Joyful Chaos

All smiles outside of the bus with everyone ready to learn, serve, and connect - Dominican Republic 2025 -

By Peter Mason

After the wind, earthquake, and fire, there was the sound of sheer silence—and Isaiah knew he was in the presence of God.

“I must confess that as we tried to get organized for Bible school and struggled to communicate with our hosts, I was getting worried. Would they be disappointed with what we had to offer? What would happen if we weren’t on top of our game with the music or the crafts? Would I be embarrassed standing in front of a school trying to sing lyrics in an unfamiliar language?

Joyful chaos is what ensued—something not unlike the wind, earthquake, and fire in our Bible reading. And God, of course, was there: in the lessons, in the joyful singing, in the wonderful creativity of the kids, and in the blessing of spending time with our hosts and with each other.

But for me, the silence came at the end of school, when I got to play catch with the kids. Nothing fancy—just me and a succession of young boys passing a rubber ball back and forth. Barely able to communicate, with no rules and no goals. Just two people spending time with each other in the presence of God.

May God's peace be with you all.”

About Peter: Peter Mason sings in the choir and is a member of the Creation Care team at Saint Peter’s. In the reflection above, Peter shares a moment from the recent trip to the Dominican Republic, where he was reminded of how God often meets us not in perfection or plans, but in the unexpected moments of connection.