Whirlwind.

I’m sitting at home watching the Packers’ game.  There is a Christmas tree in the room and a yard covered in snow just outside the window.  It feels like a pretty typical Christmas break.  Hard to believe that just three days ago I was in the Dominican Republic.  Or maybe it’s hard to believe that I’m here instead of there.  What a whirlwind it has been.

Well I can tell you that God is alive and well in the Dominican Republic.  He is working in the hearts and lives of His people.  In a country tempted by nominal Christianity, perhaps not unlike our own, there are still people who are seeking to follow their Lord more closely yet.  I’ve seen junior-highers inquire into the character of God, college students seek to discern God’s will for their lives, and churches work to fight the aspects of culture that distance people from Christ.  While perhaps I’ve been celebrating some of the differences I have missed these past 3 ½ months (such as dish washers and American milk), this makes me wonder if we really are that different.

I have been blessed a lot this semester.  I have been blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people – both the Dominicans with whom I crossed paths and my sweet-awesome team.  I have laughed so hard I’ve cried and I’ve also been moved to tears by the love of others.  I have been able to climb mountains, white-water raft, ride horses to secluded mountain villages, swim in the ocean, and take naps on the beach.  I have been blessed to experience another part of God’s vast creation.  It was not uncommon for me to stop and ask myself with awe, “How did I get this life?”

I have learned a lot this semester.  I have learned about life in the DR and I have learned more about the character of God and how to follow Him.  I have learned the joy and peace of living within God’s will.

Thank you for traveling with me and for your prayers.  I’d love to hear about your last 3 ½ months.  I’d love to swap funny stories, or things you’re learning, or anything else you have to share.  I’d love to continue the dialogue.  So let’s grab coffee, yeah?  Or maybe I’ll cook you up some plantains.  Either way, I’m not ready to stop the journey.  Come with me?

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6b

Late Night Ramblings

And then I find some Canadians who could give me apple pie - Happy Thanksgiving indeed :)

I guess it is about that time where I post an update on my life here in the Dominican Republic...or maybe that time was awhile ago and now is when I am finally getting around to it.  Once again I find myself flustered at the task of attempting to condense a couple weeks of life into bite-sized and hopefully interesting blog post.  Maybe I'll just start with today and work my way backwards.

I just returned from an absolutely amazing jazz concert taking place in downtown Jarabacoa.  One of the girls on my team was to be singing/playing in it, so I went to support her and was blown away by the musical talent demonstrated tonight.  Moral of the story, if you don't listen to jazz, you should probably start...especially if you can find live performers.

Earlier today we were at the beach (enjoying a little Thanksgiving break) and while taking a walk I found some Canadian woman who had a little bakery shop filled with the types of goodies/desserts I might typically find at home.  The most pleasant of the surprises: apple pie.  If I had been in the States today, that would have been my breakfast, so it seemed imperative that I buy slice.  Fantastic.  Not as good as yours, Mom, but it will tide me over until I get home in just a few short weeks.

Last night we all gathered at the base for a good ol' Thanksgiving dinner.  Also fantastic.  You have no idea how long I've been waiting for soft, buttery rolls.  It was kind of strange though to have Thanksgiving relegated to only dinner - I'm used to it being a whole day affair.  However without all the hype leading up to it and only celebrating at dinner, I found myself sitting there later in the evening almost forgetting that it was Thanksgiving.  Nonetheless, I am still thankful for that beautiful meal and wonderful time of fellowship.

I have now learned how to sew using the old peddle machines.  I even made a pot holder which I accidentally gave to my host mom.  I came home for lunch one day, excited to show off my first creation:
- Mom!  Look!  I made a pot holder today!  Look - here is Courtney's too!
- Oh wow!  How beautiful!  Thank you, my daughter!  Ramón, look!  Look at the pot holders they made me!
...welp, I guess those are hers now...sorry Courtney.  In reality, I'm glad to be able to pass those are on to her since she is frequently burning her hands on pots.  Now, if only I can convince her that they are not too beautiful and she should actually use them...

My real parents came to visit last weekend.  It was wonderful to see them and get to show them my world down here.  They even braved the country lifestyle by staying a night with my Dominican family and my dad even tried out the outdoor bucket shower.  What a blessing to be able to connect with them and have them understand a little better what is going on here.

