The Summit

At 17, I took the trip of a lifetime. Two and a half weeks in Australia flew by as my group skipped up the east coast, visiting cities like Sydney, Cairns, and Darwin. I was allowed to tour the Sydney Opera House and Harbor, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, and patrol the skies in a hot air balloon. My time "down under" created many wonderful memories but the one that's clearest was a small island, Fitzroy-something-or-another. Although the name and exact location have been buried by other bits of my history, the experience of that single day is something I will never forget.

A group of 30 or so high school students were given the task of hiking "to the lighthouse." The small structure hung precariously from the edge of a ragged cliff, hundreds of feet above the waves below, and it was our job to make it there by noon. In 90 degree weather the hike was slowed by sweat and the lackadaisical attitude of teenagers but eventually, everyone was accounted for.

A short burst of celebration ensued - we could now return to the bottom for ice cream! However, before we began the easy task of romping downhill, assisted by gravity, our trip leader offered another challenge…. a second hike, straight up an enormous mountain, to a place called The Summit

Although chocolate ice cream had scarcely sounded better, at 17, it's more important to fill your ego than your belly and I wanted to impress the other members of my team. After contemplating my options and priorities, I decided the ice cream would have to wait and I joined the other 6 or so students that had opted for the second hike.

I'll never forget the experience that followed my simple, "I'll go."

I don't know how many miles that second hike was but at the time it seemed as if we were trying to reach the heavens. Every muscle burned and muscles I didn't know I had ached long before I reached the top. My canteen was emptied 30 minutes after we left the lighthouse and by the time The Summit arrived, I wondered if my esophagus would never forgive me.

But eventually, after leaning on trees, taking short rests, convincing myself that the end would never come and then moments later assuring myself it MUST lay just around the corner, The Summit stood wide open before me.

I had never experienced anything like it, nor have since. It's one of those, once-in-a-lifetime moments where your heart stands still and your next breath is caught before allowing to escape. I honestly can't describe the scene, although it's still clear in my memory. From the Summit it seemed like I could see the whole world and the view instantly removed any trace of exhaustion.

It was amazing.

On the hike down I realized the opportunity I had nearly missed. Only a quarter of the students on that trip attempted to reach the Summit that year, and after we returned, full of vibrancy and excitement, the regret of the others was evident. Once refreshed and rehydrated, some asked to try to the hike again, but they had missed their only shot - our boat was leaving and there wasn't enough time.

I wonder if The Summit is like my time here. The journey of the last six months has undoubtedly been the hardest thing I've ever endured. And it's not over yet. Everyday I continue the count down that will one day terminate with me taking a jet plane to the US...but perhaps the journey is what will make my arrival so beautiful.

On the Move

I know my blogging has slacked but I've been struggling with what to right about. The situation here has continued to deteriorate to such a degree that I've been battling daily to escape the clutch of old demons like depression and utter desperation.

I'll spare you the details, mostly because words can't express how much my soul longs to be in fellowship again, and instead, clue you in one what’s been happening over the last few weeks….

Although it’s still under construction, Jackie and Hernando have decided to move into their new house in Villa Mella because they can no longer afford their current home in Tres Ojos. And so, little by little Hernando has been transporting loads of belongings across town and stacking boxes floor to ceiling in the new house's living room. Without the dorms or dining room, the home in Vella Mella is infinitely smaller than where they currently reside, but Jackie is determined to make due with the blessings she has; During the day, the outside patio will serve as kitchen and dining room, and at night, mattresses will be strewn sporadically on the floor.

It's a very stressful time for everyone because Jackie and Hernando are trying to move out before they owe another month's rent. To make matters worse, Brittany and Hugo (Jackie's daughter and son-in-law) moved out and Wilkin (another adult) has been asked to stay in the new house to watch over the property and belongings that are delivered daily. Since Hernando spends his days loading and unloading the van, Jackie is attempting to supervise 23 children by herself....in addition to doing the cooking and cleaning!!

To help speed along the move, I was preparing the walls for a new coat of paint, mending holes, removing shelves, and dissembling some of the BIGGEST, HEAVIEST, and most indestructible bunk beds known to man. It took ALL day just to get two sets apart!! But if the jobs themselves weren’t hard enough, the hot temperatures, random critters, and lack of electricity certainly made for exhausting days.

Some nights I was left working in the dark, using only my cell phone for illumination and the noise always scared creepy creature from their hiding places. In three days I was greeted with critters like rats, tarantulas, and giant cockroaches!

Bryan, Carlos & Laura showing off their muscles after loading the truck

Magdalena using her spidey vision to help illuminate the walls!

Independence Day!

At 8am I was woken by the sound of distant drums and honking. At first, I thought I was either dreaming or just hearing the regular sounds of the morning commute here is Santo Domingo. But as the noise continued and steadily grew louder, I realized something very different was happening.

Turns out an impromptu fiesta had erupted at the end of the block, not far from my apartment, in honor of Dominican Independence. After taking Sam for his morning walk, I wandered to where the action was and attempted to make sense of the chaos. Teenagers layered in rags attempted to perform some sort of play, men dressed as women ran through the crowd, large groups of uniformed girls with batons danced to the music performed by several marching bands, and people dressed in extravagant Devil costumes all contributed to the spectacle!

