Let Your Glory Fall

Quinceñera

2012-02-13T19:05:00.000-05:00

A week ago today I got to be a part of something really special. In most Latin American countries, a girl’s fifteenth birthday is a huge deal. They call it their “quinceñera.” It could roughly be compared to a “sweet sixteen” in the United States, but it is probably more important to people of Latin American culture than a “sweet sixteen” would be to a person in the United States. This past Monday, Keren, one of the amazing girls that I get to disciple, turned 15 and I got to be a part of her special day.

Following in traditional quinceñera custom, Keren was able to borrow a beautiful white formal dress. She spent the entire afternoon straightening her hair and putting on makeup and getting all dressed up for her big day. After school Chad and I went over to the Children’s Home where Keren lives to take her into Rio San Juan to get her picture made. She looked so beautiful! We went to this quaint little photo studio in Rio San Juan, what I like to consider the DR version of Olan Mills, and Keren was able to show off and pose in her beautiful dress. It was so much fun helping her come up with new poses and fixing her dress and her hair so she looked perfect in every picture.

After the pictures, we came back to the Children’s Home for her big party! I felt so honored to be invited to such a special event. We used the room upstairs at the Children’s home and Keren’s mother and some of the kids at the Children’s Home had helped to decorate with streamers and balloons. Keren had a special seat of honor that was decorated just for her. The rest of the night was filled with a fun game prepared by Rosmery, a speech by the birthday girl herself, a delicious dinner prepared by Carla, and of course...birthday cake and presents! Everyone had such a wonderful time, and it was sad to see the night pass so quickly.

Keren is so special to me, and I’m so glad that I got to be a part of such a special occasion in her life. It was so fun to see and be a part of something that means so much to this culture. I pray that this next year in Keren’s life is one of the best she has ever had and that there are many more special years to come.

Resolutions

2012-01-23T21:32:00.002-05:00

After practically a month long vacation to the United States, I am back to the Dominican Republic and right back into the swing of things. A little time away and the opportunity to visit with family and friends was so wonderful. I genuinely enjoyed every second I had in the States, but it is good to be back here in my home away from home.

School started this past Tuesday, and I find it so surprising how quickly our students fell right back into their routine. They continue to surprise me every day with their behavior, good attitudes, and desire to be at and participate in what’s going on at school. I think after a month without us, they actually kind of started to miss us. Kind of. :)

Something I am really excited about for this coming semester is our renewed focus. I know I personally made a New Year’s Resolution to talk to each of my girls very directly and specifically about becoming a follower of Christ. I very quickly found out that my fellow disciplers had set similar goals for themselves. Audrey wants to use Bible stories to help her girls learn English while learning more about the Bible. I saw Evan practicing the books of the Bible with his disciples. Glenn is sitting down and studying the Bible with each of his boys. Jordan is encouraging the students to focus on making spiritual resolutions and goals for themselves. Chad is helping all of us get refocused by planning our curriculum and helping us take our kids to the next level spiritually.

This past week in discipling our focus was “Resolutions.” We talked to the students about setting goals or making resolutions for the coming semester. We helped them make very specific resolutions and also showed them ways they could measure their progress with the goals they had set. In addition, we made goals for our entire school that we can all work at together to achieve.

I decided to use this theme to open up the spiritual conversations with my girls. This past Thursday I had one-on-one time with Ibelca and Keren. My first 45 minutes was spent with Ibelca and we talked about one of the goals she had set for herself earlier in the week - to learn more about God. I wanted to help guide her in a direction that would help her be more specific and intentional about this. After some talking and brainstorming, we finally came up with a plan where she would start reading from the Bible every day. We chose a book she was interested in (John - because she likes the verse John 3:16) and we made a calendar to let her know what chapter she is supposed to read every day. Then in my time with Keren we focused on one of her goals. She had mentioned earlier in the week that she wanted to grow closer to God. Keren already has a very faithful prayer life and so we decided to expand that a little by keeping a prayer journal. Every day she is going to write down the things she is praying for and we are going to use that to look back and see how God has answered her prayers and how He is working in the things that she is bringing before Him.

I share all of this not to boast, but because I am so, so excited! I know this will sound silly to some of you, but to me this is the hardest part about discipling these girls. It’s easy to hang out and play and have fun and go to the beach, but when it comes to the most important thing you can ever talk to someone about, it gets hard and it’s not all fun and games anymore. I know the importance of talking to my girls about following Jesus and I so badly want them to come to know Him and have a relationship with Him, and that is why I am making that a priority this semester. I am so thankful for how God has already blessed my time with two of my disciples, and as I plan for the week to come, I pray he blesses my time with Rosmery and Elisa as I try to help them set some spiritual goals for themselves.

Please be praying for them - Ibelca, Keren, Rosmery, and Elisa - as well as all of our students and mentors as we strive to grow closer to God and learn more about His will for our lives. I can already tell that 2012 is going to be a great year!

Firsts

2011-12-09T14:58:00.000-05:00

Since I last blogged, my life has been full of a bunch of “firsts.” Living here in the Dominican Republic, it seems like almost everyday is a new experience or something I’ve never before been a part of. However, there are a few “firsts” that really stick out in my mind that I’d like to share.

The first first is this past Thanksgiving was the first Thanksgiving in my life that I have not spent with my family. I’m not going to lie...it wasn’t the best Thanksgiving I’ve ever had. But it was special in its own way. After sending a tearful email to my family in the States expressing to them how much I am thankful for them and how much I wished I could have been there with them, Chad and I packed up the strawberry pretzel casserole, the corn casserole, and the homemade ice cream machine to head down to Norm’s house for our team’s Thanksgiving celebration. Everybody brought their favorite Thanksgiving dish, and it was quite the feast! After we were all pretty stuffed with turkey, dressing, and pumpkin pie, the game playing commenced. Despite my homesickness for my favorite holiday, it really was a happy Thanksgiving, and I’m glad I got to spend it with my family here.

First number two would have to be our first group experience while having school at the same time. A group from Fairfax Church of Christ in Fairfax, Virginia, came down to help us with our annual Magi drops that we do for some of the children in this area. For those of you who don’t know, Magi is a project that provides Christmas gifts to those that would not normally have a Christmas. The group was absolutely phenomenal! Led by one of our advisory board members, Mark Gibson, this group was possibly one of the best we’ve ever had. They were so prepared, so excited, and they even came with Santa Claus! One of their church members, Shack, was a Santa Claus look alike! I’m still not entirely sure that he isn’t the real Santa Claus. In addition to having a phenomenal group, our students blew us away. I don’t think I have ever been more proud of them. At each Magi drop we had a carnival for the kids that came. We partnered up our students with the group members to help run each of the games. Our students were so impressive! They were helpful, encouraging, and formed relationships with the group members as well as with the kids who came to the carnivals. They really were leaders, which is exactly what we’ve been trying to instill in them from the beginning. The first group week/school week all in one was a testament to the fact that our discipling program is working, and I can not express how good it felt to see the results of all of the love and work and energy we have been pouring into these kids the past few months.

Another exciting first was my first birthday here in the Dominican Republic. And surprisingly, it went pretty much like any other birthday I’ve had minus going out to eat at a restaurant to celebrate with friends. Our students sang happy birthday to me in math class, one of our sweet students, Bebo, got me some awesome combs for my hair :), I got cards and gifts from my friends and family in the States, I got some nice little gifts from the team here, and our whole team even got together for a little party/hang out time. It was a good day, and a good start to my 24th year of life.

On a slightly more disgusting and disturbing note, I saw my first rat in person that I’ve ever seen in my life. It was in Chad’s house, and we had seen a few signs of it in the kitchen. However, a few nights ago, I got a real glimpse of the thing. Chad had gone to take a shower while I finished up cooking dinner. When he turned on the hot water heater, the rat jumped out of the hot water heater and into the shower. Chad then proceeded to run out of the bathroom followed by the rat. I jumped on the counter and started screaming/laughing as we watched the rat scurry behind the refrigerator. We thought it stayed there, so Chad went to get Carlos (our brave, strong, not scared of rats Dominican friend) so we could try to catch the rat and get rid of it. I stayed on guard on top of the counter with a broom. However, when Carlos and Chad got back, we couldn’t find the rat. It must have run somewhere else after it went behind the refrigerator. So it’s currently still in the house and I live in a constant state of paranoia anytime I’m over at Chad’s.

As you can see, there are a lot of firsts that happen on a daily basis. We are actually currently in our first final exam week. And we are about to wrap up our first semester at Manna Christian School. Some firsts are exciting. Some are fun. Some are sad. Some make you want to scream. But would I trade this life of constant “first” experiences for a bunch of routine, normal, predictable experiences? Not a chance.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2011-11-13T11:59:00.000-05:00

Here in the Dominican Republic, Christmas has come early this year. Actually it started November 1 to be exact. Due to the lack of Thanksgiving celebrations here (we actually are celebrating but there’s not nearly as much hype here about Thanksgiving), we decided to go ahead and deck the halls and trim the tree to get optimal Christmas celebration in before we all head back to the States in December to spend some time with our families.

So...on November 1, Evan and Rachel invited all of us over after to school to decorate the tree, listen to Christmas music, eat some yummy potato soup, and watch Elf. The evening was topped off by each of us making our own ornaments with our favorite Christmas memories on them and by Connor wearing around his Christmas-music playing reindeer antlers. It was a a great way to kick off the Christmas season, and we all had a really good time.

Then, the following Monday, we were out of school for a national holiday here. Chad and I took the opportunity to do some Christmas decorating of our own. We made three wreaths - one for Chad’s back door and two for the classroom doors. This was our first wreath making experience, and it was a lot of fun! Then we decorated the Christmas tree with the “help” of our sweet Dominican kiddos. They mostly just sat and made fun of us and kept stealing the balls and hiding them. They’re crazy! We finished off the day by hanging our stockings, drinking some apple cider, and watching yet another Christmas movie.

Do the kids think we’re crazy for celebrating Christmas already? Some of them do. Does it even remotely feel like Christmas here based on the weather? Not at all. Is this the first year of my life I’ve ever decorated a Christmas tree wearing shorts and a t-shirt? You better believe it. But is it actually beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas around here? Absolutely! I think there’s a reason they call it the most wonderful time of the year, and it has to do with being around people you love. I’ve realized that that sentiment carries across oceans. No matter where you are, Christmas really does feel like the most wonderful time of the year. And in the words of Audrey, “This year for Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for Christmas.” Merry Early Christmas!

Ready for some Christmas celebrating in our summer weather Christmas clothes.

Love these girls. :)

Our homemade Christmas ornaments with all of our favorite Christmas memories.

The whole crew! Connor really enjoyed his first Christmas experience. Haha.

My cute little Christmas tree at my house.

Our first wreath attempt. A success!

Our beautiful Christmas tree - all ready for the holiday season!

Math Madness

2011-11-07T09:27:00.000-05:00

Math class started this past week, and pretty much the only word that could be used to describe it is madness. Don’t get me wrong...the kids were well-behaved, they were eager to learn, and they did an excellent job in their first week with a new schedule. However, it was the teacher who experienced a little bit of madness. Yes, that’s right. Jill Rhodes went slightly mad due to her math class.

Why, you might ask? Well, I discovered very quickly (within about the first 45 minutes of class the first day) that my wonderful students were no where near the level I needed them to be at to start Algebra I. As frustrating as this was, I knew I could get them ready if I just allowed myself, and them, some time to review and, in some cases, learn the basics.

Now we’ve entered into a stage that I like to lovingly refer to as “Back to the Basics.” And we have literally gone just about as far back as you can when it comes to math. This past week we covered addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. And I am proud to say after this first week that all of our students can add (even when you have to carry!), subtract (even when you have to borrow!), multiply (even numbers larger than what is on the times table!), and divide (with and without remainders!). This next week I’m hoping to wrap up our “Back to the Basics” review with number lines, fractions, fraction operations, percents, and decimals. I’m hoping after all of this, we’ll be able to start in with Algebra I. You may think that this seems like a lofty goal, but I know these kids are capable of this. Will we have to go back and continue to review and relearn basic math skills? Yes, probably every day. But do I love these kids enough for the math madness to continue? You better believe it. So bring on the number lines, fractions, percents, and decimals! Let the math madness ensue!

Back in the Loop

2011-10-20T00:15:00.001-04:00

So as I’m sure many of you have noticed, I’ve been a pretty terrible blogger since school has started. We have just been so, so busy! However, that is no excuse for keeping all of you out of the loop, so I want to apologize and let you know that I will try to start doing better about updating my blog more frequently.

