December Reflection

A Christmas tree in the barrio.

I'm sitting in the airport, preparing for a journey back home-home;  to borrow a system used by a friend to designate home in the states from home where God has placed her for a season. Last night, I let out a yelp of anticipation as I thought about my next shower would be a hot shower! Woo-Hoo!!  I wish you could have seen the big cheesy grin at the thought of a hot shower. Oh, and how I'm looking forward to seeing my family and friends. 

As I think about the last 3 months, I'm amazed and so grateful for the warm welcome that I have received in Santiago.  I was invited to a Christmas service last night at a house church in Santiago and it was absolutely the best way to wrap up this first trimester of my journey.  We clapped, sang, danced, played and basted in the warmth of that humble place and in the joy of Christ. How awesome!  Today, I can't stop thinking about the warmth that lit the room, the laughter in the kitchen as we all chipped in to get dinner prepared,  the children who sang with reckless abandon, and the little faces that ran to greet me. 

The anticipation of going home to 'home comforts' has been building the last 3 weeks, but in that moment I experienced a sweet peace. Christmas is often such a hurried, worried, busy time and I'm delighted to have been able to enjoy a slower pace this year.   From  the mananita -  drumming and Christmas carols at 5am, to learning new Christmas songs, and new vocabulary in Spanish to share the story of our  Savior's birth, this Christmas season has been unlike any other.  So, as I return to the states and re-immerse myself into old Christmas traditions,  I pray that the true and most meaningful parts of Christmas will be what shines brightest in my life. The value of family and friends and time spent together, the birth of a Savior, who is the Great Hope, and the importance of serving others and not aborting the vision that God has for each of us here on Earth are all at the heart of Christmas. 

The kindergarten class.... I love these children! 

I imagine that at the end of this vacation, it will be tough to say good bye once again to family and friends. I have this picture of myself and the 18 kindergartners (2 were absent this day) to remind me of why I'm here, in Santiago. God has blessed me to be able to plant seeds in the lives of these little ones but they have taught me so much more, in the sweet innocent way that only kids can do.  They really are an amazing group of little ones.  As we go into the second half of the school year, perhaps, you would want to contribute to some of our classroom needs??!! I brought an extra empty suitcase home in the hopes that we can fill it with classroom supplies. If you can help, please check out our needs on the wishlist tab by clicking here.   

Merry Christmas and God Bless You!

Jewel

November in pictures

It's amazing how quickly things have shifted into full gear. Lesson plans, Bible memory verses, craft activities, clinic schedule and the list goes on and on. I haven't posted many pictures lately, so I thought I would do a highlight of November via pictures!


We have a teen helper at school who is such a blessing. It's nice to have an extra pair of hands to help out and especially someone as sweet and loving as this young lady. She came over one afternoon for a special outing and we had a fun time baking pumpkin bread!










At school, we were blessed to have students from the 9th and 10th grade Bible class at Santiago Christian School onsite at our Cienfuegos school for an afternoon of homework tutoring. Before leaving, the youth took prayer requests from the little ones and had a special time of prayer with them.

Another highlight this month was saying goodbye to avocado season. The last avocado fell, was consumed and thoroughly enjoyed. I tried purchasing avocados at the supermarket and I was so disappointed. It was like eating a bland green cardboard compared to the sun ripened avocados of the last 3 months. On the bright side the first mango has appeared on the mango tree in the back yard! In 2-3 months mangoes will be falling from the skies.... .... at least that's what I'm told.







Lastly, I shared a Thanksgiving dinner with my host family and friends on December 1st. The turkey was yummy and moist (well done Melanie!), homemade mashed potatoes, a green salad and I made my mom's mac and cheese.  We rounded up the night by going around and giving Thanks.


For me, I'm so thankful to be in this country, surrounded with new friends, and the blessed opportunity to share God's love with an amazing group of little ones!

Youth from SCS spent an afternoon with some of our afterschool kids! 

Give Thanks...

OK, so I had so many intentions of getting a Thanksgiving post up by Thanksgiving week and obviously it did not happen. So, I started to just let it go... didn't make that goal. Shucks. Yet the idea of a post giving Thanks has remained with me and I've felt this gentle nudging to do it anyway even though Nov 22nd has come and gone. Honestly, I haven't been in much of a give thanks mood just recently. That's really not like me so I'm pretty upset with myself. Ha. Imagine that ... me upset with me.

Anyway, forcing yourself to make a list of things that you are thankful for is guaranteed to elevate the Spirit, bring a smile to your face and often, tears of joy to your eyes. So, here goes my list... even if it is almost exactly one week late, I'm glad that Giving Thanks is always in season!

1. Family and friends -  The last 6 months have been an awesome season of faith and stretching and I'm grateful for my family and friends who journeyed with me through this season of transition.  I have a new appreciation for my family and if it’s possible, I realize that I love them more and more every day. We’ve had some tough mountains, but boy we stick together and are stronger and closer because of it! 

2.  My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - This Advent season is a time to re-focus on the true source of the Hope and Love we have.

