Home is where the heart is...

If home is where the heart is, then, I'm home. Almost.

In some ways it's been a hard transition back to the US, and in other ways it's been surprisingly easy - depending on how you look at it. But, in any event, I'm here, I'm safe, I'm healthy, and I'm slowly but surely gearing up for the beginning of the school year!

.....if only my suitcase were here to "be home" with me... (I'm not a big fan of American Airlines at the moment!) But, somewhere in Miami sits one lonely piece of lost luggage (or "delayed", if you're the woman who continues to use this word in an effort to trick me into thinking that this really isn't a big deal..."it's only delayed a bit"). Really, it's lost. But at least it's enjoying much warmer weather than I am, that's for sure!

More than complain about "delayed" luggage, I wanted to thank those of you who have traveled with me - through reading my blog. Thanks for the encouraging comments, the up-lifting emails, the phone calls, the packages (Jen Rowe wins the gold in this event!), the prayers, and the wonderful welcome home! I'm so blessed to have people like you in my life. If you're reading this, give yourself a hug for me - or give me a call and we'll see what we can do to make it happen in real life! :)

As for now - I'm off (in my LONG PANTS and SWEATSHIRT) to figure out how to function again in a society that flushes their toilet paper, actually likes dogs, doesn't greet everyone they come across, and - for the most part - speaks English. Phew.

5 more sleeps.

Can you believe it?! Only five more nights in the Dominican Republic! I feel as if I got here, turned around and - whoa - there it was; the end of the summer. I also feel as if this post should be some long essay on all that I've learned, or the profound discoveries I made regarding my ultimate purpose in life.....but....

......well.......I got nothin'.....

....except a non-exclusive list of the things I will surely miss once I'm back in the United States. (in no particular order)

1. My own bathroom.
2. Hot, sweaty, long Dominican church services on Sunday night - that I can't understand the half of.
3. Oatmeal juice.
4. Limonada.
5. Sitting (and sleeping) under a ceiling fan.
6. Speaking "Spanglish", because I'm still not good enough to speak solamente en español. (I guess that will carry over to when I'm home...)
7. Watching the sunrise over the ocean.
8. The ocean.
9. Waving to everyone I know (and don't know) on our walks into town.
10. Riding in an air-conditioned bus.
11. Falling asleep to loud music.
12. Waking up to loud music.
13. Franchesca.
14. Nena.
15. Jochi.
16. Luz Maria.
17. Yenny.
18. Lisy.
19. Señor Peguero.
20. Jaury.
21. Domingo.
22. Indiana.
23. Joanni.
24. Yanina.
25. Christopher.
26. .......everyone at the orphanage, really.
27. Roosters making noise at 2:30am, 3:30am, 4:30am, 5:30am....
28. 2 hour siestas.
29. Star gazing.
30. The beach.
31. The "Banana Song".
32. Wearing a skirt. Cada dia. (Every day.)
33. Yucca frita. (Fried Yucca.)
34. Cristina, the woman from Walterio.
35. Swinging.
36. Coloring.
37. Jumping rope.
38. Teeter-tottering (is that a word?)
39. Sweating.
40. Mosquitoes. Oh, wait. Nope. Not gonna miss those...
41. Sitting on my roof.
42. Not blow-drying my hair. (Guess that could carry over too...)
43. Barking dogs right outside my bedroom window.....always barking.
44. Buying fruit from vendors on the street.
45. Not buying gas.
46. Living in the moment.

..............y, hay tanto más, pero no sé decirlo todo en Inglés.

If you read this far, thanks. I know a lot of those things don't really make sense - like why I would miss fried yucca or barking dogs - but, trust me. I will. And, maybe it will be a good way to start a conversation when I return.

In the end, this summer has turned out to be such a blessing. Not one full of answers, or direction, or revealed "callings" necessarily, but one full of love, and laughter, and trials, and challenges, and....life, I guess. And the thought of leaving has me a little "messed up" - a little unsure of how to "carry over" the bulk of how I lived and what I learned down here. I want to come home, but I don't want to be completely back to "life as usual" in the next 6-8 weeks.

I'm not sure how to do that. I'm not sure what that looks like. But, poco a poco, I guess.

Little by little. I think if I'm going to bring anything home with me this would be it. I want to live my life little by little. Not in such a rush to "figure everything out" or "do everything" - but, rather, in a way that I don't miss what's going on right now. I want to live in a way that I enjoy the "little" progress; each step, each moment, each chapter.

