A Look Back…

As this year is drawing to a close, I’ve been thinking about all that has happened to bring me to where I am today.  It’s hard to believe that I’ve almost been here for four months now!  SO many things have come together to make this all possible and it’s easy to see God’s hand in all of it.  No, life here has definitely not been perfect or even easy, but it has been life-changing and rewarding, and right now, I wouldn’t want to be any other place.  I have definitely been relying on Prov. 3:5-6 more than ever, especially with everything that has happened recently and missing family and friends during the holidays. 

Some of my family and friends came and visited me for a week.  It was exciting and funny to introduce them to my new life.  Let’s just say that they are very American, and you can’t take a country girl too far away from the country or funny things are bound to happen!  We had a great time exploring areas that I hadn’t even gotten to see yet!  Beach time was a must of course, plus lots of time catching up and laughing non-stop!  They came the day that I was robbed, so it was great to have them here for support and to take my mind off things for awhile, even if mom did demand that I was going home with them after she heard what happened.  I talked her out of that one of course! 

   

While they were here, we got to go to the school twice so they could meet my kids!  The second time we went down, the kids threw me a birthday party.  As I walked in the door, they sang “Happy Birthday” in ENGLISH and then they counted to 30…not sure if they were just showing off or thought I’m old…either way, I’m so proud of them! 

 

On December 23rd, we hosted a Christmas party at the school for the preschoolers and older students.  We made 60 cupcakes and packed 60 backpacks full of a Bible, popcorn, a candy cane, lollipops, a salvation bracelet, a pencil, and an orange (which I bought from the same student that always gives me oranges…his mom was shocked at such a large purchase)!  Shawn shared the real meaning of Christmas to the students.  We also recognized three outstanding students for their behavior and grades.  They received a certificate and a nice backpack supplied by John and Karen Shaffer.  The kids enjoyed singing, making crafts, and eating their snacks.  They were so impressed that I knew how to make cupcakes (from a box!)…these kids are definitely good for the self-esteem!  Some students were asked to share what they were thankful for.  One student said that he was thankful for the opportunity that he was being given because of the school…I still smile thinking about him saying that.  It reaffirmed my place here all over again.  This school is impacting these children and they realize what a great opportunity it is for them.  As I was leaving, quite a few students came up to me privately and asked if I was ever coming back.  It broke my heart that they thought I might never come back after the robbery.  I assured them that I would be back and that they better be ready to learn more!  The love that they show me amazes me over and over again!  When/if I leave, it will break my heart to think that I may never see my kids again.

   

Christmas here was very strange.  I had a good time with my new family and friends but it just wasn’t the same as home, especially since it’s still in the upper 80’s here.  No chance of snow for this girl :(  But I’m not giving up on miracles :)  Although my aunt and uncle gave me some “Snow to Go” and two of my friends creatively cut out snowflakes, put them in a envelope labeled “Special Delivery.”  I was given instructions to open the envelope, hold it over my head, and shake it…and it snowed it the DR!  I guess people know I really like snow huh?!

As we’re getting ready for the new year, please pray for the following:

• I’m still trying to figure out my transportation situation since my bike was stolen.  Safety and money are both issues that I need to consider, but I do know that I miss my bike; three weeks without transportation and independence have been very strange!
• We are looking for an armed guard to be at the school while we are there during the day.  Eventually, we hope to build a wall around the school, but that will have to wait until money is raised.
• The students and their families and also the community surrounding the school.  The men that robbed me lived very close.  The other teacher and the students knew the men.
• Our safety.  Another American missionary here was robbed at gunpoint last week.
• Wisdom as we work in the community and just in our daily lives.
• The Ears to Hear Radio station, Shawn, and the young men helping him to start the station. 
• Short-term mission teams that will be coming down soon. 

Thank you for your continued support and prayers…keep ‘em coming!  I can’t wait to see what God is going to do down here this coming year.  I know I didn’t expect what has happened so far, but I’m enjoying the ride even if I can’t see around the next curve.  It’s impossible to even begin to share everything that has happened with you, but this will hopefully bring you up to date!  Which reminds me to ask you to pray for my future after my committed time is up here in June.  I have no idea what is going to happen, but either way, it is going to be extremely hard to say goodbye to one group of people or the other. 

Hope you had a great Christmas and enjoy the new year!  Be prepared to step out in faith and do what God is calling you to do.  It’s not always easy, trust me, I know, but it will be worth it!

