Check out the Dominican Party Vehicle! To the right of this photo you can get a very mute, unrealistic glimpse of the joy I experience everytime this truck piled high with speakers drives my way. Imagine the loudest car with the loudest subwoofers and the most windows rolled down driving right past your ear, and then multiply the resulting sound by about 56 and you can love the "Disco Mobile" just as much as the rest of us. He and his ten brothers make for "nary a dull moment in the DR!!!"
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Felt me
Glorious mission work...ahhh, I love it. This picture captures a morning's worth of fun times cutting out a Betty Luken's Bible Characters felt set for the batey of Algodón. Sarah and I had a great time with our friend Simona, a sweet little girl who helped us by cutting our felt scraps into confetti. She was so cute! Amazingly enough, God prepared me for this task years ago when I helped my mom cut out a few felt sets. Even Sarah admitted that I could out-cut her!
Did you get me, too?
"Are you sure I'm in there??!!!" On one of my visits to the dominican barrio of Don Bosco I rolled in at lunchtime, an amazingly fun time to hang out with the kids, see them eating good, healthy food, take pictures on request, and get and give a lot of smiles. How is it possible to love so many kids all at once? I think I must be getting a tiny taste of the joy God has in loving His children.
We're twins!
I found my twin in the DR! Magie and I were so elated to find eachother, somehow sharing the same name creates an instant bond...for me anyways. I am loving the opportunites to create relationships with these incredible people, pray that my time with them would be fruitful and blessed.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Beautiful Feet
"How lovely on the mountains are the feet of them who bring good news!" This verse rings in my mind every time my North American eyes peer through their cultural filter of "wash every time you wear", Bleach Pens, Tide-on-the-Go, "Don't wear your shoes in the house!" and other equally backwards thought patterns for this new part of my life. I am learning to take the lens off, lay it aside and just revel in the beauty of God's precious created beings. I am coming to love the feet caked with mud, the grubby hands running through my hair and the dirty bottom sitting on my lap just as much as I love the clean smiling chubby face of my baby brother.
Passing on the Blessing
The blessings go on....!!! Years ago I had a "vision" that I would like to teach a homemaking/Proverbs 31 class, but I had quickly pushed that desire aside, mentally grimacing at how inexperienced and immature I was to have such a desire. However, the Lord didn't let that one go! As it turns out, He had already been preparing the way for that desire to be fulfilled.
In a few weeks, after the short term teams leave, I am going to begin teaching a "La Mujer Virtuosa" class to 15 or so women in the Batey of Los Robles. This will consist of a ten week exploration of the 22 verses in Prov 31 that define an virtuous woman and a practical application in homemaking. Things like mending, hospitality, housekeeping, having morning devotions, organization, and more. I am so thankful for the virtuous women in my life, especially my MOM, who have set such an amazing example that I now have the opportunity to share with women who do not have that example to follow. I am so excited to teach this class, not because I feel qualified, but because I know God can do amazing things through the power of His Word and a willing servant.
Thanks for your prayers for these women!
In a few weeks, after the short term teams leave, I am going to begin teaching a "La Mujer Virtuosa" class to 15 or so women in the Batey of Los Robles. This will consist of a ten week exploration of the 22 verses in Prov 31 that define an virtuous woman and a practical application in homemaking. Things like mending, hospitality, housekeeping, having morning devotions, organization, and more. I am so thankful for the virtuous women in my life, especially my MOM, who have set such an amazing example that I now have the opportunity to share with women who do not have that example to follow. I am so excited to teach this class, not because I feel qualified, but because I know God can do amazing things through the power of His Word and a willing servant.
Thanks for your prayers for these women!
Meet the Straitlets!
This is my new family! Drew, Dana and Sarah have all been awesome for encouragement, challenging in the faith, and just fun IN ENGLISH!!!! And no, I didn't superimpose myself in this photo, this is the view I look at every day! Don't you all feel sorry for me, having to be in this third-world country? :) It is the most beautiful place you can imagine. Just another added blessing from God!
P.S. I extend copyright permission to you all to use this for a postcard if you'd like...:)
P.S. I extend copyright permission to you all to use this for a postcard if you'd like...:)
Cute Boys in the Caribbean
Yep, they're all over! These little morsels are Josue and Alberto, two of my buddies. I love these dominicans so much! I am so absolutely content here in the DR, I can't imagine a better place to be right now. God has given me a second home. My church, friends, work, ministry, struggles, and new tongue are all beautiful items recently zipped into my life suitcase as I continue to jog along this path. It's a little different, the roads are not paved quite so well, there aren't reliable stop lights, and the company with whom I travel doesn't do things quite the same way, but when I look ahead I still glimpse the same Faithful Guide beckoning me to follow in His stead. It's not so different after all.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Foot Feast!
Delicious! Fried Chicken Feet are exactly what I signed up for on this trip...actually, they're a delicacy here, but I just couldn't bring myself to greedily suck the flavor and oil off the scrawny claw-holder that had walked over who-knows-who's garbage and refuse and somehow into our cooking pot. I only did it for this swell picture, so enjoy!!!
Saturday, March 04, 2006
"Una foto!"
These are my kids! They are so sweet and LOVE to have their picture taken. They yell, "Una foto!" until you comply and then (if you think they don't know about technology just because they don't have running water, you're wrong) mob you to see themselves appear on the back of your digital camera screen. I shudder to think of what would happen to an American who missed the memo and brought an old-fashioned film camera.