I'll need help. It will be challenging to go against the product-driven, schedule-oriented, five-year plan kind of society we live in. It will be difficult not having an answer for everyone who wants to know about the "next" step in my life. I don't know what's next! I don't know that I'll meet "the boy", or get married, or have babies, or move to the Dominican, or not come back at all, or stay at my current job, or get a "real" job, or stay in Michigan, or....or.....wake up tomorrow. (Of course, I want to wake up tomorrow. I'm just saying...) I simply don't know.

But, I'm ok with that. Here. And I want to be ok with it in the United States.

So, I suppose I was wrong. I do have something. I did learn something. I did have a revelation to the ultimate purpose of my life...

I just want to live it. Cada dia. Poco a poco. Con Dios. (Every day. Little by little. With God.)

The heavens declare

I decided that since I've been rambling on about how beautiful it is here, I should actually show you what I'm talking about. So, here it is. I didn't invent it, I didn't cause it to happen, I didn't even photograph it (photo courtesy of Brook Willis), but I wanted to share it.




"The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones." ~ Psalms 89:5

One more thing...

I totally forgot to tell you...

I'm coming home early! Isn't that great?! Without going into a long explanation, let me just reassure you that it IS, in fact, great. I'll have a whole week to gather myself before going back to work - to spend with my family and loved ones. It was such an unexpected, yet welcomed gift from God (and my boss here). I'm stoked.

So, in case you were wondering, my flight comes in to Detroit on August 16th. See you then - or sometime soon after!

Neverland

As I sit on my roof, I'm watching the sunset. It's beautiful. Indescribable. And, as if it weren't great enough on its own; in the distance I can also see a storm progressing over the ocean. It's not raining here, but less than three miles away I can see the rain connecting the sky and the sea, under an umbrella of brilliant colors. How incredible!

Over the summer I've experienced countless moments like this, and each have reminded me of how great our God is, and what a blessing it is to be alive. In my opinion, there is no greater lesson to be learned. And in spite of all the other challenges, difficulties, emotions, and circumstances I've encountered, I'm so glad to be here; so humbled by my summer, and so excited about life.

When I think about it, I realize that God has revealed Himself to me in such simple ways while living here. At times, so much so that I'm dumbstruck. Because while I have faith that He could DO more to show Himself, I'm humbled and my spirit is quieted when, instead of speaking through a "booming voice" from heaven, He speaks through a spontaneous hug from a child or a refreshing breeze.

There's a new kind of joy that comes from learning this, I've found. It's the kind of joy where teeter-tottering, and star-gazing, and being dirty, and finding sea shells, and playing dress-up, and singing in the shower, and Saturday night puppet shows, are elevated above the satisfaction of earning money, or owning things, or completing check-lists, or being "important". It's the kind of joy that bubbles up when you hear kids laugh, and it continues to grow when you find yourself laughing with them.

A perfect example of this happened one afternoon last week. With the end of our summer VBS program, most of the interns had returned to the United States and we were left with a very small team of people. It was hard to see them go, as I had invested in relationships and experienced so much with my new friends! With so few people left, it was a fairly laid-back week, and we had a lot more "unstructured" time. It was a challenge to think up activities for the kids (and new volunteers)! Brooke, a remaining intern, suggested we have a "fashion show" for the girls - complete with costumes, music, and a runway. I wasn't sure how, exactly, this was going to work (or translate), but I surely didn't have any other ideas. So, we ran with it. And with a suitcase full of random of fabric pieces, a few old cardboard New Year's Eve hats, some donated clothes and a whole lot of imagination, we pulled off our first annual costume party/fashion show! :)

Needless to say, we had SO much fun!! (Even though Sarah doesn't look like it in this picture, she did too!) Not only did the girls dress up, but some of the boys joined in - along with some of the women who work at the orphanage! We paraded around the comedor (dining room), danced, laughed, took pictures, and were sweaty all afternoon!! I don't think I've ever had so much fun being silly - and watching women twice my age join in! No language barrier could stop us. :)

It's during moments like these when I realize that this kind of joy is not "Dominican Republic" specific. I don't have to travel all the way around the world to play dress up. I don't have to go to a different country to see a beautiful sunset. I don't have to learn a different language to share the love of Jesus with His people. This kind of joy just comes from being alive. In Christ. Anywhere. It comes from knowing that you are free to experience life because Jesus took your punishment when He died on the cross.

And even though I don't need to be anywhere other than my own living room in order to accept this, or experience it, what an HONOR it is to know that He allows me to travel; that He provides ways for me to go and experience what I probably wouldn't take the time to experience in Michigan.