Like I said at the beginning, I have no idea how to sufficiently update people.  Things have been going much smoother as I have learned that my time is really not my own.  Ministry is not a 9-5 job and in fact some of the most important connections come "after hours."  I know I have learned this as my leaders take me out for dinner or plan a retreat for us when work gets canceled for some reason.  And when time is not a commodity to be owned, it cannot be mine and thus I don't have to stress about somebody taking it from me.  As I loosen my grip on my own plans, I am led into the joyous freedom of obedience in Christ and the plans HE has for me.

I can hardly believe I only have two more weeks of work and in just three weeks I'll be back home.  This time has absolutely flown by and I'm just about settled in now.  It is unreal to think that Thanksgiving actually happened and Christmas is actually approaching.  It is strange that I am going to say good-bye to my Dominican friends in two weeks and unfathomable that I am going to depart from my team in three weeks.  I don't even know how to process all of that right now, so it'll have to wait for another update.  As I near the end (and in the spirit of Thanksgiving), I want to thank you all for partnering with me on this journey.  And thank you for sticking to the end of this ridiculously long post.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Prayer Requests:
- Pray for Courtney and I was we prepare Bible studies/devotionals for the girls.  May God speak through us into these girls lives.  Pray that we can come up with engaging questions that help them transform their beliefs from something they've heard growing up into the core of who they are that affects their every action...or at least moves them in that direction.
- Praise God for all the relationships He has blessed me with and the way they continue to grow.
- Praise God that everyday is a new day full of His mercies.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22-23

And then...

...there was a woman sitting at our front door with an IV in her arm and Mamá looking very pleased with herself.
...I realized ballena means whale, not candle.
...Mamá started cracking up and I had no idea why (a frequent occurrence actually).
...everyone was staring at me (this happens any time "americanos" are mentioned).
...I realized we were out of toilet paper in the outhouse.
...she told us there is a hurricane headed for the island.
...it didn't ever stop raining.
...she loved my Spanish (Castillian) accent.
...she hated my Spanish (Castillian) accent.
...she told me my eyes are green...like a cat's (not a good thing).
...the power went out...again.
...the clouds rolled away and the stars were AMAZING.
...she remembered my name.
...she threw mud at me and I felt accepted.
...she grabbed my hand and said "mejor amigas" (best friends).
...I finished my first book in Spanish.
...they taught us Dominican card games.
...we taught them Dutch Blitz.
...we went running with "wild" (not tied-up) horses.
...God opened the doors for me to return for next summer.

To clarify, this was not written in chronological order, but based on what seemed to flow thebest.  Life was not just crazy and rough at the beginning with everything being roses now.  Everyday is crazy, rough, and beautiful all at the same time.  There are ups and downs, but overall things are great and I spend more time up than down.

Praises:
- God is good.
- His creation is amazingly beautiful and I've been able to see much of that splendor.
- I'm making friends and connections with people in the community.
- God has prepared a way for me to return in a really exciting position.

Prayer Requests:
- That I have the energy and self-discipline to continue to try to get to know people and practice my Spanish when I'm tempted to just curl up in bed and read.
- That I can continue learning Spanish so that I might better understand what people are saying.

A Day in the Life

For those of you wondering what a typical day might look like for me in Los Higos, read on.  For those who are not curious, you should probably stop reading now.

7:30 wake up.  Pull on my wool socks and fleece – if I haven’t already grabbed them at some point in the night.  It turns out it gets colder here than I was originally told.

Find a spot in the sun to warm up and have some devo time.  When Mamá sees that I’m up, she brings me a small cup of cafecito (50% coffee, 50% sugar).

Mamá calls that breakfast is ready.  I enter the house to find either a sandwich or galletas (a similar texture to those breadstick crackers you sometimes get with soup, but the size of a roll) and a cup of hot chocolate.

After breakfast, I get ready for the day and then return to the sun to read a little or talk with passing neighbors before heading off to work.

9:30 arrive at the Women’s Center.  Unlock everything if Arlene (the full time missionary and site leader) hasn’t shown up yet.

Girls begin to arrive for sewing classes.  They eagerly get their projects out and set to work as I help with pinning or fixing broken machines (all the old peddle type).

