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.