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.