Eddy and I were lucky enough to take our engagement pictures on a beautiful Dominican beach. I love those pictures. Something that I noticed right away was that almost every Dominican we showed those pictures said, "Oh que lindo, café y leche." Translated: "Oh, how beautiful, coffee and milk." They were, of course, referring to our skin colors and how beautiful our skin is next to each other. Something similar happened at the grocery store. We were buying groceries and when the check-out girl gave me my change, she had two pesos, one that was older and dark and one that was new and lighter. And she said to me, "look, it's just like you and him, one dark and one light but together forever." (She saw my ring).
People in the Dominican Republic are much more comfortable talking about skin color. It is not a taboo subject. It is not something that is offensive to meantion, it is just a fact. I am white and Eddy is black. It is just a description of how we look, the same as saying that I am blonde or have blue eyes. What I appreciate is that they not only can recognize it but they appreciate the beauty in it.
Our differences don't stop with skin color, however. Eddy and I are different in a lot of ways. We come from two very different backgrounds and cultures. He is Dominican and I am American. His first language is Spanish and my first language is English. I grew up in a Christian home, and Eddy became a Christian as a teenager. I grew up on pot roast and mashed potatoes, he grew up on rice and beans. And the list could go on.
However, something that is much more important than how we are different is how we are the same. We are both children of God. We were both saved by Christ's death on the cross. We are both Christians who are seeking God's will for our lives. We both have a desire to live a life pleasing to God. We were both led here by God and we both feel called to continue serving Him in this ministry. We both are sure that God brought us together for His purposes and we both desire to put God at the center of our relationship and, one day, our family.
When you are able to see that truth, that where it matters we are the same, then how you view the differences changes as well. Our differences no longer look like problems or reasons for doubt. Those differences, just like our skin colors, are now beautiful. Those differences now speak about God's love and the beauty in His plan for our lives. The fact that He brought us together from such different places and that He gave us the faith to follow Him and that He worked in our hearts and our lives to join us together so that we could serve His kingdom together here in the Dominican Republic, is beautiful. I am amazed by it and so thankful for it and I thank God that He has opened my eyes so that I can now see it.
I invite you to see the beauty in the plan that God has for your life.