To briefly get everyone back into the loop, here are some things that have been going on here in the DR:

1. School is going absolutely wonderfully. The kids have adjusted so well to all of the changes we have thrown at them, and we are about to wind down our first grading period next week. Can you believe we’ve almost finished eight weeks of school!?! You know what they say...time flies when you’re having fun. I genuinely do have fun with our students and have fun teaching them, but it isn’t always fun and games. The more we get to know some of them, the more we learn about their heartaches and struggles, and to be really honest, we just don’t always know how to deal with it. It’s kind of a bittersweet thing. It’s sad to hear about some of the things our kids are going through or have gone through, but at the same time it’s encouraging to know that they feel comfortable enough with us and with one another to share those things. All in all, these first few weeks have been a growing experience, and I know that will only continue in the weeks to come.

2. I took my disciples to the beach. One Friday afternoon when there was no school here due to a holiday, Ibelca, Elisa, Rosmery, Keren, and I packed up our coolers and our beach bags and headed to the beach. It was so much fun! I was kind of nervous because this was really the first thing all of us had done together. I have a wide age range of girls, 12 to 18, and I just didn’t really know how it would go. But we all had a wonderful time. Keren, Elisa, and I swam in the ocean, while Rosmery took a million pictures and Ibelca hunted for a crab. I just really enjoyed watching them out of the school environment. I get to hang out with some pretty amazing girls, and while not everyday is a day at the beach, I do enjoy those moments when I see their true personalities shine through. At their request, we will be making another trip to the beach in the near future.

3. My mom and dad came to visit. This was Dad’s first time to visit and for both of them it was their first time to see the school in action! I really enjoyed getting to spend some time with them, and I am so thankful that they got to actually be a part of what I do every day. They had a really good visit, and I’m excited for the next time that they get to come. Hopefully Abby can make the next trip!

4. Wilson had a very successful treatment on his eyes. As many of you know, Wilson is one of our students at MCS and a boy who lives at the Children’s Home. He has had some major eye issues involving his cornea and several infections for quite some time now, but wasn’t able to receive treatment due to a lack of money. Well, the problem had reached a boiling point and Wilson was in serious need of some help. We petitioned our friends and family in the States, and so many of you came through with support for Wilson. He had a procedure done a few weeks ago to basically clean off the interior of his eyelids. It was very successful, and we are waiting to see if there is any permanent damage to his corneas. We were all overwhelmed by the support Wilson received, and we are so grateful for all of the support and prayers that Wilson received. We are truly blessed to all be a part of God’s family.

So in a nutshell, that’s what has been going on. I hope you feel a little more informed now, and I promise I will try to do my best to post more frequently. Please continue to keep all of us in your prayers. I love you and miss you all!

Manna Christian School

2011-09-09T15:43:00.000-04:00

The first week of Manna Christian School is over, and it was a huge success! The kids are happy, the teachers are happy, and everybody is ready for a little bit of rest before beginning a new week. Here are some highlights from our first week of school.

This past Saturday we had an Open House for all of the students and their parents. The Open House was on our school campus, and for some of the parents, it was the first time they had ever been to Bobita. The day went really well. We handed out uniforms, backpacks, and their student handbooks. We were also able to give the parents and students a tour of the school. We finished off the day eating a yummy lunch of moro and salami prepared by our school cooks, Ada and Jasmín. The day was wonderful, and it made all of us really excited about the first day of school.

Uniforms packed up and ready to be handed out at Open House. Those Walmart bags came in handy!

Student handbooks and planners.

Chad and his disciples: Anderson, Bebo, Carlos, Cristopher, and Wilson.

Audrey and her disciples: Graisy, Estefany, and Jailinne.

Evan and his disciples: Tony and Leandro.

Glenn and his disciples: Renecito, Elio, and Ariel.

Me and my disciples: Ibelca, Rosmery, and Keren. Elisa is one of mine as well but she couldn't be there that day. She takes classes at the university on Saturdays.

Jordan and his disciples: Ranger, Nataniel, Carlitos, and Angel.

Monday morning rolled around and we were all a little nervous but ready for a great day. The kids arrived on campus right on time looking so sharp in their uniforms and new backpacks. (A little side note, but I thought this was so cute. Each of the kids has a navy polo and a red polo. They all decided together to wear their navy polos on Monday and Tuesday and their red polos on Wednesday and Thursday. Precious.) Surprisingly enough, they were a little nervous! The first few hours of school they were pretty quiet. I was kind of surprised by this reaction, but at the same time, I can understand how they weren’t quite sure what to expect. But don’t worry, they definitely had loosened up by the end of the day.

Ready for the first day of school in Classroom 1!

Our first student to arrive on campus was sweet little Wilson. Doesn't he look great?!

Manna Christian School faculty looking snappy in their uniforms!

Arriving at school on the Daihatsu.

Singing the Dominican national anthem like we do every morning. I cannot express how much joy this time of day brings me.

Cool backpacks!

Learning some English with sweet Ibelca. She's so smart!

These first few months of school we are doing English Immersion, so Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are full of English class. In the mornings we have two conversation type classes that we are all co-teaching where they get to practice the English they are learning. In the afternoons we have a more focused setting with our discipling groups. For example, I teach English every afternoon to my four disciples: Elisa, Ibelca, Rosmery, and Keren. The kids have been learning so much English, and this is something they are really excited about. I am already so proud of the progress they have made! On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, the kids have Spanish and History followed by English in the afternoons. Our Math and Science classes are going to start in October after English Immersion is over. Fridays are a half day of school so we have English the first two periods, followed by PE, and then discipling time.

Every day of the week we have discipling in the afternoons. Each kid who is a part of our school gets at least one session a week of one-on-one time with his or her mentor. The days students are not in one-on-one time, there is a group activity for everyone else to be involved with. This week, our focus for the discipling time was goals. In the group setting we talked about different goals we have for our school and played different games and different activities to convey the message. In my one-on-one times this week I focused on getting to know each of my girls a little better and expressing to them what I want our time together to be. Please be praying for each of my girls (Rosmery, Keren, Elisa, and Ibelca) as well as all of our disciples. Being this involved in each of their lives is a role that is going to take some getting used to from both parties, but be praying that these relationship open up spiritual doors that have never been opened before. We all have faith that God is going to use this school to create strong followers of Him.

So that’s Manna Christian School Week 1 in a nutshell. It’s definitely going to be an adjustment, but one that is definitely worth it. It still seems a little surreal that we started a school. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and ask God to bless each of the students and each of the teachers every day. We love you all and hope you get to come visit Manna Christian School very soon!

Super School Support Team

2011-08-31T09:29:00.002-04:00

We are only a few days away from school starting, and the last few weeks have seemed like a whirlwind. We have worked non-stop to make sure everything is ready, and I think we are almost there! We have one of our very dear friends, Jill Reese, arriving today to help us with some professional development, we are having an Open House on campus for all of the students and parents on Saturday, and school starts Monday! It’s hard to believe it is already here. We are all excited, but a little nervous as well. Keep us in your prayers this Monday and all throughout this school year. I know God has big plans in store for us, and this is only the beginning.

It’s hard to put into words just how many people have been a part of making this school come together. I think if I started a list of who all has been involved with this, I could honestly write for hours. From our friends and families in the States who have sent us countless amounts of support, to the multiple Dominicans who have done various things for us and helped us figure out how to make the best school in this country, to our students who have put so much time and effort into doing what they need to do to be a part of this school, to every member on our team who has worked tirelessly to get the school ready in every aspect possible...this endeavor has taken an army! Manna is beyond blessed to have so many people in so many places working together to get Manna Christian School started. I am truly humbled when I begin to think about every person who has played a part in this. I’m a big thank-you note writer, and I want so badly to write each one of you personally a thank you note, but it’s just not possible! So consider this my thank you. Thank you from all of us for your incredible, humbling support. We could not have done this without you.

I think one of the more humbling things we have experienced recently is receiving the large UPS shipment that was sent in with literally tons of school supplies! Desks, chairs, textbooks, notebooks, Poptarts (thanks Mom), pencils, paper, a copier, overhead projectors, Elmos, scissors, calculators, and the list could literally go on and on. We are sooooo grateful to everyone who was a part of this because we know how much work it was to coordinate all of this and get everything together. Specifically, thank you Laura Beth Lamb and Cassey Gibson. You ladies did so much work helping us figure out what supplies we had, what supplies we needed, and making sure the shipment got here. I am so grateful to each one of you. You are both true examples of what a servant should be, and I’m honored that both of you are a part of our team. Also, thank you, thank you, thank you to Cheryl Mynatt. Ms. Cheryl worked tirelessly to get us textbooks, desks, projectors, and additionally she sent me tons of wonderful resources to use for my math classes. I know she had a lot of help from wonderful like my mom, Mr. Lynn, Debbie Lusk, and Jill Reese, and I am sure there are countless others that put in time and effort to make everything come together, but Ms. Cheryl, you really outdid yourself and we don’t even have the words to express how thankful we are for you.

The shipment is just one of the many ways we have seen God work through people to glorify His name in this country. Thank you so very much to all of you! I cannot wait to write again and let you know about the amazing success of Manna Christian School. How do I know it is going to be success? Because God has already shown that He is for us, and if He is for us, who can be against us?

Two Daihatsu loads of supplies arrived back at camp late at night after several days of waiting for everything to get cleared through customs in Santo Domingo.

We had so many people helping to make sure everything got here okay and got unloaded.

Needless to say, we were all super excited and some of us were a little overwhelmed about the amount of stuff we got. I think Connor was the most excited out of all of us. :)

We weren't entirely sure where to start...

But we did have a lot of help!

We decided to start by just getting it all out and then organizing it.

Because every math teacher needs a huge protractor!

Finally organized and ready to go for school! These are all of the textbooks we received. We're storing those that we're not using currently in the front room of the Admin House.

Supplies for our students.

And even more supplies!

Our awesome new copier! I love making copies on it.

Connor was happy to get all of the supplies. He loves Manna Christian School. Thanks again to all of you who helped so much with this! We love you!

Manna Christian School Sleepover 2011

2011-08-08T22:34:00.001-04:00

This past weekend, we decided to have a huge sleepover with all of our disciples to finish out the summer, say goodbye to the interns, and get ready for an awesome school year. While the night was definitely crazy, it was so much fun!

Our interns were a huge help in getting everything set up. All of the girls slept in the girl side of the dorm, and all of the boys stayed at Chad’s house. The interns helped us set up mattresses and they prepared and baked pizza for all of us to eat! By the time everyone got here, camp was looking great, and the kids were so excited!

We started off the evening having some pizza and playing outside for a while until it got dark. Then we moved the party out to the field for a bonfire that Glenn and Carlos had worked on most of the afternoon. The night was the perfect temperature for a bonfire, and we had a great time roasting marshmallows with ridiculously long sticks. After the fire, we popped some popcorn and set up a projector and sheet for a movie on the pad. After the movie and showers in the dorms, the kids were ready for some bed, and when I say the kids, I mean we were ready for bed. :) The girls went down pretty quickly, but from what my sources tell me, I’m pretty sure most of the boys slept a grand total of an hour that night.

The next morning we got up and all had breakfast together followed by a worship service on the pad. It was such a special moment having three of our ministries (the school, the Children’s Home, and interns) all together and united in one place. It was a blessing and a wonderful way to end a great summer and start a new adventure.

While I’m pretty sure that we will be making the Manna Christian School Sleepover strictly a yearly event, it really was a blast. We absolutely cannot wait for school to start! The kids are excited, we are excited, and I know that God has huge plans that have yet to be revealed. Please be praying for us in the weeks to come. We love you all!

The girls' sleeping area in the girl's dorm.

Where the boys slept in Chad's house.

We were so excited for everyone to be at the sleepover!

Having some fun before the bonfire.

Some of our amazing girl disciples.

Roasting some marshmallows at the bonfire.

The combination of all of our ministries after church on Sunday. What a blessing!

In His Arms of Love

2011-07-14T01:57:00.001-04:00

Late last week our faith was tested. While sitting outside with some of the interns, Chad’s house was broken into. A few of the boys we work with here were in his house watching a movie when someone came in the open back door, took Chad’s backpack with his wallet and a few other items, and ran away before anyone could catch him. The boys were scared and all of us were as well that someone would be so bold as to come in with people in the house and the rest of us sitting so close by. We were all a little shaken up and continue to be as we try to figure out what to do and where to go from here.

