus challenged others to walk more closely with Christ and His efforts are still bearing fruit in a powerful way today! Some of his dear friends, along with a few that didn't even know him, put on a baseball
clinic for kids in our community and played in a softball tournament in the evenings while in the D.R. last week. From the outside, it sounds like a pretty simple, fun week filled with kids smiling and past baseball players living out their glory days in the form of Dominican fast pitch softball. But as you dig a little deeper, God was moving in the hearts of these men as they came looking
for an unforgettable experience with their LORD and Savior.
Dozens of "wow-moments" took place in the 6 days the group was here. A powerful message was preached in the Hole by a guy named Tiger; real, genuine faith was shown in the midst of difficulty by Shane; true love for one another was expressed mulitple times by each individual; a band of brothers was formed through selfless service towards others; and to end the week, a public profession of faith was made by Matt as he was baptized in the ocean. These were pinnacle moments in the lives of everyone involved.Over 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son to earth to fulfill a purpose. After the resurrection, Jesus gathered His disciples and said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Tommy Barnes understood that Jesus was talking to all disciples of Jesus, not just the 11 on the mountain that day. Because of Tommy's obedience, he took many young men to a different nation in accordance with the words of Jesus. Today, those young men are now bringing others and the cycle continues. The result? A band of brothers that grows each year because they come
on a short term mission trip that challenges them to deepen their relationship with Christ. This group came down in pursuit of God and He blew us all away.
Thank you, Tommy, for your faithfulness to the Gospel. We are fortunate to see the fruits of your labor. Take a look below..."just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Amen!Read more... -
1 Feb 2012 | 10:05 pmPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
".....of greater worth than gold"
A while ago I heard a guy speaking about how tempting it is for us, as normal human beings, to want to protect our life from any sort of difficulties or trials. He went on to say that it's even more magnified as a person starts a family as our natural instinct is to protect family members and do our best to shield them from anything that could be uncomfortable or hurtful. The guy speaking went on to say, after making multiple attempts to prevent his sons from falling down, getting hurt or shedding a tear, he had to give up and he realized that God was teaching him something that would change his perspective. He said that he felt God saying, "let ME write their story". See, this speaker had a difficult up-bringing and didn't wish any of that upon his family. But what God was saying was, through all of that difficulty, trial and tribulation that you experienced as a boy, look now at the man you have become. As I think about my time with this man I am in awe of how God has healed him, shaped him and molded him into a person that is committed to sharing that same grace with all that he comes in contact with. He endured much heart ache and many trials only to have God do what He does best, take something broken and make it whole again.
1 Peter 1:6-7
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
This man's faith, because of his trials, is of greater worth than gold. God is writing his story and he's allowing Him to do the same for his kiddos.
I've had the privilege of watching another story unfold over the past few years. This one is a little closer to home but the ending is just as sweet! The moment I became a husband I wanted nothing more than for Audrey and myself to grow together in our relationship with God and in our marriage. But, like the guy in the previous story, I wasn't so sure that I was willing to go through trials in order to get there. I mean, who wants to learn through difficulties, mistakes and heart ache? The problem is, they are unavoidable, no matter how hard we try!
When it was time for us to start a family, I had no idea what was coming! After a few years of being unsuccessful, a fear crept into my heart that was new and unfamiliar. I had a strong desire to have children, but I learned quickly that a woman's desire is one, I am convinced, that only women can understand. I feared for Audrey's heart every time there was a failed attempt to get pregnant. There was nothing I could do. I was reminded of those 5 words that I knew I had to submit to, but had diffulty accepting...let God write your story.
Fast forwarding to the point of this entry, my prayers as a husband have been answered ten-fold over the past couple of years. I always prayed that Audrey and I would grow spiritually as a couple, but never stop our journey with Jesus as individuals. The fear that consumed me, that Audrey's heart wouldn't recover from the difficult moments, turned out to be a result of my desire to protect those closest to me. I wasn't allowing God to write our story. I was so busy trying to protect Audrey that I never really stopped to take a look at how incredible her faith was during this whole process. So when I finally gave in and lifted up my head, I saw something that still brings joy to my heart every single day...Audrey, living out 1 Peter 1:6-7. She suffered trials that as a man, I probably will never understand, but her faith in God is proven to be genuine, worth more than gold! Her faith never waivered, her hope never lost. And nothing could make me happier than that.
So here are some pictures of what happens when we realize that God can write our story in a way that we can't even imagine. We were blessed with the adoption of a beautiful little girl named Ruby Ann (her story can be found in a previous blog entry). I hope, when you look at these pictures, you see a women of God holding onto God's grace and mercy with a joy that comes from knowing He is the Author of life...and a fine Author He is.