In the book of Matthew (in the Bible) Jesus says that in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, one must be like a little child. And, like a child, I think one must live simply, and love simply in order to escape the lies and snares of our world; in order to enter into God's kingdom of peace and joy. And after experiencing a taste of the freedom that comes from living in the moment and enjoying the simple life; I think I know what He's talking about now, and I agree.

And I never want to grow up...

Una Noche Especial

Those of you who know me well know that I love a good party. Be it Birthday, Wedding, or "Just Because", I love getting together with friends and having a good time!!! I can't say that I necessarily have a favorite "party memory", but, if I did, last night would have made the top 5!

About once a year, the kids living at the orphanage have what they call Noche Especial (Special Night) where they get to have a "sleepover" with the same-gender volunteers currently serving here. They play games, eat junk food, watch movies, play tricks on early sleepers, etc. And, as I'm sure you've guessed, last night was our Noche Especial with the girls! It was everything I could've hoped for in a sleepover....

We frosted cupcakes on the roof, took pictures with the cupcakes, and ate the cupcakes (who knew cupcakes were so fun!)! We played games, watched movies (both Aladdin AND The Wizard of OZ), listened to music, had a pillow fight, jumped on the beds (mattresses on the floor), did each other's hair, and...surprisingly, the most exciting part....we ate apples!

As part of the Noche Especial each girl (and volunteer) got an apple. Apples are a big deal for the kids here because the only other time they get one is at Christmas. As you can imagine, because apples aren't readily available in the Dominican they are rather expensive and, therefore, a special treat. The girls were amazed when I told them my family has apple trees in their yard and that the apples rot on the ground because we can't use them fast enough. Being from Michigan, it's hard to imagine apples as a "special treat", but I guess we don't have a plethora of mangos in the Mitten, either. :) Here, the mangos are the ones rotting on the ground...


It's all about perspective, I guess. The grass is always greener, right?

Well, apples or mangos, we had a GREAT night - so much so that it was hard to get the girls up for breakfast this morning!! I'm so thankful that God knows me well enough to provide fun opportunities like this...even all the way down here. These girls are so precious and it was a blessing to make memories with them. I can't wait to go home and plan another sleepover!


Any takers?

Run freely with me for a while...

Wow. It's been a long time since my last post. Sorry about that.

I often reflect on situations after they happen and think to myself, "This would be something good to blog about." But, then, I never do. After a while I find myself so overwhelmed with all that I could write about, and I don't know where to start, so I don't write anything. It's a vicious cycle. Today, I'm breaking the cycle!

And you know what? As my summer has progressed, I've found myself learning more and more about freedom. In countless ways, God has touched my heart and whispered to me about the idea of being free. Even now, as I write, I realize just how much this has been a reoccurring theme throughout the summer. I've begun to learn what it means to live freely, and have been seeking this in many areas of my life; freedom from the past, freedom from "the future", freedom from those things I thought I could "escape" while in another country, freedom from disappointment, freedom from the expectations of others, freedom from the expectations of myself.


I'm not there yet. Thankfully, God gives grace daily. And I'm learning how to accept it. But, to answer the questions of many of you, "Yes. I'm still alive down here."

Maybe even more alive than I was a few months ago...

And while I've had great experiences this summer, I won't lie and tell you it's been easy. It has not. I've been very challenged - beyond anything I've experienced while being in another country. I've wanted to quit. I've wanted to come home. I've wanted to cross this experience off as a silly whim I had in May, and forget it happened. I have found myself tired of being here. I've been tired of eating rice, tired of mosquitoes, tired of dirty feet, tired of being in charge, tired of whiny volunteers, tired of VBS, tired of speaking Spanish, tired of being tired.

I thought seriously of coming home early - of calling it quits. I've wanted to leave.

But our God is a wise God. He knows how to speak to my heart in a way that no one else does (as I'm learning). He reminded me of lessons I've learned in the past about pushing through - about persevering, and He began to apply those to this situation. He encouraged me to "continue running"; to set my eyes on the path in front of me, and around me; to finish the race. And He's opened my eyes to the numerous people surrounding me, both down here and back home, who are running this race with me. It's a great feeling, to finish a race. And I'm committed to finishing this one.

But not because I "have" to. Not because I don't have a way to come home before then. Not simply because I've committed to be here until August 23rd, but because God will supply what I need to finish this task. He has what I need. He is what I need. That's freedom. Right there. The ability to choose to persevere when everything inside of you wants to quit. It only comes from God. What a JOY it is to know that God has our BEST in mind, and that He wants to free us from the things we "think" we need!

