Profile of Adam Stuck eating octopus at Vesuvios in Santo Domingo.		"I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 NIV).      Making my way down the ramp extending from the luxurious American Airlines plane I realized that I was crossing a bridge from one world into another.  As I stood with the rest of the VISA team, surrounded by unfamiliar faces speaking an unknown tongue,  in the sweltering heat of the Dominican Republic, I became blatantly aware of my vulnerability.  This condition was nothing new.  It's a trait that we all share.  Whether stranded in an unknown country or in the security of our own homes, we are all one breath away from disaster.  It is only because of God's mercy and promise to uphold the righteous that we are able to stand.  It was with these first steps on Dominican soil, as the doors of familiarity slammed behind me, that the seriousness of this truth materialized before me. Without the power of the Holy Spirit we really can do nothing.  Oh, we can accomplish goals and complete assigned tasks, but its all like filthy rags without God's anointing.  I believe that this trip was sincerely covered in the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  Our vulnerability was shielded by His might, and our inabilities were overshadowed by His wonderful presence.  God truly did work in miraculous ways and I praise His holy Name for it.  However, I believe we would have seen much more if we had literally dwelt in the secret place of the Most High. Whether we are on an overseas mission trip or shopping at the local grocery store, we are all called to be ministers of Jesus Christ.  As ministers, there is a very important principle we must not only remember, but also live by.  Speaking of Jesus, John the Baptist said "He must become greater; I must become less."  The more we die to ourselves and devote ourselves to prayer, the more the Lord can effectively use us.  I want to be putty in His hands!
Adam didn't chicken out on any of the food in San Juan.  Here he his scarping down a chicken foot.  (No - not leg - foot!)
Adam and Mike enjoy some exotic nonalcoholic drinks.
Adam clowns around with Cliff and Carie.
Adam practices his newly acquired Maracas.