3. Group hugs - the last 3 months I've gotten over 18 hugs a day, unsolicited, knock you down, trample on you bear hugs!  That’s what happens when almost twenty 5 year olds decide that a group hug is in order! My hug jar is full :)

4.  Make new friends, make new friends, but keep the old ones, one is silver and the other is gold. That line is from a song I learned as a child and I'm so thankful for my friends... both silver and gold. My newest friends are the Alcequiez family. They have taken me in under their wings (quite literally since the chickens now outnumber the humans) and under their roof and I'm so thankful for them. 

5.  Hot showers-- you don’t realize what you miss until it’s gone!

6.  Food -- I love trying new foods, most ethnic cuisines, and even dabbling in the kitchen. I’m thankful for this immersion into Dominican cuisine and the joys of fresh, unprocessed food!

7.  Internet -- oh boy, I don’t need cable or a TV, but internet, oh Lord, yes I’m thankful. It’s been a lifesaver to stay in touch with family and friends over email, Skype and FB!

8.  Lawndale Christian Health Center -- I spent the last 6 years in Chicago, IL, serving with this wonderful group of Christian medical professionals. The people who serve at this health center are phenomenal and I will forever cherish that faith and professional community. 

9.  Sunshine and Rain - There is a reason and season for every thing. I”m thankful for the sun that shines but also the rain in life that waters my growth. 

10.  Chocolate - I know this counts as food, but still it's different. You understand, right? I can't wait to bite into a piece of Dove dark chocolate. In the meantime, I'm having fun trying out each chocolate bar at the grocery check out :)! I'm sure there is at least a drop of antioxidants in there somewhere. 

11. I'm thankful to be an American -- Chocolate was supposed to be the last one, but I forgot this one that has come to mind so often in the last year.  The blessing of being born in a country that has a great educational system, financial resources, and opportunities galore is often taken for granted. Of course, it's not a perfect country, but having traveled a bit to other countries, we as Americans, are blessed and I am thankful. 

Oh baby....

We have babies!!  Some of you probably did this as a class science project back in the day. You know... the egg in the incubator and wait the 21-25 days for it to hatch.


I attended great schools with awesome teachers, but we never did the egg thingy. So, I'm excited about this process of watching the eggs hatch into little chicks!  Plus this is the second time around. We had a lot of disappointment around here when the September eggs never hatched. This time around we had a plan and the plan worked! The egg was chipped and when you put it to your ear you could hear the sweetest little chirping sound.

 So, introducing the proud mama (Mickey) and her babies!  There is Henny Penny- yellow, Bambi - dark brown/black, and Brownie.  The names are courtesy of a 5yr old, 3yr old and yours truly!

I narrowed it down to Brownie or Lovie and decided to let the kids vote. The 5yr old chimed in... but Brownies are what we eat for lunch. Hmmmm.... kiddo, did you forget that we eat chicken for lunch at least twice a week!!  Yea, I didn't say anything.  It was tempting, though!! LOL

I have to admit that I have been pseudo-stalking these chickies. Mama Hen Mickey may just peck me one day if I keep it up.

One afternoon I was alarmed... where are the babies... Mickey abandoned her babies. You see, we have a couple of stray cats who like birds for dinner or post dinner snacks. We have lost a couple of doves to the cat visitors, so, this panic was not without reason.



Then, I looked a little closer and noticed a little beak poking out. Hmmm... it made me smile to see how lovingly this mom cared for her little ones. It also reminded me of my heavenly Father's love for me and for each of His children. Thank you Lord for these reminders when we need them most.

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.  Psalm 91:4 NLT

Stuck

Today marks 8 weeks since I arrived here in Santiago. I think it has all crashed down today and my shoulders feel heavy with the weight of it all. It's that moment when you are totally and utterly overwhelmed and you are at a loss of what to do next. That's exactly the point where I don't want to be, but yet here I am.  stuck. You know, unable to move, shut down, stagnant, at a dead end, helpless and just plain stuck.

Our mobile clinic has grown, yet you reach that point where you have to look at quantity and quality. We want to be able to serve people well. When Jesus fed the multitude they were well taken care of. He attended to not only their spiritual needs but their physical hunger as well. We want to care for our patients well...  there are those days that you meet patients who need specialty care, lab tests, imaging, etc, you don't have the right medicines or enough of the medicine and you just feel helpless.  How I wish for the IRIS system in Chicago to refer patients to the County Hospital. Yep, there was a LONG wait, but at least they were on the list, and at some point you knew their name would be called. Here, there is no list, there is no computerized referral system, no comprehensive referral network, there's NOTHING. So, what do you do with the patient who whispers that she is HIV positive, or the 18 year old with the history of thalassemia with a grade 4 systolic murmur that she says was never heard previously, or the 10 year old little girl who has a "ganglion cyst" with atypical symptoms like edema, decreased range of motion and pain. Let me not forget the many, many pregnant moms, who have no prenatal care, many of whom will deliver at home by themselves. You just feel stuck. What to do?