12:00 return home for lunch.  Rice and beans are a guarantee, and most likely some type of banana.  Fried banana (platanos fritos) is my favorite – it tastes very similar to French fries.  Platanos maduros (also cooked, but this time made sweet instead of salty and not crispy) are another likely possibility.  Some sort of meat is served, most likely chicken, and a salad (generally consisting of lettuce with salt and vinegar, maybe cucumbers too) is not uncommon.  All of it is delicious.  I have yet to be disappointed.

Relax a little after lunch.  Maybe talking with Mamá and Papi Ramón, maybe reading, maybe taking a little siesta :)

1:30 return to work for either more sewing classes, a married woman’s club on Tuesdays, or a girl’s club on Fridays.  These look like something between a youth group and a Bible study, depending on the age group.  About 4 women regularly attend the married women’s club and about 15 come to the girl’s club.

4:00 return home.  Some days this is the prime time to take a shower, because with the sun still out it is possible to see, and this is the warmest part of the day – a crucial factor when bathing outdoors.  Other days, hang out with Mamá, helping her with chores, hang out with neighbors, or maybe just relax at the house.

Eventually Mamá calls us in for dinner.  Typically a simple meal.  Perhaps mangú (mashed plantains – similar to mashed potatoes) and fried salami or maybe a fried egg with boiled yuca.

If there is electricity, we tend to watch TV as a family for most of the evening.  If there is no electricity, we sit around candles and talk.  Some neighborhood kids have begun coming over, so sometimes we play games with them too.

9:00 (or so) head to fortaleza azul (or the blue fortress – our bed surrounded by a blue mosquito net).  Read a little and journal about the day.  Talk with Courtney (my roommate) about the day and different observations/things we’re learning.

Asleep by 10 or 11.

The Calm (Before the Storm?)

I played piano today for the first time in the DR.  After a nap, I'm relaxing here on the computer, hoping to update people on my life here, but the larger focus is just to kick back.  Needless to say it has been a pretty chill day, and a chill week for that matter.  This weekend we had our Cross-Cultural Missions class, and I use the word "class" very loosely.  A more accurate description might be that we hung out with one of the kindest, gentlest professors ever as he shared his heart for missions and helped give us info and advice.  After we did that for a couple hours, we would move on to even more relaxed hanging out and watching movies.  There was no homework or reading to be done outside of class :)  Now that he has left, we're going to a few museums (no more than 1 a day), hearing lectures from a local professor, and filling more of our time with building community within our group and just relaxing.  I like to think of this as the calm before the storm before we head to the ministry portion of the semester on Friday, but who's to say that will be a storm?

Last week was our travel week.  We spent the majority of our time in Santo Domingo in the colonial zone where we saw numerous museums dedicated to Columbus and his arrival in the DR (this was where he first landed when he stumbled upon the New World), Trujillo (a dictator here from about 1930-1960), and the Tainos (the indigenous people group of the island).  We also spent some time at Los Haitises National Park, a beautiful area where we got to do some hiking and see some caves with Taino drawings on the walls.  This was a wonderful time for our team to come together after the 5 weeks of classes and living in separate homes.  At the end of the trip I picked up some sort of food poisoning which you can read about in the previous post, but that did not detract from the overall value of the trip.

So what happens Friday, you may or may not be asking.  On Friday I will move to Los Higos, a small mountain community of unmatched beauty.  This will be a much more rural environment than I have been living in where the most common form of transportation (if not on foot) is on horse or donkey.  On Monday I will begin working at Centro de las Mujeres, or Women's Center.  What that looks like is still to be determined, but I will be working with a full time missionary named Arlene, who began the center herself a few years ago and works there year round.  More details to come.

Thank you all for joining me on this journey thus far and for participating with me through prayer.  I cannot fully express my appreciation.  This has been a fantastic experience and this past week and a half has been a wonderful time to recharge before diving into the ministry portion.  Some ways you can continue praying:
- Pray for the overall health of our team.  We have been battling a lot of different kinds of illnesses lately.  Pray that this will not detract from our abilities to minister to others while we are here.
- Praise God for the many ways and times He has already healed our group and kept us safe.
- Praise God for travel week and the way our community grew even deeper together.
- Pray for us all as we return to living with Dominicans, that we might make the transition well, and that we may bless our hosts as they bless us.
- Pray for us all as we begin working in the various ministry sites; may we be available to however God wants to use us.