Another Side of Life…

I was sitting in the back of the school on Monday listening to Wilkyns share the Bible lesson and school news.  He mentioned December 14th, and all the kids started getting excited saying that, that was my birthday.  So they “kicked me out” of the school to discuss plans for that day.  As I was sitting outside, I thought about how my family and friends were coming this week and I really started to miss them.  I questioned myself why I was away from them and whether I was really supposed to be down here in the DR.  I got a little teary-eyed, but then, I could here the excitement of the kids inside planning a special day just for me and I knew that was like God confirming that He does want me here and that these kids love me and are using this opportunity to help their families and community.  It was such an awesome feeling to know that I belong here.

And then along comes Satan to steal my newfound joy…all the kids had been sent home for the day when I realized that my purse was missing.  My license, money, camera, bike documents, house keys…everything important was in there.  Wilkyns called all the children back to the school and we searched the place inside and out until it was found 45 minutes later…without the money.  This is actually the third time someone has taken money out of my purse and I just don’t know how to keep everything secure without keeping it on me the entire time.  We still don’t know who took the money, and with it, my ability to trust anyone completely.  But I also realized that loving, caring friends and family donated this money to me.  It wasn’t mine to start with; God provided it once, and He can provide it again. 

and then on Thursday…

I was so excited because my family and friends were coming!!!  It’s been over three months…time has really flown by!  But of course, the day couldn’t just be a happy reunion…

While Shawn, Jen, and their kids have been in the United States, I’ve taken extra safety precautions.  Someone has been at the house “protecting” me most of the time.  When I drive to school, someone always meets me to guide me through the more dangerous areas.  I’ve had continuous warnings that I shouldn’t even be in the area at all. 

Thusday morning, I just had a feeling that I should leave my laptop at home.  Wilkyns was going to be away in the capitol, so I would just be at school with one other teacher, Jonathon.  He met me and rode in with me on the back of my bike.  Thankfully, we made it to school just fine.  Only twelve kids showed up and I thought about canceling school since that’s not even half of our students, but I realized that wasn’t fair to the children dedicated to the outcome of their future life. 

As I was reading a story about Moses, two young men came into the school, one with a mask, the other with a gun.  The were demanding the keys to my motorcycle.  Some of the kids ran outside.  They put Jonathon down on the floor as they searched me for my keys.  I kept telling the guys that I didn’t have anything, that I needed my bike and phone.  I pleaded to at least let me keep my phone, to no avail.  He threatened to shoot me if I didn’t give him the keys.  One gut patted me down and found my keys and phone and the other pointed the gun in my face.  They took them, along with the keys to the school and both of our cell phones.  

They left quickly.  A third man had been standing guard outside.  The kids that had run away brought back the father of one of the students who watches the school at night.  Everything just seemed impossible at that moment.  I had been so excited to see my family and when this happened, I felt like every time God reveals the good in life, Satan comes right away with blow after blow.  Plus I could only understand snipits of what the kids and the men were saying afterwards about the whole situation.

We finally decided to walk to Wilkyns house, about 10 minutes away, to get his phone number from his wife.  As we started out, all the kids were following us, like we were all in this together.  It was cute, but we made them go home.  We borrowed Wilkyns’ bike, and then all three of us went around to talk to some people that knew the “tigres”, the local bad boys.  Jonathan and the kids knew at least one of the guys responsible, so he spread the word.  Sometimes, if you know guys higher up, you can get your stuff back.  The thing that really made me angry was the fact that two of the guys live right in the same community as the school.  Doesn’t he realize that we’re trying to help his community?

We headed for the police department and they pointed us to multiple rooms where we retold the story multiple times.  A truck pulls up with four police officers and two more jump in the back, all carrying very large guns.  They took Jonathon and the other guy with them to try and track down my bike, while I waited at the police station.

As I was waiting, I think I felt almost every emotion possible.  I was angry, scared, hurt, and sad, but also happy that no one was hurt.  It made me recall the story that I was reading to my kids when all this happened.  God protected Moses as a child and throughout the rest of his life, even though there were threats all around him.  God used these difficult situations, and through these times, Moses was able to bring glory to God…PRAY the same will come out of these situations. 