You pray. And pray. And pray. I'm starting to work on a resource list. Easier said than done, but I know there has to be other health ministries on the island. It's time to start looking for connections, people who will help and partner with us in providing care to our patients. It gets a little complicated by race relations on this lovely island. A large percentage of our patients are Haitian, and sometimes that feels like a bad word. I have a student who hides out in the other classrooms because the neighborhood kids pick on her that she has a Haitian teacher.  So, she doesn't want to be in my room anymore. yes, I know I'm not Haitian, but the bullies don't know that and that's all that matters to this 5 yr old. Besides, it shouldn't even matter!!!  Yes, Haitian can feel like a bad word to a kid and to many adults. .. There's also the kid who has a Haitian mom and a Dominican father. He decided last week that he was going to be Korean because he is tired of the teasing, and at least he would know "what" he is and can help people like our Korean pastors help people. This teasing at the school yard level has its root in the prevailing attitude towards the Haitian immigrant here. So, even though I'm looking for connections, you know, people who are on the ground already doing health ministry, yet, we have to make sure they are willing to see our patients, regardless of race.

At this moment, it feels like a big task, but I serve an even bigger God, who can give direction, vision, insight and provide what we need. Ministry here in the DR has been a blessing, but I have to be honest that today is one of those tough days. That's when I come to you, my friends, so, you can unite with me in prayer. The persistent prayer of the righteous will be effective. Here are some specific requests:

1. Pray for referral specialists who will collaborate with us and love our patients regardless of race.
2. Pray for laboratory services-- We desperately need access to some basic point of care testing and some simple hematology and chemistry panels, urinalysis, rapid HIV testing and follow-up. I'm praying for a Christian lab owner who will give our patients a discounted pricing and for increased financial resources to cover the costs of some in clinic testing.
3. Pray for strategic planning and vision for the mobile clinic.
4. Pray for race relations on the island.
5. Pray for financial resources. Pray about how God may use you to support one of these projects.
6. Pray that we will demonstrate Christ's love to all patients who trust us with their health needs.

Inclement weather calls for FOOD!

Note the pilon on top of the pan. 

I have great memories of childhood when school would be cancelled due to the threat of snow. It doesn't even matter that not a drop of the white stuff had fallen, we were already making a beeline for the grocery store and surely either chili or vegetable beef soup would be on the menu for dinner that day. There is something about inclement weather that brings out the need for comfort foods.











Today I sampled one of the Dominican comfort foods, Sancocho. Well, I more than sampled... I consumed quite a large quantity!!  Of course, here in the caribbean it was not a threat of snow, but rather Hurricane Sandy that generated the craving for Sancocho. After braving the storm for a half day of school I arrived home to an impromptu gathering of faces, some known and some brand new, hanging out and having a good time.  (See my previous post on dropping by down below). One of the women was in the kitchen stirring a big pot and everyone else was milling around waiting eagerly for the pronouncement that LUNCH was ready!

Note the wool caps for the "cold"
-- a temp of 72 degrees is cold here.

Everyone was quite amused when they found out it was my first time eating Sancocho! It was also quite hilarious listening to the animated descriptions of Sancocho. I made the mistake of asking is it basically rice and beans? NO, emphatically, NO!!! Then the animated responses began.... Sancocho has delicious meat, chicken, beef, pork  and plaintains, and yuca another person yelled, and potatoes.... ay, si, they were pretty hyped
 about this meal. The avocadoes were sliced, and even fought over as everyone wanted the largest chunk, the rice was ready and lunch was served.

Yum-O! Sancocho is pretty good stuff....

Dropping by...

Sometimes my brain is overloaded by all of the cultural nuances and differences that I observe on any given day. I imagine at some point these things will become more common place and my overworked brain will not be on overdrive. Until then... every day there is something new that makes me say, hmmm.

Most recently, it was the way people just 'drop by' to say hi. It's actually kind of cool, but coming from the States, where you call or email, or even make multiple calls and emails with all of the phone tag just to arrange a day and time to meet, place to meet, etc, etc it's quite a bit of culture shock. At any random moment, someone will walk up to the gate and just holler to get your attention that they are stopping by. The ones who are really good friends don't even stop at the gate, but just come on in. 

Last night, it was the nuns who run the school and church a couple of houses down. "Vecina" they hollered out.... we went to the door to be greeted by two sweet older ladies who were wrapping up their evening at 8:45pm by making housecalls on their neighbors. Being good Christian folks, we invited them in and had a really lovely chat. The sister shared a scripture with us before leaving. It was actually exactly what we were planning for our kids chapel this week, from Ephesians 6 about honoring your parents. Last week we started the conversation using the verse in Exodus 20:12 but we felt the need to continue the dialogue for another week. The sisters confirmed the plan when she opened up the discussion with the Ephesians 6:1 verse. Plus it was a great discussion to have with the 2 little ones who were excited to be up a little later than usual!

This weekend, around the same time, maybe 9pm, a couple stops by. No call ahead, just the gate sliding open as they came in with their 2 kids in tow. I'm always sort of startled by these surprise visits, while everyone around me seems completely chill.  They come in and take a seat as if it's 3pm in the afternoon. Hmmm, my western sensibilities are obviously annoyed, which I later feel very convicted about. The 'wife' is 17yrs old and just had baby #2 six weeks ago. Her 29 yr old 'husband' can't understand why she is so sad all the time and crying even though she spends all day at home with 2 little ones under age 2. They came over because she finally told him that she had to get out of the house or she was going to lose her mind. Postpartum depression is definitely real, but not very understood here at all. The husband takes it all as a personal assault and meanwhile she just looks completely sad and blank. It's hard to believe that she is the same, smiling happy young adult I met when I first arrived.   I had fun playing with baby, while Melanie stepped into role of counselor, but even more so of friend. 

