We have had some busier weeks the last few weeks. We have had 2 girls leave. 1 girl come. The boys have had 1 boy leave; 1 boy come. We are getting use to the ants everywhere and trying to mop and sweep our tile floors weekly at best. We do our laundry at the bottom of the hill and right now have decided a suitcase is best suited for the path up and down the hill with the laundry. We have been working a lot, as Josh is filling in for a full-time staff member. We are doing well for now but full weekends can wear us out quickly. Josh and I have been enjoying the river with some of our friends during the day when the students are at school or doing other activities. We had a fun adventure yesterday as we traveled to Monte Cristi. It is about 3-4 hours away from campus. It was a long day but a lot of fun. It is more desert like on that part of the North coast. We started the day by looking for artifacts and people were excited to find pottery and small conch shells. Some of the students and staff were also on the hunt for tarantulas and found them. After the artifact digging, we went to look for coins but everyone was starting to get pretty hot so we just ate lunch at this site. About 1 o'clock we headed to the beach! This was the most beautiful beach I had ever seen. There were no other people and it was enclosed on both sides with very large cliffs. Apparently there is a great deal of history tied to this town but I kind of forget most of that part. The waves were perfect. Large enough to hit you with some good force and drive the boggy boards hard into the shore, but a person could easily clear the waves and enjoy floating and swimming in the blue waters.

"That your joy may be Full" 1 John 1:4

I was reading in 1 John this morning and could not shake this verse. Also this mornings devotion focused on 2 Samuel 6 when David danced with immense joy before the Lord despite the disapproval of his wife. It made me ask the question, "When is a time in my life when I have felt or witnessed immense joy?"

Recently I traveled with a student to pick up her mother. This student had not seen her mother in person in a few months. As we waited at the airport, the student was very antsy, she was checking the monitor to see when the plane landed. After a time, we were aware the plane had landed so we stepped to the line where the travelers exit the airport. Now let me take a moment to describe the scene at this Santiago airport. The travelers step outside into a cleared path. This path is about 40 feet long and on both sides are family and friends watching. When your family member or friend appears you are able to enter the cleared area and greet them. At one point, we watched a young women come through the doors and start down this long corral. Her mother intercepted her and the women dropped her bags, began to weep and hugging her mother with much joy. As my student continued to watch for her mother, her mother finally came out, she first yelled, "mom" but the mother was not aware her daughter would be at the airport (she thought it was just staff picking her up since her daughter was in school during the time she arrived). When her daughter got to the mother they both began to cry and embrace one another. When the Prodigal son returns home there is immense joy and running and crying. Again when the Lord's arc of the covenant returns to the city, David weeps and dances with immense joy. When my brother surprised me at Josh and I's rehearsal (because I was informed he would not be able to be at the wedding due to his service in the Navy) there was weeping and hugging.

What do all these examples have in common? "HOME" There is something inside of us that desires a "home". Here on earth that place typically is better represented by people and emotions for me than a specific location. I reflect on this as again I find a new place in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic to call "Home". Someone commented about a week or so again how quickly I was able to call this place "Home". This is due especially to the consistency of the Trinity I serve. As I change locations, relationships become more difficult, He is always consistent. I also was recently informed a good friend and grandparent to many of my friends is on his way to see the Lord soon. I can only image the joy that will be witnessed when this man, Bill Hodel, is welcomed to our eternal Home by our gracious, righteous, loving Savior.

Our week

We have been doing well. We are getting more time in the houses and more familiar with rules, expectations, and other logistics. This week a staff member in the boy's house will be leaving to visit home for 2 weeks so Josh will be in the house more and taking on more responsibilities. I have been scheduled on the official schedule and will be working all weekend plus a few days this week. We had a great weekend. Rather laid back. I helped with musical worship on Sunday and then headed to the beach at Pourta Plata. We went with Jeff, Josiah, Jeremy, Heidy, and their daughter Taylor. Jeremy is a house staff and Heidy is quickly becoming a friend as we are both working on our language skills together (she is Dominican working on her English).

