10 things that made a major impact on Mari Bowers in the DR

I have asked the ladies to answer the following questions and i will blog it for them. This is the response I received from Mari. (Mari is the person on the back of the banana branch second picture)

1) question: If you remember we went over the verses in Matthew 28:18-20 since you first read these verses in the DR what has changed your thinking, your understanding and your passion?

Mari: It is deeper, fuller and I’m feeling more urgent in getting the Gospel spread to the lost. It isn’t an option, it is a commandment for every single Christian and my excuses just don’t hold up anymore. I am compelled to work the fields both here and abroad as God leads me.

question 2) I would like for you to write at least 10 things that have made a major impact on you.

Mari: 10 things that have made a major impact on me.
1) Fulltime missionaries give so much of themselves.
2) Prayer works in every situation ( with air pressure and ears on a jet, with stopping rain during outdoor games at festivals, and opening seats on flights when necessary!

3) Tradition is hard to break through and bring change but with time, commitment and God’s love it can happen.
4) Teenagers in the DR have the same active hormones as teenagers in the USA!
5) Mission workers need constant support and help
6) Many times we are called to do something for the Lord and He reveals to us a reason for our experience is something totally different from what we were expecting.
7) 23 Christian women loosed in the DR can cause deep laughter and cleansing tears.
8) Sisters-in-Christ can move mountains and cannot be stopped when they are walking in faith and obedience!!!
9) Love can cross language barriers and make new friends.
10) God can and will use anyone in amazing ways for His kingdom, if they are willing to step into the water, go through the fire to be purified and completely surrender to Him!

Question 3:Then take the top 2 and write why you were so impacted. What has it done to your thinking, your world view of missions, and why did God bring you on this missions trip?

Mari's answer: Fulltime missionaries give so much of themselves.

Acts 13:22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him; ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.

Ps. 16:2, I said to the LORD, ‘You are my LORD, apart from you I have no good thing.’


As I think about Daisy, (DAISY is the lady in the first picture clear at the end of the table) my mind has a hard time wrapping around all that she does in ministering to the women in El Callejon. Monday through Friday she faithfully makes the trip there to share Jesus with the women of all ages. She is prayer warrior, Bible teacher, craft teacher, tutor to students, menotor, peace-maker, encourager, friend and her list of the hats she wears goes on and on. This is all above and beyond her role at home as wife and mother.

She has many lives that she feels called to make adifference in. It would be completely different if these women fit in the nice little box of one of our churches where everyone was a Christian.
We have homes, electricity, indoor bathrooms with flushing toilets and warm showers. We have marriage and commitment and respect that makes sense to us albeit that even in Christian homes we have some hidden sins YET, we KNOW that sin is wrong because we have relationship with Jesus.
The women in El Callejon are living in the steeped and accepted traditions of living with a man, bearing his children and knowing that the father of their children has other women he sleeps with and fathers children to them. Physical and emotional abuse are part of their whole “Macho” man culture and very little is done to change this… It is an accepted way of life among those in the village.

Along comes SI and Daisy. Daise is a breath of fresh air, a flower planted where too many thorns grow up. Daisy offers unconditional love to these women, teens and little girls and through the Holy Spirit’s power she is making a huge difference. I believe God says of Daisy, “I have found a women after my own heart. She will do everything I want her to.” And I believe Daisy says to God, “You are my Lord, apart from You I have no good thing.”

I admire Daisy and other missionaries through out the world and I praise God for the example they are to me!

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1) Many times we are called to do something for the Lord and He reveals to us the reason for our experience is something totally different from what we were expecting.

11) God can and will use anyone in amazing ways for His kingdom, if they are willing to step into the water, go through the fire to be purified and completely surrender to Him!

These two go hand in hand for me. What we saw each evening as we sat around together sharing our day was revealing of the work the Holy Spirit. I know we each knew we would be blessed by our experience on this mission trip.
What I don’t think we expected was the way that God worked in our lives to dig deep and cleanse and purify our past and bring us to the throne to fully serve Him in the present. Blessings came in the form of healing and freedom from so many things we were carrying.
Being in a group of women that have hearts to serve the Lord with whatever task He asked us was impossible to do while carrying excess baggage. Tears of cleansing and healing poured freely and God then used clean vessels eager to serve Him. Also, the calling of hearts for work at home will be fun to see come to fruition.
Onward Christian soldiers!!!
Mari Bowers