Visiting the village

It's been so much fun having my aunt and uncle here. We've gotten to play at the hotel with them, enjoying the beach and pool and hot showers!! We went diving (birthday money treat!) on Friday which was really great...it had been a long time. We didn't see a huge amount of fish, but it was still a fun time to do it again. Hopefully I'll be able to do another one with them on Friday or Saturday. They visited the village yesterday and got to see the church and school and around the village...here's them riding back on the best way to arrive, by motorcycle!

Family in the D.R.!!!

My Aunt Cyndi and Uncle Dan made it in yesterday afternoon for my first family visit here! It was so fun to see them and have a birthday dinner on the beach...including dessert!!! We hung out at their hotel today and had fun swimming in the ocean and just spending time with them. Tomorrow I'm hoping to go diving with them, we'll see how it all comes together. I'm definitely looking forward to showing them this very special part of my life!

Bday flowers

These are very special flowers that Alberto, the dad of the family I'm staying with, brought for my birthday this morning. This family is so great and really supportive and loving in everyway. They know just what I need and are so faithful to listening and knowing God. They inspire me in many ways by how they live and the lives they lead. It has been a very special day for me, filled with lots of love and hugs and smiles.

Alberto with the flowers (and yes, that's my blackboard in the background in my room...just in case I feel like practicing my letters or something!)

Carnaval

We went to La Vega (about 1.5 hrs away) last night with Alberto and his family to stay with (and meet) his parents and siblings. All of February is Carnaval month, celebrating the independance of the D.R.

This morning there were parades from all of the schools in the city. It took me back to high school dance team all over again, marching in the Starlight Parade with equally horrendous blue outfits. Lots of drums and heat and sun, but it was fun to watch it.

Painted faces

The bottom two pictures didn't turn out amazingly well, as you can see, but basically these people celebrate carnaval every weekend in Feb. wearing these costumes and big masks/headdresses, but always having their faces hidden. On the last day (today) they take off their masks and march once more through the city showing who they really are. They also have some tradition that they carry these big mace-like balls without the prongs and they whack anyone they want...especially tourists and people taking photos. We managed to escape without getting hit, but mainly because I was hiding.

Catch-up

Candace and I have had an exciting couple of days! I was staying with her in a friends house in Montellano that she is house-sitting. Well, we had fun cleaning up puppy poo (from 2 new puppies) and deciding that we will NEVER have puppies in our house, nor any animals for that matter! So then it started raining, and when it rains here...it RAINS! The water was rising higher and higher outside the house and we had no choice but to start bucketing water onto the street, otherwise it would have flooded the house as it has done in the past (and is even more of a hassle). Needless to say we were soaked through and through only to get back in the house and find we were out of water to shower. We rememdied that after a few minutes of filling the tinaco (water-holder that sits on top of the house) from the cistern and were in business.

Waiting patiently, soaked, for the water to fill up for the house.

After a tough weekend of caring for the animals (2 cats too!) we decided we needed a trip to the beach, and being only 15 minutes from it, we were off! It was a bit of a disturbing ride on public transport, sitting next to a prostitute-my eyes were opened wide as to the need and despair that exists here.

As we were walking onto the beach scoping a nice spot to spend the day, there began a lot of hussle towards the water. A man had been seen bobbing in the water and so a group rushed out and pulled him in. They tried CPR on him for several minutes, but he was already dead. It was horrible and hard to believe it had happened just a few feet from the beach where all the people were sunbathing, literally right before our eyes. The wife of the guy that died was in total shock which was fully understandable but hard to watch. How we never know what the day before us holds, lessons learned.

Candace and I continued onto the beach and were so baffled by the strange events of the day that 2 hours later, with no sunscreen, we left with some nice red bodies! I still hurt and it is 2 days later. We have been using Solarcaine, after sun, and aloe, but relief has yet to come. Hopefully soon we will be feeling better, but I fear peeling is the next stage. I will be wearing LOTS of sunscreen on my next beach visit.

More to come...

