And finally......

WE HAVE SOME NEWS!!! After months and months (and more months) of waiting for an interview in the local immigration office, we finally received a letter stating that we are to appear for the interview on December 20 at 8:45 a.m. Interestingly enough, the letter was sent one day after our lawyer's office went to Atlanta to inquire about our case. During this week, we will be preparing for this interview. Please pray for us, as this will make a difference in our future and ministry. Specifically, pray for favor with the interviewing officer and wisdom as we respond to questions.

With the coming of the Christmas season, we have been extra busy. The previously empty calendar began to fill up rather quickly. We finished up our Christmas CD, and have had opportunities to play Christmas music at several churches, plus present the ministry for the first time to a church and several individuals. And just when we thought we were finished for the month and could concentrate on nothing more than the interview, we had a request to give a Christmas concert at a local chiropractor's office this coming week! We thank God for these opportunities to minister, and hope that our music and ministry has touched many hearts. We also thank God for the many individuals who have given to support our ministry out of love, and for some personal gifts that will cover any expenses associated with the interview.

In the Dominican Republic, our “home” church there will be having their Christmas program this Saturday. Although we are not able to be there, Abel has worked hard for the last few months on Christmas compositions for the choir and children's choir, which they will be singing as part of the program. In Juan Tomás, the students at Fountain of Life school are again decorating each classroom for Christmas. We pray that as they prepare their nativity scenes and other decorations that their hearts would be opened to the true reason for Christmas.

Thank you for your support and prayers. We pray for God's blessings on all of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 103:1-2 says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

It is overwhelming when we think of all the blessings that we have received from the Lord. His provision, His guidance, and His protection, and His forgiveness are undeserved, yet He chooses to bestow them freely upon us.

We have received some special blessings this year, for which we are deeply grateful. One is the constant provision for all of our needs. We serve a God who has shown His faithfulness time and time again, and provided for specific needs just when the provision was needed. Another is the many instruments that we have been able to send to the Dominican Republic, thanks to many of you who either gave an instrument or the money to buy it. One blessing, which naturally dominates much of our lives now, is the little baby boy daily growing inside. Just about to reach the third trimester, he is making his presence very much known!

Over the last month, we have had the privilege of meeting some local pastors for the first time and watching God work in their hearts as we shared not only our burden for the Dominican Republic with them, but also for the young people who are absent from so many Bible-believing churches here in the U.S. This has opened the door for us to share with some other churches, and minister to them through music.

We had hoped to hear something positive about our immigration status last week, our “sixty days” since the last communication being over. The information we received, however, told us almost nothing new – that the case is in the “final stages” at the local office in Atlanta, but that they have not been scheduling any interviews or appointments for several weeks. While it seems almost like a hopeless situation for the time being, we know that God is in control and has a purpose in everything.

Thank you for your support and prayers. We pray for God's blessings on all of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So much has happened in the last month!

Rebecca's short trip to the Dominican Republic for English Camp was an encouragement to students there, and served as a reminder of the needs in the Dominican Republic. Young people who had not touched their instruments in months were excited to have some instruction again. More importantly, we saw the spiritual impact that our can ministry have in the lives of these youth. There is truly something beyond the music classes that seems to reach into the hearts of many, and we long to be able to return and continue evangelizing and discipling through music.

After having received invitations to play and present the ministry in several churches, we are now working our schedule around ministering through music to churches. We feel very grateful to those who have chosen to support our ministry in some way, and in this way we can tell them “Thank you”.

Last week, we were able to communicate with someone in the immigration office, and learned that yes, we are beyond the normal waiting time for our paperwork. This is due to the office in Atlanta, where we will have our interview, being so far behind. We learned that they are currently processing applications from January, and our official “notice of action” date was towards the end of February. Please pray for diligence in the Atlanta office!

The BIG news for the month is that we are expecting a baby at the end of February! Needless to say, we are very excited about this new member we will be adding to the family.

Thank you for your support and prayers. We pray for God's blessings on all of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Thank you for your diligent prayers on our behalf. After spending a number of weeks investigating our request to expedite the papers and investigating us, the immigration office decided that we did not qualify for priority handling. We have considered more than once leaving without this visa, but such a decision would probably prevent Abel from ever traveling with me again to the U.S. Linda MicMillan, the missionary wife with whom we have worked in the DR sent us the following email:

Some things look like they are bad but God knows they are for our good. Another obstacle thrown in the path but it's not unsurmountable. It's interesting that we asked for the appointment on Thursday and on Thursday you received that notification. God can still open the door and we will continue to make the request.

We are hopeful that we will receive our notice for an interview soon, and be able to jump right back in for the Fall semester. In the meantime, under Abel's direction, Rebecca is going with the family to English Camp in Juan Tomas, and leaves on July 16. Abel will be holding down the fort at the family farm, milking goats once again.

English Camp is an evangelical camp that runs Monday through Saturday. We will have the 12-15 year-old age group. Our theme is “The Greatest Command,” and throughout the week we will be using the 10 Commandments to lead directly to the Cross, and ending with the greatest command: loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Please pray that God would use this for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom.

Thank you for your support and prayers. We pray for God's blessings on all of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He Shall Direct Thy Paths

Dear Friends,

We are very grateful with all of our heart for the support and love you have shown us for the past several months. Your prayers, gifts, and encouraging words have been a blessing to us.