These random, or not so random, visits are pretty much the norm here. More and more I'm appreciating the way that people build community and always make time for one another. It's a lesson I'm learning for sure as I am learning how to re-focus and re-prioritize my life.  In the meantime, if I can drop in to your busy schedule and ask that you would maybe whisper a prayer for our friend, Lila, as she adjusts to being a mom of 2 little ones, I know she would really appreciate it. 

Day of the Races

A week ago the DR celebrated the Dia de Los Razas, translated into English, Day of the Races. This is a uniquely Dominican holiday in place of Columbus Day that is celebrated in much of North America. Dia de Los Razas celebrates the heritage of the Dominican people, a mixed race of Indigenous Indian, African and Spanish descendants. Most teachers are sure to make a special project for the class to do to focus on the Day of the Races, but from my limited observation, most of the celebration focused on the Spanish and Indian heritage with a casual mention of the African ancestry.  This holiday brings me mixed feelings..... you see race here is a funny thing. There are Dominicans who are 5 shades darker than me who will swear that their color comes from the "Indio" in the family. There are also women who are in desperate poverty who will 'find' the money to go to the salon weekly to make sure their kinky hair texture is never visible. People are often referred to by their complexion, such as La Morena - the brown one, or La Prieta if the complexion is darker. The person with the lightest complexion in the family is usually referred to as La Rubia even if they are no where near blond.

I'm probably particularly more attuned to this just because of my own experience here as an African American. It's actually somewhat comical as folks will try to figure out "what I am". My complexion usually suggests Dominican, but then they take the double glance at the kinky hair and they give me a questioning "Tu estas haitiana?." I smile, and reply I am American. Humph. The puzzled looks always persist for at least another 10-15 seconds. I actually find it pretty comical that God has landed me here in this country with my brown skin and kinky hair. I have been able to ease into Dominican circles at school, but also flow into Haitian circles and fit in well there too with my African features.

 Recently I had a conversation with 2 girls in my kindergarten class. The one asks, "porque tu no vas al salon".... why do you not go to the hair salon? The question alone shocked me but even more her 5 yr old tone of disapproval caught me off guard. I smiled. Crismal, I really like the way God made my hair, I think it's pretty just as it is. She gave me a true Dominican non-verbal, umph, coupled with a certain wrinkling of the nose, that suggests she disagreed. I laughed.  The next Monday one of my students, a different one, shows up with her hair in cornrows with beads. I noticed right away as this 'Afrocentric' hair do is SO NOT typical. Of course I thought it was amazing, but even more so when her mom told me she asked to have her hair done like the teacher's. I've often heard that imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery and I definitely would have to agree.  However, my goal is not to create mini me's, but it does make me smile that these precious little girls are learning that they are created beautifully by God just as they are. If they learn their value and worth in the eyes of God at this tender age, I pray it will help them to navigate the challenging years ahead as a female growing up in a developing country.

FOOD... need I say more...

Food glorious food! The Dominican cuisine is yummy, flavorful, but not spicy or as bold as other Carribbean or Latin American flavors. There are about 4 or 5 staples that are eaten pretty much every day or every other day. I'm really thankful that these happen to be foods that I like, otherwise this could be really, really tough!

Rice... white rice, rice and pigeon peas or beans cooked together, sometimes corn is added. This dish is also called a locrio when it contains a little meat, salami or sausage mixed in.

Platanos and Yuca -- Yuca are like a super starchy potato with an extra thick skin. Plaintains are larger than bananas, with a thicker skin and if mature are super sweet. Plaintains and yuca are often boiled and served with a boiled or fried egg. Plantains are also commonly served  sliced and double fried (oh yeah, my LDL cholesterol just went UP!) and seasoned with a pinch of salt. Basically this is what my Puerto Rican friends call tostones minus the yummy garlicky stuff on the side.

Peeling plaintains are a lot more work than peeling bananas.

Slice plaintains not too thin, not too thick. 

Frying #1 (s/n - eggs are not refrigerated here)

Smash the plaintains, then fry AGAIN!!

Avocado -- we have an avocado tree in the back yard which is a huge plus.  Plus I just happened to arrive at the height of avocado season-- YAY!! I learned the other day that avocado season is almost over which makes me really, really sad. I may have to adjust my food budget to allow for the purchase of several avocados weekly. It's amazing how they can brighten up the most boring meal, ie think yuca and boiled egg, boring.... add avocado, some lime or vinegar and salt... YUM!

Coffee -- I almost forgot the ubiquitous coffee... I remember my first cup of Dominican coffee... so yummy and SWEET!! No milk usually, but occasionally someone offers you milk. If the coffee is prepared and offered to you be prepared for a really sweet coffee. At least 3 if not 4 or 5 teaspoons of sugar. A recent trip to the Campo netted like 4 cups of coffee in a 6 hour period. There was coffee when we arrived at 9am, coffee after the morning soup,  coffee before lunch at 12, coffee after lunch, and at least another 1 or 2 offerings of coffee that I politely declined. The funny thing is I don't feel like the coffee here gives me any energy boost. It just like a yummy sweet treat at the end of a meal, or to tie you over until another meal.