So now I have a gazillion thoughts running through my head:  Am I ever going to feel safe at the school again?  Will they find my bike and phone?  How am I going to afford to buy a new bike if they don’t?  How is this going to affect the kids?  What’s my family going to say?  And that’s just the beginning…Please pray…

My mom’s first reaction was that I was heading home with them immediately, but I know this is where God wants me right now.  Today, Monday, we all went to the school to show my family around.  Normally on my drive to the school, there are only a few people that look suspicious, but today, everyone just seemed more intimidating.  I was more anxious than I thought I would be about going back down.  As of right now, Shawn has said that Jen and I shouldn’t be teaching until there is an armed guard in place to prevent this from happening again.  Please pray for wisdom in the situation.

I was trying to figure out why this happened, and I thought about Philippians and how it says to rejoice in ALL things…easier said than done, but here’s a few good things that came from the experience:  I get to spend more time with my family while they’re here for such a short time.  The Dominicans showed me just how much they cared about me.  I have had so many of them checking on me.  Even my students were worried when I didn’t teach today.  And third, I’m hoping that the thieves realized that our school has nothing to steal and will pass that word onto their “friends” since someone has tried to break into the school twice during the night.  For those things, I am indeed grateful and I know that God has been and will continue to work through all of this.

The whole situation doesn’t seem real and I don’t quite know how to process the experience mentally yet.  I joke about it, but I’m never going to be the same after looking down the barrel of that gun.  Please continue to pray.  Thank you for all of your support and encouragement.  I need it now more than ever.  

Perseverance!

After a week away in the capitol, it was definitely hard to go back to work.  I was not looking forward to it, but as I got close to the school, some of my students began yelling my name and running after my bike, towards the school.  Then, when Wilkyns was dividing the groups up, every group wanted to go with me first.  It definitely started my morning out on a high note, and made me realize that God has allowed me to be an important part of this community.  I really needed that reminder!

Our Bible studies this week are centered around the theme of perseverance.  Wilkyns is in charge of this part of school, so I was just kind of listening to the lesson in the morning while working on a few things to get ready for the day.  At the end of the day, we have a review time, and it hit me that these lessons, although written for children, are something that we need to be reminded of ALL THE TIME!  The lesson centered around Joseph’s life and how he did his best in the situation he was in.  He could have given up when his family abandoned him, but he didn’t, and because of that, God used him in great ways.  After going through a lot of things, it was an awesome reminder to stick it out because God has a plan for all of us (Jeremiah 29:11 – our school’s theme verse).  Just wanted to share this because I know others are going through things in their life where they just want to give up….PERSEVERE…do your best in every situation, and talk to someone…we’ve all been there at some point…probably many times if you’re like me!

Up and Running!

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated this, so hopefully I remember everything that has happened, which is a lot!  I feel like I’ve literally been up and running for the last few weeks trying to get everything ready for the school. The metal roof is finally on, but sadly in the process, Shawn fell off of a ladder and broke one leg below the knee and the other near the ankle and tore some ligaments.  Both legs are in plaster casts.   He played an integral part in completing the school and his knowledge and dedication was sorely missed.  A group of Dominicans came together after the accident to “finish” the school on Monday, October 17th so that we could start the next day.  And by finish I mean that there’s 4 walls and a roof, but not much more.  Jen and I were running around all day trying to find last minute building supplies.  I actually impressed myself though…this was one of the first days that I could tell my Spanish is actually getting better and I was able to carry on a conversation with strangers! 

 

That afternoon, many of the parents came for a meeting where Wilkyns stressed the reasons for the school.  First, to share the Word of God with the people in the community of Batey Central, and second, to give children a chance to break free from the circle of poverty that is so strong in this area.  Many of the children are not able to attend public school because they are of Haitian descent.  Typically, Haitians are thought of as low class and are unwanted and unrecognized in the DR.  The Biblical and academic knowledge that will hopefully come from this school can transform the lives of many people.  The parents understood this and seem excited to have this for their children.  Our theme verse for the school is Jeremiah 29:11.   For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Hope and future…things that many in this community don’t believe in.  Earlier in the week, Wilkyns and I walked around telling people about the start of the school.  Sadly, we found out that two families had moved to the high mountain area to find work where they and their child would pick coffee beans.  Another girl got married at the age of 15…a seemingly never-ending cycle.  Wilkyns was devastated by this because these families represented the exact reason why this school was starting. 

