Pictures Speak

A few more pictures from our trip to the Dominican Republic~

A month ago today we were spending our first full day there~

I think about it everyday, the people, the places

we visited, the land, Student's International,

All of it.

There is no way to put into words

So I hold onto these pictures.

These are borrowed from friends we met there.

Missing it~

Precious

Dinner

Our endless supply of POP.
Orange Fanta became my drink of choice~

The truck, our daily transportation

One of our students talking to a PT patient.

Only 5 people on the bridge at a time.
Yeah, the Dominicans didn't follow this rule,
scared the bajeezus out of me!

Being Intentional-The Face of Jesus~

“We can only champion

the cause of the poor from a place

of fascination with Jesus.

 Lest we try to replace

ourselves as the Savior”

(International House of Prayer fb page)

On Tuesday night, during our devotion, team time,

I encouraged the students to be INTENTIONAL,

to look for the face of Jesus this week!

Don't miss the face of Jesus~

One the evenings during our trip, we were invited into host’s homes. Each site that we worked at (Education, Sports, Social Work, just to name a few) had someone in the community that was willing to open their home and make a true Dominican dinner for Americans.  Many families are not able to just make a good home cooked meal for 7-10 people, but are more than willing. Students International offers to give them some money to cook and open their home to us. One of my favorite things about the Dominican culture is their “layed back” easy-going way of life. Yes, they do take “siestas” Not only are they generally easy going, they are hospitable! I already shared about visiting with Isabella while she gave me a pedicure for 190 pesos ($5) Amazing gift of hospitality that girl had for me :)

Back to the host home night…..(stay with me…ha) We went to the home of one of the girls that plays volleyball through the sports site, Keysi. Her mother graciously opened her home to 7 of us. We had our gifts for them in our hand, piled into the back of the truck and one by one groups were dropped off at different hosts homes. The medical site went to the missionary doctors home, the physical therapy site went to the secretary, Rosie's home (a Dominican) ..our groups was last and furthest away. We continued driving up hills, through city streets, around scooter after scooter, while Dominicans line the streets yelling at the white people in the back of the truck, some cheering, some yelling gross things at our pretty white girls….

We finally arrive at a neighborhood lined with rows and rows of small homes, (some huts) We began walking down the dirt alley. I was sticking close to Jess, (sports site leader) while counting heads,  ignoring remarks of the neighbors. Jess walks this road often! She has loved this girl and her family…so much, that she led them right into the arms  of Jesus. Keysi got baptized this past summer and although her mom hasn't accepted Jesus yet, she came to watch! How beautiful is that?? Because of the work Jess is doing, because of her love and passion for teenage girls, Keysi has found Jesus and is being discipled, mentored and loved by Jess!

From Jess' fb page
Jess is in the back right,
Keysi in the pink
Jess took them out for getting
good grades!
What an angel!!

Back to dinner...stick with me, so much to share :)

Keysi's home

We walked into the home, a small livingroom & kitchen with two small rooms to the side. I wasnt' sure we would all fit around the table..(we didn't) Keysi and her mom stood while we ate. We squeezed around the table, prayed and began to dig in. They meal was delicious!

 After dinner, they wanted to show us their pig….I never did see the pig but heard it :)

This is the pig's home~

~Keysi's story is long and heavy, at the young age of 15, but I believe she has found hope! I see it, the joy, hope and I see Jesus!

We hug, kiss, take a few pictures and say goodbye. We walked back up that dirt road to our truck, hot and pouring rain, mud sticking to my toes, and I can’t help but be undone deep in my soul. This is life, this is their life and I believe it’s beautiful Holy Ground that I have never experienced before....I believe I saw a beautiful work being done in that 3 room home in the hills of Jarabacoa!

Don’t miss the face of Jesus! Don’t miss the face of Jesus!

Dinner: Chicken, Fried plantain, rice with corn
I'm sure all these dishes have names...I just don't know what they are..ha

Keysi is on the far right and her mom, in the yellow!
Sweet family!

Wordless Wednesday

Jarabacoa, Republic of the Dominican
10/15/11

Loving the Dominicans

The hot, dusting room was big enough for two tables and a small desk in the corner. The young girls began showing up one by one, 30 minutes early to just hang out. No moms dropping them off, just scooters, bikes and those walking up the dirt rood. The girls, no more than 18, in short shorts and little tank tops, beautiful skin and huge smiles, each kissed me on the cheek, a custom in this country. 

