Category: My Life

After reading these pages in third grade, I announced, “I’m going to be a missionary to Cuba!” Being that it was a closed country at the time, my parents said hesitantly, “Let’s keep praying about that…” 

Through the years, Cuba still lingered in the back of my mind. Known for their bravura and impeccable technique, the Cuban dancers came onto my radar and as I pursued more serious ballet training, I began to wonder if dance would be my way into the country. “Train with the Cubans.” I had one instructor tell me out of the blue.

Around the same time that Bluebird Uncaged began to travel internationally, the US and Cuba began the process of normalizing their relationship. I had just begun to discover how the universal language of dance could open doors to talk about Jesus and started dreaming about expanding our outreach to other countries—Cuba, of course, was on the list. 

After traveling to Panama for four consecutive summers, we decided to take a break from traveling internationally in 2017 in order to refocus our efforts and research more destinations.

I started looking into Cuba through talking to other [dance] groups who had been before. 

One night I was perusing a missions organization site and came across a dance trip to Cuba with a group in California. I emailed them for more information to add to my research. “Come with us!” was the reply. At the time, things weren’t exactly lining up. I had previously committed to teach during the time the trip was taking place and didn’t want to go back on my word. “Maybe we can change the dates,” they said. 

The next week, my boss came to me and said that the hours I was scheduled to teach were actually tentative. Was God releasing me to go somewhere this summer? 

The trip with the California group got postponed to later in the fall, close to our preparations for Uncaged Christmas.

Weeks went by and still no confirmed summer teaching. I continued to pray for clarity in my summer plans. 

On Tuesday, May 16, my friend Lauren, texts me and says “Hey girl!! Random but would you be interested in going on a dance mission trip to Cuba?” I hadn’t told Lauren at all about Cuba! “Oh. My. Goodness” I replied, “Call me with details” 

Turns out that they had a team going and someone dropped out last minute. They needed one more person in order to get the group airfare rate and I just “popped into Lauren’s head.”

She needed an answer by the end of the day. I reeeaaaallllllly wanted to go and thought it was a God orchestrated situation but called my parents for wise counsel before committing. “Sounds like you need to be in Cuba this summer” Daddy said. I texted Lauren back, “I’M IN!!!” 

You might have to scrape me off the ceiling with a spatula, I can barely contain my excitement! I’M GOING TO CUBA!!!!!! 

Our team will be working with Ganadores de Almas para Cristo (Soul Winners for Christ), a youth evangelism training and discipleship program. More specifically, we will be training them with tools to use dance in worship. 

I’m excited and a tad nervous but completely in awe of the Lord’s faithfulness to fulfill the dreams that He plants. May Jesus continue to be the center of this adventure as He draws hearts to Himself. 

Stay tuned for updates!

Prayer request: because I am taking someone’s spot on the team and they had already started the visa process, we have to request a name change on the visa. Pray that we will have favor and permission will be granted expeditiously.

 

Book: You Can Change The World vol. 2: Learning to Pray for People Around the World

 

If you had asked little Rebekah what wanted to be when I grew up, I would have quickly replied “A missionary!” Being a professional ballet dancer was the furthest thing from my mind. Sure, I loved going to ballet class once a week but it was just for fun. 

I kept waiting for an opportunity to “go on a mission trip” but as I got more serious about ballet, my summers were taken up with intensives and extra training opportunities. I realized that for the time being, my “mission field” was exactly where God had placed me. I started looking for ways to love and serve those around me. To encourage the girls in my class (even if I reeeeaaalllly wanted to be chosen for that part over her).

My junior year of high school, God made it clear that I should pursue a career as a professional dancer (another story for another day). I stepped up my training and started thinking about companies I might want to dance for. Things started moving forward and it’s not that they weren’t working out…they just didn’t look like the way I envisioned. I started looking at the typical trajectory of a professional dancer and the realized how selfish of a profession it really was. In the end, it seemed empty. 

But I knew that God had called me on this path. “I gave you these gifts for a reason,” He said, “How are you going to use them?” So I asked myself the question, “what does this world need to hear?” the words hope and dignity kept resurfacing. Hope because Jesus is hope. Dignity because He created each of us in His image for a specific purpose.

Out of that, Bluebird Uncaged was born. We started out with a video project, Beautiful Things. Laura came to visit me in January of 2013 and we were talking about how we’d love to use dance to tell people about Jesus in other countries. “Well, your sister lives in Panama [Central America],” I said, “how about we go there?” I mentioned the idea to my parents and they said that I had to have more than just one connection there to go. So I randomly emailed an organization that was already making a difference in the community. “We’ve been praying about hosting an arts festival all year!” they replied, “and you all are the confirmation that we should do it.” God uses dance to open doors. 

Since then, Bluebird has returned to Panama for the past four summers and dance has opened the doors to allow us to talk about Jesus in jails, orphanages, public squares, and local theaters. It’s been beautiful. 

But all of that is a little beside the point. I want to encourage you to look around — realize the gift God has given you and the people He’s placed beside you. You have a unique sphere that no one else on the planet has. Your giftings, your personality, your skill sets—are all useful in communicating the story of Jesus. Jill Briscoe puts it this way, “the place between your own two feet at any given time [is] your mission field.” 

Take a moment to recount the doors God has opened for you on your dance journey (or even the ones He’s clearly closed). Now think about the people you met along the way. How many other people have had that combination of life experiences?! 