It doesn't make it easier. But it makes it sweeter. Freedom is a sweet, sweet thing.

Thanks for sticking with me this far into the summer. Thanks for running with me and encouraging me. Thanks for allowing me to share my heart with you - even if it is over a computer and not over a cold glass of lemonade.

In the meantime, take a few minutes to listen to this song by Bethany Dillon. I've recently discovered her this summer and have been blessed by her music. The words are below if you want to sing along... :)

"Hallelujah" by Bethany Dillon : http://free.napster.com/player/tracks/15443945

Who can hold the stars?/And my weary heart?/Who can see everything?

I've fallen so hard /Sometimes I feel so far /But not beyond your reach

I could climb a mountain / Swim the ocean / Or do anything

But it's when you hold me / That I start unfolding / And all I can say is

Hallelujah, hallelujah / Whatever's in front of me / Help me to sing hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah / Whatever's in front of me / I'll choose to sing hallelujah

The same sun that / Rises over castles / And welcomes the day

Spills over buildings / Into the streets / Where orphans play

And only you / Can see the good / In broken things

You took my heart of stone / And you made it home / And set this prisoner free

Hallelujah, hallelujah / Whatever's in front of me / Help me to sing hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah / Whatever's in front of me / I'll choose to sing hallelujah

A trip, a loss, and a game of kickball.

Well, it's official. Kind of sad, but official.

As of Saturday, I've been to the capitol city of 6 countries in the world...but never the capitol of my own country!! But - shhhh. Don't tell anyone. I mean, I'm a teacher for crying out loud!

On our "day off" we (the interns, the Woods' family, and myself) took a day trip to Santo Domingo. Having only been in Monte Cristi while being here, it was a fun change of pace. The first thing we did - oh, how exciting it was - was eat lunch at a Pizza Hut!! Who knew that it just takes a little cheesy goodness and a few bread sticks to make a girl happy? I might go as far as saying that it was the best pizza I've ever had. But that's probably just my growing weariness for rice talking...



I wasn't the only one who was excited, though. I think it might have been the highlight for everyone - besides the McDonald's we ate on the way home. I don't even like McDonald's and I still enjoyed my double cheese burger!!


Of course, I want to be very careful to not misguide you. I eat very well at the orphanage. The women that cook for us do a great job! I have not gone hungry, by any means. But, it was fun to have a little taste of home, if just for a day!


Besides eating, we also had a chance to walk around town. I bought a few small things, took a lot of fun pictures, got caught in the rain, ate REALLY GOOD ice cream (I guess that counts as eating...), and overall had a good day.



Then, yesterday, I did something really dumb. I left my purse in the park on the way home from VBS. I didn't have anything of much worth in there - except the cell phone I was given to use while I'm down here! Yikes! They actually gave me something to be responsible for, and I totally left it in a park. As a general cultural "rule", Domincans tend to see unattended things as fair game. I mean, if you're dumb enough set something down, it must not be very important, right? They're not crooks, they just take care of their stuff - and expect others to do the same. Needless to say, when we returned to the park an hour later, my purse was gone. :(

But then....we got a phone call! Someone found the purse, recognized the name of our country director in my phone, and decided to return it - purse and all!! As another general cultural "rule", it pays to know people. Dominicans are very social and rely heavily on personal connections. Good thing I know the right people! :) So, all is well. Purse is back. I'm all the wiser, and all the more thankful for it.


And finally, today, I played a game of kickball. Yep. Kickball. During the recreation block of VBS, I decided to join a game that some of our interns had coordinated. And, you know what? I had a lot of fun. Seems simple enough, right? It was just kickball. Some people might not have even called it that. We didn't have any bases, so we used pieces of cardboard we found in a trash pile. We didn't have a "kick ball" so we used an old, foam soccer ball. Most of the kids weren't wearing shoes. Most of the interns don't speak Spanish. It was quite a sight, I'm sure. But we had fun. I haven't laughed like that in a long time.

It occurred to me, as I was waving Maria to home base for our game-winning run, that this is what life is suppose to be. Impromptu kickball games with neighborhood kids in the middle of the summer. Boys versus girls. Makeshift equipment. No words, no worries.

This is it. Nothing more, nothing less.

Even Pizza Hut can't trump this experience. I'm so thankful. For life. For this experience. For God's goodness. For simplicity. And although I don't know what tomorrow brings, I'm here. Today. And if that's all I know, I know enough.

Highlights from the week!

I'm sorry it's been so long between posts. Things have been more than crazy around here!