Have a wonderful week wherever you are in whatever you are doing!
Dios te bendiga

Sickness

“Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’”  - John 11:4

On Thursday I got food poisoning.  At first, when my only two activities in life were either profuse vomiting or lying helplessly in bed, it seemed that my body was failing me.  However, upon further consideration, I have come to see how well and effectively my body was working.

Shortly after the bacteria (or virus or toxin or whatever) entered my body, it was identified as problematic to my health and my stomach began working to get it out of my system.  All other activities were to stop for me that day until this situation was dealt with.  In fact, my body didn’t even want me to eat or drink other things that might cause distractions.  The number one focus was getting this bacteria out, even if the process was at times harsh and painful.  After this affair, I’m a little tired, but overall I feel much better and I know that my body is healthier.

This got me thinking, what if we approached the sin and brokenness in our lives in a similar manner?  Step one: be on the lookout for the things in my life that are unhealthy for me and will only bring me destruction.  Step two: upon finding it, stop whatever else is going on to remove (through the prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit) the sin in my life.  The process may be harsh and painful at times, but it is the number one priority.  In the end however, I know that I am in better shape.

This analogy can even be focused in further.  By the fifth time I was throwing up, I was so exhausted and my body was so sore that I desperately did not want to go through it again.  I could feel my stomach becoming increasingly agitated and I would plead with God, “Please no!  Please not again!  Don’t let me throw up again!”  However as soon as the contents of my stomach had been relieved, I found myself in a new condition.  I would sit there, sweaty and with puke all over my face, relieved and slowly being filled with new vigor and vim.

When we come to trials in our lives, our first reaction can often be a plea of avoidance.  “No God, please don’t let that happen to me!”  Perhaps though, there is a sickness rising up within us that God is trying to expel from our lives.  When we get to the other side, we may very likely still be a little messy, but we have been given new life to carry on with.

“Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” – Mark 2:17

May you not fear your sickness, but rejoice in the potential for healing and new life.

Learning. Growth.

I write this blog entry at a point of transition within the program.  Just a moment ago I finished the last of my papers due to complete the class portion of this semester.  This afternoon I said goodbye to my family and moved out.  Tomorrow, my group and I will head to Santo Domingo for a week of travel, and when I return I will be moving out to the campo, Los Higos.

As I reflect back on 5 weeks of classes, it is easy to note it as a time of learning.  My Spanish abilities have improved tremendously, despite the fact I still can find myself stumbling through conversations.  However I have learned other things as well:

Laundry.  This stood out to me very clearly today as I was folding my freshly cleaned clothes.  You may recall a previous entry where I described the struggle of doing laundry, only to end up with stiff, wrinkly clothes that were not completely rid of their (or my, as it were) odor.  However I have since learned the Dominican techniques for alleviating this issues (shaking my clothes out at several different points in the process has proved to be life-changing).

Shower.  I took my last cold shower this morning.  I’ve learned what it’s like to not have warm water…ever…and how this affects your showering.  I’ve learned what a blessing it is to have a cold shower.  When I move to Los Higos my “shower” is a bucket of water outside the house.  There is a tarp up for some privacy.

God.  Through the duration of these past five weeks, I have been back and forth on what my family believes about Jesus and how relevant it is to their lives.  We’ve had good conversations and we’ve had confusing conversations.  It is cool to see how God is working in their lives.  My host mom has begun going more consistently to a Monday night Bible study and now even hosts one in her home on Thursday nights.  It is a cell group for new believers.  With the group meeting in her home, other members of the family are attending when normally they would be disinterested.  There is also a booklet that goes along with the lesson being taught each week and includes some questions.  The family had seen Courtney and I filling out the answers to the questions after the first week, so last night, as our grandma was working on her booklet, she came over to ask for help.  She has admitted before that it is often difficult for her to understand the Bible and being an oral culture, it makes sense that reading is not only difficult for her, but it also is not as effective for communicating.  This provided an amazing opportunity for me and I can’t think of a better way to spend my last night with this family.  I got to go through the book with her as it explains the basics of faith and believing in Jesus.  I could read the booklet and the Bible to her and then explain the more confusing aspects.  When the booklet alluded to stories she didn’t know, I could tell her the story and then help explain the significance.  While at first she just seemed to want me to tell her the answers I had put down, by the end she was contributing her own thoughts and able to come up with her own answers.  What a gift to see the way God is empowering this family to know Him more and surrounding them with a community of believers – some at the same point in their faith and others more mature and able to offer wisdom and guidance.