It has been a whirlwind couple of days...I'll update this blog soon, I promise. For now, a little photo to keep you interested and coming back here. Lots of interesting stories and things taking place, but little time to tell all of them for right now.

I'm off to La Vega to celebrate a day of something, maybe independence (?), for tonight with Alberto and his family, and Candace of course. No classes tomorrow so we'll be back in the evening. Hopefully it's cooler there, I'M SO HOT and sunburned too!

Meet Wilson

This is our friend Wilson, he's 15 and fantastic. Yes, he's wearing a pink necklace, but he's a guy and we really like him. He's learning to speak English and loves practicing the things he has learned, some of which he's picked up from the village and we are deterring him from! He's a great kid though and I feel like he is my own because I really want him to do well and continue in school and become the pilot/cop/lawyer that he wants to be...but the obstacles ahead of him just make me want to cry. There is so much to overcome. My heart breaks for these kids, for the lives they have already lived, for the things that they face in the years to come. I want to take each of them and just show them how special they are, how much they are loved, for them to truly understand that they are so amazing...it is quite a task and one I wish I could fully accomplish.

House visits

This is a little 5 day old baby girl we visited in the village on Saturday. She is so little and lovely...I really have the best place to work in the whole world! She still doesn't have a name, so I'm pushing for Jessi. We'll see how it goes!!! Look at all her hair.

Her story is a bit sad though because her young mother already has 3 children and isn't able to care for this little one, so she will be living with her cousin (who works at the school) after she's a few more weeks old. Maybe I'll get to keep her a few nights if I'm lucky. She is precious.

Adios

So they came to pick up the jeepeta today to take it to the school in Constanza. It'll be worked on at the vocational training shop that Kids Alive has there, so hopefully some kids can learn helpful things about repairing, or should I say making, a car! To see them hoist this car onto a flatbed truck was incredible. They hooked up a whench to the roof, then hand-cranked the chain that pulled the car up, then pushed and pulled and moved the car around with large sticks, backed up the truck, pushed some more...and eventually it was on. What work!

Why I can stand...

"With precious, wobbly steps, we draw closer to Him. For a season of surprising strength, we stand upon his promises. It doesn't make sense that we are able to do this. We don't claim to be worthy of such an incredible gift. When people ask how in the world we can keep our balance during such stormy times, we don't boast. We don't brag. We point unabashedly to the One who makes it possible. Our eyes are on him." (Lucado)

Faith

Faith is often the child of fear (Lucado)

Where I live

So this is the house where I live for now in Puerto Plata. Today the Trautweins met us in church as they're up here on the north coast visiting and working. We had an amazingly big Dominican lunch afterwards and sat and chatted and played.

This family is so encouraging and loving, I only wish to share with others the openness they have offered me. It has been such a privilage to live with them as they continue to teach me about so many things. I never thought I would love it here this much, but I do more than I can even share or put words to. The sense of belonging and being and knowing is incredible. I know that this is where I need to be, what I need to be doing, and am so excited to be a part of this.

Gato

So the family got a kitten. He's a street cat that the boys found on the way home last night, but everyone is quite excited he's here...or she, not really sure! Anyhow, hopefully he'll be a good mouse catcher!

To the mountains and back again

It has been a busy week with so much going on. The school continues to grow and change everday. I have been getting into the village and the houses daily now to get more information for child histories which has been eye-opening. The stories these families tell are incredible, the immigration from Haiti, the conditions they live and have lived through, the children they have...I stand in awe.

I spent the last two nights with Candace in Jarabacoa at the Trautwein house. It was a nice time to catch up with the family, meet new friends, and fit into the flow of the Trautwein days! It's amazing how much cooler it is there than down here on the coast...I was actually cold at night and had to pull up the blankets (as opposed to it being 8pm now and I'm in a tank top, windows open and still sweating!).