Instead of trying to fill you in on EVERY little detail (which I so LOVE to do), let me give you a highlight list of what's happened over the past few days. (With more thought-provoking things to come...)

1. We lost power. Um...several times....over a period of several days. But, hey, it happens here. AND, I have a flash light. :) You know, it's amazing how much I really don't need electricity.... (unless it interferes with the functioning of my ceiling fan, of course!)

2. We ran out of water. Not the kind of water we drink, but the kind of water we shower with, flush toilets with, do laundry with, cook with, etc. The city shut off the water for everyone in Monte Cristi. Again, it happens here.

3. We welcomed over 70 volunteers for this week...bringing our total from about 20 to 90...overnight! (They came right about the time we lost power and ran out of water. Welcome to the Dominican Republic. Ha, ha!)

4. I got my hair cut. Nothing drastic. Just a trim from one of the volunteers. But it was really fun, as she doesn't normally cut hair. In fact, it ended up being the "entertainment" for the night. While she cut, I had about 10 other women watch and tell her what to do. She did a good job. It was quite the community event. :)

5. We hosted a VBS here at the orphanage for over 400 kids in the community. 200 in the morning and 200 in the afternoon. Tomorrow night, ALL of the kids (plus families) will come for our closing ceremony! We're estimating somewhere around 1,000 people. We'll show a slide show from the week and then the Jesus film (in Spanish). If you pray, please do so tomorrow for this really cool opportunity to share the gospel!

6. About half of our volunteers got sick. But not me!!! Praise God! (It didn't help, though, that we couldn't flush toilets...) :(

7. I learned a lot of Spanish. Granted, this happens a little each day, but since the last time we talked, it has really added up! I'm not completely comfortable with it yet, but I'm getting better!! (Of course, I mostly know commands. Don't hit, share, sit down, etc.)

8. We had a really scary incident yesterday when some of the boys at the orphanage decided to "play" with one of our volunteers. Let's just say that our type of "play" and their type of "play" is different. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

9. I got to talk to my mom on the phone. Ahh... Love you, mom.

10. I decided to become a dentist. Just kidding. But, I think I would be good at it, considering all the "teeth" I end up pulling around here!! This group of volunteers has been frustrating to work with, and it's really hard to get some of them moving! "Yes, I know it's hot and I know you're tired and I know this isn't what you expected....but, um, you're here now and 200 kids are standing at the gate waiting for camp to start! Besides, you've been here, what, 2 days? Get over yourself!" (Of course I don't really say all of this...I'm much more diplomatic. It's hard not to be annoyed, though.)

Well, that should satisfy your craving for news from the Dominican...at least for now. As most of you know, I could write volumes. I want to tell you so much. About how I'm feeling - not just what I'm doing. But, it will have to wait. Maybe until I figure out just how to explain it...

Just know that I'm doing well, learning much, and becoming increasingly thankful for what I have and who I have. I love you all. Thanks for loving me, too.

Farewell, Scooby.

In the midst of all the good that has happened over the past few days, we had quite a sad moment on Wednesday.

Here in Monte Cristi, there are countless animals that seem to roam freely around the city. It's not always clear who owns these animals - if they belong to anyone at all! We have a fence around the orphanage which does a good job of keeping those animals (along with other things) off our property. And besides the kingdom of flys and mosquitos, there are no "pets" here at the orphanage, so to speak of...except for one...

Scooby served as the orphanage "guard dog" and was loved dearly by both the children and volunteers. He was a little racisit at times; being visibily partial to those of us with lighter skin, but he loved and protected all that lived within these walls.

On many occasions, Scooby (who was given strict orders in both English and Spanish to "stay") would often follow our bus to school, to the store, to the beach, and to church - where he was severly reprimanded upon arrival...and then allowed to stay. (Except at church.)

Needless to say, we were very sad to learn of Scooby's death Wednesday afternoon. Although we're not exactly sure what happened, there are a few theories: he was hit by a moving vehicle (on purpose), he was poisoned our neighbor for chasing and terrorizing his goats (which happened a lot), or he ate/drank something that killed him. (After being here three weeks, let me emphasize the possibility of this! There are LOTS of questionable things here...)

In any event, things just aren't the same without him. He was loved by all, and will be remembered by many. (Except the kids. Apparently, dogs are only expected to last about a year down here, and aren't really mourned the way they are back home. So, basically, there are some sad Americans and a lot of indifferent Dominicans. Oh well.)

So - Here's to you, Scooby. Thanks for three fun weeks. I'm sorry I yelled at you when you came to church. Even dogs want to connect with their Creator, I suppose. I hope you are enjoying being with yours....because all dogs go to heaven, right?