As dancers, it’s easy to get caught up in our personal journey (and to a degree we have to be focused on bettering ourselves to stay on top of our game) but look at the bigger picture. Your training as a dancer, gives you a unique position; you can relate to your fellow dancers in ways others can’t. Keep that in mind the next time you’re wondering why you’re just an understudy. 

Looking back on my journey, if I were where I wanted to be (and not where God knew I needed to be), then I wouldn’t have seen certain friends meet Jesus. Hold your gift of dance with open hands for it’s merely the tool we’ve been given to communicate Hope and Truth. These are the moments where time meets eternity; may you courageously steward them as grace[full] invitations to the Jesus story. 

Praying for you dear dancers. Keep shining! -RKD

 

This post was originally published on the Beautiful Feet Network blog.

 

“I really like how God has given me the opportunity to serve through dance. I just happen to have this set of gifts, and these are the gifts that I’m going to use to serve.”

Dallion Armeni shared a little of my life story and how Bluebird Uncaged came about on her blog. Read the interview here.

 

And then I had the honor of choreographing + dancing in Victoria Canal's latest music video. 

I saw him from behind. On the sidewalk to my left as I approached the intersection with Peachtree Street. His bright purple sweatpants layered under black basketball shorts with red and white trim stopped at the ankle bones. I don’t remember what socks kind of socks he wore with the shiny white tennis shoes. He moseyed up the hill with the familiar gait of a homeless man; something between a swagger and shuffle.

The light turned red. I stopped. He started toward my car. I avoided eye contact. My window was cracked open a few inches to enjoy the pretty day. “Excuse me, could you help me?” He gestured for me to roll my window down more. I didn’t but gave him my attention. He was tall, relatively skinny. “I’m just a nice, 40 year old man. I used to live in [the nearby apartment complex].”  His thick, straw like gray hair stuck out from beneath a gray beanie. His matching beard was full but seemed groomed. “Could you spare some change so I can maybe get a bowl of soup or something?” He rubbed his stomach and I noticed the muted red cable knit sweater flecked with pieces of lint fit snugly over a gray undershirt.

I turned around to the back seat (wonder if he was thinking I was about to pull a gun or pepper spray or something) and pulled out my last ‘homeless man bag’ left over from Nutcracker. I had been praying for the right person to give it to. The brown paper sack was stapled closed with a label that read, ‘your story matters’ in gray lettering with a little drawing of a typewriter. It was torn on the side from 3 of months sliding around the back of my Jeep. I opened the window a little further and stuck the bag through. “Is that milk?” he asked referring to the Special K protein shake peeking through the rip. “Yes sir” I said. He took the bag and started backing away from the car. “Well, you’re a very sweet, nice young lady. God bless you.” I smiled and rolled the window back up a little. “I’ll tell my daughter, Gretchen, about you.”

He walked back to the curb, I refocused on the light. It was still red. I watched him round the corner and a bush obscured him from sight. A few seconds later he reappeared from around the bush and waved with the shake in one hand and the cap in the other. I gave him a thumbs up. The light turned green. As I turned left I saw him tending a Walgreens bag on the covered MARTA bench. 

I drove off. Thanking God for the opportunity. Wondering about this man’s story. Wondering about Gretchen. Marveling that I had one bag left. That the bag was within reach (for a while it was in the trunk). Thinking it was weird that I knew his daughter’s name but not his. Wondering what he thought about the bag. Wondering if I should have said anything else. Praying for Gretchen. Praying for him. 

It reminded me of the toll booth lady and the blanket man and how each interaction is a divine appointment. 

Pray for Gretchen.

It was around 9:15pm. I was driving home from teaching for 5 hours. I was tired but my heart was full.

I didn’t have any quarters. As I approached the toll booth, I took the cashier lane farthest to the right because there was no line. 

“Good evening” The woman’s face was worn but not old and framed with tiny black ringlets pulled into a low ponytail. She tossed 50 cents into the bucket to her left. Her bright orange DOT polo wasn’t the best against her darker complexion. “Hi, how are you?” I asked and handed her the dollar bill. Her blue rubber gloved hand stretched out to give me my 50 cents. The gate opened and the little lighted sign flashed me a green Thank You.

“That is beautiful, what is it?” she asked gesturing to my necklace. “Oh, thank you. It’s a bird and it says free. I have to remind myself sometimes” I replied. “Where are you from?” Is that gate going to close? “Oh, I’m from here” “Is your family from here?” Her South American accent was thick but still understandable “Yes” Where is she going with this? I glanced at the gate again.

“Then why do you have to remind yourself that you’re free?” Wow, big question. How do I answer with a toll booth sound bite? “I just have to remind myself that I’m not defined by who other people say I am. That I’m not defined by my circumstances….” Do I add this part or not? “…But I’m free to live as who God says I am” Too late, it’s already out. 

Without hesitation she replied, “You need to remember, you are the most beautiful because you are so…” She searched for the right English word, ”…natural and spiritual. You don’t need to remind yourself because you are.” Whoa, she is preaching it to me. “You are the most free. Because you are so spiritual, you are free to fly anywhere you like” What do you say to that?

“Thank you for the encouragement. Do you always work here?” I asked. “From time to time” she replied. “Well hopefully I’ll see you again” I said as I took my foot off the brake. “God be with you” she said as I drove off toward the twinkling lights of ATL.

I don't know if my toll booth friend is walking with Jesus. I don't know why she felt the need to ask about my necklace; maybe she was lonely or maybe she just needed to practice a little English that night. But I do know that God used her to cheer up my heart and remind my head of how much He loves me. 

Be bold. Encourage a stranger. Realize every interaction you have is a divine appointment–even if it's just at the toll booth.