So now I'm back in Puerto Plata at Alberto & Lydia's house. Our search for a place to live continues, as it seems EVERY apartment or house to rent is full. We have expanded our search to include Montellano and Puerto Plata, both options would work out really well. The places we have wanted have seemingly fell through, but we continue to hold out for something that we hope is amazingly around the corner. But as my things continue to hang out at the Santo Domingo customs dock, I'm not in too big of a rush yet. It's only been there for 2 months now, so what's a few more weeks (hopefully not months), right?

Feeling hot, hot, hot

Just in case you weren't following the weather as closely as you should be for the D.R., it was 86 today (30 Celcius). Yah, it's warm. And it's February.

I can handle anything...

None of life's precipices is too overwhelming if we have the proper attitude of trust in God.

(Pillars of Christian Character)

Why I love the Dominican Republic

Putting on bug spray as a nightly ritual (how much DEET is really safe on a daily basis?)
Bucket showers
Losing electricity
Being too hot to sleep
Hearing the neighbors like they're in the same room with me
Rain on the tin roof
Plantains and green bananas
Chicken feet (okay, not really, but they keep trying to make me eat them...I haven't even progressed from breast meat yet.)

And I learned recently that bug spray takes of nail polish, who would have thought?

New paint

The group that was at the school all week left on Saturday, but not before leaving a beautifully painted cafeteria. It looks so nice, I can't believe the change a bit of paint can make. They managed to finish almost all of the inside on Friday when the kids weren't there, so we're very thankful for the pretty building they left us!

Pobre Jeepeta

What happens when you have an 18 year old in the village drive to the river (20 yds away) to wash your car?

Changes to Caraballo

There are some exciting things happening in Caraballo! We got new palm trees to line the entrance and it is so pretty. I love the little changes like that because it makes such a difference. There is also a team in the village who wanted to help at the school, so they are painting the new cafeteria. After much talking and discussing and looking at all sorts of little papers of paint, we decided on the colors last night, and I think it looks so good. I'm looking forward to seeing it all done by the end of the week and all the other changes that are taking place in the months ahead.

More wedding photos

Just a few more photos I've uploaded (or downloaded) from the wedding day on Sunday. The above one is me and Erica and Candace...some of my favorite girls.

How amazing is this photo...I just love it! And I thought I might have had some rough bridesmaid dresses! And the guys with sunglasses on kept them on throughout the whole ceremony. Beautiful, the whole experience was great to be a part of.

Village weddings

I got to be a part of something so fun on Sunday...a village wedding! Weddings happen a few times a year at the village church, so there were 4 on Sunday. I can't even begin to describe it all, from the groomsmen dancing down the aisle with sunglasses on, the whole family walking down the aisle, the singing and clapping...it was very special to be there. I will have some more photos later, but for now these can be a little taste of it.

Weekend at Crossroads

I got to spend a really nice weekend with a team from St. Mary's (in CA) that have been here for a month. They have been doing soccer with the different Kids Alive sites in the D.R. and ended up here in Caraballo. We stayed the weekend at one of the most beautiful places with lots of areas for reading and thinking and talking. The sunsets and sunrises, as you can see from the photos, are brilliant. I found that, contrary to previous posts, I can have incredible talks even when not drinking Chai tea!

Addicted

I'm officially a sugar cane eater now and have become fairly addicted to it! Even as I type this I continue eating it! I tried it last week for the first time and it is fantastic! Candace said it right though, "kind of like eating wood"! The chewing and spitting aren't the most attractive, but it sure does taste great!

Candace and I got to hang out together at the Care Center and organized the office, she did an amazing job of putting pencils in a box. We hope to be moving in together sometime this month, when my things finally clear customs and we find ourselves an apt.

Leaving Jarabacoa

This was a little going mini-fiesta right before I left Jarabacoa for Puerto Plata. So it was discovered through talking and shopping trips that I like strawberry-anything. My favorite seems to be strawberry wafers, but I don't mind really what it is. So Josie found these amazing Strawberry Shortcake party hats at the store and then gave me everything else strawberry related! It was very sweet, literally, and a fun send-off to the north coast. I truly already miss these girls and hope to have some visitors soon.

