I'm here!!

I've been here for five days and so far, so good. (But I'm tried, so please excuse the briefness of this update)

I still haven't found permanent housing, but the place I'm staying is great. It's the home of an American woman named Beth Sanchez and she has been such a blessing! Her home is beautiful and I feel like I'm staying at more of a resort than a home. At first I felt guilty for such amazing accommodations (I'm in the "guest room" which is equipped with a view of the pool and hot tub, tropical plants, and a great big 'ol bed), but over the past few days I've realized what a blessing it is to be here. I've learned so much already from Beth and her husband, Ernesto, about the Dominican culture, Jackie's House, and all the ins and outs of what to expect here...Not to mention the fact that Beth is an incredible hostess.

But it's obvious that God has brought me here for a reason (here meaning the Sanchez's home). And I think the delay in housing is because I need to learn from these people. Beth has so many wonderful ideas on things I can do for and with Jackie's kids - things that otherwise may never have been accomplished. For instance, I want to teach English to the kids but have no formal teacher training. But Beth has agreed to show me some tricks to get me started and is going to help me find any tools that I may need...I know one of the biggest challenges is going to be my Spanish which needs a lot of work. I can pick up bits and pieces of conversations, but the Dominican people speak REALLY fast, super quite, and they cut off bits of their words!

Before signing off, I want to thank all of you who have been praying for me. I can definitely feel God's presence and His peace. Although I'm thousands of miles from home, and missing the relationships I have there, my emotions are under control and I feel good. So please continue to pray and I'll continue to keep you updated as much as possible. :-) Adios amigos!