“Seeing Past the Bars”

By Stephanie Germano

Matthew 9:36 says “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” In this verse we see the depth of Jesus’ love for us and His desire for “all to come to repentance”. Oh that we may see the lost through the eyes of the Lord.
On October 28th, 2015, we got on a plane and took a one way flight to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. We were amazed how God provided every need! Within our first week, He had provided us with a car, a place to live, and many people who were so kind to help us get settled. Not long after we had moved in, I had noticed something that I had overlooked during all the busyness of the move. There were thick bars in every window for security. It seemed odd to me, and sadly it really took away from the beautiful view outside. As time went by, however, the initial excitement of being in a new place began to fade. Soon, reality began to set in. The new culture and its differences became more defined. The inability to communicate with others began to feel isolating. Keeping house and home has always been something I have enjoyed, but all of a sudden those bars in the windows began to feel confining. They began to represent something more, reminding me of the homesickness that was growing each day and the changes to which I was trying adapt. Every time, however, where there was discouragement, God would replace it with His sweet joy! We could feel Him helping all of us adapt in every way.
One morning toward the end of June, I woke up with what I thought to be bad case of pink eye. Later, we were told by the doctor that I had somehow contracted salmonella in my right eye. The infection left a thick scar over my cornea. Though it was a scary few months, God replaced fear with His sweet peace. I have felt the prayers of God’s people as I have had the privilege to literally watch the Lord heal my eye! Over just a few months’ time, the Lord has restored my sight close to what it was before the infection!
Not too long ago as I was watering the flowers, I looked out over our neighborhood. Now many of the faces we see each day have not just a name, but a story. At times you can see some of the students from the school around the corner crossing the street. Many of them do not know Jesus as their Savior and desperately need Him to change their lives. There is a lady across the street, who cooks at park to provide for her two precious daughters. Oh what the Lord could do in her life if she would just place her trust in Him. I watched the men who deliver the weekly water jug orders as they zoomed in and out of the cul-de-sac on their motorcycles. What an opportunity that the Lord has given us to be a witness to them each week! As I was taking everything in, something suddenly occurred to me. For the first time I was able to look out of the window and not even notice those metal bars. Furthermore, I realized that it was not just my physical sight that the Lord was improving. God had given grace where it was needed to help me look past myself and the changes in my life that seemed, at the time, so hard to ignore. There will always be a set of challenges that we have to look past. May we as Christians always depend on God’s strength to help us do this very thing, and only then can we look through the eyes of Jesus to see the faint and weary “sheep having no shepherd”.

It was exciting to witness God’s hand moving during the month of September. In the Dominican Republic, September is the month of the Bible. Throughout these days, we focused on this theme in the messages and Sunday school lessons. Tim was able to preach two messages in this series: one on Ezra’s preparation in the Scriptures and another on Apollos’ knowledge of the Scriptures. We challenged the people to learn memory verses to recite each week during the service, and we are thankful that many of the members took this challenge to heart in hiding God’s Word in their heart. Stephanie was able to share a devotional in this theme during the monthly ladies’ meeting. She taught the ladies on the importance of the Bible in the lives of Mary, Anna, and Priscilla. On the final Sunday, two of the Sunday school classes shared songs and memory verses during the morning service. We were very proud of Landon as he worked hard to memorize the verses and song in Spanish.

The students and teachers began to settle into a routine in the academy these past few weeks. We have made a concentrated effort in sharing the gospel with the students in the chapel services, classrooms, and all around the school. The Lord placed it on Tim’s heart to preach in chapel on the relationship of works and salvation, and three of the students sought him out later in the day to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. You can read more about this in the previous post. In the school as a whole, dozens of children and teenagers have come forward to get saved. For example, last week following the chapel service, the preacher asked the students who raised their hand for salvation to stay behind, and 23 students remained to hear the salvation message again and ask questions about what to do next! I overheard one of them as they were returning to class seek out one of the staff members to tell them of their decision to follow Christ! Some of the school students joined our youth from the church in a Saturday night youth meeting, and 7 teenagers placed their faith in Christ. We are praising the Lord for His working on the hearts of these precious souls. God is doing a work here in the ministry. Please pray as we seek to disciple these new believers!

One more highlight during the month was the opportunity for Tim to preach his first message in Spanish. He was thankful for the encouragement and support of the members as they listened. He has also enjoyed the privilege to help lead in some of the services in Spanish. We are humbled to be a part of what God is doing in His harvest field.