Puerto Plata

I've officially made my way to the north coast now and am staying for the moment in Puerto Plata. It's only 10-ish minutes from the town I'll probably live in, Montellano, then another further 10 minutes through sugar cane fields to the village I'm working in-Caraballo. Just wanted to throw all those names into once sentence to see if I couldn't really confuse you.

It is still incredible to be here. I wish I could truly share the depth of what I feel being here and a part of all of this. I guess it is just beyond words.

I'm now staying with Alberto (the director of the Caraballo care center) and his family, who are all amazing. I'm learning Alberto-fast Spanish which has been good and continue to be challenged to know more! As they live a few blocks from the beach, we've gone on walks the last two nights on the boardwalk just talking and enjoying the ocean.

I'll put some pictures on once my camera cord catches up with me...my things seem to be all over this island!

Off to the north

I am off to the North Coast today to begin the transition to living in Montellano and working in Caraballo. I'll be staying with the director and his family for a few weeks until my things clear customs and we can find an apt. I'm really looking forward to settling in up there and am so excited about the things ahead.

Women's retreat

We just spent a good weekend together at a Women's Retreat for women from the island. It was good to develop new relationships and grow the ones that were already in place. I work with such amazing women who are so very special to me. It was a good weekend to have some alone time, know my God in a better and closer way, learn how to listen and obey what He is showing me and telling me, and to reaffirm the place I am at in my life. I continue to take in all that I learned and was able to see, and am so thankful for the time to get away.

Kids alive girls

Top: Kami, Jessi, Josie, Leona, Allison

Bottom: Leslie, Tracee

More happy birthdays

Happy Birthday yesterday to Vic! We celebrated with pizza and cake and then the kids drenched him in water (a Dominican tradition, although it's supposed to be a surprise).

Hospital education

We had an adventure in medicine yesterday. One of the kids from school got whacked in the face which then forced him to fall on the back of his head. He never lost conciousness as far as I understand, but all his muscles went out...he was unable to stand and could barely bring his finger to his nose. After a quick evaluation and a few unclear head X-Rays at the local clinic, it was decided that we needed to see what was happening with a head CT and to check out his neck for possible reasons as to why he had almost no function of his arms and legs. An IV was placed before we left, and 3 of us carried him to the van for a ride down the mountain where there is a "clinic" with the equipment we needed. No hospital transfer via ambulance, no HIPPA forms to sign, we just packed him up, rigged up his IV bottle to the back seat, and tried to immoblize him the best we could...and prayed! Halfway down the mountain he really needed to go to the bathroom, and after a failed attempt to go while tilting over a bottle, he all the sudden was on his knees in the van, his muscles were back! He was then able to stand outside the van, after a few questioning looks between Leslie an me as to whether this "spinal/head fracture" pt should actually be walking around! We made it to the hospital where we were sent to get the CT, never having received an exam or evaluation. The transfer from bed to CT table was horrendous, with the staff pulling him by leg and arm to the table. Thank God that he was cleared from any spinal injury, but we didn't know it at the time and it was HARD to watch. He then had a neck X-ray and was not only lifted in a similar fashion to the bed, but was then flipped on his tummy,neck brace removed, and his neck turned to the side (!!!!!!!!!!!) for the picture. I couldn't actually believe what I was seeing. If he had truly had a neck injury, this could have caused further damage or even paralysis.

After the CT, we were sent back to the ER to wait, and wait, and wait. The trauma doctor who was to review the scans wasn't quite in yet, so we waited some more for the pictures to be printed and then were able to transfer to another clinic...where the trauma doctor was going to be to read the results.

The other clinic was (of course) just around the corner and across the street, so our little pt (who still hasn't technically been cleared of any head or spinal injury) was put in a wheelchair and wheeled down the street, around cars and motorcycles to the next clinic!

When we got to that clinic, we were told that the doctor was out and didn't even arrive for another hour and we were the 3rd in line. Leslie (she's a pediatrician with training in emergency medicine) had a look over the films that we had with us of his scans...and we left! It was a decision based on his coming around and having full functioning and having looked over all the results. He still had his IV in and we were had stopped at a little store/restaurant, so I took it out while we waited for the pastelitos to heat up. It was truly and adventure...one I am glad to have done to see how it works, but am thankful to have had Leslie with me and that the results were all great.