After the parent meeting, we went outside, only to find out that someone had stolen a bag of my clothes and shoes, and some school supplies out of our Suburban.  It really discouraged me, and I was ready to quit right there.  In that moment, I felt like I was wasting my time and that people were so greedy that they couldn’t even see the good things that were coming to this community, things far greater than material possessions.  As I was standing alone next to the car, someone pointed out a rainbow.  It reminded me of the promises that God has made us, and although I was still discouraged, it was encouraging to remember that God knows the plan for my life and that this is where He has called me for the time being, through the good and bad. 

On Tuesday, I was up bright and early to head to my first day of school.  I headed down with Karen Shaffer and a large load of supplies on my bike.  Some of the kids were already waiting for us at the door when we arrived.  It was exciting to see that they wanted to be there and were ready to learn.  It made me regret how much I hated going to school and didn’t cherish the opportunity because I didn’t see it as a privilege.  The first day, we had 24 children show up, a lot less than Wilkyns was expecting, but it was a good size for the way we are working things.  Wilkyns starts the day with an interactive Bible study with all of the kids.  Then, the kids are split into four groups by their age.  One group goes with Wilkyns for Math.  One goes to Jonathan, another Dominican teacher, for Spanish and Science.  The third group comes to me for Language Arts and English, and then the fourth group goes to Karen for a listening station that reviews topics being taught in the other classes.  Each group rotates through every teacher so that everyone receives a similar educational experience. 

In the morning, we have students ages 6-14 from 8:00 to 12:15.  Then, in the afternoon, Jen Rineholt and I teach on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and Wilkyns and his sister, July, teach the other two days from 2:00 to 4:30.  These kids are ages 3-6.  Some of them are so cute, and some of them are like little devils!  We’ve had the corners full of kids!

I feel like I am a teacher in the old days.  All four of us are in one room, 26’x38’.  There are no walls separating our classrooms, so it’s very distracting, not only to the kids, but to me as well.  Starting out, we have very limited supplies also.  We had a small 2’x2’ chalkboard and whiteboard that the other two teachers are using.  I only used my computer to show PowerPoint's.  Amidst all of the school supplies sits the scaffolding, leftover wood, cinderblocks, and ladders.  Definitely a sight to see!  Basic beginnings, but it’s working!  I finally started putting posters and stuff up on the walls.  They clipped to strings that are tied to leftover nails from the building process, but it works!  It was exciting to finally see the place looking like a real classroom!

The oldest kids were so excited to come to my group…I couldn’t help but get excited about teaching them.  The youngest group on the other hand has been challenging to say the least.  I told all my students that even though I am their teacher, they are also my teachers because I still need to learn a lot of Spanish.  It is decent enough that I can tell them what I am looking for, but when they misbehave, it’s really hard to discipline them when I can’t explain what they did wrong. 

The language barrier has been pretty cool too.  The kids are really excited about learning English and are constantly asking how to say different words…normally it’s on topic too, which is hard to believe.  The one day, I was teaching the color purple, and when they said it for the first time, I just stopped and laughed out loud.  I felt bad at first, but it was too funny to hold in.  I explained to them that they can tell that I say a lot of words strangely and that, for me, it was funny to hear them say words differently.  Instead of purple, many were saying plurplull.  The kids still laugh when they say it now.  It has amazed me how fast some of the kids have picked up the words I’ve taught.  After two weeks, many of the kids know colors, animals, basic phrases, numbers 1-10, and the short “a” sound with words that go along with it.  It doesn’t seem like a lot, but when we first started, many of the kids didn’t even know their colors in Spanish.  I informally tested the kids on Friday just to see what I needed to plan more lessons for.  Many of the kids did extremely well and it once again reaffirmed that even though times have been tough lately, it is worth it.  Most of the kids are moving ahead surprisingly fast.

I’ve almost been here for two months now.  Time has flown by quickly.  Most of the time, things have been pretty good, but the last 3 weeks have been really tough.  Pressure to get the school started, the language barrier, lack of funds to put finishing touches on the school, Shawn’s injuries, the stolen stuff, behavior problems, time management, safety warnings, etc.  Multiple people have come up to me saying that it’s not safe to drive my bike down here, but no one has a solution on how to fix that.  One morning a good friend stopped me and warned me that something was going to happen soon and that I shouldn’t drive anymore.  I finished my drive with tears pouring down my face, wondering what I was doing, and if it was worth it.  Yes, something might happen and I really was ready to call it quits because I was afraid.  In fact, it is dangerous, but I know God has me here for a reason and that He’s given me wisdom and knowledge and He says that we can’t have a spirit of fear.  I know this doesn’t mean that I’m guaranteed safety while I’m here, but if something happens, I can rely on His other promises.  Things are finally turning around though.  It’s so good to have a God that has daily shown me His love and mercy.  Each day my phone sends me a verse, and each day these last few weeks, that verse has been so helpful to focus my thoughts and attitude.  It also helped to have friends here and in the US that were praying and laughing with me.  Thank the Lord for Facebook!