Satan has been attacking us in full force here in the Dominican Republic. With the recent break-in that we had, there have been a lot of emotions and feelings that the missionaries, interns, and people here are experiencing. Some of us are scared. Some of us are frustrated. Some of us are angry. Some of us are confused. Some of us are tired of thinking about it. While all of these emotions and feelings are raging, there is one common feeling that is prevalent among each of us. We are choosing to walk in faith.

While we don’t always understand the things that happen to us, I do know one thing for sure. God is in control. He is watching over us and taking care of us. Yes, Satan is attacking, and why wouldn’t he be? God is blessing the work here each and every day. I know that despite Satan’s attacks, God is here. I see Him in the way our disciples are opening up to the groups coming in from the States. I see Him in the progress we are making with starting Manna Christian School in September. I see Him in the work people are doing in the States to get us supplies and textbooks and other materials we are needing. I see Him in the way the people of the Dominican have responded to the incident we have had here. I see Him and feel Him through the joy I experience every day by living and working in a place that I love with people that I love. God is here, and we will continue to fight our battles with His help.

Since this happened, a song has been running through my head. It has been a source of encouragement to me, and I pray that it will be that for you all as well.

I sing a simple song of love to my Savior, to my Jesus

I’m grateful for the things You’ve done my loving Savior, oh precious Jesus

My heart is glad that You’ve called me Your own

And there’s no place I’d rather be

Than in Your arms of love, in Your arms of love

Holding me still, holding me near

In Your arms of love

I pray that each of us will find strength and peace in the loving arms of Lord.

Back to Blogging

2011-07-05T08:11:00.002-04:00

As most of you can probably tell by my lack of blogging, things have been super busy here in the DR! The second I got back from language school, each day has been full of different challenges and exciting opportunities that God is putting in my path. While it did take me a few weeks to get back in the swing of things, I feel like now, more than ever, that God is working through me in this place. The summer here is always full of activity, and this summer has not been an exception.

Each summer is filled with groups coming in from the United States to work with our ministry. These groups are high school age kids along with a few chaperones who give generously and freely of their time, energy, and love to help further our ministry here. Specifically this summer, we have made the focus of our groups the students of Manna Christian School. The students have spent so much time bonding with the groups, helping the groups with various projects, and creating positive relationships. I have been so proud of each of our students and how they have been able to bond with the many different people who have come our way this summer. I know God is using this to prepare these students for the school and specifically the discipling aspect of the school. I am so thankful for these groups, and I ask you to pray for the next four groups that are coming our way this summer. They include Clear Creek from Tennessee, Carbondale from Illinois, Winchester from Tennessee, and Lake Jackson from Texas. Pray that God will prepare their hearts and allow them to be a blessing to this country during the weeks that they are here.

Another amazing aspect of this summer has been our summer interns. This is the role that I filled last year and made me realize I wanted to do mission work, so it is very near and dear to my heart. The seven people we have chosen for interns this summer have done nothing but continue to impress us. They have flawlessly completed every task given to them while also creating and maintaining relationships with the Dominicans and the group members. They are an excellent group of people, and they need your prayers as we move into the final half of the summer. This great groups of people includes Sarah Gary, Luke Hoffman, Nikki Mynatt, Jeff Reese, Savannah Rutledge, Alex Samuel, and Allie Wasmer. Please keep each one of them in your prayers. Pray for continued strength, energy, and excitement about the work being done here. I am so thankful for each one of them and the help they have been to us thus far.

Finally, in the midst of all of this summer activity, there is still the school that we are planning for. Each of the missionaries have been working hard in various areas to make sure things are getting done that need to be done. Seeing all of the kids here on such a regular basis with the groups has made me even more excited about the school than I already was. While there’s a lot more to be done, I feel like we’re well on our way to being ready for Manna Christian School to start on September 5. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we make plans and prepare. Pray for each of our students and each of the teachers and administrators. Pray that God’s hand will be in all of the plans we make. Pray that we will be able to help each of our students enter into and grow in a relationship with God.

Sorry for the lack of blog posting! I will try to be a little more consistent in making posts and keeping everyone up to date. As always, continued prayers are appreciated and needed! I love you all!

Home Sweet Home

2011-06-13T12:06:00.000-04:00

Home Sweet Home

After a month of being away from the DR, I have never been happier to be in this place. The last month of my life was spent studying Spanish in Antigua, Guatemala. While I learned a lot and enjoyed my time there, I am so happy to finally be back in the DR. There are so many exciting things going on right now and God is truly using the people He has placed here to change this country. I am reminded every day of what a blessing it is to be a part of this work and part of the plans God has set into motion. My heart feels so full and I am so grateful to be here.

Here are just a few of the things that have reminded me of what a blessing it is to be here:

The future students of Manna Christian School. They are all really involved with our groups this summer and I have been so impressed by each one of them. These kids love God and love one another and I am so excited to see how they grow once the school starts.
The interns. Our interns this summer are incredible! It’s like they’ve been living here their whole lives and they are so in tune to what’s going on here. They are such a friendly, capable, spiritually-minded group of people, and I know they are going to continue being a blessing to us this summer.
The groups. I love summer groups and I am so excited that I get to be a part of them and help with them this summer. Our first two groups have been phenomenal and I know God has big plans in store for the rest of our groups as well.
The team. I have said this before, but I think I know and get to work with some of the best people in the world. It’s rare that you find so many people you can work with and have fun with on a daily basis. While we have our difficult times and things aren’t always perfect, at the end of the day I can honestly say I love every single person I get to work with and wouldn’t change it for anything.

God is in the middle of what we have going on here in the DR, and I am so grateful to be back and to be a part of it all. Please keep all of us in your prayers as the summer is always a busy time. I love each and every one of you!

Adios Antigua

2011-06-01T19:06:00.002-04:00

My time in Antigua has finally come to an end. Today was my last day of classes and tomorrow I leave to fly to Miami. I have a one night layover in Miami and then fly to the Dominican Republic on Friday. I am so excited to be back in the DR, and I can not wait to see the team and all of my sweet Dominican babies.

Language School at La Unión really was a great experience. While I was definitely homesick for the DR, I feel like I learned so much while I was here. My teacher, Gloria, was absolutely incredible. She was extremely patient with me and always came up with fun activities for us to do to help me learn. I am still a little slow at figuring out what I need to say and when I need to use certain things, but hopefully with much more practice in the DR, I’ll be speaking like a Dominican in no time.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers this past month while I’ve been away from the place and the people I feel so called to. Your prayers are what have helped me make it and learn so much Spanish! Please continue to pray for me as I travel back to the DR and pray that once I arrive, I will be bold and continue to practice the Spanish that I learned and learn even more! Also, our summer groups started with the first group arriving in the DR yesterday from Clear Creek Church of Christ in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Pray for this group and all of our groups as they give up a week of their summers to serve the Lord. Love and miss you all!

A Swiss Family Robinson Weekend

2011-05-23T21:24:00.000-04:00

This past weekend Audrey and I went on a trip to Semuc Champay. We had a really great time, but it was an interesting experience to say the least.

We left Friday afternoon around 2:00 and finally arrived at our destination around midnight. It was a super long trip on a pretty uncomfortable little van. We were really happy to finally arrive. However, when we got there we found out that we were staying in an ecological hostel which basically translates to the following: we slept in a hut you had to climb a ladder to get up to, the bathroom and shower was in a separate hut, and there was no electricity. Hence the title...A Swiss Family Robinson Weekend.

The next day when we woke up and could finally see where we were, we realized it was going to be a fun trip. The area was really beautiful, and we booked a tour for the day to see some of the sights around the area. The tour started off with a hike up to a look-out point to see some of the beautiful natural pools. When we got to the top, it was absolutely gorgeous. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything quite like it. We couldn’t wait to get down to the pools and start swimming in them! The pools were just as much fun as the view made them look. The water was crystal clear and it was so nice! There were even little rock slides we got to go down from one pool to the next. It was really fun and a brand new experience. In the afternoon we got to relax a little and take an intertube ride down the river. After that came the most stressful part of the day for me. Part of the tour included going in a cave. This wasn’t your typical cave experience. Each person in our group got a little candle and the guide had a headlamp. However, the worst part was that there were parts of the cave where you had to swim! It was super creepy and kind of tough while holding a candle in your hand. It was definitely a new experience, and Audrey really enjoyed it so I’m glad we got to do it. However, I don’t think I’ll be doing that again. Ever. After the cave we trapped a tiger in a pit and Ernst wrestled an anaconda in the river. Okay...that part is just a joke but I needed to keep the Swiss Family Robinson theme going. The rest of the night was spent having dinner and meeting some interesting people from around the world. It was a really great day.

On Sunday we woke up bright and early and made the long trek back to Antigua. We made it back safe and sound Sunday afternoon around 4:30.

The weekend really was a lot of fun, and I’m so glad I had Audrey there to experience it with me. Actually, I’m just really glad she’s been on this entire trip with me. I don’t know what I would have done without her.

Please keep as both in your prayers as we’re only in Antigua for 10 more days!!! Woohoo! I’m so ready to be back in the DR. Pray that we’ll learn as much Spanish as we possibly can and please continue to pray for our safety and health. I love and miss you all very much!

A Brief Update on Life in Guatemala

2011-05-14T18:41:00.000-04:00

It’s been a few days since I’ve written so I thought I’d give all of you a little update on some things that have been going on here in good ole’ Antigua.

Monday: I got super sick. It was not a pretty sight and I spent pretty much the entire afternoon hanging out in our super blue bathroom. I think I might have eaten something that just did not set well with me. Luckily, it only lasted one afternoon and it was over.

Tuesday: I was still feeling a little weak from the day before so I spent the afternoon relaxing at our little house.

Wednesday: Audrey and I decided to go on a trip with the school to climb a volcano called Pacaya. We were given very little information besides what we needed to wear. It was about a 45 minute drive to the volcano. When we got there we were told it was about an hour or an hour and a half hike up to the top. Well, to make a long story short, the hike ended up being about 2 hours, I was definitely not up to it after being sick on Monday and had to ride a horse half of the way up (how embarrassing), and it literally poured rain the entire time we were there. By the time we got to the top, we were soaked to the bone and we couldn’t see any of the lava or anything because we were in the middle of a cloud. I’m sure Pacaya would have been cool on a better day, but needless to say, it was not a good experience for us. Oh well...we do have a really funny memory and we got a good laugh about me riding a horse up to the top. Haha.

Thursday: We decided to brave another adventure with the school and went up to Cerro de La Cruz, a little area that overlooks all of Antigua. This ended up being a great decision for us. The view was absolutely beautiful with the volcano in the background, and we really enjoyed getting to see all of Antigua. It was a lot of fun, and we got to take lots of pictures!

Friday: Audge and I made plans to go to Coban with the school, but the trip got cancelled due to lack of interest. So, instead we decided to enjoy some of the fun things Antigua had to offer! Audrey and I went out for a night on the town in Antigua. We found a nice little restaurant that had some yummy non-Guatemalan food and afterwards we went to cute little coffee shop in the Central Park. When we left the coffee shop it was dark so we took a tuc-tuc (these cute little cabs that look like miniature cars) back to our house! It was a super fun night, and we enjoyed getting to experience some of the fun things about Antigua.

Saturday: Today has been a pretty relaxing day. We went to the gym, walked to the Arch and toured the ruins of La Iglesia Merced which was hands-down the most beautiful church we’ve seen so far, went to the market, and now we’re back at our new-found little coffee shop in the Park.

This past week was a pretty good one and we’re excited to see what the next one has in store. As always, check out all of the pictures from our little adventure on Facebook! Love and miss you all very much!

A Little Visit to Panajachel and Chichicastenango

2011-05-10T20:33:00.001-04:00

This past weekend Audrey and I decided to go on a trip with the school to Panajachel and Chichicastenango. We got to see so many beautiful sights and experience so many fun things and meet so many new people.

We left bright and early Saturday morning for Panajachel. Our group was very eclectic. It included a mother and son named Elin and Joel from Quebec, a girl named Imogen from England, a girl named Verana from Germany, a man named John from Colorado, and our guide named Hector. That’s one of the cool things about this school. We get to meet so many people from all over the world. It’s a good reminder of how amazing our God is. He created all of us so uniquely and he loves each one of us just the same.