Highlights and Prayer Requests

• Discipleship: Please continue to pray as we seek to disciple these new converts in the Word of God.
• Visas: Tim and the kids are at the end of the visa process. Pray as they are verifying everything and for Stephanie as she needs a few more items of paperwork in order to finish her visa.
• Stephanie’s eye: We are also asking for continued prayer for Stephanie’s eye. The healing process has slowed some, but we are grateful for the eyesight that has returned.
• Moving: Another prayer request is for our move during October. Our landlord is selling our apartment, but we found one on the other side of the church. Pray as we get everything in order to make this transition.

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” 1 Corinthians 3:6.

The Holy Spirit impressed this passage on my heart last week. In the academy, we have made a concentrated effort to present the gospel to the students in the beginning of the school year. From the first week of school in orientation until now, we have presented the gospel on numerous occasions. Pastor Autrey preached the good news of salvation the first week of school. Pastor Jose Ramon continued the theme in the second week. Last week, the Lord placed it on my heart to preach from Ephesians 2:8-10 regarding the relationship of works and salvation. I shared with the student body that many religions of the world today change the Biblical principle in the relationship of these two areas. They seek to perform good works in order to obtain salvation. I shared this truth with the students while reminding them that good works are to follow and show evidence of our salvation. At the end of the invitation, I encouraged the students to seek out myself or one of their teachers if they would like to accept Christ as their Savior. A few hours later, one of my high school Bible students came running up to me at her lunch break. Thinking that one of the students was causing problems for her, I asked her what was wrong. She reminded me of what I had said during the invitation, and she asked if she could get saved. Two of her friends then came alongside and told me that they would like to make this decision also. As Pastor Jose Ramon explained the gospel to them in their language, I watched as their faces demonstrated their understanding of the message and their need to apply it to their lives. I saw the Holy Spirit illuminate His Word and help them understand it. I observed as He used Jose’s explanation of the verses to drive home the need of salvation.  I listened as they prayed in their own language to Jesus Christ and asked Him to forgive them of their sins and be their Savior. I saw a change in their countenance and their joy as he told them there was rejoicing in Heaven over a sinner that repents. After they headed back to class, I sat at my desk and thought of this verse again. I had prayed that morning in my devotions that God would give the increase. God allows some to plant the seed of the gospel message. He gives the opportunity for others to water the seed and remind the hearer of the truth of His Word. But ultimately, He convicts their heart through His Word in ways that we never can, and He gives the increase through their faith in Him. We must do our part in planting the gospel message and watering this truth in their hearts. God will do His part in bringing forth the increase!

The month of August is already in the rear view mirror! The first week of the month, Tim traveled to Constanza with Bro. Autrey and a visiting group from Indiana. In the mornings, we held a Vacation Bible school in the city, and despite the cooler weather and rain, the attendance grew each day. By the last day on Wednesday, there were more than double the children than we had on Monday. Praise the Lord for over ten children that placed their faith in Jesus Christ. In the afternoons, we had a chance to blitz the area with gospel tracts and literature. It was encouraging to see two of the teenagers hand out over 300 tracts individually in a single day! In the evenings, the church hosted revival services for the whole family. Five adults and children accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior during the evening meetings! Pray for the pastor and Constanza Baptist Church as they seek to disciple the new believers as well as continue in the work of the Lord in Constanza.

We are continuing to progress in our Spanish. We sang a special in one of the Sunday morning services in church. Tim also translated for the group during VBS in the mountains. Please pray as he is preparing to give his first devotional in Spanish at the end of September. Stephanie continues to help in her four to six-year-old Sunday school class every week, and she has Spanish class each Wednesday and Friday.

On August 13, we held the first in a series of youth rallies at the church. The theme for the day was “The Christian Teenager and Worldliness”. Many visiting churches came to participate in the meeting. Tim brought the first message on Joseph and his stand against temptation, and the assistant pastor and another man in the church shared about Daniel and Samson. Pray as we are planning on hosting another rally in the month of November.

Throughout the summer, we have worked extensively in the renovation of the facilities in order to bring the property to school regulation standards, to prepare the classrooms for a new year, and to improve the bathrooms and storage. School began on Monday, August 28, and Tim has been able to help in the orientation and devotionals in the morning. He will teach Bible to the high school students, and Stephanie will teach English to fifth and sixth grade.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Stephanie’s eye. It is getting better each day. In her last two doctor’s appointments, the doctor personally came to the waiting room to tell Tim about the vast improvements in her eye. We are asking the Lord to heal her eye without the need of any surgery.