Kibbe or Quipe -- my first trial of Dominican street food. Sorry, but I'm not so sure on the spelling. Honestly, Dominicans are quite creative when it comes to spelling, so I don't feel too bad about making this one up. These are Middle Eastern in origin and remind me of the Kefta skewers or sandwiches at Middle Eastern places, like Grapeleaves in Oak Park, IL. The Kibbe or Quipe are the size of a mini football, and also oval shaped. The outer core is a fried grain, maybe bulgur, with a center of seasoned ground meat. I've only had this once, just 5 days ago, and it was really good... but isn't everything that is fried really good??

I'm sure this is rich in fiber!
 Does that make up for the frying?

OK, I confess to sneaking a bite before grabbing the camera!
 Hence, one end is flat!

Just when...

Last night I went to bed feeling particularly content. I had a to-do list a mile long to get ready for class this week - make a monkey puppet, plan a monkey activity, figure out how to introduce 3 sight words with the letter m (mama, mesa, mono), create a hopscotch game for the number 6, complete the annual learning plan, etc, but I was not feeling stressed.  The combination of a relaxing weekend, a walk through the community, culinary creativity, Sunday worship service and a reunion with some Dominican family and friends had me in a really good place.

The calm of my weekend and feelings of making another stride in the adjustment was shattered about 45 minutes after I woke up Monday morning. We had something happen last night the story began. Our privacy was violated when a couple of thieves tried to steal a few things from the window. "Somehow" the bag of dog food which was several feet away tipped over loud enough to awaken my host family just in time to see the computer on the floor but too late to keep the tote bag from being stolen. There is absolutely no explanation for why the 10lb bag of dog food tucked away in the pantry tumbled to the floor, other than the fact that God is always alert and has angels watching over us day and night.

It could have been worse, and I know the same thing can happen anywhere in the world, and has happened to several of my friends and family. There is a sense of a loss of privacy and trust that comes afterwords. And even a little worry... or a lot of worry. However, it feels even harder, because I really felt like I had just hit a sweet spot in the adjustment process;  I know how to open doors with the funny handles, I can concho (public transportation cars) back and forth to school with no problem, I know where to get off the M concho, I know which supermarket I like the best, I have a favorite colmado, I can occasionally understand the jokes made by others, etc, etc. So today, maybe I take one baby step backwards, and tonight I may not rest nearly as peacefully as I did the last 3 weeks, but I'm reminded that I'm not on this journey alone. My God is always with me, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and your staff they comfort and protect me.

Mission Team from NJ

We have been so blessed to have a mission team from NJ here this week. It's funny because in the past I have always been on the side of the short term team going, but it's my first time being on the receiving end. I now see the behind the scenes stuff that has to happen to make it all work! Trust me, it's a ton of work, but it's so worth it when you see the smiles, the embraces and here the Gospel message being shared. Big thanks to this wonderful team this week for coming to Santiago to love on these little ones and to share the Good News of a Great Big God who loves them.

Stephanie shared the message using the gift bags below. Each color represented a different part of the Gospel Story. Gold - Creation, Black - Sin, Red - Blood of Jesus, White - Cleansing and a new start and Green - Eternal Life.

Then the kids had fun making bracelets (pulseros) using the same color beads as the bags above. This is to remind them of today's message and hopefully some were even able to share it with their parents.

 Some of the missionaries even helped with providing free haircuts. Many parents signed their kids up for this one, although I don't think the kids are too happy about it! Look at that funny face....

 On second thought, who doesn't like looking their best?? E's smile below says it was well worth it! Love the snaggle tooth!

 Lastly, a big shout out to my Korean friends in the Chi. You know who you are... wave your hands if you are Korean and proud! This is how they roll.... food was packed just in case and you know, there is Kim Chee in the bunch plus a whole lot more.

La misionera nueva

I would like to introduce you to la misionera nueva.... I here that phrase quite a bit as I am still meeting the pastors and team members at our 4 churches and 2 education centers and other random folks thrown in here and there. I have to admit that every time, it really does catch me off guard. Excuse me, are you referring to me, I want to ask, or sometimes there is that awkward pause before I realize, oops, they are talking about me. I am the new missionary. Wow, really, Lord when did this happen. A missionary... yes, I guess that is what I am. I wish I could say that I'm one of the ones who was mission minded since age 3 or 4, but that's not my testimony.

I really think it came down to availability. Sometimes we reach a point in life, where we decide to let go of our plans for the future, how we thought our life should unfold, the things we held important, and to completely surrender to the Heavenly Father.  Basically, we decide to make ourselves fully available to God, no strings or conditions attached. At that point of surrender, God, can set you on the path that he has planned for each of us. I have to admit, that can be a scary place to be, because it forces us to really trust God. Not to just give lip service about trusting God, but to 100% trust his promises. After much tripping and stumbling and sometimes just falling flat on my face, I would like to think that I have this trust thing down packed 100% of the time. That's not the case, but I'm so grateful that yesterday when I needed to be reminded of how trustworthy God is, he encouraged me through someone else's testimony and reminded me to "concentrate on what God wants me to do now, and to leave the future in hands that are more capable than mine: God's hands."

