Living on Faith and $400: Our Frugal First Months in Puerto Rico

Living on Faith and $400: 

Our Frugal First Months in Puerto Rico

You might be scratching your head, picturing our arrival in Puerto Rico with no fundraising, no jobs lined up, and barely any money to our name. How did we even begin to afford life? It's a valid question, and the answer lies in a potent mix of unwavering faith and a crash course in extreme budgeting.

After the initial expenses – getting the lights turned on, securing our first month's rent, and the proud purchase of our $800 "Missionary Mobile" – we were left with roughly $400. This small sum had to stretch to cover groceries and gas for what felt like an eternity. And so began our life on a shoestring.

It’s crucial to understand that having faith in God doesn't mean sitting back and expecting miracles to fall into your lap. We played our part, embracing a level of frugality we never knew we were capable of. Our new house was a blank slate. No gleaming appliances greeted us. Instead, my wife became a master of hand-washing clothes in the sink. Our refrigerator was a large cooler, constantly replenished with ice. Cooking was done on a humble countertop toaster oven and a single electric burner. Every watt of energy was precious; if an appliance wasn't in use, including our generously donated TV, it was unplugged.

This might paint a picture of hardship, but surprisingly, it felt incredibly liberating. Our electric bills for those initial months hovered around a mere $25. We were intentional about every single resource. Nothing was spared.

When it came to food, rice became our steadfast companion. A three-pound bag for a single dollar was a staple. Our culinary creativity blossomed out of necessity. Pork and chicken, being the most affordable meats, also featured heavily in our diet. But our faith journey extended to our plates in unexpected ways. We were frequently invited for dinner by our welcoming neighbors and new acquaintances, expanding our culinary horizons and deepening our connections. Down the road, a small food truck offered a delightful treat: $1 chicken and potato empanadas, a welcome addition to our often rice-centric menu.

Those first few months in Puerto Rico were surprisingly euphoric. We spent countless hours exploring our new neighborhood on foot and making the most of the community "park." I use the term loosely, as it was more of a field with relics of playground equipment – dilapidated swings, busted teeter-totters, and often thigh-high grass. But the conditions didn't matter to us. Everything felt new, exciting, and full of potential.

However, the reality of needing a sustainable income loomed. We had a small trickle of support, a few hundred dollars a month, from a couple of incredibly generous family friends who believed in our work. We had never actively fundraised, but these faithful individuals offered their support. Still, it wasn't enough.

Once again, we placed our trust in the Lord and began earnestly seeking direction regarding finances. It wasn't long before Pastor Leo offered me a job at the school connected to his church. It wasn't glamorous, but the pay w
as decent ($11/hour), significantly higher than the average pay, and crucially for someone still grappling with the Spanish la
nguage, it required minimal interaction. I gladly accepted the position of school janitor and, to this day, can vividly recall the scent of the cleaning supplies. My responsibilities encompassed the entire K-12 school – emptying trash cans, sweeping, and mopping every classroom, office, and hallway. We were blessed beyond what we could have imagined.

The blessings of this job extended far beyond the paycheck. It provided opportunities for my family to visit me at work, and even join me to make the evening tasks go by faster. Many evenings, my wife would drop me off, return home to prepare a large pot of rice and beans, and then come back with the whole family to share dinner during my break. As an added treat, there were Tamarind
trees on the property, offering a sweet and tangy snack.

The blessings continued. The church and school were located in Manatí, a town blessed with beautiful beaches. It became a regular practice for me to head to the beach after work, finding solace and time for prayer by the ocean. It was an amazing period, a testament to the power of faith and the unexpected ways God provides. Our faith journey in Puerto Rico was off to an amazing start. 

To Learn More About our Ministry go to www.theexchangemin.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Faith Gets Stretched: From Puerto Rico High to Michigan Low

Image
When Faith Gets Stretched:  From Puerto Rico High to Michigan Low Little did we know, our faith was about to be stretched beyond anything we could have imagined. The vibrant afterglow of our Puerto Rico trip quickly dissolved into disbelief. Why on earth would the Lord call us to move there? It seemed utterly illogical. So, after countless hours of prayer and seeking wise counsel, my wife and I knelt together and made a bold request. We asked God, if He truly wanted us in Puerto Rico, to provide the means to get us back there within a month, fully funded. We had no idea how we'd conjure up the $1000+ needed in such a short time, but we chose to trust. We launched a GoFundMe campaign, and the response was nothing short of miraculous. Within a month, we had raised nearly $2000! Enough for me, my wife, and my father to embark on a week-long reconnaissance mission to Puerto Rico. Our minds were blown. We spent the week immersed in my wife's family's lives, believing we'd be...
Read more

Bleach Blond Hair and a Bucket Toilet: Our Puerto Rican Welcome

Image
Bleach Blond Hair and a Bucket Toilet:  Our Puerto Rican Welcome If you know anything about church culture in Puerto Rico, you likely have a certain image in your mind when you picture a pastor. Well-groomed, always in a suit, exuding a specific, practiced persona – it's a look deeply ingrained in the hierarchical structure prevalent in many Puerto Rican churches. The higher up you are, the more respect and honor you receive, often to an unhealthy degree (but that's a topic for another time!). Suffice it to say, there's a distinct "pastor look." And that "look" was precisely what my wife and I were subconsciously expecting when we landed in San Juan. Stepping off the plane and into the humid embrace of the tropical air, we navigated the familiar route to baggage claim. The San Juan airport has a unique setup – those waiting for arrivals must stay outside the luggage area. As we exited, scanning the crowd, we anticipated spotting an obviously "pastor...
Read more

Back in Michigan: An End to Puerto Rico or a Divine Confirmation?

Image
Back in Michigan: An End to Puerto Rico or a Divine Confirmation? The familiar chill of Michigan air hit me differently this time. Arriving back felt less like a homecoming and more like an unexpected pit stop on a journey that had just taken a sharp, jarring turn in Puerto Rico. Once the initial shock settled and I navigated the delicate task of sharing the truth of what had transpired just days prior, a distinct impression settled over those closest to us. The unspoken consensus seemed to be: "Well, that's that. Puerto Rico is clearly off the table. God wouldn't have allowed that to happen if He wanted you there, right?" It was a logical conclusion, a comfortable narrative. But little did they know the seismic shift that had already occurred within my heart. The day I surrendered my life fully to God, uttering those now-familiar words – "I will go where you ask , do what you ask, and say what you ask, without question" – it wasn't a casual commitment....
Read more