On Tuesday, I was coming up our not-so-lovely road with Jen and a load of groceries and copies weighing down the motorcycle and lost power and started sliding down the mountain.  In the process of trying not to lay the bike over, I burned my leg on the muffler.  Thankfully, I was able to keep the bike up.  Sadly though, the burn looks really nasty.  I’m pretty sure it’s infected, so Jen and I went to get some medicine.  It was pretty expensive, but it’s better than ending up in a Dominican hospital.  Hopefully it works because right now, it’s repulsive to look at.  Sam Dipaola mothered me on Skype, making me promise to put peroxide on it…check out the video on Facebook (if it loads).   

 

On a bright note, I found out on Wednesday that one of my students, Jony, walks a really far distance after school to help his parents sell produce in the market.  Since it’s pretty much on my way home, I told him I would take him any day that he needs to go there.  When we pulled up, his mother came over and gave me the biggest hug and his father shook my hand.  She went on and on about how much she appreciates what I’m doing and how her children are so lucky.  She loaded my up with 15 oranges and 6 grapefruit!  In the US, teachers get apples, here in the DR, a wide variety of whatever is in season!  It really made my day and was yet another reminder of why I’m here.  She loaded me up again on Friday and refused to take any money.  It amazes me that they are so willing to sacrifice what little they have to say thank you and show their love. 

After two weeks, this is what my class finally looks like!  The carpet is actually toilet seat covers, an awesome idea from Karen Shaffer!  My whiteboard finally got taken down to the school.  It’s nice to finally have a place that semi looks like a classroom. 

At the house, we finally got the school stuff all moved out and into the school or in storage.  It’s nice to have a living room and dining room!  Jen and I are partners in crime, trying to think of pranks for the Dominicans guys that hang around here.  They like to try to scare us…A LOT.  We warned them to watch out…details to come :). 

Thank you to those who have encouraged me.  These last few weeks would have been very hard to get through without you.  Hopefully I remembered all the important stuff since my last post, and I’ll try to keep this updated more often :)  Continue to pray for me, the Rineholt’s, the other teachers, the students and their families! 

Progress…finally!

This week we finally started on the roof.  It took awhile to get the money wired to us, but not that we have it, we’re on a roll!  Shawn and the other missionary, Pastor Darren Truel, made the first truss.  We were going to get some Dominicans to build the roof, but they didn’t understand how we wanted it built to withstand the hurricanes.  Tomorrow, a group of guys are coming down with Pastor Darren to finish the rest of the trusses.  The metal should arrive and be put up by Monday or Tuesday.  The windows and doors have been ordered and will be put in soon after.  Then we can FINALLY START SCHOOL!  Sadly, things are costing a lot more than anticipated and we need to raise about $2,000 to pay off the bills for the school.  Please pray that we can find the money to do this! 

Wilkyns and I went around and visited some of the students that will be attending school.  We were telling their families that we are still going to be opening…hopefully by the second week in October.  I told one boy that he would be in my class and he responded shyly, “What a pretty teacher I have.”  It was SO cute!  I can’t wait to see all of the kids together.  Sadly, some of the students that were registered moved away.  Their parents moved their whole family up into the mountains to find work.  It’s a really rough situation because the children are forced to work and may never receive an education.

 

I was also shocked by the living conditions that the kids deal with.  It was so hard to see how poor some of the families were.  This school is providing hope for them…hope that their children will break out of the cycle of poverty.  It really hit me how important this school is.  It’s not just another group of Americans coming in…it’s an opportunity to learn about the One that loves, cares, and provides for them and also to learn English, which will put them above their peers in other schools.  Seeing their houses made me SO thankful for what I have, even my life here in the DR, where we complain about the heat, limited electric, different food, etc.  It was a good reminder why I’m here.  Cherish the people in your life and the lifestyle that God has blessed you with…we don’t deserve any of it.  The pictures below don’t even begin to portray the living conditions…I was trying not to invade too much. 