When we arrived in Panajachel we got checked in at our cute little hotel and then went to a restaurant that was on a huge beautiful lake called Lake Atitlan. The lake is surrounded by three beautiful volcanoes. We enjoyed spending time with our group and taking in all of the beautiful sights!

After lunch, our group got in this sketchy little boat and headed across the lake to a little town called Santiago. Santiago was really interesting. Our guide, Hector, took us to see some of the religious things in the city. I think the thing that touched me most was going to the Catholic church. While I know that there are things I don’t agree with or don’t understand about the Catholic faith, it was touching to see the devotion that some of these people have to God. After touring Santiago, we headed back across the lake to Panajachel.

Saturday night was my favorite part of the trip. Hector took us to a restaurant where they tried to give you a Guatemalan cultural experience. They served Guatemalan food, they played the marimbe (a native Guatemalan instrument), they wore typical Guatemalan dress, and the owner came around various times throughout the meal to give us some cultural lessons about Guatemala. The man who owned the restaurant was so nice, and he was so passionate about Guatemala and the culture. It was a really fun experience, and I’m glad that Hector took us there.

On Sunday we got up and left Panajachel to head to Chichicastenango. Every Sunday in Chichicastenango there is a huge open market. We got to spend the entire morning doing a little shopping and buying some gifts for our friends and family. It was a really cool experience but a little stressful as well. The streets were super crowded and people were kind of pushy about getting you to buy things. Anyway, all in all it was a good experience, and I’m really glad we got to go.

Traveling has been a lot of fun and it’s a good break after having class for 5 hours every day. This week Audrey and I are going to an active volcano, an area that overlooks all of Antigua, and to a place called Cobán where there are beautiful lakes and pools of water. We’re just little world travelers! Please keep us in your prayers as we travel across Guatemala and please pray that we will be safe and keep learning lots of Spanish!

Check out pictures from our adventure on my Facebook page!

Mi Casa Es Tu Casa (My House is Your House)

2011-05-06T23:15:00.000-04:00

I am finally at Language School in Antigua, Guatemala. This past Tuesday I packed up my things in the Dominican and took off to language school for one month of intense study of the Spanish language. I met up with Audrey in Miami and we flew into Guatemala City around 8:00 PM. Both of us were a little nervous because we weren’t sure what to expect or how this month would be, but so far everything has been wonderful!

The people who work at La Union have been so helpful and they are all so nice! When we got here, there was a sweet man named Ruben and a girl named Elisabet who picked us up at the airport. They had cute hand-made Guatemalan dolls for us with our names on them. They took us back to the guest house where we are staying and helped us get settled in. The people at La Union had decorated our room with balloons and more dolls. It was so sweet and really made us feel welcome.

The next morning Estelita, our cook and housekeeper, welcomed us with breakfast and coffee. She cooks three meals for us every day and makes sure our house is nice and clean. She’s a great cook and a great person to practice our Spanish with. She is so sweet and such a hard worker. She leaves her house every morning at 5:30 AM to walk to our house to work all day. It’s about an hour walk! We already love her, and I’m excited to get to know her better. After breakfast, she walked us to school for our first day of class.

I have class every morning from 8:00 to 1:00. My teacher, Gloria, is super sweet and such a great teacher! She is so patient and really helps me with things that I am struggling with. The instruction is one-on-one so I’ve already learned so much and I’ve only had three days of class! The first day seemed kind of long, but since then it’s gotten much better. Gloria is an excellent teacher, and I’m really glad that I have her. Hopefully at the end of the month I’ll be a fluent little Spanish speaker.

After class on the first day, the school gave us a little walking tour of Antigua. Ruben, the guy who picked us up from the airport, took us on our tour, and it was so helpful! He showed us a bunch of cool places and a bunch of really useful places, too. Now we feel much more comfortable about being here and getting around.

The school offers lots of fun activities every afternoon and on the weekends. Audrey and I are going to try to take advantage of as many of those opportunities as possible. Today we went to a jade factory and got to see how they make the jade rocks into jewelry. It was really fun, and our guide, Eduardo, was precious. He was so passionate about his work. This weekend we are going on a trip with the school to Panajachel and Chichicastenango. At these places there is a beautiful lake we get to take a boat ride on and a textile market! The textiles market is huge in this country. There are so many beautiful fabrics and bright colors. We’re excited to see what kinds of neat treasures we can find.

The motto for La Union is “Mi Casa Es Tu Casa” and they really do live up to their motto. They have made us feel so welcome and we already feel like we are a part of the La Union family. I was really apprehensive about coming to Guatemala after being in the Dominican Republic for three months already. I really do miss all of the people there and the team, but I am so excited to go back with this experience and hopefully with a better grasp on Spanish. Please keep me and Audrey in your prayers as we are away from the team and trying to learn Spanish. I’ll do my best to keep everyone posted on our exciting adventure!

Check out my Facebook album for some pictures from our trip so far!

Manna Christian School Students Selected

2011-05-01T23:27:00.000-04:00

After a lengthy application and interview process, many activities with the spring break groups, and much prayer and consideration on our end, the students for Manna Christian School have finally been selected. We are so excited about each one of these students and the potential that they have to learn and grow and become spiritual leaders in this country.

Twenty-two students are going to be a part of our school the first year, with three of those twenty-two only being involved with the discipling and English aspects. Those three students are older and further along in high school, but they were kids we already had really strong relationships with and that we wanted to be involved in some way with the school.

I wanted to write to tell that the kids have been selected so that you all can start praying for each of them by name! They are going to need constant prayers and support from people like you because this school year is going to be drastically different from anything they’ve ever experienced. Additionally, be praying that God will open up their hearts to a relationship with Him. As I’ve said many times before, that’s the entire purpose of the school, and if we fail in that, then the school is not serving its purpose.

I’ve included each child's name below. Thank you in advance for your prayers for these wonderful people who mean so much to me!

Girls:

Carolina

Elisa

Estefany

Graisy

Ibelca

Jailinne

Keren

Rosmery

Boys:

Anderson

Angel

Ariel

Bebo

Carlitos

Carlos

Cristopher

Elio

Leandro

Nataniel

Ranger

Renecito

Tony

Wilson

The Adventures of Bean Boy and Bean Girls

2011-04-28T18:59:00.001-04:00

Last week Chad and I got to take Rosmery, the oldest girl who lives at the Children’s Home, to Puerto Plata for dinner and a movie courtesy of her sponsors and family in the United States, the Beckham’s. It was so much fun, and I was so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this and spend some more time with Rosmery.

We started the trip off by going to La Sirena (a big supermarket kind of similar to Walmart) to buy some supplies to make beans for the Easter Egg Hunt we were having the following week. Here in the Dominican Republic, the week before Easter is called Holy Week. One of the traditions is to prepare this dish known as “habichuelas con dulce” or “sweet beans.” To make sure our Egg Hunt fit the Dominicans’ expectations, we had to serve sweet beans so we went to La Sirena to buy all of our supplies. We bought A LOT of stuff to make these sweet beans and Rosmery helped us out with all of it. She’s not really a fan of the beans, and so she kept making fun of us for getting all of this stuff. Then somewhere throughout the entire process we started referring to Chad as Bean Boy and to ourselves as Bean Girls. When you’re buying 10 pounds of beans, 10 pounds of sugar, and various other items to put in a massive quantity of beans, you have to make jokes about something.

After the bean purchasing, we went to the resort where the movie theater is. We ate a yummy dinner at Pizza Hut, walked down to see the beach, and even got some fake tattoos while we were waiting for the movie to start. Rosmery chose a Dominican made movie called La Hija Natural which was interesting to say the least. The movie was fun as well as all of the conversation and critiques afterwards.

When we finally made it back to Bobita, Rosmery and Keren, another girl who lives at the Children’s Home, spent the night at my house. We stayed up watching Mary Poppins until all of us finally fell asleep.

I had such a wonderful time with Rosmery. She is such an incredible girl, and I really feel like our relationship was able to grow more that day. Rosmery is going to be a part of Manna Christian School with our discipling program and with the English classes. She only has one more year left of high school, so she will continue studying academically at the local high school for her final year. Please keep Rosmery in your prayers as she completes this final year of high school, becomes involved with Manna Christian School, and transitions out of the Children’s Home to study at the university level. I know the Lord has big plans for her life.

Stay tuned for more adventures of Bean Boy and Bean Girls...

One of the many ways we found to amuse ourselves before the movie started, grinding up some coffee beans.

Rosmery wanted me to take her picture with this really cool surf board.

Our awesome tattoos!

Bean Girls and Bean Boy

Ministering with Mary Poppins

2011-04-28T18:48:00.000-04:00

I’ve written about this before, but I love how comfortable the kids at the Children’s Home feel about coming into my house. A few weeks ago, the kids had been over playing at the house after church one Sunday afternoon. All of the boys were there, and they wanted to watch a movie on my laptop. I figured once I told them the options they would change their minds pretty quickly. I have two movies here. When in Rome (a major chick flick) and Mary Poppins. Well, I definitely didn’t expect this, but they were all apparently dying to watch Mary Poppins. I got the movie set up in my room and they moved all of the chairs from my kitchen table into my bedroom and put them in a neat little row. The five of them piled into four chairs, and we spent the rest of the afternoon watching Mary Poppins in Spanish.

Once again I am amazed at how the simplest things can entertain and amuse them. I love that there was no complaining about how small the screen was or how they couldn’t hear it very well. I love that there was no complaining about what movie we watched. They simply wanted to be together and spend time doing a fun activity.

I love those kids very much, and I pray that activities like that will continue the entire time I’m here. Whether it’s watching Mary Poppins, playing countless games of Clue or Mouse Trap, or drawing on the white boards and playing in the cabinet, I hope they will always see my house as a fun place that they are always welcome.

Baby Connor

2011-04-24T14:54:00.000-04:00

After months of waiting (9 months to be exact), Connor Evan Aldridge is finally. He was born on Monday, April 18, 2011 at 9:20 AM in Santiago. He weighed 8 pounds and was 19.5” long. He is absolutely beautiful, and I am so glad that I got to be at the hospital when he was born.

Chad and I left Bobita the Sunday before he was born. We went to Santiago and got to have dinner with Evan and Rachel and her parents as well as Norm and Kevin. It was so fun to get to spend this time together the night before Connor was born.

Early on Monday morning, we all got up and went to the hospital to wait for Connor to get here. They had scheduled a C-section so we were expecting Connor to arrive pretty early in the morning. As Chad and I waited with Rachel’s parents, a woman came in who was waiting for her daughter. Her daughter had come in for an emergency C-section and it was a month before her due date. The mother was extremely worried and was crying. She was all by herself so Ms. Joyce, Rachel’s mom, went to sit by her to comfort her. It was so sweet to see these two soon-to-be-grandmas taking care of one another. We found out that the woman’s daughter had the same doctor as Rachel so we knew it might be a little longer before we got to see Connor. Anyway, not long after that, the doctor came out and told the woman the baby and her daughter were fine. We were all so excited for her, and she was grateful to Ms. Joyce for being there to take care of her. I was really glad we got to experience that. Well, it probably wasn’t thirty minutes later and the nurse came out to ask us if we had clothes for the baby. We all said, “Our baby?” The nurse said yes and then said we could come back and see Connor! We couldn’t believe he was finally here, and it had happened so quickly! I guess he was just ready to be here.

We got to spend the rest of the day getting to know Connor and holding him. He really is one of the most precious babies I’ve ever seen. I’m so happy for Evan and Rachel, and I’m so grateful that Connor is healthy and a part of our lives. I love him so much, and I’m glad I get to be Aunt Jill to sweet little Baby Connor.

An Update on Carlos from the Texaco Station

2011-04-21T15:15:00.002-04:00

A while ago I posted a blog about a guy named Carlos who worked at the Texaco Station in Rio San Juan. I had met him there and invited him to church, and he ended up coming the following week! I was really excited that he came and excited to see where that would lead.

Well, about a month has passed since my first interaction with Carlos, and things are still moving in a really positive direction. Carlos has been at church every opportunity he has had the chance to go. He works every other Sunday, but when he’s not working, he always comes to church. One time when he was there I was able to talk to him a little more because Chad was with me to help translate. Carlos told us that he’s always been a Christian, but a few years ago he kind of went through a wild phase. However, now he’s back on track and searching for something. He’s just not sure what yet. He loves God, and he’s enjoyed coming to church and getting to know all of us. Carlos really is an excellent guy and I pray that he will continue to stay interested in growing and furthering his relationship with Christ.