Life.  “¹¹And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹²He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”  - 1 John 5:11-12.  I am learning and growing in how to have more life in my life, more Christ in my life.

Prayer Requests:

- Praise God for an amazing first portion of the semester and the safety/health He has afforded me thus far.

- Praise God that I got all of my papers and projects done on time.

- Pray for safety this next week as my team travels in and around Santo Domingo.

- Pray that I continue to learn and grow.

- Pray that my Dominican family continues to learn and grow.

May God bless you throughout this next week and may He fill you with His life.

“¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:16-19

Observations and Being Observed (and Maybe a Little Alliteration)

Linguistic Love:

While in the beginning it was frustrating because it made it impossible to understand, I am now beginning to thoroughly enjoy the way many Dominicans drop the s’s out of their words.  It is replaced by a sort of stop.  For example,

mosquito becomes mo-quito

mosca (fly): mo-ca

or español: e-pañol.

They also have adopted a number of English words into their language, which usually results in the end of words not being pronounced.  For example,

cornflakes become confle

pancakes: panque

Nesquick: nesqui

or one of my personal favorites,

liquid paper to liqui pepe (pronounced licky paypay).

Mealtime Mix-Up:

It seems to me that Dominicans, while being absolutely wonderful cooks, have gotten a little confused at what each meal is supposed to look like.  We begin each day with lunch, frequently have a sandwich with a chocolate milkshake for the first meal.  Then in the middle of the day we break for dinner: a large meal in which it is most likely for the family to gather around.  In the DR, this will always include rice and beans (which are delicious).  Finally in the evenings we close things down with some breakfast, usually having a fried egg, omelet, or oatmeal.  As I mentioned originally, the food is all delicious, but I think the memo on foods are to be served got a mixed-up in translation.

Bicarbonato Bomb:

My roommate and I, along with another pair from our group, decided we were in need of some good ol’ chocolate chip cookies and it would be a nice treat to share with our families.  After translating the ingredient list into Spanish, we asked our mom if we had everything in the house or needed to buy anything from the store.  The only things we needed were chocolate chips and baking soda, which our mom said she would take care of for us.  After discovering that chocolate chips do not exist in Jarabacoa, we mentioned that chocolate bars would work just fine because we can cut them into chunks.

So the day finally arrives when we are to have our cookie making party.  Our mom hands us a bag full of a ton of little chocolate bars and a small baggy of powder.  Excitedly I begin pulling the other ingredients out from the pantry as we all start to make the coveted cookies.  As I struggle to find the baking soda I ask my mom, “¿Dónde está el bicarbonato?”  She points to the small baggie that was with the chocolate bars.  I hesitantly approach thinking it hadn’t looked like baking soda before, but maybe I was mistaking.  My suspicions were confirmed as I picked up the bag and saw that it was in fact yeast.  Knowing that both were leavening agents, we threw the yeast in and hoped for the best.  After the first batch of somewhat odd cookies, we learned that triple baking powder can substitute for baking soda.  So we threw that in with the already yeasted batter and baked up a second batch.  These cookies were definitely improved, but still not perfect.  Fortunately as my good friend Elizabeth says, “Hunger is the best seasoning,” and the cookies were fantastic at the time.  However I feel somewhat sorry for the various Dominicans we subjected to our cookie experiment, exclaiming what great American food it was…

Being Observed:

I spend much of time observing my family, trying to learn how they do life and what they think about things.  As my roommate and I have been working to learn their true thoughts and feelings on faith, it suddenly struck me, “I wonder how I appear?”  If someone were to drop into my life to observe the way I live, would they think that I am a Christian?  Would they think my faith is real, something I live out or something I only talk about?  It was an interesting reversal to consider.  However, I don’t want to live in a way that is simply trying to prove that I am a Christian.  “Oh, someone’s looking, I should pull out my Bible or say a prayer.”  It says in Matt. 6:1 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them.  If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”  Hopefully my life exemplifies Christ without forcing it, if that makes any sense.