(Note: Scooby was actually alive in this picture. He slept a lot, so a picture of him moving around was hard to find. Good guard dog, huh?)

What a great day!

I had a great day today. Well, it's been great so far...

This week we are holding a VBS at the orphanage, now that school is over for most of the kids here. They tend to be our toughest crowd considering how we are not "cool" or "foreign" to them. They see us ALL the time! Also, we are basically doing the camp in their backyard so it is not a new or exciting location...

The theme for our week is "We are Special to God", and each day we are talking about a different aspect of being special. Yesterday we talked about being His special creation, today His special child, tomorrow His special servant, and Thursday His special messenger. I thought this would be a fun theme, and it is, but these kids tend to get bored, distracted, naughty, mean, mischievous, etc, very easily. You can't really blame them, but it's often frustrating! (For example, yesterday I had a kid throw a baseball bat at my face - and successfully hit his target. Ouch!)

This being said, today went GREAT! Our toughest group of teenage boys (including said abuser) listened to the entire story about Moses (without interrupting), created crowns (and wore them), sang along during our opening and closing ceremonies, AND almost all of them memorized our verse for the day. (Of course, we had to bribe them with Twizzlers, but hey - you do what you have to do! If Twizzlers bring these kids closer to Jesus, then SO BE IT!)

I know it may not seem like a lot to get excited about, but I am just SO thankful right now. I am working with some really great people who care about these kids and are willing to endure the heat, the exhaustion, and the physical abuse, to truly love on these kids. The interns (and volunteers) are so creative and dedicated to sharing the gospel that I feel like a proud parent watching them work! (Of course many of them are only a few years younger than me...so it may be more like a proud sister...)

Please continue praying not only for the kids at the orphanage, but also those in the community who come to our VBS each week. We have the wonderful opportunity to share Jesus with SO many kids (and adults, too!!). Please pray for energy and perseverance, that we may continue to love those that attempt to be unlovable. Your prayers are felt. I appreciate them all!

Happy Father's Day!

To my dad, step dad, the other "father figures" in my life - as well as friends that have ventured into fatherhood with the birth of their children - I just wanted to say, Happy Father's Day!

Thanks for taking on the responsibility of raising children in a way that honors God. It's not an easy task! In light of where I am and the children I interact with, I am especially thankful for all the people that have raised me - and continue to do so. How blessed am I?!

I hope today is special for you!

Bienvenidos a mi casa!

In Spanish, this means "Welcome to my house." And I mean it. Welcome. :)

Since most of you won't be visiting me in Monte Cristi, I thought it would be fun to give you a quick tour of the place - at least my little portion of it. This way you'll have a better idea of where I am and what I'm doing. (I still don't have the best grasp on what my job is, so don't feel badly if you don't fully understand why I'm down here. I'll let you know as I figure it out. :)

Well, here it is. Home. (For the summer.)

I was really surprised with my accommodations when Eric brought me to my room. It was A LOT nicer than expected. I have a full size bed and my own personal bathroom!! I don't even have my own personal bathroom in Michigan. Who would have known that living in a developing country would be a step up in my world? :)

Also, since I've been here, Eric has installed a ceiling fan in my room! I have to admit, I feel more that a little guilty about living in such nice conditions, especially when I see how the majority of the community lives... It makes me all the more thankful for what I have, and all the more aware of what I really don't need in order to be comfortable.


To top it all off, I have a really great view from my roof - which is easily and safely accessible to me by stairs. (Don't worry. I'm not being dangerous...yet. Just kidding.....well, kind of. :) )

This is the view at night. In the distance you can see the ocean. I love to come up here after dinner and read. It's so peaceful....and you get a good breeze. :)

Also, from my roof, I can see "El Morro" which is the mountain. And by the, I mean the. There's only one. At least there's only one you can see from my roof.

The building you can see at the bottom of this picture is one of the "ramadas" where our volunteers and interns stay. They are simply cement floors surrounded by "fence walls" and topped with a tin roof. (Which is NOT rusted...in case you were wondering. ;) ) Again, it makes my house look like a palace. In the next post I'll show you the orphanage and explain a little more about our connection to it...

For now, since you've seen a little bit of my piece of the world, let me fill you in on what a "typical" day looks like.

