Janine and I have been on one long Journey of Faith and Answered Prayers these past 2 1/2 years ministering here in the Dominican Republic. It is while we were living in the community of Costambar, Puerto Plata that we received the direction from God to plant a church. 

Months before the opening day of the Journey International Church (JIC), we received a divine appointment. We met up with a friend at McDonalds in Santiago to pick up some materials he had translated into Spanish for us. While we were meeting he happened to notice a girl he had in his class at University named Lindsay. We were introduced and it just so happened she also had just moved to Costambar.  Of course, God’s plans are always perfect!  We became instant friends.

We worshipped on a regular basis with Lindsay in another city while we were putting things together for the opening day of JIC. We had been looking for a translator to come along side of us and help minister to the Spanish speaking community. We had interviewed a few people, but they were just not the right fit.  Then one day, Lindsay introduced us to a man named Miguel. He was a Dominican believer who had translated for Lindsay’s mission team when they visit this country.  He was perfect!  We knew God sent him to us!

We spent some time in prayer and some time practicing what we would be doing on Sunday’s. Miguel started with us on the opening Sunday, October 14, 2018 and he has been faithful to the Lord and to service every week. I have a brother who communicates the Word of God from English to his native language of Spanish. I know I can trust him because his English is also better than mine. Lol  Many people who have visited JIC, who are fluent in English and Spanish, attest to the fact that he is accurate in both languages. He has been a perfect fit!  

We have been praying for God to send people whom we can train in ministry. We have also been praying for someone who is as fluent in both languages like Miguel that we could use to reach out in this community and expand the ministry.Miguel would be perfect, but we could not take him away from his full time job because we felt we couldn’t afford to pay the wages he needed to support his wife and three daughters, and we wanted God to speak to him directly and Call him into ministry.

Flash forward to December of 2019, Janine and I started to call out to God for his provisions in our ministry, according to His will.  We needed Him to provide the correct people for us to train in ministry to reach the people He has us seeking. We needed answers as we entered into 2020.  Our God is the great provider! He Answered!

We weren’t home even one week when we received a call from Miguel saying he needed to talk to us personally. Miguel shared that God has been pulling on his heart for some time now to serve him on a full time basis. He said he finally realized this is God’s will for his life and he wants to yield to Him.  But, He was not sure what to do. To make matters worse for Miguel, he attempted to take a better job and gave notice of quitting to his place of employment. He later found out the new place was not a trustworthy place. In a strange turn of events he found himself unemployed.

Well, after spending much time in prayer, and figuring out the church finances.  We made an offer to hire Miguel on a full time basis. Miguel and his wife, Miriam also spent much time in prayer and have accepted the offer. We are so excited to share with you that Miguel Angel Victoria Castillo is now the full time Assistant in Ministryat JIC.

Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”  God did answer our prayers, but he did so in his time, the perfect time! 

We prayed, laid hands on him, and commissioned him into service to the Lord this past Sunday, February 2, 2020. Please be praying for Miguel, his wife, Mariam and their 3 daughters, Libni, Arlyn and Angely as they serve our Lord and savior here in the D.R. with us in a new way here at the Journey. We are excited to see what God will do - in us and thru us - with this Team in 2020

Serving Together for the KINGDOM

Bruce & Janine