Read more... -
28 Jan 2012 | 2:37 pmPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
Thank you. Gracias. Merci.
This thank you is long overdue, and for that we apologize. Please know that we are forever grateful to all of you who support our ministry through prayer and financial giving. This Spring will mark 7 years that we have been working with G.O Ministries, and God has provided our needs through each of you. Thank you for your generous hearts, your sacrificial giving and for believing in us and what God is doing in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Thank you for helping us stay on the field and serve in a way we feel God has called us to! We needed to raise some additional funds this year to go towards the adoption….and you gave. You arose to the challenge, and you gave. Thank you for helping us reach our budget in 2011.....Thank you!We are still state-side waiting for the adoption of Ruby Ann to finalize. Our prayer, hope and goal is to go back to the Dominican Republic as a family, full time, by the end of February. Would you pray that prayer with us? We are longing to get back to the DR, it is our true desire to be there serving for the first time as a family of 3. Ruby Ann is an incredible blessing and everyday is sweeter than the day before.
We feel privileged that God has given us the opportunity to serve with G.O. Ministries. He is using G.O. to redeem people, renew communities and restore creation.
To see an example of that, please take a moment and watch this video about a boy named Wilson who lives in The Hole. His little body is being restored and God has given us a chance to be a part of that.God has moved in enormous ways so far this year. There are many stories just like this one that we are ever so honored to be a part of. Each of you are playing a part as well through prayer, through going and through giving. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Read more...
We love you all,
Will and Audrey -
23 Nov 2011 | 10:11 amPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
Read more...
THANKFUL FOR the beautiful way that God has chosen to shape our family. an incredible husband who is more that I deserve. a gracious God who loves me unconditionally. the opportunity to do ministry for a living. brook brotzman who has invited us to be a part of the vision he casted through G.O. Ministries. a sister who I can call my best friend. christian heritage. fall leaves. birthmoms. donna. generous supporters who give sacrificially. a comfortable place to stay when we are state-side. a healthy body so I can run. our dear dominican and haitian brothers and sisters who welcome us into their country to do ministry beside them. loving parents. cuddle time with miss ruby ann. basketball, the sport that has opened so many doors for me. friends who love. a home in the dominican where we can retreat to and have quality family time. lunch dates. having the resources to get my hair done which is so relaxing and is always a boost of self confidence. music and the talented artists who create it. a laptop which makes it easy for me to do my job. relationships. the overwhelming amount of love that has been shown for us and ruby ann during this journey. warm clothes during the winter. memories. a beautiful and healthy marriage. a loving church family in louisville, georgia and the dominican. a sleeping baby in my arms right now. this sweet holiday season. generous souls who continue to give and pour out in so many ways. mexican food. my guiding light who has brought us through despair and allowed us to come out on the other side and experience unspeakable joy. for erasing all of the heartache. life that has been given to me by my precious Creator. -
14 Oct 2011 | 2:32 pmPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
The work of a loving, gracious and merciful Fatherall of us are in the midst of an incredible life-story that takes all sorts of twists and turns that are filled with pain and joy that hopefully result in God receiving all of the praise. we want to share where we are in our story and how the latest twist has shaped and changed our lives forever.
most of the world desires to have a family that they can love, care for and "do life" with. for many years, we've had an idea of what our family would look like and how we would ultimately go about obtaining that "ideal" family. "many are the plans in a person's heart, but it's the LORD'S purpose that prevails". today we are living out that scripture and praising God that His purpose indeed prevails and far exceeds any plans or expectations we could possibly have for ourselves.
8 weeks ago, we recieved a phone call that would change our lives forever. after a battle with infertility, surgeries and heartache, the voice of our adoption agency saying, "you've been matched", so we bought plane tickets to fly from the dominican back to the states the following week to meet the birthmother and her mother over what would appear to be (so we thought at the time) a potentially awkard, difficult and nervous lunch date! once again, God's merciful and gracious plans prevailed. we were so excited about being parents and having this sweet little baby girl that we were blind-sided by the way we fell in love with Jacquelyn (birthmother) and Donna (maternal grandmother). when we finished with lunch and getting to know Jac and Donna, we got back on the road and our smiles almost didn't fit in the little FIAT 500 we rented to drive home. the best way we know to describe this feeling would be to borrow lyrics from a song by David Crowder Band. . . "heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss". WHOA! not only were we going to have the privilege of loving this baby, but God opened our hearts to love this entire family! a joy only given by the Author of joy itself.