La Sopita
Hey, I didn't know that I would be famous here! Turns out, I'm all over the town and in the grocery stores, too! Maggi is the Dominicans' kind of "season all" spice. It's loaded with MSG and delicious. Everybody uses it, so when I'm being introduced to someone and I say "Me llamo Maggie" they just kind of nod and look confused until I add, "como la sopita!" Then they break into an understanding grin and chuckle, "Maggi, la sopita..." (sopita is the word for this kind of spice) So, it's my new nickname.
Morena
This is Morena. she cooks and cleans for us and is a great friend. She makes delicious Dominican food and I'm excited that she's been teaching me to cook dominican-style. She says that when I go home to Los Estados Unidos all my friends will like me more because I'll be able to cook good food! :)
Thursday, February 23, 2006
My New Home
I can't believe I've been here for a week! I love it! The Dominicans are great people, ultra friendly, even through my limited Spanish. Speaking of that elusive language...:) my Spanish is improving, or at least I'm using it more. I've actually had some real conversation volleys with people which is SO encouraging! I'm still limited in understanding it, though, and I didn't understand a word of the sermon last Sunday....:)
We've made a few visits to the Bateyes (the outlying villages where I will be teaching) and these have been incredible. As soon as we drive up hoards of filthy, ragged, adorable children come running, shouting "Americana! Americana!" They all want to touch you at once, and jabber things I just smile at, because I have no idea what they're saying. I really enjoy these kids, though. They're great Spanish teachers.
Speaking of teachers....things are getting lined up for me to begin sewing classes. And boy is it ever different than trying to do things in the States! Everything moves slower here, which is something I'm having to get used to. And it's not like my typical homeschool class, in which all the students recieved a cute little sewing kit and tomato pin cushion for Christmas last year and lug their mom's old machine into my well-stocked, organized (don't laugh, Mom!) sewing room in the basement of my house. These people have nothing. This next week we will be looking for some treadle machines to buy, as the electricity is so unpredictable, and is usually off. Today we just found a fabric store, and it was a welcome "homey" feeling to walk into a room and see familiar shelves stacked with bolts of fabric. With the help of one of the school directors I have come up with some basic projects for the women and girls to learn. None of these use patterns, as my objective is to teach them to understand the different shapes that are used to create the desired garment, etc... This really goes against my grain! Who would have thought, Miss Sewing Perfectionist who alway serges her seams and presses her hems would be teaching others to sew without patterns, no cutting notches, no pinning the pattern on just so, and the other things I have always held so dear? The Lord is really challenging me to align myself to this very differnt culture. Perhaps later I will teach some ambitious girls to read patterns, etc... but really, going about it this way is an advantage to them. It's more challenging for me, but I'm excited for the challenge.
It wasn't until I visited the Bateyes and met the people that I really felt how important this can be to them! It's a huge responsibility that requires a lot of prayer. Please continue to pray for wisdom for me to think of everything, be creative, and be flexible.
We've made a few visits to the Bateyes (the outlying villages where I will be teaching) and these have been incredible. As soon as we drive up hoards of filthy, ragged, adorable children come running, shouting "Americana! Americana!" They all want to touch you at once, and jabber things I just smile at, because I have no idea what they're saying. I really enjoy these kids, though. They're great Spanish teachers.
Speaking of teachers....things are getting lined up for me to begin sewing classes. And boy is it ever different than trying to do things in the States! Everything moves slower here, which is something I'm having to get used to. And it's not like my typical homeschool class, in which all the students recieved a cute little sewing kit and tomato pin cushion for Christmas last year and lug their mom's old machine into my well-stocked, organized (don't laugh, Mom!) sewing room in the basement of my house. These people have nothing. This next week we will be looking for some treadle machines to buy, as the electricity is so unpredictable, and is usually off. Today we just found a fabric store, and it was a welcome "homey" feeling to walk into a room and see familiar shelves stacked with bolts of fabric. With the help of one of the school directors I have come up with some basic projects for the women and girls to learn. None of these use patterns, as my objective is to teach them to understand the different shapes that are used to create the desired garment, etc... This really goes against my grain! Who would have thought, Miss Sewing Perfectionist who alway serges her seams and presses her hems would be teaching others to sew without patterns, no cutting notches, no pinning the pattern on just so, and the other things I have always held so dear? The Lord is really challenging me to align myself to this very differnt culture. Perhaps later I will teach some ambitious girls to read patterns, etc... but really, going about it this way is an advantage to them. It's more challenging for me, but I'm excited for the challenge.
It wasn't until I visited the Bateyes and met the people that I really felt how important this can be to them! It's a huge responsibility that requires a lot of prayer. Please continue to pray for wisdom for me to think of everything, be creative, and be flexible.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
A Trip Up and Coming
| My life is going to change drastically in exactly 17 days. I am going to the Dominican Republic for an incredible 6 month adventure with God. I will be speaking another language (or rather, stuttering in lo's and la's), living with brothers and sisters of a different color, eating more beans than Taco Bell ever served, teaching people I don't understand.....and trusting my Unchanging Savior in new ways! It's going to be awesome, and I'm so excited! I leave on Feb 15th, at 11:20pm, and I desire very much the prayers of fellow believers. |
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