Psalm 16:11  "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

La Cara Feliz

Here is a glimpse of some of the smiling faces that greet me every morning. One of our recent chapels was taken from Proverbs 15:13, El corazon feliz, se refleja en la cara. El corazon triste, deprime el espiritu! It was a joy to share this insightful word with the children and to discuss how our expressions so often reveal so much about what is going on in our heart and spirits. These little ones had fun showing me their happy faces!

I am continually amazed that there are so many smiling faces as I learn of the difficulties that so many of these little ones have encountered. We like to put the memory verse on the bulletin board so the parents can be aware of what we are discussing and hopefully reinforce it at home. Our happy faces and happy hearts really are miracles from God.

I've shared with you about Juan and his brother Jose (Juan and Jose's story) , but we recently opened our hearts and class to another little one, Alexander. We really are at capacity, see note on the bulletin board above, but there was something about this mom's request that struck a chord in our Spirit. She came requesting to enroll her son 3 weeks late with very little explanation. We didn't know all the details, but felt strongly like we needed to take Alexander in. You see, in our community, the public schools have 2 shifts of students, from 8a-12p and 2p - 6p and still there is not enough room for all of the children to go to school. So, some kids just have to wait out the year.  Mom was extremely grateful to have Alexander join our school, and he arrived promptly the next day and hasnt missed a day yet. Well, it didn't take long before the community 'chisme' got back to us. Didn't you know?? This is the kid that was beaten so severely by his dad in the campo that he was hospitalized for a week.   Mom obtained custody after this awful event and that's why little Alexander was enrolling 3 weeks late. Now we understood why we had such a heavy heart when the mom came in that day. She never uttered a word about this, but the Holy Spirit knew. Every day that I see little Alexander I'm amazed at his "corazon feliz" as his face has the most precious smile that you have ever seen. I know that there is still alot of emotional healing that is needed, but I thank God that he has protected this kid's heart and spirit that he can still find so much to smile about. Thank you Lord!

Campo:  Kids will often be sent to the 'campo' to live with relatives in the country/rural areas, for one reason or another.

Chisme:  Gossip

Uninvited guest

So, it's late by my standards and I really should be in bed. I really would like to be in bed, except I was greeted by an uninvited guest when I walked into the room.

The picture does not do it justice.... really!

I remember my first night here when this arthropod's twin decided to make an appearance. I almost freaked out, but I had just met these nice people so I had to keep it together. Tonight the little critter comes back and I'm not so sure about keeping it together. I want to go to bed, really I do, but I'm sitting here keeping vigil over this HUGE spider on my ceiling. The spider's body and legs are the size of the palm of my hand. There are tarantulas in the DR, but I've been reassured that this is not a tarantula. Something tells me he is going to win and I'm just going to have to get some shut eye before the rooster starts crowing.  (yes, there is a rooster and a hen right outside my door, but that's an entirely different post!)

Mosquito net, picture is from another day but it gives you an idea of how close
the above arthropod is to my bed.  Critter is to the right of the window. Not good. 

So, I'm glad I have my handy dandy mosquito net. One of my last purchases the night before I left, but boy, oh boy, this thing has been a HUGE help. I have the ritual down packed now. Tuck all of the edges under the mattress. Turn on the flashlight and inspect bed for uninvited critters. Ease in through the narrow gap and close the gap with a clothespin. Turn flashlight back on for a repeat inspection. Do some self talk... if there are no critters inside now, and all of the ends are tucked in, there is no way for a new critter to join you in the bed. Close one eye, peek around the bed one more time with the one eye that's open, then close it shut, real quick, fall asleep, quick, quick, quick!

I've been missing you.....

I have a weird confession to make..... I had a little internal leap of joy when I saw the medicines at the mobile clinic. Weird, I know. After 3 weeks of being away from LCHC and not doing anything healthcare related, I think I missed it. I didn't realize it, but as I was helping Dr Tony to unpack the meds for the mobile clinic, I found myself holding each box of Ranitidina and Nifedipina just a little too long. It was like my long lost toys had been found. I told you it was weird.....

Now, that I've confessed let's move on to the serious stuff.  One of my big prayer requests is figuring out how to get integrated into the mobile clinic. The role of Nurse Practitioner is not widely understood outside of the US, so I probably will not be doing direct patient care, at least not right away. I think my initial role will be in some education projects as patients are waiting to be seen. I need fun, interactive ways to get people involved and to cross the French-Spanish-Creole language barrier. I'm thinking that some of my activities from Centering Pregnancy can be modified to work for other educational topics. Please pray for innovative ideas that will work in this setting and an extra dose of creativity!!

Another idea is to integrate community health projects with the students in our school. I observed one day that the kids were washing their hands BEFORE going to the bathroom and not afterwards. Interesting I thought... so I inquired a little more about this practice.  I learned that many of our kids have parents who work in the landfills all day sifting through trash looking for anything that can be recycled, reused or sold for a few pesos. I really can't even imagine as my own brief peek into our trash barrell was frightening enough, let alone working in a landfill. Anyway, after being in the landfill all day the parents usually wash their hands before touching their body or going to the bathroom. Now that I understand the practice, it's figuring out how to tactfully work with our kids on this area of hand hygiene and to teach in a way that is practical and appropriate for kids going home to houses that don't have running water.

