Rev. Dan McMiller is in the Domican Republic (DR) March 2-9, 2010, to assist in theological education, confirmation classes and preaching for relief to missionary Rev. Ted Krey. The mission team is helping with Haiti relief.

Friday, March 5

Yesterday morning Walter had a class with a student preparing for the ministry: Ramon Abreu. They studied a translation of Klug's book on church and ministry for two hours. I participated in the instruction, but mainly listened.

Ramon had accompanied us to Palmar Arriba the evening before, and stayed overnight at Walter and Anna's house. Ramon lives about an hour and a half away (by bus) so it was best for him to stay over. Ramon has a degree in computer programming. He and his family (wife and three children) were brought to the Lutheran Church by Willy Gaspar the Dentist who is a Vicar in Santo Domingo and has a church in his home (Las Americas).

At noon we drove to Santo Domingo to have class with Willy and the other Vicar there, Joseph de los Santos. We arrived 15 minutes late due to traffic jams in the Capitol city. Willy was an hour and 15 minutes late. We studied the Augsburg Confession and the Apology Articles 19 and 20: The Cause of Sin, and Faith and Good Works. I taught the class. At the same time Walter had a class on Baptism with Joseph's wife. The men had lots of questions. Joseph studied in a Jesuit Seminary in Haiti and was testing me.

We held the class behind Joseph's store on a dirt patio. Roosters were walking around. No hens. Rooster fighting is common there. Walter is working on this with Joseph. Someone came during the class and gave Joseph a very bloodied Rooster. "You can have it," the man said. It was covered with blood. In his other hand he had another rooster that had lost most of its feathers to the rooster he was giving away. "He almost killed this rooster and he has a fight on Friday." Joseph took the rooster without saying a word.

Willy offered to buy the rooster for a very good price to make soup. Joseph looked away and smiled. Willy teased him some more saying it wouldn't even be a very good soup. Joseph said nothing. He just looked down at his book with a twinkle in his eye.

Change is slow. These men have gone through lots of change.

We left after another hour of conversation on many issues and arrived back in Santiago at 9:30 p.m. No chicken soup. Just Dominos pizza!