Please keep Carlos in your prayers. I haven’t been able to have much communication with him lately, but Ronald, our minister in Rio San Juan, told me he was at church this past Sunday (we had a church service at the Children’s Home) which made me really happy. Pray that he will continue to stay interested. Pray that he will continue to form relationships with all of us. Pray that he finds what it is that he is searching for.

A Lovely Week with Levy

2011-04-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

The final spring break group was a high school group from Levy Church of Christ in Little Rock, Arkansas. We were especially excited about this group being here because most of our groups this summer will be high school groups. We felt like this group would be a good representation of how our summer groups will interact with the prospective students from the school. Levy did not disappoint us. They were an absolutely phenomenal group, and the way they interacted with our prospective students was exactly what we hoped for.

One of the things I found most impressive about this group was their VBS. It was apparent that they had put so much planning and thought into each and every aspect of it. The kids loved it, and I even had fun participating! The theme was Jesus walking on the water. They had an incredible skit, two really fun and unique crafts, a ton of new games, and an organized, systematic way of getting kids from place to place. The VBS was a true success, and I was really proud of this group and how much work they did to make it as great as possible for these kids.

With the Levy group came Jordan Crow. Also while the Freed Hardeman group was here, Audrey Parker had arrived to spend a few weeks. Both Audrey and Jordan along with Glenn Weaver who came with the Freed Hardeman group are moving here this summer. We all interned together this past summer, and it was so much fun to get to spend this time together as well. I am so excited for each of these people to be here, and I pray that God will bless them as they continue to prepare to move here in the next few months.

God truly blessed us with some amazing groups over spring break. It was so much fun to spend time with them and get to know them better. I am so thankful that God prepared each of these groups to be a part of the work here. They were such a blessing to the kids, and such a blessing to our team here. Thanks to all of the spring break groups for three wonderful weeks!

One of the many fun games the group played at their VBS.

Soap dolls were one of the great crafts the kids got to make. They loved them!

Great skit guys! It was so creative and fun!

The bracelets were also a blast. The kids are still wearing them around.

Sweet Audrey. I can not wait for her to be here!!!

Jordan is such a great guy! I know he's going to do great things when he moves here!

The entire Levy group. Thanks for a great week guys!

Cabinet Inhabitants

2011-04-02T09:48:00.001-04:00

I absolutely love living on the Children’s Home property. There are kids around all of the time, and I love that they feel comfortable enough to come in my house or peek in my windows in the morning to see if I’m awake.

Three of my most frequent visitors are Adolfo, Lisandro, and Cristo Daniel. They love to come over and read books or draw on the white board that I have. While the Freed Hardeman group was in Puerto Plata, I got to have a day off to relax and get some other things done. Bright and early that morning, Adolfo, Lisandro, and Cristo Daniel showed up to play. It didn’t take them long to realize that one of the cabinets I’m using in my house was empty. They immediately decided that this was where they would be spending the morning. They had so much fun laying on the shelves and opening and closing the doors while they were inside. Who knew that empty cabinet would provide so much entertainment? I just couldn’t resist taking a picture of them and sharing it with all of you.

I’m thankful for moments like this when I can be reminded of how important it is not to let the simple things in life pass us by. I honestly think those kids could have played in that cabinet all day long if I hadn’t had to leave the house. I’m so thankful to be here and for the opportunities like these that I have to spend time with these kids. They are so precious, and I pray that their innocence and love for life never changes.

Just so you all know, the cabinet is full of things now, but sometimes when they come over I take everything out just so they can play in it.

Family and Friends From FHU

2011-04-02T09:39:00.002-04:00

We had some amazing spring break groups in the month of March. One of those groups was the group from Freed Hardeman University. I was especially excited about this group coming because this is the group that I first came to the Dominican Republic with. I knew everybody in the group that was coming, and I was so excited to have a little piece of Freed Hardeman here.

The group of people that came were absolutely incredible! They had put so much hard work and planning into their week that would be spent here, and it really paid off. As I mentioned in the previous blog about TTU, we tried some new things with these groups where we partnered the prospective students for the school up with one of the group members. Just like TTU, the FHU students did a great job with these and proved to us once again that intense one-on-one time spent with these kids is exactly what they need. The relationships the FHU group formed with the kids in just one week was amazing. The kids here are still talking about some of those group members, and it’s exciting to see what an impact they made on them.

Cheryl Mynatt and Jan Beckham were able to come with the Freed Hardeman group and it was such a blessing. Those women worked relentlessly all week long in my house and in Chad’s house. They cleaned, painted, and tried their best to make everything feel more like home. I am so thankful for each of them. They don’t know how much that meant to me, and I love them both so very much.

The FHU group was such an encouragement to me. It was so good to see some of my closest friends and get to spend time with them and hear about what is going on in their lives. I love each of those people who were here so much, and I didn’t really realize how much I missed them until they were here. I was really sad to see them go, but I am so thankful for the encouragement they were to me.

Thanks to all of the FHU group for such an incredible week. You guys were absolutely phenomenal, and we appreciate all of your hard work. I love you all very much! Good luck with winning Number 17!!!

Here is one of our groups at the old Outreach Center on the Photo Scavenger Hunt.

Another group on the Photo Scavenger Hunt with a cute little puppy they found.

How many people can eat one Skim Ice? A lot!

The group I was blessed to be a part of for Community Day with Milagros and her sweet family.

We had an ice cream party for the Princesas and Pescadores. The group served ice cream to all of our kids!

Jonah was FHU's theme for VBS. The skit was phenomenal!

These two precious ladies, Cheryl Mynatt and Jan Beckham, worked relentlessly to make my house and Chad's house seem more like home. I'm so, so grateful for both of them.

Glenn got to come with the FHU group! I cannot wait for him to live here!

What an amazing group of people. Thank you Freed Hardeman for such an incredible week. I love you all very much!

Pictures of TTU at Work

2011-04-02T09:18:00.000-04:00

We involved our prospective students by making them a part of the chore groups. The groups participated in a photo scavenger hunt in Rio San Juan.

They love Skim Ice!

One of the other activities we did was an Olympics. One of our events was 3-legged kickball. It was hysterical!

There's nothing like a good wheelbarrow race to get people to bond.

TTU's VBS told the story of David and Goliath. The kids loved it!

For their craft, they made these awesome bandana bracelets. The kids are still wearing them around.

For a game they played "Pin the Rock on Goliath's Head." It was so cute!

Jeff Reese was in charge of the TTU group this year. He's also going to be one of our interns this summer. He did a great job with this group, and I'm so excited for him to be here this summer!

An amazing group of people and an amazing way to kick off spring break groups! Thanks Tennessee Tech for an awesome week!

The Golden Eagles Soaring to New Heights

2011-03-16T12:17:00.001-04:00

Last week was an absolutely amazing week. A group from Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, TN, was here and they were incredible. I especially enjoyed the week because it was like having a little bit of home right here in the Dominican Republic. This group was the first group that we really tried to incorporate some of our prospective students for MCS into the activities we do with the group and it was a success. The Dominicans formed some strong relationships with the group members from the States, and it proved to us that the one-on-one mentoring program we want to incorporate into the school is exactly what we need. We were all so pleased with how well this group worked with our kids, and it was exciting to see them pour out their love on them.

One of the best parts of the week was having the Reese's here. Jeff was in charge of their trip, and he's going to be an intern here this summer. He is an incredible guy, and I really enjoyed getting to spend some time with him. It really made me excited about the summer and all of the fun that it will hold. Also, Jeff's parents, Mr. Tommy and Ms. Jill, came with their group. As a part of our advisory board, they have been incredible in helping us prepare and organize for the school, and this week was no exception. We were able to get so much done with them being here, and I was so grateful for the direction and encouragement they provided.

One final highlight of the week is that I finally moved into my home in Bobita! While it's pretty empty at the moment, I'm so excited to be out here and close to everybody on the team. The TTU group spent all day helping all of us move and get settled, and it was such a blessing to all of us. Hopefully over time I can continue to get settled and make my little home more comfortable.

Thanks so much to the TTU group for an incredible week. We miss you guys already, and we can't wait for some of you to be back next year. I'll try to post a few pics from their week very soon and some pictures of my house. Keep the FHU group in your prayers as they are here this week, and pray for Audrey Parker as she is flying in today for a visit. Love you and miss you all very much!

Carlos From the Texaco Station

2011-03-06T12:55:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago I was running some errands around town to prepare for the groups coming in from the United States. I stopped at our local Texaco Station to get some gas before heading out to Bobita. The man who filled up my tank struck up a conversation with me by asking me if I spoke Spanish. After communicating to him that I spoke a little bit of Spanish, he proceeded to ask me if I worked at the Christian Center in town. Though that is not my primary job, I told him that I worked there as part of the Manna team. He asked me what usually happens there, and so I told him that we have activities for the kids throughout the week but we have a church service every Sunday at 9:00 AM and I invited him to come. He told me that he works every other Sunday so he wouldn’t be able to come the following Sunday, but he would try to come the next one. Before driving away, he asked me my name and told me his name was Carlos. I left there thinking that he was a nice person, but I didn’t really give it much thought beyond that.

This morning we had church at the Christian Center, and guess who showed up?! Carlos! I was so happy to see him there, and I was shocked that he had remembered. He really enjoyed the service and asked Ronald, our adult minister, for a Bible afterwards. I love how God uses little things like this remind us that He is in complete control and that He has a plan. I don’t know if Carlos will be back. I don’t know what he is searching for. I do hope that he heard something today or experienced something today that let him know how much God cares for him, and I pray that he will be back to visit again very soon. Keep him in your prayers.

In other news, we have been EXTREMELY busy preparing for the three spring break groups that are coming. Our first group from Tennessee Tech arrived yesterday, and we could not be more excited. I can already tell that they are going to be a fun group, and I am excited to see the good that comes from them being here. Keep them in your prayers throughout this week. I’ll post again to let you know about what they do while they are here.

Finally, I am moving to Bobita on Tuesday. I am sooooooooooooo excited, and I cannot wait to be there. Pray that moving day goes well as a lot of changes will be taking place. Love and miss you all very much! More posts coming soon!

A Wonderful Week With Red Bank

2011-02-23T21:55:00.000-05:00

This past week, a group from Red Bank Church of Christ in Chattanooga, TN, was here to finish up some work projects that had been started by the previous work groups here. This group was absolutely fantastic, and I really enjoyed getting to know each one of them and spending time together. They were able to finish putting the roof on the dorms, and they were also able to hang some doors and do some electrical and plumbing jobs. Besides all of their hard work, they were such an encouragement to all of us. We had lots of fun together, and I was really sad to see them go. Thanks again to this awesome Red Bank group for all of their hard work and for all of the fun times we were able to have together! Can't wait until all of you get to come visit again!

An Application Celebration

2011-02-14T09:32:00.002-05:00

This past Friday, the students' applications were due. Literally all but two of them who were given an application turned one back in. We were so excited by this outcome, and we know God's hand is at work in this school. Please continue to be prayerful about these kids and their families as they move into the next phase of the application process. Also, say a prayer of thanks for the great success we've seen so far!

A work group from Red Bank in Chattanooga, TN, is coming in today. They're planning to finish up some construction on the school and will be here until next Monday. Pray God will bless their time here and give them safe travels.

On a completely different note, we've had very limited Internet connectivity since I've been here. I've tried to post some pictures on here a few times, but the connection is too slow. I'll keep trying, so hopefully you'll get to see some pics soon. Love and miss you all very much! And Happy Valentine's Day!

The Parent Meeting

2011-02-04T15:12:00.001-05:00

Last night we had the first parent meeting for the new school. We invited kids from Bobita and Rio San Juan to come to the meeting with their parents and learn about the school. The meeting went so well! All of the kids from Bobita who were invited came, and most of the kids from Rio San Juan came as well.

The meeting started off with Rachel welcoming everybody and telling the families there how happy we were that they came. Ronald said a prayer, and then the mayor of Rio San Juan spoke for a few minutes. After that, Rachel and Chad talked about what the school was going to be like and some expectations we have. Finally after Evan closed things out with a scripture and a prayer, we got to pass out the folders that contained some information about the school and an application. The parents seemed very interested in the school and several stayed afterwards to ask questions.