Albanico Fantastico

Machete did a pretty clean job, other than those wires sticking out it looks A-OK!

I learned a new word since arriving in the DR. Actually, I’ve learned a LOT of new words.... but one that has been on my mind a lot is albanico! Que es eso?? It’s a fan! I have a new fan and it is absolutely, wonderful! I’m a little sad that I missed the installation, but from what I’m told it involved a machete! Yes, a machete to rip out part of the ceiling to install the albanico. Yikes! It has not fallen down yet, so I guess the installation went well.  A little handiwork with a machete is a small price to pay to have air circulating in 90 degree weather!  Add another praise report ... I have a fan and I’m so looking forward to bedtime!! Maybe I will go take a midday nap! 

9/29 - I finally got some pictures of the infamous albanico! An all purpose machete may be the thing to give for Christmas presents this year!! LOL

Lights, Camera, Action!

Praise God for safe arrivals to Santiago, Dominican Republic! The last 5-6 months of prayer and planning has culminated in my hitting the ground last week and now it's 'showtime'!! The last 9 days have been filled with getting acclimated to a new language and a new culture. There are so many praise reports that I can't list them all, but I would like to share a handful with you!

1. Safe travels and passage of luggage - all 3 suitcases arrived with no problems, including the school supplies and $250 worth of medications and supplies that I was bringing with me for the mobile clinic.  Today I met Dr. Tony and passed on some things to him. He was exceptionally happy about the otoscope! It's a very basic one that I found on amazon.com, but will at least allow him to do a better assessment of the many ear complaints and prevent unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics! The mobile clinic was started in the last 6 months and has grown from visiting 6-10 sites monthly to over 35 locations. We are praising God that Worldvision has come on as a partner with us in the mobile clinic expanding the number of communities that we are able to serve. Today we started strategizing about how to incorporate community education into the current mobile clinic services, as we really believe an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

2. La profe nueva habla Chino??? - I spend the mornings teaching English to 4/5 yr olds and then to 6-8yr olds. The kids are adorable even though I hear PROFEEEEEE (short for profesora) yelled 50 times a day. On day 2, one of the kids asked the director if I was speaking Chinese?? I'm not sure if he was referring to my English that was foreign to him or to my Spanish that was so mixed up that he thought it was Chinese!! I confirmed that NO, la profe nueva is NOT speaking Chinese!! We still laugh at this comment and I'm thankful that the kids are so welcoming and are good at making me laugh! This week the focus was on colors red and blue.  Next week we add the color green and begin work on introductions in English..... hello, my name is Jewel y no hablo Chino!

3. Weekly Chapel started this week. What a blessing to sing and worship with 70 children and to watch them listen attentively as the word of God was shared. Our kids come from homes and families of all make up an design. Some are 2 parent homes, others are being raised by grandparents, some leave school to go 'work' in the landfill with their parents, others have felt loss that is beyond their years.  Juan arrived to school this week 2 weeks after school started because the family had been grieving the sudden death of the 14 month old brother and the family was too distraught to bring him and the other brother to school. Every day Juan asks me at least 10 times in the day can he go to the preschool class to check on his 3yr old brother. How can I deny him, knowing the unexplainable loss that he is feeling for his 14 month old brother. So we worked out an arrangement so that his desk is by the door.... and when he feels the need he can look down the hall into the preschool classroom to assure himself that the 3yr old brother is ok. Our kids have tough stories, but it brings joy to the soul to hear them proclaim the Word of God at the top of their lungs....Their memory verse for this week comes from Psalms 139:14... Te alabo porque soy una creaccion admirable!

Just a few highlights and praises from this first week and a half. Please keep the work and ministry in CienFuegos, Santiago, in prayer. A few prayer needs are listed below.

• Lights -- our power lines have been stolen twice in the last 9 days
• Behavior issues - many of the students have never been in class before!! There are lots of learning challenges that turn into behavior problems out of the student's frustration. 
• Adjustment -- Language acquisition is a challenge, plus understanding "Kid Spanish" is tough! Also some of the words are different than Mexican Spanish, for example the word for bag is fundo instead of bolsa. 
• Internet - Internet is expensive... but would help with the adjustment such as Skype access, etc. Pray for a less costly internet option. 
• Mobile Clinic - many medications are needed as well as educational opportunities. Pray for wisdom as the clinic has grown rapidly, but there are many needs to keep up with the growth. 

Effectual, Fervent Prayers!

You know, if you have ‘grown up’ in the church you probably have heard such church language as I can feel people praying for me. Or I know it was the prayers of the righteous that carried me through. Or folks commenting that I felt your prayers, thanks for praying, etc.  Have you ever thought about what does that feel like to know people are praying for you? How do you know? Is that some spooky deep spiritual talk or is it possible that there are moments, seconds, hours and days that you are only moving forward because of the prayers of the Body of Christ?