Tim has put in a lot of work over the last two months in regards to our visa. The process as a whole as been somewhat frustrating as the requirements given on the internet and from the immigration office are not complete as required by the actual workers inside the visa department. Tim submitted the paperwork and had his medical exam on August 19. Please pray as we still have another step left before everything is complete and we receive our visa. Our current visas will expire at the end of the month.

Much has happened during the past 31 days. We are thankful for what the Lord has allowed us to do for Him during this time. We also want to thank Him for the blessing of so many people praying for us. Please take a moment to view the following video highlighting our youth rally.

In July, we saw God’s hand moving, not only in the lives of children, but also in the healing of Stephanie’s eye. We started the month with a time of visitation and tract distribution for our upcoming Vacation Bible School. A group of seven ladies from Temple Baptist in Texas came to help us with the VBS as well as with decorations in the Academy. Even though it was hot, we had a great group of children come out every day. By the final day, we saw over 40 children place their faith in Jesus Christ! Praise the Lord! Please pray as we seek to not only disciple these children, but also reach their families. The following week, we had the chance to visit a local girl’s orphanage with the ladies. It is amazing as every time we go seeking to be a blessing to these children that we in turn receive more of a blessing. The final Thursday of the month, I was grateful for the opportunity to preach on salvation and works and how they are evidences of our relationship with Christ, not the means of our salvation.

As many of you know and have been faithfully praying, Stephanie contracted the Salmonella bacteria in her right eye this past month. On a Monday evening, she was feeling some discomfort in her eye, and when she awoke the next morning, she was unable to open her eye due to the pain and swelling. We were very thankful that she saw an ophthalmologist the following day.  He informed us of the severity of the bacteria as well as the ulcer covering most of her eye. After many doses of eye drops and medication, the infection cleared and the ulcer dissolved. However, she was still unable to see. Following two weeks of disappointing news, little change, and much prayer on our behalf from so many wonderful people, the Lord began to work, and the doctors were amazed at the rapid healing of the cornea. She is able to see a little more each week, and we are trusting God for a complete recovery. Thank you so much for your prayers! Our God hears and answers prayer!

Please continue to pray for more opportunities to be a witness to the doctor. It is evident that the Lord is working in his heart. He has even asked Stephanie to be in prayer for him and his family. Also, pray for Stephanie and I as we take a larger role in helping in New Life Christian Academy in August through teaching English and Bible. We hope that you take a few minutes to watch some of the highlights from our Vacation Bible School.

https://youtu.be/CKDncgxJ4u0  

We were blessed and encouraged over the last few weeks as we read so many special notes and e-mails of support and prayer for our family. The Lord has definitely used this experience to help teach us patience and reliance on Him and His plan.

Stephanie’s eye infection from the Salmonella bacteria cleared up a few weeks ago. The doctor changed the treatment some to help in the healing process of the ulcer. Last week, he asked her if she was able to see out of her right eye. She told him no, but she hoped to see more when the ulcer dissolved. He then informed her that the ulcer was in fact gone, and the scar that was covering much of her eye and the swelling were hindering her vision. We left discouraged but knowing that God had a plan. At her appointment on Monday, the doctor gave the same report about the severity of the scar and the slow healing process ahead of her. However, she began to notice a change on Tuesday and Wednesday, and we noted that there had been a drastic change in the size of the scar and “cloudiness” in her eye. Before, we were unable to see her pupil and most of her iris, but the “cloudiness” was gone and the scar was much smaller.  On Thursday at her appointment, the doctor repeatedly said “Oh” and “Wow” before calling in another doctor that practiced with him. As they rapidly talked back and forth in Spanish, Stephanie said that she began to feel anxious about a new problem. After a few minutes, the doctor switched to English and told her that there was not a problem. He said that he and the other doctor were just discussing how fast the eye was healing from the infection and how rare that it is! We are praising the Lord for what He has done, and we are comforted to know that healing is in His hands!

We are praying that the healing process would continue to progress. Her cornea is still swollen, but she is able to open her eye a little more every day. Would you continue to pray with us in the following areas:

1. Swelling in the cornea to subside
2. Continued healing of the eye and the scar
3. Return of her vision (she can now see basic shapes)
4. Good testimony and more opportunities to witness to the doctors

Thank you so much for your prayers! We are so thankful to have so many people praying for us!