Prayer Requests:

Please pray that I am “liv[ing] a life worthy of the calling [I] have received.” (Eph. 4:1) and that I am walking out my faith beyond just talking about it.  As I settle into a rhythm here please also pray that I will not become complacent, but continue to take advantage of the opportunities presented to me and that I will continue to strive to learn what God has to teach me through this whole experience.  Praise God for a number of wonderful conversations with my host family, a good host family that takes care of me well, and for internet connections in order to stay in contact with people.  Also praise God for the amazing opportunity I have to be here right now.

I love you all and hope you’re having a great week!

Dios te bendiga.

Week 2

Greetings to everyone from the DR!

Things are going well here as I continue in the class portion of the program and continue to get more settled into this new lifestyle.  Here are a few snippets about my life down south:

Aproveche!
This is my first natively learned phrase - as in something I've learned just by hearing it and starting to use it, as opposed to learning it in class.  It means "Enjoy!" or "May it go well with you!"  We noticed that whenever we thanked our family for meals or whatever else, they seemed to respond not with "de nada" as I had so constantly been taught in Spanish classes, but rather with "aproveche."  I believe it can also be used in other contexts beyond a response to "thank you," but I'm still learning.

Laundry:
I did my laundry for the first time this past week, Dominican style.  This involves filling a washing machine (not like ones in the states) with water, dumping a bunch of white powder in, and then dumping your clothes in.  For 15 minutes, the machine spins the clothes back and forth.  Then you pull the clothes out of the machine and rinse the soap out in a sink.  Next you ring the clothes out as much as you can (a forearm workout for those of us not used to doing this weekly) and put them in the dryer: a small opening that approximately 6 t-shirts and 2 shorts almost fills.  You close the lid, the thing shakes violently, moving across the floor, for about 5 minutes, and you pull your clothes out - remarkably dryer but still a bit damp.  Then you hang them on the line to finish drying.
I'm not sure if my first attempt was successful or not.  My clothes ended extremely wrinkled and not entirely odor free...
I've also come to realize I largely wash my pants in order to shrink them back to their normal size.  Without an American dryer this doesn't really happen.  Maybe my pants will begin to fit again as I keep chowing down on the immense mountains of food served to me at meal times...

Mira!
If I've learned one word here, it's mira.  This means "Look!" and is said about 345,098,245 times a day by my 2 year old cousin, Abril.  Rarely is it said just once, but in rapid section, in groups of 2 or 3.  Most often see wants you to see her do a dance spin, but it could be any number of things, including you look up and she just stares back at you.  As we've begun ignoring some of the miras, she has now taken time to learn our names to include that in the yelling.  And when all else fails, she has found hitting to be a good way to get your attention.  It's a good thing she's so cute.

Dutch Blitz:
I have officially introduced Dutch Blitz (a card game for those of you who don't know) to my family down here and they even ask to play it!  Fortunately my roommate is a huge Blitz fan too and as we excitedly pulled our cards out, it dawned us that we would have to teach the game in Spanish.  A formidable challenge, but with the inclusion of lots of gestures, we managed to get through the teaching process and now play most nights.  Life is good in the DR :)

God is good:
Whenever I have begun to get frustrated with the spiritual climate here, God has proved me wrong and used different people to encourage me.  The majority of people in the Dominican Republic are nominal Christians, including most of my family.  This makes talking about God challenging because in many ways they know it all, but it doesn't really affect the way they live.  On Monday night I was feeling pretty discouraged, especially after how difficult it was to get our family to take us to church on Sunday, when all of a sudden my host mom Ingrid asked Courtney and I if we wanted to join her in going to a prayer group that night.  We excitedly agreed - and it was wonderful.  We went into it expecting to understand very little of what was going on.  Since so many people showed up that night, they split the younger people off in a separate group.  A little sad to leave Ingrid, Courtney and I go with the other 3 to a different room.  Those 3 were so kind to Courtney and I, talking slowly so we could understand and translating a few things into English.  With the use of a bilingual Bible, we were able to share a few verses, and then after 2 of them had shared some testimonies, they asked us if we had anything we'd like to share.  Amazingly enough, God helped give us the words to share stories of God's faithfulness in our lives and we were able to make some Christian friends here in the DR.  We'll even be going to their church on Sunday!  It was such an encouraging night to hear ways that God is moving in the DR and to be able to share with our international brothers and sisters in Christ.

Please pray that I will be able to continue developing relationships, both with Dominicans and people from my team.  Also pray for my host family that they may begin to see the importance of God in their lives, and learn the immeasurable joy and peace that flows out of the love of Christ.  Praise God for the encouragement and new friends he has provided.