• 8:00 am - Breakfast
• 9:00 am-11:00 am - Vacation Bible School/Camp Program. (This week we are spending our mornings at "La Ciudad de Luz" (The city of light) elementary school, and our volunteers/interns are facilitating a VBS-type camp. Our theme is "Celebrating the Life of Jesus through the Holidays!" We celebrated Christmas yesterday. :) Feliz Navidad! )
• 12:00 pm - Lunch
• 12:30 pm - Siesta. (Nap time!)
• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Vacation Bible School/Camp Program. During this time we visit a batey (pronounced "bah-TAY"), which is a small village-type area in the middle of a plantation. We run the same program as in the morning, for kids (and adults) of all ages.
• 6:00 pm - Dinner
• 7:00 pm - Evening activity. (This ranges from movie night with the kids at the orphanage, to team reflection time, to walks into town for ice cream...a personal favorite. :) )
• 9:00 pm - Separation time. This is when we leave the "orphanage side" of the property, and let the kids go through their nightly bedtime routine.
• 10:00 pm - Quiet time. (This is when Beth goes to bed - if not before. She has embraced the fact that she is not in college anymore, and therefore she cannot stay up until 1:00 am with the interns and still be fun to be around the next day.)

[Volunteers arrive and depart on Saturdays. Orientation is Sunday (along with church), and our trip to the market and the beach, along with closing, is Friday. (This makes for a busy weekend!) ]

That's "kind of" how our days go. It changes a little every day, but that's the basic outline of what "should" happen. There are some holes in the schedule to allow for travel time (some of the bateys are almost an hour away), as well as time to hang out at the orphanage, shower, rest, etc. Also, when it rains here NOTHING happens. So, we do stuff around the property like sort donations, clean, fix stuff, pump water, etc. By the way, don't let me forget to tell you a funny story about pumping water..... :)

And, I know. I still haven't told you much of what I do. Here's what I know so far:

Eric and Amanda Woods (campus minister, and family, from CMU) have been here since February serving as "Team Leaders" for the volunteers and interns. This basically means that they are in charge. They coordinate and oversee volunteer arrivals and departures, meals, in-country transportation, maintenance, intern morale, spiritual growth, being a liaison within the community, VBS programming, other "in-country experiences", etc.

That's a lot of work. So, I came to help. :) Some of my specific responsibilities include meeting one-on-one with the female interns (we have 15), leading group reflections, leading intern meetings, hugging homesick volunteers, and desperately trying to learn Spanish...among other things. I don't feel like I'm doing a lot, but Eric continues to thank me for being here, so maybe my presence is enough. I will feel helpful, though, on Wednesday and Thursday of this week when The Woods Family takes a much needed break from Monte Cristi and goes on a mini vacation...leaving ME in charge! Please pray for me those days.....yikes!

I'll have to be honest...when I arrived last Wednesday, I was immediately ready to be back in Michigan. I can't fully explain why, but I was extremely overwhelmed with...well, everything. I came to help, but I had no idea of how much help was needed. Coming in the middle of the week didn't help either. It seemed that everyone was already comfortable with each other. I was the "new kid". Not only that, but I was also the "new boss" - so to speak. It was awkward. I felt very "out of the loop". This quickly changed, however, and I've since become very comfortable here with the people and circumstances. I've also begun some significant friendships, which has been a true blessing. It's been a long time since I've been able to sing and pray and share with others in my age bracket! I'm looking forward to the continued development of these dear and necessary relationships.

And no, this is not code for "I met a boy." Sheesh...

On that note, I think I should quit. I have so much to say, but I respect the fact that you still have a life outside of reading about mine. But, I must say, thanks for sticking with me this long. And thanks for the prayers. I can feel them...even now. I'm thankful for you. :)

I will write more soon. Until then...

Sé que Dios tiene la esperanza darle, porque Él me lo ha dado. (I know that God has hope to give to you, because He's given it to me.)

Safe and sound.

I'm here! No bumps, bruises, cuts, scrapes, or major injuries. And...(the best part of traveling south instead of east) NO JET LAG!! :)

Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. I really appreciate them.

Also, for those of you wondering...here's my contact info for the summer:



Hogar La Esperanza de un Niño
Calle Altagracia #80
Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic

Phone: 989-785-0618
Fax: 440-540-3660


Ok...I need to get to work. There's lots to do. :) More to come later...

Time's Up.

Bright and early tomorrow morning (or later today...)I'm leaving. Part of me is sad, and part of me is excited. All of me is ready. If I didn't get a chance to spend time with you/talk to you/call you, I'm sorry. You weren't forgotten - I simply lost the race with time, I suppose.

If I did connect with you, I just want to say thanks. Thanks for listening, thanks for encouraging, and thanks for making me laugh. I'm really thankful for you. For all of you. :)

Well, here I go. Thanks in advance for the prayers...

