United States

Just enjoying some of the finer parts of the US! We've been to Starbucks, Walmart, the waterslide...and have seen the tulips coming out! There are some really great things about being back!

Um, where am I?

So we arrived at our Kids Alive conference in Wisconsin yesterday. This is what we woke up to!!!! I don't think my sandals and skirts are going to be enough.

Manitos Limpias

If nothing else, we have clean hands at school now! We have started using hand sanitizer before meals (breakfast and lunch) at the school. I'm hoping to see less colds and flus, fungus, and all sorts of things they are spreading around. I was able to go through the classrooms and talk to the kids about germs and parasites and diseases and why we were doing this. It's so great to be a part of things moving forward, growth, change...I hope this makes a difference for the kids too!

Dentist visit

Yesterday definitely counts as one of my favorite days here! We had the opportunity to take 5 kids to the dentist for the first time. Everyday I get kids in the office with mouth pain, and after having a look inside their mouths I just see teeth that are rotten and missing and rough. Well we're about to change those things because we now have a dentist that wants to see ALL of our kids!!! It was incredible taking the kids out yesterday, spending time with them in a new setting, and knowing that we are really and truly meeting their needs. We go back next week to work on their teeth again...some had up to 9 cavities. The dentist also wants to come regularly to our school to check and work on each kid, so we're starting to look for and try to get a hold of dental equipment and supplies. It's amazing to be apart of the changes and growth that is happening. I love, just love, these kids!

Huh?

So our gua-gua is a little dirty, not uncommon when you drive through the cane fields everday. The kids often use the outside as their drawing board, leaving all kinds of words and pictures for us. But the other day I just couldn't stop looking at what they had written. John + Rachel = (heart). Why's that weird? John's my brother, Rachel is his wife! I don't know where they pulled these names from and why (they're not Dominican or Haitian names), but it's good to know that my brother and his wife should be in love for a long time!

Mmmmm!!!

Ever cooked 250 hot dogs? We did!!! Saturday we had a Field Day and hot dog lunch afterwards with the kids and a work team that was here. It was a special day with the kids and the team, fun to see everyone enjoying their time together. I love the opportunity we have with teams to share our kids...it is so amazing to see the connections that are made and the bonds that can happen in just a few days. That is one of the many joys of this job! And hot dogs...another perk!

Santo Domingo

On Monday, Candace and I made a trip to Santo Domingo! My mom's friend Ron, from high school, was here visiting for a few days while doing some training with the Coast Guard. We got on the bus in Puerto Plata for what we were told was a 2.5 hour trip. 4 hours later we stepped off the bus in Santo Domingo and were greeting by what seemed like North America. There were skyscrapers and lots of people and shopping malls...and the best part of all-Taco Bell! Nacho cheese Chalupas made the 4 hour journey worth it alone! So we walked through the city down to the boardwalk for about 2 hours and met up with Ron. It was great to see him again and to feel so welcomed, like we were high school friends!! We're definitely looking forward to our next trip to Santo Domingo when we can spend more time and see more of the city...and Taco Bell again!

Juancito

Little Juancito doesn't have anymore fevers, no more AIDS, no more hunger, his cough is gone and he's talking all the time. Juancito died yesterday and so today I am thankful that he is free from all the things that hurt him here...that makes my heart hurt a little less . I am glad he got to be with his family during these days and am reassured that not taking him in was the right decision as I know how advanced his illness was now. It's another reminder of the fragility of where we are and the things that surround us. I wish it could have been better for Juancito, that he could've had the right treatment, the right care, the right everything, but those are things I can't change. I'm thankful for his little monkey hugs and cuddles that made my days better and know that he's having a better day today free from all his hurts. (See post from March 2 for more info on him)