at that time we were only 6 weeks from the birth of this precious little girl. in the weeks leading up to the birth, our hearts leaped when we would communicate with Jac and Donna. our love grew with every written word and every photo. what was God doing to us?? did we really have the capacity to love the way He was allowing us to? could this be real?
when we got the news that little baby Ruby Ann entered this world through an emergency c-section, we hopped in our car and drove to the hospital . . . 8 hours away! we were so thrilled to meet our little girl and equally as excited to celebrate and spend time with Jac and Donna. God, again, was so gracious in providing us the opportunity to be in the hospital to watch this miracle unfold before our eyes. we will never ever forget that special time with our new family.
new family . . . this is the part where God gets all the praise! many people advised us to guard our hearts as much as we could because the adoption process can be so emotional and some of our expectations might not come to fruition. well we're here to say "many are the plans in a person's heart, but it's the LORD'S purpose that prevails". God calls us to live in community and love the way He loves. we are praising Him today that our family has grown exponentially in the last several weeks. not only do we have a beautiful little baby girl, but we have a Jacquelyn . . . an incredible, courageous, beautiful, warrior of a girl that has blessed us with the most incredible gift. we also have a Donna . . . a true woman of God, a rock that brings about a peace that provides comfort in any situation. we also have Juan. . . a birthfather that loves Ruby dearly and wants her to never forget that love. and then there is everyone who has been praying for all of us throughout this entire journey. . . we have the body of Christ . . . a family that extends across the ocean and loves us more than we deserve.
so, God, thank you that your plans prevail and bring about a life that we could never have created ourselves. You are the Author of life and nobody writes like you do. thank you that ruby ann is one loved little girl and her life is a testimony of your craftsmanship. thank you, for being a loving, gracious and merciful Father.
scroll down to meet our new family members! Enjoy!Mark, Gail, Jacquelyn, Donna and Chris
birthmother, Jacquelyn and birthfather, Juan
Ruby Ann and Donna
First trip to the doctor, Doctor Mayo
Ruby in the hospital at 2 days old
Read more...
Happy mom! -
8 Sep 2011 | 1:12 amPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
......life in slow motion
The summers are always our busiest time in ministry. We helped host and organize the details for 29 teams who came to serve on the island of Hispaniola this June, July and August. God moved in ways that were indescribable. We were so privileged to witness pure beauty, lives being changed, college men striving to pursue an intimate relationship with Him, small victories won, partnerships strengthened, churches being built, congregations grow, children being fed, purified water supply an entire community, people working together to redeem, renew and restore! I think our favorite thing to witness this summer was seeing some of the most influential kids from our basketball league start coming to church, regularly. Will and the Sports Staff have been inviting them for 6 years now, the fruit of their labor is so very sweet......they are beginning to know Jesus, to really know Him as their Savior. What a victory!
At the end of the summer, one generous soul blessed us with a gift....and he said, "do something for yourselves." Oh, how grateful we are to him, truly, from the bottom of our hearts. We decided to get away to one our most favorite places in the Dominican Republic....how we needed it after an intense summer of ministry. It was such a wonderful time of refreshment and renewal. It was a time to talk about friendships, mexican food, how life changes, movies, the transformation of our character, silly things, photography, our future, it was a time to press pause, experience life in slow motion for a bit, and to see things through a fresh perspective. Life can be so busy, packed full of so many things, it can be like looking through a kaleidoscope at an array of beautiful colors, colors that can be a bit jumbled because we don't take moments to slow down, reflect, and make sense of all that is going on around us. These last few days, that's what we have done, we slowed down to bask in the glory of His beauty and His creations.
Our challenge to you is to find that time, soak in every second, enjoy it from the depths of your soul. You will find a sweet peace that is oh so fulfilling.
Enjoy the photos, it was hard to resist not snagging some snapshots to show the beauty that we were engulfed in. It's fun to brag on our God to show off his brillant and beautiful creations!"A heart at peace gives life to the body..." proverbs 14:30
Read more... -
14 Aug 2011 | 2:48 pmPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
Read more...
The Heart of Worship....Worship this morning at the Central Church was so beautiful and spirit filled! Imagine if you will.....blue skies, palm trees, people of all color, multiple languages and nations, hands lifted high, and people singing out loud praising their Jesus.