Random fact about the DR- cereal is expensive and they don't have corn chex cereals- I went to make puppy chow for a girls night tomorrow and I had to use oat squares and corn flakes. I mean it is still chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar so I'm sure it tastes good!

Saturday we were around the house, did some cleaning and enjoyed a game and pizza night up at "the Schumachers/el Jefe".

Pray Requests:
We got a new boy in the house - pray for adjustment
Josh and I will start to be working more- pray for our relationship with fellow staff, students, and eachother as we start up the learning curve
prayers for knowledge in teachable moments with the students

Sorry no pictures this time. I will work on getting some this week...

Our Next Project in the Community

We are actively connected to a community about 10 minutes from here called Majaguita (I have no idea how to spell it). We have chosen to work with this community due to their positive leadership and self-sustaining qualities. They have various sources of income, including agriculture and hospitality. They also have their own fish ponds and hydro-electricity set up. Our next few projects include replacing a bridge for the community and also helping a family rebuild their home which was lost in a hurricane. The last 2 work teams have been very active especially in the house project. They have treated the wood and the teams have carried the wood to the house. Now this doesn’t seem like a big chore HOWEVER, the house is only accessibly to the road by traveling down a steep mountain and then up a steep mountain creating a very strenuous project. Yesterday we completed most of the moving of the wood thanks to the team here and the CMA boys. This is a picture of the team from last week, they were such a blessing. Currently we have a team from South Carolina full of 21 teenagers and 7 adults here until Saturday morning.

 

The repairing of the bridge is a bit trickier. For now, we (as in Josh and our local maintenance staff member, Richard) have started by taking estimates of the amount of wood and financial resources that will be needed for this project. The first time we came to CMA, in May, we were involved in replacing a different bridge; although this bridge needs a bit more brainstorming as I believe some of the cables and supports are not as sturdy. Here is a picture of the current bridge.

(well I'm having technical difficulties so pretend this is a picture of a rickety old suspension bridge over a rushing river)

Looking forward to seeing Jeff and Josiah today, Tina will be coming in the next 2 weeks!  I think that is all for now.

This Past Week

We are continuing to enjoy the Dominican culture and those here at CMA. I am really enjoying the fruits, especially Mango and Pineapple.

Josh and I are both enjoying going deeper with staff and students at CMA. This week we worked in the houses Monday, Wednesday, and Friday shadowing. We have been going to breakfast, lunch, and dinners with those here on staff. We had a new family join campus on Wednesday. They have 3 children under the age of 4 and are our age! Andrew, the father, will be the new teacher on staff. We have spent sometime with them this weekend. We were able to clean our house Friday and we learned Josh enjoys mopping and I like to sweep so together we got the floors looking great! We have had a few more trips into town and Josh is getting more familiar with the area. We have gone hiking a few times (once just back on our mountain there are some good hikes). It has taken a while to slow down from our usual business and especially the business that crept in as we were preparing to leave for the Dominican but this place has quickly become home.

Yesterday was the Leo sale back home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was good to be able to see pictures but it was a bummer to miss it. I am sure it is only the beginning of missing things we took for granite. Josh and I are both feeling energized. As the first week we were tired from the weather, adjusting to foods, and probably not sleeping as well.

I can't think of too much else. Today we visited a family that is moving to Canada. They are at their last effort to sell all that doesn't fit in their suitcase. This feeling and place felt so familiar as Josh and I were experiencing this same emotions 2 weeks ago. As I was reflecting on this and other experiences in my life, I realized one of the greatest reasons for God's grace in my life is to pass on comfort for His glory and to energize others around me.

Looking ahead- Tonight our last team of the summer comes fully equip with 21 high school girls and about 7 high school boys and a few adults, we hope. I am sure they will bring lots of energy! Jeff and Josiah are coming down Tuesday!!!!  We are very excited about this- Josh is also going to start working with the horses on campus; possibly bringing home some good stories from whenever he starts riding them. There are 4 males here on campus and they have not been ridden too recently. Josh is going to start by just feeding them daily. Spending a few more days shadowing in the houses. And help wherever else we can. Looking forward to the week.