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Hi –

Just a quick “Hello” and the copies of the November mission e-mail.

In Christ, Michael

Anita and Michael Dohn

E-mail: DohnFamily@SAMS-USA.org

Tel: +1 809 246-1718 or 809 357-5155

San Pedro de Macorís, Rep. Dom.

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Takin’ out the trash

News cast in mid-September, 2011

“You are listening to the BBC World Service. Amidst the continuing fighting in Tripoli, regular garbage collection has resumed this morning. Garbage trucks with attendants in uniform are following their regular routes.”

The worldview of the BBC may be a little bit different. As far as we could determine, no other international news service lead with that story (or even mentioned it). However, what better indication, perhaps, of a returning to normalcy in Tripoli, Libya, than the resumption of regular trash collection service?

There are some challenges living here (electric outages, general strikes, water shortages, crime, food and water borne disease, tropical diseases, mosquitos, corruption, etc.). However, our garbage collection has been excellent. We are in a middle-class neighborhood and Tuesday is our garbage day, with pickup almost always between 7:45 and 8:30 AM.

Several years ago when government action here had devastated the country’s economy, we had months with no more than two hours of electric service a day, water service for an hour or so once or twice a week, empty store shelves, closed gas stations for lack of gasoline, the regional hospital used candles at night because there was no fuel for its electric generators … it was a mess. But our trash was collected every Tuesday morning, usually between 7:45 and 8:30 AM! We were absolutely flabbergasted considering the general state of affairs.

This is all to say that it is generally recognized how important it is to take out the trash.

We met a Southern Baptist evangelist during our missionary preparation. He maintained that missionary service was more often adversely affected or devastated by hanging on to bad feelings, resentments, transgressions, frustrations, hurts and wounds than by anything else. Periodically you have to get rid of all that. Or as he said it, “You gotta stay ’fessed up!”

Whether formal or informal, reflection with a realistic appraisal and confession is a good idea. I suppose that we all got trash to take out.

Keep praying, Michael




Hi – Just a quick “Hello” and the copies of the November mission e-mail. In Christ, Michael Anita and Michael Dohn E-mail: DohnFamily@SAMS-USA.org Tel: +1 809 246-1718 or 809 357-5155 San Pedro de Macorís, Rep. Dom. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Takin’ out the trash News cast in mid-September, 2011 “You are listening to the BBC World Service. Amidst the continuing fighting in Tripoli, regular garbage collection has resumed this morning. Garbage trucks with attendants in uniform are following their regular routes.” The worldview of the BBC may be a little bit different. As far as we could determine, no other international news service lead with that story (or even mentioned it). However, what better indication, perhaps, of a returning to normalcy in Tripoli, Libya, than the resumption of regular trash collection service? There are some challenges living here (electric outages, general strikes, water shortages, crime, food and water borne disease, tropical diseases, mosquitos, corruption, etc.). However, our garbage collection has been excellent. We are in a middle-class neighborhood and Tuesday is our garbage day, with pickup almost always between 7:45 and 8:30 AM. Several years ago when government action here had devastated the country’s economy, we had months with no more than two hours of electric service a day, water service for an hour or so once or twice a week, empty store shelves, closed gas stations for lack of gasoline, the regional hospital used candles at night because there was no fuel for its electric generators … it was a mess. But our trash was collected every Tuesday morning, usually between 7:45 and 8:30 AM! We were absolutely flabbergasted considering the general state of affairs. This is all to say that it is generally recognized how important it is to take out the trash. We met a Southern Baptist evangelist during our missionary preparation. He maintained that missionary service was more often adversely affected or devastated by hanging on to bad feelings, resentments, transgressions, frustrations, hurts and wounds than by anything else. Periodically you have to get rid of all that. Or as he said it, “You gotta stay ’fessed up!” Whether formal or informal, reflection with a realistic appraisal and confession is a good idea. I suppose that we all got trash to take out. Keep praying, Michael