Dios te bendiga. (God bless you.)

P.S.  I've put up the below two posts that include some more funny stories/thoughts.  Aproveche!

Things I don't have the heart to tell my Dominican family:

- I keep closing the window in our room because it smells weird outside, not because I'm afraid of mosquitoes coming through the screen.
- No, I actually didn't understand a word you just said.
- The way you feel about peanut butter (it's okay but you don't wouldn't want it everyday) is the way I feel about avocado.
- When you rinse that clean spoon off, you're actually putting it in contaminated water.
- That's not ripe; that's brown.
- I'm 21.  I'll probably survive alright if I'm alone for a little bit.
- When I'm not with you, I cross the street by myself.

I love my host family, but I figure some things just aren't worth fighting, especially being at a linguistic disadvantage.

Lost in Translation

Here are a few stories involving miscommunication or a general lack of understanding:

In Spanish class (conducted entirely in Spanish) we were learning new vocab words in the kitchen.  Our teacher would say a word and then we would have to find the object.
Teacher: Paila (a sort of pot)
Students: Baila? (Dance?)
Teacher: Si, paila!  (Yes, pot!)
As we all begin to slowly and awkwardly dance she quickly realizes the misunderstanding.

The other night for dinner, Ingrid (our host mom) was going to teach us how to make a tortilla.  So I get the corn out and throw that in a bowl.  Then she adds in the peppers, onions, and salami she has already cut up.  I was blown away by the fact that there was salami in tortillas!  Apparently NOT a vegetarian option in the DR.  Then she adds the eggs and I'm getting pretty excited because I know the mashing part must be coming soon.  Then without mashing it, she throws it all in the pan to begin cooking it.  I stare in disbelief at what is going to be quite the chunky tortilla.  As it takes shape before my eyes I suddenly see it for what it really is: a tortilla de huevos, AKA an omelet.

One day, my roommate Courtney and I, along with our neighbors, other students in the program, decided to all go for a run the following morning.  Courtney and I would pick them up at their house and then we'd jog around a bit.  So the night before Courtney and I attempt to ask our grandma if it's okay that we go running the following morning at 7:30.  She begins by telling us that 7:30 is too late.  She likes to go walking at 6:30 so that she is back by 7:00.  We apologize but inform her that we've already agreed with the other girls to go at 7:30 so that's when they're expecting us and they won't be ready at 6:30.  Then she kind of stares at us for a bit.  After a hesitant, "please?" she agrees that we can go at 7:30.
So the next morning we get up to go, say goodbye, and head out the door.  Grandma leaves with us.  It seems a little strange, but we think maybe it's just a coincidence.  As it becomes apparent that she is coming with us and not just going on her own walk, I ask her if she's running with us.  She tells us she doesn't run and only walks.  Feeling a little relieved to not have Grandma on our run we start to turn down the little street to pick up our neighbors.  She lets us know that she'll be waiting right here for us so we should go grab them quickly.  As we pick up our neighbors we try to quickly explain to them that our grandma might be coming with us, but we're not really sure.
When we return to the street she's moved ahead a little so we assume it's okay for us to run.  A little after we pass her she yells at us to take the turn we just past.  So we back up and take that turn - utterly confused about what is going on.  Eventually we lost her and continued our run in our own fashion.
As Courtney and I were walking back home after dropping our neighbors back off at their house, it dawns on us that perhaps the "we" in "Can we go for a run tomorrow?" was a little ambiguous.  We're pretty sure Grandma thought we were asking her to run with us, thus also explaining why she really felt like 7:30 was too late.  We hope she doesn't think we're total jerks for asking her to come with us and then literally running away from her...

Saludos!

Well I've decided it is going to be way too difficult for me to post everything that is happening here, so I'll try and give you all a few little tidbits and then we can talk more when I get home.  Esta bien?  Bueno.

Things are going really well here and I have a great roommate and wonderful host family.  I live in the community of Hato Viejo in Jarabacoa.  There are many people that live in my house because three sisters and their parents all went in together to buy a house.  In addition to these families, many other relatives and friends are frequently over.  They all seem really nice and I can't wait to learn Spanish so I can better get to know them :)

My Spanish is coming along well and I can already tell it is improving greatly.  We have three hours of class each day followed up by lots of homework.  And immersion is probably having the strongest affect at this point.  We're able to communicate on basic daily things and can occasionally get into more detailed conversations - as long as there is lots of patience on both sides to work through the conversation.