So for all those nurses and doctors, enjoy your transport teams, backboards, hallways, and on-call MD that is in-house!

Puerto Plata

Just a picture from our 10 minute beach stop!

Caraballo

We made an overnight trip to Caraballo Monday night which was another nice trip. Monday we caught up on all the happenings, drove around Puerto Plata, and made a 10 min. stop on the beach (had to!). Tuesday was filled with sponsorship things, reading letters to the kids from their sponosors and getting responses back. It really is something I'm beginning to enjoy as it is the connection between the sponsor and the child, opening up the world to both of them. There is something so amazing about these kids, I am drawn to them and love spending time with them. The school cook was out, so another teacher and some helpers made lunch...and I got to join in. Ever made rice for 150 people? The quantities are fun to learn about!

I had a look an a possible apt and am very excited about getting moved in if it all works out. Still waiting for stuff to clear customs, but in the meantime I will be moving there and living with the director of the school and his family for a few weeks. Any time spent in the village is so precious, I wish you all to come and learn and share in it!

Today's wisdom

We must be more intentional about holding onto truth (Eldridge)

8 is great!

Happy Birthday to the best little girl in the whole world who I love and miss so much, Emily!

Welcome, Diego

I got to be a part of something really special today, seeing a new child enter The Ark, Jarabacoa (the orphanage). It was amazing to see his huge smile as he looked around and discovered his new house and bed and all his surroundings. It made me step back and think about what a privilege it is to work with these kids and the blessing that they are in my life. He seemed to have no problem transitioning into life with the other kids for his first afternoon and easily fit into the soccer game and playing. Sometimes I wonder why I get to do this work and am so thankful to be here and come alongside the others that are loving these kids and pouring themselves into their lives. What an changed future these kids have, full of stability, hope, love, and security.

Lice-be-gone!

Over the last 2 days we have been busy at the ANIJA school de-lousing! It's been a fun little time, although not so much for the kids! The stuff we're using to get rid of the little ones is so smelly and strong, but apparently effective, so I guess it's best. It's just nice to be able to do something like this for the kids when lice can otherwise be a big problem that also spreads quickly. Although sometimes only a temporary fix, hopefully some of these kids can have some non-itchy heads for awhile. We're back at it again Monday as well!

Birthdays

We got to celebrate Leslie's birthday on Tuesday the 16th with all the Kids Alive team as well as the house moms from the ARK. It was a fun time with pizza and Micah-made cake and lots of candles!!!

Happy birthday on the same day to dear little Julie!

Visiting

We went to Caraballo yesterday for a day trip to take care of some things, and it was lovely as usual. I am so excited about moving there and getting set up. It's going to be amazing! Still trying to figure out dates and the timing of it all, but it looks like I should be up there the first week of February...but as things go, that may change! As far as plans, well, they are extremely fluid at the moment until I know when my stuff will clear customs and I find a place to live, etc. Candace and I will be housemates, which I'm really excited about. I met her in December and she's from Canada, also working in the village. Hopefully it'll all come together soon, day by day! Lots of things to do around in Jarabacoa though as I've been working at the school and with other health programs developing ideas and forms and plans!

As motorcycles are the main means of transportation, most things are done by motor, including moving your washing machine!

Fruit flies

So we were wondering last night...Where do fruit flies come from? It seems that they suddenly appear, within seconds, of having open fruit. Last night it was pineapple. No fruit flies in sight whilst eating dinner, yet 3 seconds after opening the top of the pineapple, fruit flies abounded. Where were they? Are they just sitting on the wall, under the table, waiting for fruit-hoping today will be the day? I'm stumped.

They were wrong...

A watched pot does indeed boil, I saw it happen tonight.