As you probably can tell, everything here takes awhile to get things done…but when things do start happening, we have to be ready, because they happen fast!  The building is just one example…and our garden is the other.  It took us forever to find stuff to kill the insects and then seeds to plant.  Tomorrow I’m hoping to plant the seeds.  The only reason we can even have a garden here is because someone paid to ship dirt in from another town a long time ago.  Without that, we wouldn’t have any dirt because the ground is basically rock.  God was seeing to our needs before we even knew them!

I’ve made a few solo trips on my bike!  Kind of intimidating at first, but I need transportation if I’m going to be here for 10 months!  Some of the roads are crazy…rougher than our 4-wheeling trails at home.  People sitting along the roads are always making comments and making noises when I drive by.  It’s quite a sight when I have a kid on the back and we’re loaded down with groceries coming up the mountain!  It’s never boring to say the least!

We’ve had a lot of laughs along the way so far.  The Rineholt girls have found me a “man”.  Shalom told the group of guys that hangs out by our house that my name is Beatrice.  I asked her why she gave me such a terrible name…it was the first one that popped into her head lol!  Now they all joke around that my boyfriend is outside waiting for me.  As you can see, we joke around a lot in this house.  A few of the Dominican boys that hang out at the house like to give Jen and I a hard time, which of course we dish it right back!  We told them they better watch out because we’re going to get them really good! 

Even though I’ve been to the DR three other times, I’m still experiencing new things every day.  Today I went to the chicken store…I was going to post pictures, but I’ll be nice and leave that to your imagination.  They butcher and “wash” the chickens right in front of you.  Then you get all but the head…the feet are a delicacy. :(  Another sight to see is all of the people carrying ridiculous loads on their motorcycles.  One bike had 6 people on it.  Others are carrying giant propane tanks by themselves.  It never ceases to amaze me what they try…and most of the time are successful at it. 

Needless to say, every day is interesting.  I’m off to bed and awaiting to see what God has in store for us tomorrow and what new crazy things the Dominicans can come up with next! 

A Little Excitement!

It feels like we’ve been in the DR for awhile now, but we hit the 2 week mark yesterday!  So many things have happened, yet progress still seems slow on the major projects.  We’ve measured up for the doors and windows for the school.  Next week Shawn, another missionary, and some Dominicans are hopefully putting the roof on.  After that we can hopefully start the school in some form!  I can’t wait to finally meet the kids and figure out how this is all going to work out.

I got my bike last week!  It’s a lot different than what I’m used to though.  My bike at home is 600cc’s and this one is only 100cc’s…I’m missing the power a little!  I’ve already had 2 kids on the back at one time.  All the Dominicans stare and point not only because we’re American, but also because girls normally don’t drive bikes here…they’ll soon learn that I’m not a typical girl!  The day that we went to buy my bike started out not so well.  Wilkyns was supposed to come get me and take me shopping.  Well, he showed up here on someone else’s bike because his was stolen in town that morning :(.  Made me more nervous than I already was.  Fortunately, we found a great deal on a used motorcycle and Shawn, Jen, and I bought Wilkyns a bike the same day I bought mine!  I’m gonna admit that it was hard to say goodbye to that money, but God has been showing me over and over that He provides and that I can’t rely on money and the things that I have.  The cool part about this story is that after his bike was stolen, Wilkyns went home and was just thinking, “Praise God.”  And that was before we gave him money to buy another bike…if only we could all have faith like that.

I’ve been getting restless around the house, so I started a new project today…we’re going to have a garden!  Shalom and I started pulling weeds this morning.  We needed a hoe and rake to prepare the dirt, so I drove my bike into town with Manuel (my first trip without following someone else!!) and we got our tools!  When we got back, the Dominican boys found some yucca (potato-like root) that we’re going to cook up for dinner.  We’re hoping to grow TOMATOS :), peppers, lettuce, sweet potatoes, onion, potatoes…whatever seeds we can find!  I cannot wait to get some fresh vegetables! 

Above:  Our “garden” before starting.                   The boys found us some yucca!

Random things in life:

• I finally saw the girl that I sponsor on Saturday!  She saw Jen and stopped walking and Jen called me out.  When she saw me, she gasped, put her hands over her mouth and headed straight for me!  So cool that I can be a part of that!
• We eat a lot of rice and beans and we have an avocado tree in our back yard!  Manuel climbed super high up into the tree and we picked 8 of them today!
• Pray that we can figure out why our power isn’t working correctly.  It’s been really hard to get things down with the radio station especially. 
• Also pray for our Spanish…it’s getting better, but it’s still hard to understand people when they speak at their normal speed.
• We took a nice little break at Playazul, a small beach that we had to ourselves)…amazing what God has created for us to enjoy!
• Wilkyns and I are going around Thursday to talk to the families that will be attending school.