I guess I'll share a few stories of some funny mishaps:
#1  On Saturday we had breakfast at the base before moving in with our new families.  Upon arrival, my host grandma began asking me about "desayuno."  Thinking lunch would be lovely in a little bit I agreed that we should eat soon.  As our grandma walked away my (American) roommate came over to me and explained that she thinks I had just ordered a second breakfast.  Desayuno does in fact mean breakfast, not lunch.  And so began the saga of us constantly having way more food than we need and the battle to explain that the food is delicious and we are simply full.

#2  We have a 9 year old brother named Rancel who is full of energy - all the time.  One time, he brought us up to the roof of their three-story house to hang out and upon finding a styrofoam apple and an old can/tube for caulking, we began to play baseball...on the roof.  Naturally, the "ball" would fall off the roof and Rancel would run down and throw it back up to us.  As I was looking up to catch the ball (near the edge of the roof) I tripped over a rebar sticking up at of the roof and began hurtling toward the edge.  As my life flashed before my eyes and I lamented the fact that I'd only get to enjoy one day with my family, my roommate (Courtney) grabbed hold of me and helped stabilize me.  I am still alive and we have now decided that there should be no running on the roof.

#3  While we (Courtney, Rancel, and I) are playing outside, our host mom begins calling us over and telling us to get in the truck.  Hearing some mention of fruit, we happily jump in the back of the truck, excited to go to the fruit market.  Next thing we know we're pulling over at some kind of sketchy looking place with a bunch of guys sitting around and a number of cars (maybe a mechanic shop?).  Our mom tells us to stay in the car with Papi (our grandpa).  Rancel complains or whines about something (I couldn't understand) and next thing I know we are getting out of the car and approaching (with some concern) the mystery location.  Our mom ushers us into a different car there and then we drive the 5 minutes back to the house.  I'm still not really sure what that was about...

I'd love to show you all some pictures, but I don't know if that is possible because the internet here can't seem to handle uploading pictures.

Prayer Requests:
- That I have the strength to continue learning Spanish
- That I have opportunities to speak with people about Jesus

Praises:
- A wonderful caring family
- Safe travels thus far

God bless you all!

Hello everyone,

Welcome to my blog where I hope to document some of my experiences for this next semester in the Dominican Republic.  My internet access is going to be quite limited, so I do not know how much I will be able to keep this (and thus you all) updated.  Ideally I'll write something about once a week, but we shall see how this all goes.

For those of you wondering a little bit more about what (I think) I'll be doing, allow me to elaborate:

This is a program run by Bethel College (the one in Indiana) and Students International (a missions organization).  On Sunday I will drive out to Bethel with my parents to begin orientation Monday morning.  After two days of whatever that all holds, I will travel with my team (of approximately 15 people) to Jarabacoa, a town near the center of the DR.  The first 5 weeks of this experience will involve classes as I study Spanish, the culture of the DR, and about global ministry.  That will be followed by 1 week of travel around the island and then we will all move to different locations around the country to begin our work at our respective ministry sites for the next 8 weeks.

I will be working in the mountain region of Los Higos.  I have been placed in a social work site where I will be working with teenage girls and young women.  I do not yet know the extent of my responsibilities, but these are the murmurings I have heard:
- Bible studies
- Just hanging out and speaking with the women
- Health/sex education
- Encouraging and empowering women that they are not required to bend to whatever fantasy a man has in mind for them
- Teaching how to knit and/or sew
- Teaching how to build stoves that are better for their health and the environment
- Who know what else...
I'm not entirely sure which of these skill sets I possess, I do know that I am limited in these areas, but I also know that God is bigger and much more powerful.  I am excited to learn alongside with the women in these areas and also in whatever else God has to teach me.

Prayer Requests:
- That I will be available to the things God has to teach me during this next semester
- That I will be available to God's work in serving the people of the Dominican Republic
- For safe travels during this next week

Please let me know if there are any ways I can be praying for you as well.  My abilities to stay in contact with people for these next couple months are going to be quite limited, but even though technology falls short in this realm, the power of prayer never does.

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26