The Indiana Wesleyan Men's Basketball team is here with us in the Dominican right now. We can't even express how wonderful these young men and their coaching staff are. All have hearts for Jesus and are willing to serve in any way possible. They have worked so hard.....pouring a floor at Simon's gym, moving rocks in The Hole, passing concrete blocks, etc. On top of that, they have played basketball games every single night against the local Dominican talent. These sweet boys have had smiles on their faces the entire week, Christ shines through them so vibrantly!
Going back to the picture I was painting a little earlier......we experienced such a beautiful sound this morning. The song, "Heart of Worship" was being played, and some were singing in English and some were singing in Spanish. To hear both of our heart languages intertwined was such a sweet sweet sound in our ears. Praising Him this morning!
"I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about you, it's all about you Jesus, I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it, when it's all about you, it's all about you Jesus."
"Estoy volviendo al corazon de la adoracion, y es todo sobre voz, es todo sobre voz Jesus, Perdon Senor por lo que he hecho, cuando es todo sobre voz, es todo sobre voz Jesus."
-
29 Jul 2011 | 12:35 pmPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
The JOyS of Summer......
As you all know, our summers here in the Dominican are packed with groups who are serving on mission trips. It's a part of our jobs that blesses us over and over and over again. God has allowed us to serve them and to play a small part in this life changing experience for people. We have the privilege of seeing people redeemed, communities renewed, and creation restored on a daily basis. It just doesn't get much better than that! We want to share some pics from these last few months. Most of these photos were captured by our staff photographer, Amanda Braisted. Enjoy them! Our hope and prayer is that they will inspire you to
"go and make disciples of all nations".
River Valley had a field day in Hato Del Yaque. All of the kids had a blast playing baseball, volleyball, soccer and basketball. They especially loved the jump ropes, ballons and little games the team brought for them.
Dorothy Sayers did a basketball clinic in Los Salados. At the end of the day, the girls said this was the most fun they have ever had playing basketball.
Eastview Youth worked in The Hole moving rocks to help secure the foundation of the church. They are always a blessing to all they come in contact with!
Stretching before the big June basketball camp begins. The kids in the community so look forward to this clinic every year. They learn about basketball, but most importantly about Jesus.
River Valley before starting on their construction project. They worked on Eduard's house (the Caribbean president) and Luis and Rene's house. Oh how we love each and everyone of them!
Read more...
Sidewinders baseball group working on a construction project. These 15 year old boys were incredible and the leadership even better. It was such a blessing to be a part of their week!
St. Luke's held a field day in Los Perez. The joy on these faces is priceless.
Be Blessed,
Will and Audrey -
2 Jul 2011 | 10:46 pmPosted by: Dominican and Haiti Updates
This week we hosted a group that is very dear to us. This team has been making trips to the DR for the last 14 years. We love you "G.O. Basketball!"
Many years ago, Will and I went on our first mission trip with the "G.O. Basketball team". This is when God planted the seeds in our hearts for missions, and to Him we are grateful. He had the path all marked out for us, He knew exactly what He wanted things to look like for us, He guided us, directed us, and showed us "our purpose".
As I was sweeping up some broken glass today at the basketball court, God gave me a moment to myself (which is very rare during basketball camp...29 Americans/140 campers). During this moment, I paused to think about what God was showing me this week. You might think after 6 years of living here, 6 years of teams, 6 years of working basketball camps, that things may seem repetitive, dull, or boring......this couldn't be further from the truth! Every day is different, and God continues to reveal Himself in beautiful ways.
This year, I took so much pleasure in watching Will do what he was "made for". God has gifted him in incredible ways and he uses those gifts daily to full capacity. Will has spent the last 6 years developing relationships with these children as well as the adults in the community. They respect him like I've never seen respect given before. They give this respect because he enforces discipline, he teaches, he loves, he shows compassion, and he presents The Gospel in a way that grabs their attention. He knows them all by name, makes them all feel special, and takes every opportunity for "teaching moments". I heard someone describe Will as a "magnet" this week. I think this is the perfect word to describe him. People are naturally drawn to him, and he doesn't use that for selfish ambition. I watched him use it this week to further The Kingdom!God has created Him for this. I am forever grateful to each and every one of you who support us through prayer and financial giving. By your sacrifices, you are allowing us to do what God has made us for. Our prayer is that you will know how big of a role you are playing in advancing The Gospel....because you are.
Through my eyes.......I saw many beautiful things this week. I saw my life partner excelling at "his calling", I saw children being loved on, and I saw our lives here in the Dominican Republic making a difference which gave me a sweet peace that I will forever hold on to.
Be blessed today on this beautiful Sunday morning God has given us!
In Him,
Audrey
(p.s. Will has no idea I'm writing this post..ssshhh!)
Read more...