 

Empanadas Seth and I made!                        Hanging out with the Truel’s, missionaries.

    The avocados that Manuel picked!                          The view from our house!

Yeah, I’m a good babysitter…just a little fun when Shawn and Jen were away!

Getting in the Swing of Things

We are finally getting situated…we hit a few rough patches and are still trying to figure a few things out.  We had very little water, but finally got it fixed yesterday.  Our washing machine was broke, but a guy came today to fix it, so we’re hoping that it actually works now.  The power has not been on very much and our inverter (a set of batteries that charges during the day and then gives up power when the electric goes out) hasn’t been working correctly, so we can’t do much without power.  It was pretty miserable at night when the fans went off.  Also, our oven wasn’t working, so we can’t cook much.  We thought we got it fixed, but it’s still weird.  And did I mention yet that it’s REALLY HOT! 

BUT…

In all things REJOICE!  God is still getting us through and things are still getting done amidst these difficulties.  I got to check out the school, and although there is a lot of work to do, I’m still really excited!  Wilkyns, the one starting the school, has a lot of great ideas.  The curriculum looks like it will work really well and we’re going to test the kids soon to see how much they really know so we know where to start…now we just have to get a roof on the building!  Pray that we can get that done ASAP!

Next on my agenda is to get a cell phone plan and a motorcycle so that I can help out in more areas.  Now to learn how to drive like a Dominican! 

Off to more adventures…stay tuned for what happens next!

We’re Here!!!

(Posted a little late, but as soon as I could download it!)

Yesterday (Tuesday) we went to MFI at 6am…getting there was interesting to say the least.  The Suburban broke down completely, so John and Karen Schaffer pulled us with their semi…showed up in style!  We fly from Exuma, Bahamas to Cape Haitian, Haiti and then finally to Barahona!  Customs took us awhile to get through since they literally opened and searched through every box.  All of my stuff made it through.  Some of Shawn’s Ears to Hear equipment didn’t make it through though.  He’ll have to pay import taxes on that stuff sadly. 

We loaded everything into two trucks and another missionary family, the Truel’s, took us to our house!  It was so good to finally get there!  Tons of people were waiting for us outside the door!  I loved seeing so many friends from previous trips! 

Then the unpacking began.  I pretty much got my room set up.  Pictures will come when I get everything the way I want it!  By this time, I was SO sweaty and disgusting.  The outside temperature was not bad, but inside the house was extremely hot.  My COLD shower was very appreciated!  Bedtime after that (10pm lol).  Each of us had a fan directly on us so we could actually sleep!

Packing Up…

Friday we packed our stuff into the plane.  It was an emotional time to say the least.  We could pack 2,400 pounds (sounds like a lot but…we were WAY over that though).  We had to sort through a lot of our stuff and figure out what had to stay and what we needed right away.  About 600 pounds of school supplies was left behind until we can get another flight to come in and we can raise the funds to get it all in.  It was so hard to say goodbye to so much of our stuff, but we know God still has a plan in all of this. 

On our way down to Missionary Flights International, we stayed our first night with my family in South Carolina.  Thank goodness for flexible people because we didn’t show up until 3:30am :(.  It was so nice to hang out with them one last time!  Our second day of traveling resulted in the Suburban shutting off about 5 times while we were on the highway, but we made it to our destination, so it’s all good! 

We fly out tomorrow at 7am.  I’m ready and excited to actually be in the DR!  First order of business is figuring out what container everything is in.  Then we start on the roof for the school! 

I’m going to try to be pretty honest on here.  Reason 1 is so that you can pray for the things I’m struggling with!  Reason 2 is for those of you who are thinking about doing mission work…rejoice in all things right!

Pictures of Progress

The kids are definitely excited and willing to work hard to get this school up and running!  Hopefully they work this hard in the classroom!

A team from a church in Mississippi built the school up to this point.  So many people have come together to help this community…so amazing!  Now, the plan is that when we arrive, a few locals will be hired and they will help Shawn put the roof on.  During that time, I’ll be helping to figure out what we’re teaching!

We leave on Wednesday, so PRAY!

A huge thank you to Myriah for showing me how to use an easier program so I can load pictures!