We were all so excited about how this meeting went. It was the first big step in getting everyone involved, and it went over so well. The applications are due Friday, February 11, so be prayerful about these kids and their families as they work to fill out the application. Thank you so much for all of the prayers offered up about this meeting. I know they had a part in the success that we had. Love and miss you all so much! More updates soon.

Here's What's Happening in the DR!

2011-01-31T10:14:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally made it to the Dominican Republic! I can’t believe I’m actually here! So far, everything has been wonderful. I flew in Friday along with a group of men from Northside Church of Christ in Jeffersonville, Indiana. These men were flying down to the Dominican to do some construction on the buildings that we will be using for our school. Chad and Rachel met us at the airport and we all drove back to camp on the Daihatsu. When we arrived back at camp, some of the men who had flown in a day earlier from the Northside group already had completed a lot of work. It was so exciting to see what they had done, and to anticipate what will be completed by the time they leave.

After eating dinner with everyone, Rachel and I drove back to her and Evan’s apartment in Rio San Juan where I will be staying until about the first week in March. I was able to get unpacked and get kind of settled in. I’m so glad that I get to stay with them for a bit while I’m getting settled. I love Evan and Rachel, and they have been so helpful with this transition. I’ll try to post pictures soon of my new place.

On Saturday Rachel and I got to go pick up Chris and Angela Lowe, two of the members of our advisory board, at the airport. On the way we were able to do a little shopping and I even got a Dominican cell phone! I feel so official now. Haha. Anyway, we picked them up and headed back to camp. It was so good to see Chris and Angela and spend some time catching up with them on the way back to camp. Once we got back, we were able to look at all of the school supplies that had come in on the UPS container that flew in with the men from Northside who came in early. It was so exciting to see all of the desks, books, and supplies that will be used in the school! It made everything seem more real, and I’m very excited to do more work on the school. I’m also very thankful for all of the people who took the time and the effort to make sure that we were able to get all of those supplies.

Sunday morning we had church at the Outreach Center. Afterwards, Evan, Rachel, Ronald, and I went to visit with the aunt of Milagros, a lady who is a member of the church in Rio San Juan. Her aunt is very sick so we went to pray with her and visit. Afterwards, Evan, Rachel, and I went to eat at La Casona, a restaurant here, and had a meeting with Nubia, Manna’s secretary. We spent Sunday afternoon working on some documents for the meeting we have later this week.

Today we've come out to Bobita to inventory the supplies we have for the school. Later this afternoon we're having Princesas and Pescadores and then coming back out to Bobita to spend the night out here.

On Thursday night, we are having a meeting with the parents of the prospective students of the school. Please be praying that the parents show up, that the meeting goes well, and that we are able to effectively communicate what we will be doing. Pray that the parents will have a desire to have their kids be a part of the school, and pray that they are willing and ready to do whatever needs to be done to make that happen. I will try to post again soon. Love and miss you all very much!

The Time Has Come

2011-01-27T13:59:00.000-05:00

Wow! I can't believe the time has finally come. I leave tomorrow morning bright and early to start a new chapter of my life in the Dominican Republic. I feel extremely blessed to be given the opportunity to be a part of this work, and I am so excited about getting started. I'm so grateful to my friends and family who have helped to make this a reality. I'm especially grateful for my Jefferson Avenue church family and the countless words of encouragement and prayers they have said for me. I'm also so thankful for my mom, my dad, and my sister. They have been so encouraging throughout this entire process, and I don't know what I would do without them.

The next time you'll hear from me on here will be an update with what is going on in the Dominican Republic. Thanks again to all of you have supported and encouraged me. And most of all, thanks be to God who has made all of this possible.

Thank You Jefferson Avenue!

2011-01-10T18:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday at church, my dad was able to make a quick little presentation about the work that I'll be doing when I move to the Dominican Republic. While a lot of people at Jefferson Avenue were aware that I was moving, most people were not aware that the date for my departure had been moved up. After services were over, I was blown away by the love, support, and encouragement I received from my family at Jefferson Avenue.

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful sponsoring congregation and to be a part of such a loving church family. The people at Jefferson Avenue are some of the greatest people in the world. Their love for the Lord and His Kingdom is uplifting, and they have a genuine desire to help His people. I am honored to be a part of this congregation, and I am so thankful for the love and support they've shown me through the years.

Days like yesterday make me realize just how important it is to have a church family. I can't imagine going through life without people like that being by my side and encouraging me along my spiritual journey. I am so grateful to God for the people at Jefferson Avenue and I pray that He will bless His church there for years to come.

January 28, 2011

2011-01-03T19:06:00.000-05:00

Well, after much prayer and discussion, I have decided to leave earlier than originally scheduled to begin my life in the Dominican Republic. I will be leaving the country on January 28, 2011, to start God's work in the DR. I am so excited, and I feel so blessed that I am able to leave sooner than planned. I have been overwhelmed by the love, support, and encouragement I have received from friends and family, and I know that I am doing what the Lord would have me to do.

So basically I write this to say thank you. Thank you to my Lord and Savior who has made all of this possible. Thank you for my parents and sister and their unending support and help in this process. Thank you to friends and other family members who have shown interest in this work and are already providing support through prayer. Thank you to the team already in place in the DR for making this an easy and exciting process. I'm overwhelmed with gratefulness, and I truly feel that my cup is overflowing.

Pictures From Magi Week

2010-12-27T18:26:00.000-05:00

Mom and I ready for her first trip to the Dominican!

The kids at Acapulco school ready for Santa to come!

Two sweet little girls who loved their gifts!

The Princesas decorated me like a Christmas tree! It was so much fun!

I love these boys. They are so much fun to be around, and they always put a smile on my face!

This was our whole team for the week. We had a blast together!

A "MAGI"cal Week

2010-12-17T13:44:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic with my mom. The Dominican is a place I've always wanted my family to be able to experience, and to have my mother come with me was such a blessing. It was so wonderful for her to finally be able to meet all of these people I had told her about and see all of the places I had tried to describe to her. We had a wonderful week together, and I'm so glad she now knows why I want to move there.

Our week was spent dropping off Magi boxes for the kids of the Dominican Republic. We did four separate drops, and each one was a blast. All of the kids we saw and interacted with were so sweet and grateful for the gifts we gave them. There is nothing like playing "Santa Claus" and seeing a kid's eyes light up when you hand them a present. While Magi was a blast, it is also sad to think that this might be the only present these kids get for an entire year. It really serves as a reminder of just how blessed we are.

Seeing all of the kids I got so close to this summer was probably one of my favorite parts of this trip. They have all grown up so much in just a matter of a few months, but they are still the same kids at heart. Jordan, a boy I interned with this summer, and I got to lead singing Sunday night at movie night, and it was so much fun! I love spending time with all of those kids and just playing with them. On Monday night, we had a Christmas party for the Princesas and Pescadores, the older boys and girls in Rio San Juan. It was a blast! We played games, gave out gifts, had ice cream, and I even got decorated like a Christmas tree. It was hysterical and probably one of my favorite parts of the trip.

Jordan, Jarred (Jordan's brother), Mom, and I were able to walk through Bobita one afternoon and visit with all of those amazing people. I think we literally drank our weight in coffee, but it was worth it. No matter how many times I go to the Dominican, I'm still amazed at how gracious and hospitable the people there are. Each person we saw invited us in and genuinely wanted to catch up with us and wanted us to stay for a while. That's one of my favorite things about the people there.

Leaving the Dominican is always tough, but this time seemed a little bit easier. I'm grateful for this trip, and I'm so happy my mom was able to experience it with me. I'm excited about moving to the Dominican, and this trip just further confirmed that that is where I need to be. Please keep Rachel, Evan, Porfi, Carla, Abi, Dani, and Norm in your prayers as they'll all be traveling the next few days to be with their families for Christmas. Also, keep Chad, Ronald, and Rosi in your prayers as they are staying in the Dominican and will be away from their families for Christmas. I'll try to post pictures of our trip soon!

What The Lord Has Done In Me

2010-12-09T09:14:00.000-05:00

Well...I'm back to writing a blog after about a five month hiatus. For some reason, I don't feel like my life in the States is blog-worthy. However, though I'm still in the States, I finally feel like I have something to write about. As some of you know, the Lord has placed it on my heart to move to the Dominican Republic and teach at Manna Christian School which will begin in the fall of 2011. As of now, the plan is for me to move at the end of June and stay there for two years. I am so excited, and I feel so blessed that God has shown me how I can serve Him and His people doing something that I absolutely love to do. I feel honored to be joining the Manna team, and I know this experience will shape me for the rest of my life.

I am currently in the process of fundraising which has proven to be somewhat stressful. Pray that I will trust in the Lord to provide as He has done time and time again. I also ask that if you are interested in helping with this effort that you will contact me. My email address is jillrenee29@gmail.com and I would love to hear from you! And as always...prayers are much appreciated and needed.

My plan is to use this blog to keep friends and family up to date on my life as I prepare to go to the Dominican and while I am there for a few years. I will try my best to keep everything current and exciting. Thank you all for your love, support, and encouragement. Please continue to keep me in your prayers as I prepare for this next phase in my life.

Saying Goodbye

2010-08-09T01:39:00.000-04:00

I cannot believe the summer is over. It seems like just yesterday I was packing my bags and preparing to leave. God has worked through me and in me this summer, and words cannot express how much I will miss the Dominican Republic and the people there. I have learned so much and have truly come to know God and the power that He can have in our lives. I have learned the importance of prayer and inviting God into every situation we encounter. I have seen the Holy Spirit at work in my life and in the work we did this summer. I have met and formed relationships with some of the most incredible people on the face of this earth. I know God is at work in my life, and I pray that I will be able to hear His voice and see where it is He wants me to be and where it is He wants me to serve.

This summer was the most incredible experience of my life. Thank you all so much for the prayers, messages, thoughts, and kind words that you sent throughout the summer. You do not know how much I appreciate each and every one of you and I am so grateful for each of you. Please continue to keep the missionaries in your prayers that are still there. Thank you for keeping up with my adventures on this blog. I pray that it blessed your life in some way. Love you all so much.

Westminster at Work

2010-08-09T01:30:00.000-04:00

Me and Patricia, a sweet little girl I met at community day.

Some of my favorite girls in Rio San Juan. They greet me every time we arrive in Rio San Juan, and I love it!

Me and Ranger.

My incredible group for the week.

The wonderful group from Westminster.

Cloverdale Captured on Camera

2010-08-01T17:03:00.000-04:00

My favorite girls in the DR...Rosanni, Estefani, Yerdali, and Migelina.

Dylan, one of the kids from Cloverdale, did a magic show for the kids at the VBS. They loved it!

Me and sweet Keiri.

The incredible group from Cloverdale! I loved this group so much!

My amazing group for the week!

Luke, me, and Jeremy after a tough day of work!

Me and sweet Glenn.

All of the interns on our last day at the beach together. Glenn, me, Jordan, Audrey, Carter, and Nikki. These people have changed my life.

Goodbye Glenn

2010-07-30T17:14:00.000-04:00

Well, this past Tuesday we had to say goodbye to one of our interns. Glenn, who is from Jackson, TN, had to go home early because he has pneumonia. It was so hard to say goodbye, especially when it was so unexpected. It just made the fact that we are all leaving soon become that much more real. It's going to be so hard to leave this place I have come to love so much. Please keep all of the interns in your prayers as we prepare to say goodbye.

I will try to post pictures soon from this past group from Cloverdale. Our final group is here this week! Please keep them in your prayers as we finish out the summer. Love and miss you all!

Random Photos From a Random Week - Highland View, Maricamp, Carbondale, and Clear Creek

2010-07-25T16:15:00.000-04:00

Me and Rosanni...my little Dominican bif. :)

A view of the fort where we eat lunch in Puerto Plata from the top of the lighthouse.

Me and Charleni, a sweet girl I met at the dump over spring break and she still remembered me!

Every kid loves a good foam visor.

Me and Bebon...I love this kid so, so, so much!

My awesome team for the week.

Our amazing group from churches all over the United States!

Making Sure I'm Not Numb

2010-07-19T18:00:00.000-04:00

Wow! The Lord has truly been at work in my heart this past week. You would think that after almost two months down here you would start to become numb to some of the things we encounter everyday. The Lord has made sure that I am not numb to the things going on down here this week, and I am so thankful for that. Here are just a few of the ways he has been at work.