We are so grateful for the continued prayers for our family. Stephanie had another doctor’s appointment today, and he told us that the infection is gone! Praise the Lord! She will continue to use the stronger eye drops for the next few days. We will discuss with the doctor next week regarding what more we can do to help in the healing process of the eye irritation, ulcer, and use of her eye. With the absence of the infection and diminishing of the drops, it will heal much faster. We are continuing to pray for complete healing without the need for a cornea transplant. Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement. We are blessed in so many different ways from our Heavenly Father!

Our hearts have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of prayers and encouraging notes! We are so blessed to have so many people praying for us. Stephanie had another eye appointment today. The doctor told her that the infection has moved out of the aggressive stage, and it is only located a little in the ulcer and on the bottom of the eye. Lord willing, the infection should clear up in the next few weeks. However, the doctors are concerned about the damage done to the cornea from the ulcer on her eye. They informed us that there will be some type of scar, but they are concerned about the heightened possibility for the need of a cornea transplant due to the severity of the infection and ulcer. We will know more after the infection is gone and the eye has had time to heal. We are thankful that none of these events were a surprise to our Heavenly Father, and we know that He has a plan in it all. Would you help us pray in the following areas?

1. Clearing of the infection
2. Healing of the ulcer and irritation
3. Wisdom for us and the doctors in this process

Thank you so much for your prayers. God is good, all the time!

Dear Praying Friends,

We trust that you had a wonderful time with family and friends on our nation’s birthday this past week. We are asking for prayers for Stephanie. Last week, she developed a serious eye infection. After further investigation and tests, it was determined that she had salmonella in the eye. The doctors began a rigorous regiment of strong eye drops to eradicate the infection. Praise the Lord the infection is slowing getting better with each passing day. However, it has caused significant irritation to the eye as well as an ulcer covering her pupil. We are asking the Lord to remove the infection completely so that the irritation will subside and the doctors can begin treatment on the ulcer. As with any eye infection and ulcer, there is significant chance for scarring and loss of some of the vision in the eye. Would you please pray with us in the following areas?

1. Removal of the infection through the treatments
2. Healing of the ulcer covering the pupil
3. Soothing of the intense irritation in her eye
4. No permanent damage to her eye or vision

We serve a God Who is able and Who has a plan for us. Thank you for your faithful prayers for our family. We are looking forward to what God has in store.

God bless,

Timothy and Stephanie Germano

June brought the end of the school year activities and the beginning of the summer plans. I was able to preach on June 1 during the IBBI group’s visit from Isaiah 40. This chapter serves as a wonderful reminder of Who our God is and how He can give us the strength we need! During their stay, we enjoyed a visit also from Stephanie’s family the first two weeks of the month. It was great to spend time with them in person and catch up on many different things. The kids especially enjoyed Papa, Lili, and Uncle David time. We were able to show them where we live and serve as well as some of the different sights to see on the island.

During their time here, another mission’s group came from one of Bro. Autrey’s supporting churches to help us in the ministries to the children and teenagers. On June 11th and 12th, we hosted a youth rally with the young people at the church. A great group came on Saturday afternoon for a time of games and fellowship followed by a message from God’s Word. A greater number returned on Sunday f0llowing the morning service for more preaching and activities at the park. On the Tuesday, we visited the El Faro boy’s orphanage for a service and activity time with them. Stephanie, the kids, and I always enjoy ministering to these children.

In the midst of these activities, the New Life Christian Academy held their end of the year program and graduation ceremony. The school provides another outreach into the community and into the families in our city. A few times this month, I was able to either translate publicly from Spanish to English or help lead some of the services of the church in Spanish. We are grateful for the opportunities to practice the language as we minister to the people. On Father’s Day evening, I was invited to fill in and preach at a local church in the capitol without a pastor. We were welcomed with open arms during the service and time of fellowship afterwards. Please pray as the church is actively seeking a pastor. The following Sunday, I shared from the Scriptures during the morning service from Psalm 23. Praise the Lord a first time visitor accepted the Lord as her Savior. Pray with us as we seek to help her in her new walk with Christ.

There is much to do during the summer break from the school year. Please help us pray as we continue working in the building, and pray for the outreaches coming up in July. We will host a Vacation Bible School from July 13-17 as well as services in two of the orphanages.