Remember all those musical instruments God has provided for the ministry? For the last couple of months, we wondered how God planned to get those instruments to their final destination, and more recently especially with the new extra baggage fees. Well, this past week we sent a shipment of 13 instruments to the Dominican Republic with a mission team from Pennsylvania. We thank God for His timely provision, and this group for their willingness to transport the instruments.

Another surprise was suddenly hearing from an old friend of Abel's, who is now a pastor planting a Hispanic church in Florida. He, along with two other pastors, would like us to give a presentation of our ministry to a group of three churches, and is working on a possible schedule to make it possible. On our part, we would love to see that part of the country if the opportunity arises!

We have been notified that our papers are “interview ready,” and are waiting on our district office in Atlanta to schedule the interview which should finalize the process. As we hope to be in the D.R. for English Camp in mid-July, we are requesting through our Congressman's office that they expedite our papers. Please pray for those who will be considering our case.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

As we trust the Lord with our ministry and future, we know that He will continue to direct our paths.

We wish many blessings for all of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As to the Lord

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord...."  (Colossians 3:23)

The last week took a new turn for Music of the Heart Ministry; when the majority of the Dzimianski family left for their annual homeschooling conference in Texas, the goats on the farm stated that they would NOT fast or take a week's vacation from producing milk.  So it was that Abel De La Cruz got dragged into Rebecca De La Cruz's former life of milking goats and feeding dogs, horses, and cows.  Is has been an opportunity to do "whatever" "as to the Lord," not just do the things we like as to the Lord!

In the midst of ministering to the goats & cows (and thus to our family), we have been working to record an instrumental CD.  Over the last two weeks, we have been able to record 10 out of 12 hymns on cello and piano, albeit with many difficulties due to problems with old software.  We feel that these recordings could be a blessing to many people, and with the goal of being able to make more recordings in the future have begun to look for quality recording software.  Our Lord deserves our very best.  Please pray with us about this aspect of our ministry.  We need three programs to take a recording from start to finish, which together would cost around $600 with the educator's discount.

Thank you again for your faithful prayers and support.  We value your prayers above anything else, knowing that the "prayers of the righteous availeth much."

Instruments for the Ministry

"Ask, and it shall be given you..."

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."  Matthew 7:7-8

The end of March and beginning of April has been a time of blessing and answered prayer.  We have had the opportunity to share our ministry with several individuals, a church, and with the music students at a Christian college.  As we ministered with music and communicated our burden for the children and youth in the Dominican Republic, God touched hearts to donate instruments or support the ministry financially.  Through the gift of Homer Methodist Church, we were able to buy a much-prayed for cello and meet a Baptist pastor in the process.  We have received several other instruments from church members who want to help us reach out to children with the Gospel through the gift of music.

On the paperwork processing front, everything appears to be going smoothly and we hope to be finishing this process very soon. 

Our prayer list at this time is:
- The continuation of the ministry both here and in the DR 
- Completing paperwork

- Continued provision financially and of instruments.

Thank you for your faithful prayers!

Thank you for your continued prayers and for your support. God has truly provided our needs during our stay here in the U.S., and given us the blessing of fellowship with like-minded believers.

In Jefferson, GA, we are continuing to serve through music in Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana.  The town of Jefferson and surrounding areas has a large Hispanic population. Aside from music ministry within the church, God has placed it on our hearts to go out, share the Gospel, and invite Hispanics in the Jefferson area to the church, where they will hear a clear presentation of the Gospel. Please join with us in prayer as we plan and map out this part of the ministry. Acts 1:8 says, “...and ye shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” We give thanks to God that He has given us opportunities to minister while here in my “Jerusalem.”

Things are moving along with our paperwork, and we have an appointment in a government office on March 29. Please continue to pray that all of this will come to a close quickly and efficiently. In faith, we are beginning to plan our packing, and continue to prepare ourselves for the ministry in the Dominican Republic.

Waiting and Serving

As we wait for all the paperwork to go through in order to return to the Dominican Republic, we are amazed at God's provision and leading. Even as we wait and equip ourselves to improve the ministry we have in the Dominican Republic, God has given us a ministry opportunity for the duration of our time here in Georgia. Over the last month and a half, we have become involved with a recently planted Hispanic church, which had a need for musicians. We are currently giving music classes there to both children and youth and taking the opportunity to share the Gospel with those attending the classes who have not yet received Christ as their personal Savior. 

Once back in the Dominican Republic, we will be sent out as home missionaries in the D.R. by Quisqueyana Baptist Church, which is involved in evangelism and church planting.  As of now, the ministry at Fountain of Life School will continue, as will private music lessons. The church ministry will involve classes for young people in the church, as well as going out to minister in other churches. As always, our goal will be to fulfill the Great Commission through music. Quisqueyana Baptist Church is located in the city of Villa Mella, on the outskirts of Santo Domingo. The church is surrounded by sin, ignorance, and poverty, by people with spiritual and physical needs. Fountain of Life School, located just a few miles away, shares many of the same needs. Through music, we re able to reach out to many of these people with the Gospel.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support. Please pray that our paperwork would be completed in a timely manner, and please continue to pray for our ministry. We are at this moment looking specifically for a cello to take back with us to the D.R.  As mentioned, our sending church is changing, but support can still be sent through Crooked Creek Baptist Church.  

Isaiah 40:31 says, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength..."  

We thank the Lord for this opportunity we have here to wait on Him for all things as He renews our strength.