When you're in a puddle...

The clock is quickly ticking time away, making June 4th race at me with lightening speed. It won't be long now before I'm on an airplane and headed somewhere new. There have been several times over the past few weeks where I've felt as if I can hear each individual second pounding in my head. It's not the most pleasant feeling in the world. It's very unsettling, in fact.

I'm not sure why, but I feel especially unsure of spending this summer abroad. I don't really feel anxious about traveling - I've gone to farther-away places in previous adventures. I'm not worried about the food, or living conditions, or safety, or any of the other various concerns international travelers tend to collect. I'm not anticipating extreme homesickness, or any unbearable situations while I'm gone. I'm not even questioning my decision to go. I know this plan is in THE plan. I guess, when it all boils down, I just don't feel ready.

This nagging chatter of unpreparedness in the corner of my heart has nothing to do with packing or logistics. (Well, I suppose the fact that I don't actually have luggage to pack does have something to do with it.) I'm not worried about the details at this point. What gets done will get done, and what doesn't will have to wait until August.....I think.

And that's just it. I'm not super concerned with the summer itself. It's just that I have no idea where this summer will lead. For the first time in my life, I'm taking a trip that has the serious potential of turning into something more than just a summer. This is the first time in my life where I didn't have anything to finish back in the States - i.e. school - and the first time there has been a potential opening in the place I am serving. That's a lot to think about.

As I've pondered this possibility it's been very overwhelming, to say the least. Without taking all of these thoughts to the proper Source, I allowed them to swarm and swell into a pool around my head. And at times, I felt as if I was drowning in a sea of "what if's". The more I thought, the deeper I went. I panicked. And I cried. A lot.

But, luckily, God is willing to step in at the times we most need Him...even if we didn't ask Him to. This time, He stepped in through a good friend from college. I dumped a lot of this on her one night over the phone, and she listened. That's all. She just listened. Then, wisely, she asked if I had prayed about it. It was then I remembered the One who had orchestrated this trip in the first place. The One for whom I chose to go. The One worthy of leaving behind a summer of camping, barbeques, weddings, and graduation parties. The One with the plan....all worked out. As I remembered Him, I looked up - just for a second - and that huge swirling pool suddenly became what it really was. A puddle. Just a puddle of fear.

If God laughs at any of His people, I'm convinced that this called for a good chuckle. "Silly girl. Get your face out of that puddle." Wow. Don't I feel dumb.

The more I think about it, I can look back and see a number of "puddles" in my past. Puddles where I've almost drowned because I was unwilling to pull my face from the mud and get a new perspective. It's embarrassing. Flailing around in puddles is embarrassing...and messy.

You know, we weren't meant to live that way. You and I weren't created to sit in the mud and worry about the details. We were created to have our faces turned heavenward. It's when we don't fix our gaze on the things above that the small things begin to appear life threatening. And, they can become life threatening if we are not careful. A person can drown in a puddle - if they don't pull their head out. I'm thankful that God was gracious enough to pull my head out for me, when I wasn't smart enough to do it for myself. I'm still a little axious about this summer - but at least I'm no longer flailing.

So, if you find yourself overwhelmed with the concerns of the day (or the future), or if you feel as though you may drown in the "what if's" (or remember when's) of life, remember to look up. You may find that you are not being swallowed by the ocean. You may simply be sitting in a puddle. Don't worry. You're not drowning. You're just a little wet.

Welcome to my garden.

I love spring-time in Michigan. It's full of new life and new movement. It's full of green grass, apple blossoms, pedal bikes, fresh air, anticipation, lilacs, sandals, inaugural beach trips, clean cars, and thankfulness for abundant sunshine. Ahhhh....

To get in the spirit, I helped my parents plant their vegetable garden. I really like getting my hands and feet dirty in fresh soil. There's just something cool about knowing that the very tiny seeds you plant will some day be something green, alive, and useful. When we were all done, I looked at it and thought, "Wow. It doesn't look much different than when we started." But it will. Soon there will be buds of new life breaking through the ground. And eventually there will be blossoms, and then fruit (or vegetables). It seems like a long process, but in the end it will be worth the wait.

For those of you reading this, my first post, I welcome you. I'm happy you're here. Please feel free to come as often as you would like. Sit back, and relax while I share with you the everday adventures of my life. Make yourself at home in my little garden of stories.

The things you find here may not always be pretty, or funny, or exciting. They might be hard, and challenging, and mundane. But sometimes, just like waiting on a new garden, enduring personal growth is worth it. Thanks for doing it with me.