The group this week is an eclectic group from four different churches. They include Highland View, Carbondale, Maricamp, and Clear Creek. It has been so much fun to get to know everyone and to watch them bond as a group as well. I got to go with the group this week on Puerto Plata day. My group went through the women's ward and visited with the patients there. I met a lady named Dorotea. I figured out that she had been having some heart problems and was in a lot of pain. When I asked her if she had any family there, she told me she didn't have any family at all. My heart immediately broke for this sweet woman, and I asked if I could pray for her in English. We held hands and prayed together. Then Rosi prayed for the entire room in Spanish. When we opened our eyes, Dorotea had tears rolling down her face. I immediately started sobbing. I hugged Dorotea so tight and told her I loved her and would be praying for her. It was so tough thinking that this lady did not have any family and was all alone. I am so blessed to have family and people that care about me and are constantly praying for me.

Also, one of the little girls in Bobita, Andeli, might be coming to live at the Children's Home. She is absolutely precious, and while I am excited that she might be coming to live there, the situation makes me sad. Her dad's girlfriend left him, and he has no way to work and take care of his children. I pray that what is best for Andeli will happen, and once again, I am thankful for a family that loves me and can take care of me.

One final little story...we have started working with a lady at the hospital in Puerto Plata named Anna Brugal. She is trying to make some improvements to the children's ward. She told Norm a story the other day of a woman whose baby had been brought into the hospital. It was very obvious the woman did not want the baby, and after a few days it seemed that the woman had poisoned her baby. I just can't imagine hurting one of these innocent children.

I write all of this to say the people here so desperately need our prayers. The sadness and pain never stops, and while it is sometimes difficult, I am so thankful that God has reminded me why I'm here and has made sure I have not become numb to what is going on. Love and miss you all!

The End of An Era

2010-07-13T13:36:00.000-04:00

While the Clear Creek group went to Puerto Plata, Carter, Chad, Glenn, and I had the day off. The following pictures document what took place that day.

The beard in full bloom.

The beard was originally so unruly that we had to enlist Chad to trim it back a bit.

That chin hasn't seen the light of day in months.

Sick.

Only half of a beard!!!

Side 1.

Side 2.

The mustache look.

We really liked the mustache look.

Maybe a little too much.

The Hitler look.

A little unsure about his face being naked and exposed.

The finished product! How handsome!

Clear Creek Captured on Camera

2010-07-13T13:30:00.000-04:00

The amazing Clear Creek group on the mountain overlooking Rio San Juan.

My amazing group that Carter and I led together!

My group won the Cultural Safari this week! Woohoo!

At the beach, the Lord showed us just how powerful He is when it started to storm.

Vacation!

2010-07-11T19:04:00.000-04:00

Well, the last few days have been incredible. The Clear Creek group left on Thursday after doing an amazing job serving here in the DR. I will try to post some pictures of their week very soon! However, after the Clear Creek group left, our group of interns and missionaries left for our three day vacation in Santo Domingo. We arrived late Thursday night in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. We got to stay in an all inclusive resort that had air conditioning and hot water showers! Woohoo!!! However, after more than a month of being without air conditioning, I woke up with a stuffy nose on Friday morning. Haha.

Friday was a really fun day! We got to sleep in and then after having lunch at the resort, we left to go into Santo Domingo to spend the day. Santo Domingo is one of the bigger cities I've ever been to and it was very American. It's funny because I haven't really missed a lot of things from home, but being able to spend the day and do normal things without having to worry about everything going smoothly was a lot of fun. We shopped at the mall, ate at Cinnabon, ate dinner at Quiznos, and got to see "Eclipse"!!!! Let me just say that Edward Cullen's hotness translates to any language. Haha! It was a wonderful day full of fun with some of my favorite people in the world.

Saturday morning we had breakfast at the resort and then went back into Santo Domingo to go to PriceSmart to buy food for the next three groups coming in. Unlike my last PriceSmart experience, this one went much more smoothly and we spent only 3 hours in PriceSmart. We finally headed back to camp and arrived back last night around 9:30. As crazy as this sounds, it felt good to be back home and sleeping in my hot bed with my mosquito net.

Today has been a nice, relaxing day. We had church this morning and then watched "Glee" and the World Cup this afternoon. We even got to make some yummy brownies. Our next group is coming in on Tuesday. We have three more groups back to back and then the summer will be over. Please keep these groups in your prayers and please keep our team in your prayers as well as we prepare for these groups. Love you all and miss you all so much!

Noteworty Northside Pictures

2010-07-07T12:06:00.000-04:00

Nikki and Audrey...some of the greatest girls I know!

Some amazing girls from the Outreach Center in Rio San Juan.

This is where I live :)

Could these sweet girls be any cuter?

This is Andeli and I want to bring her home in my suitcase.

Here we all are: all of the interns, Kevin, Chad, and Norm. What a team! :)

The fantastic Northside group.

The Dominican interns and the Haiti interns...one big happy family!

One Big Happy Family

2010-07-04T15:49:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! The past few days have been incredible! This past Wednesday was a day for the history books. Tuesday night the group from Haiti arrived here. It was so good to meet some of them and to spend time with Keely, Jeff, Brian, and Tammie. Then, on Wednesday, Brad and Monica Gautney joined us. Norm, Brian, and Brad are over the Manna program. Having all of them together along with our entire team, the entire Haiti team, and Cory and Laura Beth, it was like having our family all together. We had a cookout at the Outreach Center and it was the perfect way to spend that precious time together. I will try to post pictures soon of the week with Northside. The group from Clear Creek is here now. Please keep them in your prayers!

Hospital Highlights

2010-06-30T12:51:00.000-04:00

The group from Northside Church of Christ is here this week. They've been a lot of fun to work with and get to know. This week's hospital visit was especially momentous. For those of you who don't know, the hospitals here are very different from the hospitals in the United States. There are large rooms with tons of beds lining the walls. Patients have sheets on their beds only if their families bring them. It is very dirty, and there is no way that any procedure done there is sanitary. There is a lot of pain and a lot of suffering, and sometimes it's very tough to deal with. However, after visiting so many times, I have gotten past my fears and actually enjoy visiting the people in the hospital and bringing them some joy. Yesterday, I met the sweetest lady who was staying with her grandfather in the hospital who had prostate cancer. She had on the prettiest bracelet, and when I told her I liked it, she just gave it to me. It was so sweet, and she had such a positive outlook on life. I really enjoyed talking to her and her grandfather. I also got to see a guy named Antonio who I had met the week before. He is in the hospital for a broken leg which is infected. He had a deck of cards there yesterday, and we did some card tricks for each other. It was so much fun, and we had a wonderful time visiting together. There are many more stories like this every week, but these especially stuck out to me yesterday.

On another note, I'm sure many of you are wondering how the first church service in Rio San Juan went. It was this past Sunday, and there were 7 adults present and 35 kids. We were so excited about this turnout and we pray that it will continue to grow. Please keep us in your prayers!

Lake Cities Photo Update

2010-06-27T17:28:00.000-04:00

This is Bianca, a little girl I met at our Community Day house with the Lake Cities group. She was precious and she loved cheese.

Here are some of my favorite people in Caraqueña: Lisea, Abi, and Rosmery.

This is mine and Audrey's group for the week on the mountain overlooking Rio San Juan.

Estefany fixed our hair for all of us! It was so much fun.

The amazing Lake Cities group!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2010-06-24T12:23:00.000-04:00

Well, our next group is coming in this evening. It's a group from Jeffersonville, IN, and Cory and Laura Beth Lamb are coming with them! They used to live down here as missionaries, and I'm so excited to see them! I know they're excited to be here as well because it will be their first time to be back after living here for two years.

Since my last post, here is what has happened. After a hard work day on Monday of pouring concrete, we took the Lake Cities group to the beach. Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly the beach weather everyone was looking forward to, but this group did not let that stop them from having a blast. As soon as the rain started they started up a game of soccer! It was so much fun watching everyone play together and enjoy their time there. We mixed it up a little this time, and instead of eating at the beach, we came back to the Outreach Center and had a cookout. It was a lot of fun, and I personally enjoyed doing something that reminded me of being home. Let's face it...a cookout is pretty American. :)

Tuesday morning we helped get the group packed up and then we all got to go with them to the airport to say goodbye. They were such a wonderful group, and I am definitely going to miss them! When we arrived back at camp, Norm made all of the interns be completely silent for two hours. We were able to do whatever we wanted, but we could not talk. This was exactly what we needed! It's so hard to find time for yourself down here because there is so much to be done. This time was great for me to journal, pray, and read the Bible. It was also relaxing to not feel like I had to do anything. After quiet time, we had dinner at Norm's and then we all played cards together. I love nights like this where we can relax and just spend time together. I love everyone here so much, so it's always fun to be together.

Yesterday we prepared for the group that is getting here today. We had some things to take care of around camp, so we tried to get all of that done. However, we have been getting so much rain that it's making it difficult to do anything outside which is where most of our activities are! Apparently rain is not normal for this time of year, but we have definitely gotten our share of it. Hopefully it will let up soon so that we can get back to normal and be dry for a few hours. Haha.

Right now the interns are in Rio San Juan catching up on Facebook and doing some laundry. We're excited for the next group to get here and for what this new week holds!

VBS, Painting, and Concrete

2010-06-21T12:32:00.000-04:00

Here is what's been happening since my last post. On Friday, the Lake Cities group went up to the hill that overlooks Rio San Juan and prayed for the city. It's always so nice to do that and it really encourages Rosi, Ronald, Evan, and Rachel. Friday afternoon, the group had VBS at the Outreach Center. They did such a wonderful job and the kids really enjoyed it. I met the sweetest little girl named Yaresa. She made a necklace for me and then gave me this little turtle charm she had. She was precious, and it was so nice to spend some time with her. After VBS, we try to walk some of the kids home to meet their families and get them involved in the church. I took a teenager named Estefany home. I got to meet her grandmothers and Estefany fixed my hair which was quite an experience. I'll post some pictures soon. Let's just say that my hair was looking slick. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and I hope I can get to know her better as the summer goes on.

On Saturday we had a work day/free day. The morning was spent painting Porfi and Carla's house and then the afternoon was just free time. We were planning on doing concrete work. However, the city was not prepared so we had to use our backup plan. We had a rough start to the morning, but God always provides, and He did that day as well.

Yesterday we had church at the camp and then we did the Cultural Safari in Rio San Juan. Lake Cities did a great job and they were a lot of fun to work with.

This morning we poured concrete which we had planned to do on Saturday. It was hard work, but the group stuck with it, and we finished before lunch! We're fixing to head to the beach for some relaxation with Lake Cities before they leave tomorrow. Please keep them in your prayers as they head back to the states.

God Understands Spanish and English

2010-06-18T13:14:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! We finally have another group here in the Dominican. It's the Lake Cities group from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. They are incredible people, and I am so happy another group is finally here! Since this group is doing pretty much the exact same things the group last week did, I wanted to share some personal stories about this week so far.

Before the group got here on Tuesday, the interns got to go to Rio San Juan to help Evan and Rachel with Princesas and Pescadores which is a program for the teenagers in the area. The girls talked about prayer and divided into small groups to talk about different aspects of prayer. It was so refreshing to hear from some of the Dominican girls about what was on their hearts and minds. I really feel like everyone benefited from that night and it will not be something that I soon forget.

Yesterday, we went to Puerto Plata to visit the hospital and the dump. At the hospital, I went over to a man's bed and sat and talked with him for a while. I asked him if I could pray for him in English and he said that would be fine because even though he wouldn't be able to understand, God would be able to because He understands Spanish and English. I was floored by this answer, and the truth of it is what makes our God so amazing. We serve and incredible God and He is definitely at work in this place.

One final note, Rosi and Ronald and Evan and Rachel are planning to have the first church service of the church in Rio San Juan at the end of this month. Please keep this in your prayers. Pray that the people of Rio San Juan will be receptive of the Lord and His love as well as the efforts of the missionaries here. I love you and miss you all! Thanks for your continued prayers and support. I'll try to post again soon.

A Picture Perfect Overview

2010-06-12T19:17:00.000-04:00

Our bedroom...I sleep on the top bunk.

Our beautiful house modeled by Audrey.

My first taxi or "guagua" ride in Santiago.

Our five hour trip to PriceSmart and all of the food we bought.

My fabulous first group from East Hill.

The entire East Hill group.

All of the amazing interns and Kevin. From left to right...Kevin, Nikki, Jordan, me, Glenn, Audrey, and Carter.

