Inspiration in the Nations: Heidi from Dominican Republic

July 17, 2020 sakkelley

By Joy Teague Matienzo

One evening years ago I met a beautiful young lady who was very shy but had sparkly eyes. Since then I have witnessed firsthand her blossoming into a confident, joyful lover of Jesus with a warmth that draws people in and makes them feel loved and valued.

Joy Teague Matienzo: Heidi, can you tell us about your childhood in the Dominican Republic?
Heidi: When I was little I lived in a very small house with a very large patio. For me it was the best house even if it was made of tin and wood, because it was where I lived with my parents. Then when I was 7 years old and my brothers were 6 and 2, my mother moved to Spain to seek a better life. My father wanted to join her so he put our house up for sale and used the money to go to Spain.

When he left us, we moved with our cousins into our grandmother’s home. Thirteen of us — my uncles, cousins, and my grandmother, my siblings and I all lived together in one room. It was old and crumbling with rats and mosquitoes attacking us every night and it wasn’t even in a field! We were in the city center of Santo Domingo.

Eventually my father was deported from Spain back to the Dominican Republic because of his bad behavior. We were so happy to see him, but things would get worse and worse because he did not have very good character. Our childhood was cruel. It was marked by our father beating us every chance he got.

In spite of that, one thing I will always remember is that nothing made me happier than living with my cousins and grandmother. Even when we were so hungry that we cried together, we also dreamed together about the beautiful future that we would have when we were older, when none of us would ever go hungry or sleep on the floor again. We dreamed of growing up and giving grandma the best house in the world.

Joy : What were some of your challenges after moving to Spain?
Heidi: Two months before I turned 18 my mother brought me to Madrid. The best thing about it was the sense of security I had. I felt that here nobody would ever hurt me again and I did not need to live in fear like I had in my own country. But it wasn’t long before I felt lonely again because I was away from my family and I was afraid they would forget about me because we didn’t have internet in our home and a way to communicate.

My biggest challenge was living with my mother. Even though I wanted to be near her It was very difficult because we hardly knew each other. It was not the same as when a girl grows up with her mother and grows up discovering all the things that a mother teaches you. I was sad, still lonely and very disappointed.

Joy: What happened in December of 2011 that changed the direction of your life?
Heidi: One day, a friend of mine, also from the Dominican Republic, invited me to church. I thought I knew what to expect because my grandmother was very Catholic and had taken me to Catechism classes when I was little. I had also visited a lot of different kinds of churches with friends. But this church was different.

That was the day it all started to change for me; when I accepted Jesus in my heart. I met an Austrian lady name Maria who was going to become one of my closest friends. She took the time to love me and to show me how to walk with Jesus everyday. How to be His disciple. She would call me, take me for coffee, teach me about God’s word, celebrate my birthday and laugh with me. My biggest challenge was choosing every time whether to walk as Jesus walked or to walk with the world. I learned about what the Bible said about my identity and about who my true father is.

Suddenly it was like I had a new family. Without a doubt everything changed for the better; in the knowledge of God’s word, in my character and in the way I saw my life. I learned how to listen and speak to God, which is something that when you have it you don’t want to ever let go! Remembering the day of my baptism now is like I am reliving it. I was so excited to take that step and that step has changed my life every single day until now. I’m happy to say that my relationship with both my mother and my father has gotten better and I can see Jesus restoring what was stolen from me.

One of the talents God has given me is to love children and teach them His word. I’m on the Staff for Children’s Ministry at the church. Also I’m normally a very timid person, but I’m friendly at heart so when I meet someone and have the opportunity to tell them about God I do it because I want others to experience what I have experienced – the joy of knowing Jesus!

Currently my challenges are finishing my studies and learning English. I think God is helping me with this and is always encouraging me that He will never give up on me. In the worst moments when I’m so upset with myself for not remembering what I have studied I go back to some of my favourite Bible Studies and am reminded that God doesn’t want me to give up on myself and that even though it’s really hard I can do all things in Jesus’ name because for Him nothing is impossible.

Joy: What is your favourite verse?
Heidi:
Psalms 121:7-8

The Lord will protect you from all evil;

He will keep your life.

The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in [everything that you do]

From this time forth and forever.

Joy: Tell us about a time when you felt the support of the women in your life.
Heidi: I think my friends are always there supporting me. They are my biggest blessings.

I remember when my cousin died it was devastating for me and my pain brought me into a deep depression. My friends were with me comforting me and reminding me that God is in control of everything and that He knows why things happen.

Joy: What do you do in your free time?
Heidi: I like hanging out with my friends. I also spend a lot of time dreaming and planning to have a Community Kitchen my home country. If God wants me to do it, it won’t take much for Him to provide.

Joy: What is something you think people should know about the Dominican Republic?
Heidi: You will find all kinds of people there. Some good. Some bad. Most are Catholic and baptized before age two. God is so important in our culture that even our flag has a Bible on it to remind us that God is taking care of our country. Also it is a very beautiful place with many beaches, rivers and mountains. The people are kind and always welcome visitors with love.

Joy: Would you like to share a recipe with us?
Heidi: Here is my recipe for Eggplant and Coconut. It not only my favorite, it’s also the favourite of all my friends who have tried it.