* I noticed a young girl sitting alone playing with a bookmark, not making eye contact with anyone. Her darker skin told me she was Haitian. I went and sat with her, trying to make conversation in broken Spanish. She was a sweet 11 year-old, coming to Bible Study, insecure like many her age, quiet and reserved. I noticed that the other girls did not speak to her. Confused by that, I later I found out that Haitians are not accepted in that community (and much of the country)

We began by going around the table introducing ourselves. After they shared their name, they would say “tengo novio or no tengo novio” They would tell me if they had a boyfriend or not. A priority and a sign of identity for them. This led to a discussion about what makes a good “novia” (with a translator of course J  It was soon after that, a girl stood up, shoved the Bible under her arm and began imitating Americanos….(the ones that have come to do “mission work” to serve, to love….I was one of those Americanos she was referring.) She went on…People tell me  God’s Word says this, God’s Word says that, God’s Word says don’t do this, don’t do that” She threw the Bible on the table. “Where? Where do I find all this stuff they tell me, I wanna know, all I know is that I’m missing it!”
Wow!

The girls dancing after Bible Study

Beautiful Daisy, the Bible study leader, social worker and Mother Teresa to the community, smiled and said, “That’s why I’m here, to teach you! Let’s get started”
I love my day at the Social Work site in El Callejon! Loved it! My heart was heavy with what I saw but I LOVED the Dominican girls!

I didn’t go on this trip to be a super hero, I didn’t go on this trip to save the country, I didn’t even go on this trip to build a church. Yes, I went to serve, went to love, went to do what I could, where I could.... I also  went on this trip to be rocked, to go deeper, to allow God to shake up my little comfort zone. It was all those things but more than falling in love with the Dominican people, I fell in love with every missionary working there. Their heart, their compassion, their self-sacrifice is what rocked me to the core! They were there by choice, to live without a dryer, hot water, dependable electricity, with mosquitos and other creatures and all the comforts of America…they were there to teach them GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE and to show them God’s Word DAILY..DAILY…DAILY!
To read more about El Callejon check out my friend Kim's blog!

Our afternoon craft with the women in the community

Sweet Angels

Sometimes we can spend 30 minutes with someone

and you know that you will always have

them in your heart!

That in a short time, they have wedged a space in your memory

that will never be forgotten.

This darling face, contagious giggle (usually at my spanish)

and huge heart will ALWAYS be  a memory from the Dominican Republic!

~ISABELLE~ 

She and her husband live on the base.

I met her during dinner one night

and she ask me to come to her home

to  give me a pedicure. Such a sweet, joyful

23 year-old mom. I ended up

spending longer than I had planned that afternoon.

She spoke little English and my Spanish is "un poquito"

Most of the time we understood eachother..other times we

just laughed at eachother, having no idea what the other just said! ha!

Her daughter Isabella

Her son, Samuel, shared all of his art work with us!

She was such a JOY~

I went back the next day with Molly and her

friend Christa.

This is Isabelle and her sister Julie.

This sweet angel had the gift of hospitality

in her home~ not alot to offer, just her smile and her nail art!

A SWEET blessing~

The First 24 Hours

"Thoughts from a First Time Mission Tripper"

The first 24 hours home:

They say the re-entry can leave you feeling a little raw.

Whether you are on out of the country 8 months or 8 days.

I'm raw!

My eyes saw things I didn't think existed,

My heart went places I didn't know it could go,

and my soul is left to process it here in my comfy US livingroom.

You can't spend time in another country and not be changed.

You can't look into the eyes that I did and not be changed.

You can't spend days with sweet faces, loud laughs,

spirited children living in places they were living

and not be changed.

You can't read Buenes Noches, Luna

to a giggly, pig tailed little girl in the hills of Mota Gorda

and not be changed!!

The person that flew into Santiago on

Oct. 8 was not the same person that left Oct 16

Not at all!

How am I changed?

What did God teach me?

What did I learn?

Can't put it into words yet...I just know

that what weighed heavy on my mind

 10 days ago, no longer have a place in my mind at all!

I long for nothing but HIM!

The orphans shout for a loving father

And the whores reach out for a faithful lover

We’re all singing now

God, will you come by here?

The widows need life to raise the dead and

All the beggars plead for their daily bread

Oh, we’re all singing please

God, will you come by here?

Come, we have nothing else God

And having You we want for nothing

COME BY HERE~

Shaun Groves

Come,

I love fall-really I do~

Trying to get my head ready for fall.

I do not want to give up the flip flops,

tank tops and shorts!

Yes, I love the sweaters, jeans, boots,

pumpkin everything and beautiful leaves...

I just like summer better :)

Posted this-like I said-preparing my head!

The NW has BEAU-tiful falls!

(I just like to be warm)

Homecoming Week at school~

Pajama Day

A few happy items:

*Darren is home this weekend (yahoo)

after 24 days apart, happy to see his face!

*Molly is on Homecoming Court tonight :)

Molly and I are leaving for a missions trip

with 18 other students from school tomorrow..yikes..excited!

Headed to the Dominican Republic

Can't wait to write about our

8 days we get to spend there!

Pray for us!~thx

Last weekend the kids and I made these

Pumpkin Muffins..2 ingredients..YES..only 2!

AMAZING and easy! We topped them

with cream cheese frosting!

Haley had to add fall colored sprinkles :)

Pumpkin Muffins

2 ingredients~

Delish~