Fun in the Sun

2010-06-12T16:51:00.000-04:00

Well, not much has happened since the group left. We have had a few days of relaxation and it has been much needed. The interns have been able to spend several days together getting to know one another and bonding since we have added Jordan to our team. I cannot describe how much I love these people and how excited I am to be a part of this team. Their love for the Lord and for the people here is so genuine, and I feel like I am right where I need to be at this point in my life. God blesses us so richly and knows exactly what we need.

Today the interns got to go to the beach. It was so much fun to spend time with one another and enjoy God's beautiful creation. It was also nice to relax because once this next group gets here it's going to be nonstop for the next several weeks. They literally come back to back for the rest of the summer.

Hopefully I will be able to post some pictures soon. I will try to blog as frequently as possible but please be patient with me as I look for available time to do this. The Internet is very sketchy here and it is hard to find time as well. I love you all and miss you so much! Thanks for your support and prayers.

A Great Week With East Hill

2010-06-09T13:37:00.000-04:00

Well, as most of you know, it has been over a week since my last post. I'm so sorry for the delay, but this past week has been so busy! Our first group arrived last Tuesday. They were the East Hill youth group from York, Nebraska, and they were absolutely incredible! They were so prepared and such a great first experience with the groups. It made me so excited to meet all of the other groups that come. I'll give you all a quick overview of what went down last week.

The group arrived Tuesday night and we went through orientation at camp with them. Most of them were newcomers, so they had never experienced this place before. It was exciting to get to see their reactions to everything. Wednesday morning, we had Community Day in Rio San Juan and a VBS here at the camp for the kids in Bobita. Community Day is where we take our groups into the homes of people in the city for them to meet families and eat lunch in a family's home. My group of five people from East Hill and Chad all went to Anna's house. She was so sweet and the meal she made was great. I'm excited to get to know her more over the summer. East Hill had planned a wonderful VBS for the afternoon. The kids really loved it, and I loved seeing how excited they were about everything. Thursday was Puerto Plata day. On this day, the group goes to Puerto Plata and visits the hospital and a dump there. The hospital is so different from hospitals in the States, and to be honest, it's just pathetic. However, the East Hill group was so kind to the people in the hospital and I know they were able to ease their pain even if just for a little while. After the hospital, we visit the dump to deliver care packages to the people who live there. This is always a hard day, but the East Hill group handled everything so well and I was so proud of them. On Friday, we spent the morning praying over the city of Rio San Juan. We all went up to a hill overlooking the city and prayed that God would pour His Spirit over the city and open the hearts of the people who live there. It was such an uplifting morning, and I think it was definitely something we need to do if we want God to bless our work there. That afternoon, we had a VBS at the Outreach Center for Rio San Juan. Once again, it went off without a hitch, and the kids loved it. On Saturday, we had a work day at the entrance to the city of Rio San Juan. We planted palm trees and flowers to beautify the area. Sunday was spent having church here and then taking the group to Rio San Juan for a Cultural Safari. This is where groups get to go around Rio San Juan and explore while trying to communicate with the people to answer questions. My group did a great job, even though we finished last. :) Monday morning was another work day at the entrance to the city. We poured a concrete sidewalk around the trees we had planted. Monday afternoon was the group's beach day. We were blessed with safety and a fun afternoon spent relaxing. Yesterday morning the group packed up and left. We all went to drop them off at the airport and pick up Jordan, the final intern arriving this summer.

After Jordan arrived, I felt like our team was finally complete. He is such a nice guy, and I'm glad that we're all finally here. Once we picked him up, our entire team ate together, played volleyball on the beach, and spent the evening celebrating Audrey's birthday. I cannot describe the love I already have for these people and the joy I get from being able to work with them to serve the Lord. Just to let all of you know, here is who our team consists of: Norm is the director of the field program in the DR, Chad is the assistant director, Evan and Rachel along with Rosi and Ronald and their son Kevin are over the work in Rio San Juan, Porfi and Carla and their children Abi and Dani are over the Children's Home in Bobita, Luckson is in charge of most of our work projects, and there are six interns that include Glenn, Carter, Jordan, Nikki, Audrey, and myself. In addition to all of these amazing people there are multiple Dominicans who work closely with our team to help us with as much as possible. Please keep our team in your prayers as we work together to make touch the hearts and lives of these people and share the good news about Jesus with them.

We have this week off and we're spending today debriefing. Thanks for all of your prayers and support. You don't know how much it means to me. I love you and miss you all!

Shower? Not Necessary

2010-06-01T13:21:00.000-04:00

Wow. That is the only word I have for the time that has passed since my last post. Before I get into details, let me just say that I'm sitting in Norm's house in nasty clothes and I haven't showered in almost 48 hours. I'm looking and smelling pretty rough, but yesterday and today have been crazy!

Yesterday morning we left camp at 6:30 A.M. to head to Santiago to buy food for the first four groups that are coming. All of the interns, Chad, Norm, Rosi, and Ronald loaded onto the Daihatsu with coolers and tubs to pack all of the food. Santiago is about a 3 hour drive up a mountain. With all of the tubs on the truck, it was not the most comfortable I've ever been. Anyway, we finally got to Santiago and had to leave the Daihatsu at this place because it needed some maintenance work. So...we were on our own to get to PriceSmart where we were going to get our groceries. I took my first ever taxi to PriceSmart with Glenn, Evan, and Rachel and two other people and the taxi driver. It was crazy, but so much fun. I could not stop laughing because I know we looked ridiculous all piled in that car. It was definitely an experience. PriceSmart is pretty much like an American Sams or Costco. We literally spent over 4 hours in there getting all of the food for the summer. Then we had to go a few more places after that to get some things they don't carry there. We shopped all day and it was exhausting. After that we had to pack it all on to the Daihatsu and get it back to camp. Talk about scary! The truck was packed full. I rode the entire way back with my knees pulled up to my chest. It was a crazy ride, but so funny.

Once we got back to camp, we had to unpack everything off of the Daihatsu so that it could be taken to pick up the group today. It was around midnight and we were all unpacking the truck. I went into our bathroom to get some Clorox wipes to clean off one of the tubs where something had leaked. I reached out to the shelf to grab some wipes, and almost grabbed a boa constrictor. AHHHHHHHH!!!!! It was slithering around on the second shelf in our bathroom. I'd say it was probably about 3 feet long and it was pretty thick as well. I went running outside and told the group. Ron came in and carried it outside and took it far away. If it comes back again, we're killing it. Yuck! That definitely gave me the creeps!!!

So after all of that drama, we were ready to jump in the shower and go to bed. However, I got in the shower to find that there is no water. Apparently, there is a leak somewhere. We decided after talking to Chad to wake up early today and get the problem solved. So...after driving all day on the Daihatsu, we jumped in bed dirty, sticky, and gross.

As of right now, 1:45 P.M., there is still no water. We've spent most of the day getting camp ready for the group coming tonight. We interns are going on 48 hours without showering. I am disgusting, but I can honestly say the past few days have been so much fun. We've worked hard and had some problems, but we've gotten closer as a group and have laughed so much. There really are blessings to be found in every situation. I know the Lord will provide and everything will get taken care of before the groups get here. Please continue to keep us in your prayers! The East Hill group is arriving tonight!

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2010-05-30T14:34:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! We're having a lazy Sunday afternoon around camp after an intense day of orientation yesterday. We spent basically all day Saturday dividing up jobs among the interns. I am in charge of events and finances. This means that I will be in charge of making sure VBS's, Puerto Plata Day, Community Day, as well as anything else the groups participate in runs smoothly. I'm excited about this job even though I know it is going to be a lot of work.

Our first group arrives on Tuesday, so please keep them in your prayers! We are excited to get started, and we are ready to see how this first week goes.

As I'm sure some of you are wondering, I finally got to see the kids from the Children's Home. It was soooo good to see them! They are always so much fun to be around. However, I wasn't aware of this, but practically all of the kids go home over the summer. The babies will stay, but most of the older kids will be gone. While this makes me sad, I have some good news as well. Porfi and Carla, the couple in charge of the Children's Home, are looking to add one new child between the ages of 0 and 2 for the next 32 months! This means there will be so many new children, and I am so excited about that!

I have had a question about the food here. It is very good, and Norm, the MannaDR Field Director, makes sure we are very well fed. We do eat Dominican food, but I actually like it a lot and it is very filling. The only thing so far that I'm not sure about is cow tongue. Haha. Ronald, Rosi, Porfi, and Carla, some of the other missionaries, cooked the other night. They are all from Costa Rica and they made cow tongue for us which is a delicacy there. It kind of tasted like roast, but it was kind of weird, too. I don't know that we'll be having that again anytime soon. Haha.

We might get to go to the beach this afternoon if the rain holds off. Tomorrow we are going to buy all of the food for the first four weeks! We're leaving bright and early in the morning. Wish us luck!

Welcome to Caraqueña

2010-05-28T18:40:00.000-04:00

The last two days have been incredible. Yesterday started with clearing out a ditch full of water with the other interns to allow us to get into the entrance to camp more easily. Just to inform my faithful readers, the other interns here thus far are Audrey, Nikki, and Carter. I'm sure I'll refer to them in several of my posts. Anyway, after that project we all got cleaned up and left for Puerto Plata. Glenn, another intern, was joining us yesterday and we all got to go pick him up at the airport. Before we went to get him, we made a trip to La Serena which is like a Dominican Walmart. We were able to get a few things we need around camp here. Just to let you know, places like this are rare and are only available in the bigger cities. It was definitely an interesting experience with different currency (they use pesos here) and a different language (they speak Spanish here). After our shopping excursion, we finally got to go get Glenn!!! I was so excited to see him, and I am so happy he is here. I know he is going to be such a comfort to me this summer and I know he will do great things for the Lord. The rest of the day was spent traveling back to camp, getting Glenn settled in, eating dinner, and playing Taboo. :)

Today has been wonderful! This morning all of the interns completed a personality evaluation to help us get to know one another better and recognize each other's strengths and weaknesses. This was a lot of fun, but it was also very helpful. After that, the interns and the rest of the missionary team went to Carmen's house for lunch. Carmen is a lady who lives in Caraqueña. She has two daughters and she cooks for us when the groups come during the summer. Lunch was so yummy and it was fun for us to meet and visit with her family. The people of the Dominican love to talk, eat, and visit, so lunch can be a pretty drawn out affair. It's very different from the United States, but it shows you that the people here appreciate each other so much. After that Chad took us to some of the homes in Caraqueña to meet some of the families. This was my favorite part of the day. It was so good to actually meet some of these people that I have been seeing for the past three times I have been here. I hope over the summer I can continue to get to know them better and communicate with them more effectively.

On another note...Manna Global Ministries is looking to establish a church in the Rio San Juan area. I am so excited about this! Our goal this summer as interns is to help introduce the people of the Dominican to Christ, bring them into a relationship with Christ, and help them grow in the Lord as Christians. For so long, this ministry has been focused on Bobita and Caraqueña, the smaller villages where we live, and providing physical help to those people. Now, after years of that effort with little return, the effort is moving to Rio San Juan with the hopes of establishing a church and bringing people to Christ. While this will be a big and difficult change, it is also exciting. Please keep this effort in your prayers. I will try to keep you posted as the summer moves along.

I Made It!

2010-05-26T19:06:00.000-04:00

I made it to the Dominican Republic! Me and three other interns arrived yesterday afternoon around 2:00 P.M. We met all of the missionaries at the airport and returned to camp for dinner. Today, we did some work around camp cleaning and getting ready for the groups to come. So far the transition has been very smooth. The weather has not been too hot and we've already seen some rain.

I can already tell I'm going to love this summer so much! The other interns are incredible. The missionaries are so helpful and loving. I can't wait to see what else is in store!

One Week

2010-05-18T18:59:00.000-04:00

One week from right now I'll be in the Dominican Republic!!! I'm so unbelievably excited, but I'm getting a little nervous as well. I've already started to pack just to make sure I don't forget anything! I know God has great things in store for this summer. Here are a few things I'm personally excited about:

1. Seeing all of the kids at the Children's Home
2. Becoming best friends with all of the other interns
3. Meeting everyone who comes with the various groups
4. Sunshine!
5. The unknown

If you read this, please keep me and the other interns in your prayers as we prepare for this summer!

A Glimpse of What Is To Come

2010-05-13T01:29:00.000-04:00