I have to say that over the last 4 weeks, it has been an amazing feeling to know that people were and are praying for me. I have no doubt in my mind that it was the prayers of many Believers that have carried me through the last four weeks of wrapping up time in Chicago and preparing to journey to the Dominican Republic. It dawned on me one day while driving to work that I felt a supernatural lift carrying me that morning. My energy was gone. My drive to get stuff done was way past “E”. I just didn’t think I could go one day more. Late nights and early mornings were taking their toll on me. But on that day, driving that familiar route to work, I felt that something had shifted. I was still fatigued, but there was a palpable power source infusing strength and power into my energy tank and it definitely was not of my own doing. It hit me... the prayers of other Believers were joining with mine to reach heaven on my behalf! 

This may sound like crazy talk to some of you, but there are others out there that get it! The persistent, fervent prayer of the righteous will accomplish mighty things! I am blessed, beyond blessed to have been on the receiving end of so many prayers!  I have felt your prayers..... Thank You!

Full Circle....Haiti to Chicago to DR

The Dominican Republic is well known to Americans as the fun place for all inclusive vacations and beautiful beaches. However, if you venture past the walls of the resorts you will encounter a people who may live a life that is very different and encompasses many struggles, that may be hard to imagine from the comforts of the resort property. The Dominican Republic is home to over 10million people, and the ethnic make up is 73% of mixed heritage, 16% European and 11% black.  The largest group of foreigners are Haitian immigrants. As you can imagine, the number of Haitian immigrants, both documented and undocumented,  has increased significantly since the 2010 earthquake.  Prior to 2010 the estimate was approaching 1 million Haitian immigrants living in the Dominican Republic and that number has only grown since 2010. As is the case with foreigners in any country, there is often mixed opinions, beliefs, and emotions about these newcomers. We, in the US, have surely had and continue to have our debates and discussions about immigration.

In February 2012, I was part of a wonderful medical mission team to the Dominican Republic.  It was an amazing week of service and I remember a couple of things that really stuck out to me. Of course, I had absolutely NO idea that God was busy preparing my heart for this adventure at the time. Looking back it's pretty amazing and interesting to see how God was at work all along. Just as a side note, I love seeing the plan of God come together. What feels like chaos and unrelated pieces at the moment, are woven ever so artfully by the Master into a plan that makes sense. Wow!  There were many things that and people who captured my heart on this trip, but two of the highlights of that week remain very vivid in my memory.

#1 -- It was so awesome to see the church being the church and welcoming the stranger.   Hebrews 13:1-2 admonishes us to let brotherly love grow and to not forget to show hospitality to strangers, because we never know when we may be entertaining angels. I loved seeing several churches who had opened their doors to the "strangers" and were creating ways to share worship space. There were not many places that I saw Haitians and Dominicans living life together, but I saw that in the Church! Brother and Sister in Christ caring for one another, ministering together and being the hands and feet of Christ!  Our last night in the DR consisted of a worship service that was trilingual -- English, Spanish and Creole! How amazing it was to worship God in so many different languages and to know that HE fully understood it all!

#2 -  At the end of a long clinic day we gathered for a team dinner on the outdoor porch. There was plenty of food ... and my new friend, Grassiel, even made sure that the cook made one of the cornbread cakes that I was so curious about. I couldn't help it.... they were sold at every corner store and looked amazing. Not wanting a case of the diarrhea I exercised restraint, but those who know me, will know that I really, really wanted to try that cake. As we enjoyed dinner a little boy named Timeteo wandered over to where the group was sitting. Several of our group remembered Timeteo from a previous trip a year before when they met his mom in the clinic. This little one is only 2 or 3 years old and he was wandering around the community at night, by himself, with only a tshirt to cover his body. He was quickly embraced, put in a chair and given a plate of food. I watched this 3 year old consume enough food to feed a grown man... at least 3 plates full. I know my nieces at age 3 were extremely messy eaters, dropping food all over the place. Not Timeteo... this kid didn't make a sound as he guzzled down plate after plate. Not kid sized plates but plates that were full and overflowing. Every now and then he would look up from his plate and take in what was going on, before he returned to the business of devouring the yummy food. I held back tears as I wondered when did he eat last? Where is his mom? Isn't she worried about him out here all alone? Timeteo speaks Creole primarily so there were no answers to be had. Later that evening, we walked Timeteo home and left him with his mom. I'm not even sure if she had even noticed that he wasn't home. This little kid touched my heart in such a huge way, and I still didn't realize that God was laying the groundwork for my next assignment.

I went to the Dominican Republic expecting to take care of Dominican patients. Yes, the majority of the patients I saw were Dominican, however, meeting a few Haitian brothers and sisters was a wonderful surprise.  For me, it brought back a load of memories of my first trip outside of the US to Haiti in 2004. It was that trip that got me thinking that just maybe God could use me and my career as a way to serve others and to ultimately bring glory to God. Could it be that God was paving the way for me to go from Haiti to Chicago to Afghanistan back to Chicago to the Dominican Republic to land back where I started, serving the Haitian people? I'm excited for this next year of service working with Haitian immigrants and descendants in the Dominican Republic.  I hope you will pray about supporting me as I take this leap of faith to serve in the DR for the next year.

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