A Trautwein welcome back

It has been lots of fun being back in the Dominican Republic! These photos are from my first night back, unpacking and bringing little gifts for the family. The boys disappeared to play with light sabers while Chase covered herself in glitter-everything and Micah began smelling like a gingerbread girl (new lotion). It's great being here with them and they continue to support me and encourage me as I begin to get settled into what will be my Dominican life!

Thank you, Chai Tea

If I could meet the person who created Chai Tea, he/she would get a big hug. Thanks to chai tea I have had some of the most amazing and fantastic conversations. Under the influence of chai, I think more clearly, write more profoundly, share more openly. Drinking chai with another makes me suddenly feel connected, something deeper that we share. Among the health benefits listed here, deepening friendships should be added. I don't know what they put in it, but I like it. Thank you chai tea, you have bettered my life!

Back in the Dominican Republic

Well, after 14 hours of travel, I have arrived safe and fairly sound! It was a long overnight trip, but lovely to be back here. I started the task of unpacking a few things tonight and reorganizing my bags. I'll be going to the north coast, to the village Caraballo where I'll be living and working, but still trying to work out all the timing and details. For the moment, I continue with the Trautwein family in Jarabacoa.

It's amazing the lessons we can learn if we keep our eyes open and ears tuned. I was sitting next to a semi-drunk, mostly-deaf Dominican man on the way down here. After he had spilled a bit of his Vodka and Coke on me whilst looking out the window, he had an amazing comment. "It all looks pretty nice from up here, no?" Interesting because it is beautiful from the air and appears perfect and serene. It's so nice to fly over the coast and then get into the mountains, watching valleys and farms and all that is below. It's hard to have the same feelings all the time when I'm in the village and see the poverty and sheer need that surrounds. From the air there are no bumpy dirt roads or rivers to cross. There is only patchwork after patchwork of the beautiful ground below.

It humbles me to learn little lessons, albeit from a funny little Dominican airline passenger. I just sat there and smiled to myself because I had just thought through my own situation. It's so easy to sit and think how hopeless and hard the situation is...but if I can take a step back, see the big picture, that there are other lives, other hearts, other stories being woven into the Big Picture, it all becomes clear. Life again is beautiful, calm, and full of hope and joy.

So as the plane landed and in classic Latin American style, all were clapping for a safe flight and smooth landing, I smiled to myself. I was able to step back, get a glimpse of the big picture, and step off the plane.

More and more friends

We had a great night tonight at the Weatherford's for dinner with Brandon and Alison and Matt and Bethany...and of course the babies! Lots of talking and laughing at the little ones and some cuddling...all made for a nice night together.

Fantastic friends

It has been an amazing month to catch up with old friends! This afternoon I got to get coffee (why do we say that when neither of us had coffee??!!) with my old friend Aaron. It was fantastic to sit and chat and catch up on the years. It's great just being able to pick right up where we left off and carry on talking, feels like we've stayed in touch forever. I've reconnected with so many friends from high school this month, I look forward to staying in touch and really knowing what happens in their lives. I've realized how much I love just to sit and talk and hear from people, really share in their lives and know what is going on. I've learned how important listening is and seeing people's hearts and the joy in KNOWING others. Lots of lessons I continue to learn. A few more Oregon days to pack in more friend and family visits, then it's back to the Dominican Republic!

Sunshine

I just checked on weather in Dominican Republic and it is 78 degrees! Hard to imagine I'll be there in just a few days, being plucked from one world to another again! It is a world I love and cherish and look forward to being a part of again. The warm weather and sunny beaches don't hurt either!!

Check out my Slide Show!

More baby time

I got to hang out with baby Ellie (and David and Beth) last night for awhile. It was nice to cuddle and chat with my really grown-up cousins, now that they have 3 kids! I also got to see some of my nurse friends who were working, as Beth delivered at Willamette Falls, the hospital I worked at over the summer.

New Baby

Baby Elizabeth (Ellie) Sandy joined us for New Year's Day today weighing in at 8lbs 11 oz. She's the third little one, but first girl, to my cousin David and his wife Beth. Exciting seeing their family grow and the baby girl in his arms!