Breaking Ground

Constuction on Jackie's new house has started! This is a huge blessing because it shows that progress is being made! The pictures are of the children's dormitories and bathrooms (eventually a school house, kitchen, and dining room are to be added). The funds for this project are slowly trickling in but would you join us in praying for this property? The sooner the construction is finished, the sooner Jackie and her children can move into a safe neighboorhood with lots of room to play outside!

If not for you

"And then I saw him...He appeared alone in the middle of the crowd. He was a double amputee who had worked his way through the sandy beach. Just as I had noticed him, one crutch slipped, and he fell hard against the sand. Undaunted, he pulled himself back up and began again, only to fall a second time.

"It all happened in what seemed like an instant, long enough for me to see him to my right and choose to turn to my left....

"So I turned to my left. I gently placed my arm on my son's shoulder, turned him away, and began talking to him to distract him from the scene below. We went a few feet, and I felt sure we were free from any responsibility - until my son stopped me. To my surprise, he said, 'I have to go help that man.'

"I watched my ten-year-old son run across the beach and, without explanation, begin to pick the man up...I watched as the crowd turned and saw Aaron's futile effort to help the man back to the hotel deck. Almost immediately I watched the crowd more towards Aaron and the man. Someone picked up the crutches, while others reached down and picked up the man. The group moved as if they were one unit, committed to helping the man complete his journey.

"After the group helped him return to the hotel deck, Aaron came running back to me, and there were tears in his eyes. He looked at me with his innocent conclusion: 'I couldn't help him. I wasn't strong enough.'

"He couldn't see that no one would have helped the man if he had not taken the initiative...I explained to Aaron that his strength carried the man. It was because of him that the others came to his aid."

-Erwin McManus "Chasing Daylight"

Victory

Last night marked the second evening that Jackie, Hernando and I have ventured out to Cercadillo and worked by candlelight. This time we prepared peanut butter sandwiches and passed out several boxes of clothes. It was a wonderful evening filled with lots of excitement and laughter but the highlight of the night came moments before we left.

As we were preparing to leave, 24-year-old Victor stood up and proclaimed that he was ready to accept Christ!! As I witnessed the life of a complete stranger being saved for all of eternity I couldn't help but notice that there were tears in my eyes.

Although I'll never be able to understand or fully appreciate God's love, I am forever grateful for it.

Like a Stick in the Mud

Last night Jackie, Hernando, Wilkin and I had quite the adventure. At 5pm, Jackie came to pick me up and we left for a community called Cercadillo. Because of random stops along the way and horrific rush hour traffic, it took four hours to make it to the village.

Immediately upon our arrival, we were greeted with 12 inch mud where a make-shift road had once been. The van we affectionally call Grace was not made for mud-bogging and in no time, we were at a complete stand still.

Jackie, Wilkin and myself crawled out of the vehicle and made out way to its rear (careful not to loose our shoes in the process), hoping to add enough weight to to back tires to give Grace the extra momentum she needed. But our attempt was in vain. We gagged on black exhaust fumes as Grace spun and spattered, but she wasn't going anywhere.

Thankfully, we were close enough to Cercadillo that our headlights were noticeable and many of the the community members came out to help. We pushed, dug, and rocked poor Gracie and finally, amidst cries of "En el nombre de Jesus Cristo," she broke free!

Hernando drove the mud clad van into Cercadillo as the rest of us followed behind, scraping the remains of the road from our shoes and bare feet.

As we worked by candlelight, handing out shoes, clothes, medicine, and injections of B12, two hours quickly passed. I didn't realize how tired I was until Hernando prayed at the evening's close and I had to keep my eyes open in fear that I may fall asleep. It's nights like these that leave me feeling satisfied and at peace.

A Clarification

After I posted the first update, informing all of you that I will be returning to the States in March, I received many replies containing messages of support, encouragement and promised prayers. I want to thank each of you for your messages of love - I truly treasure the fact that God has blessed me with so many loving and caring people.

The last several months here have been filled with emotional and spiritual battles and I was beginning to question how much more my heart could take. Living here has been difficult on many levels and the leadership team and members of the Church have stood by me through it all, giving me their full support as we undertook this missions effort. My struggle here has become so great that when the opportunity to ome home was presented, I was both releived, prayerfully at peace, and grateful.

I am still committed to doing what God has called me to do. I am committed to continuing to serve the church in its missions effort in anyway that I can. Only this time, I will be doing it from much more familiar surroundings.

I will be returning to the US in March and I couldn't be happier with the decision. I am excited about what God will do in the future with me, with CUMC, with missions, and with YOU!

As we move together on this next step I ask that you would continue to pray for God's will to be done and for His name to receive all the glory.

"The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:29

Books!

Last Friday a Canadian woman named Charlene requested my help in delivering books to Jackie's House. She is the founder of an organization called Colors and some of her donors had supplied the money to buy school books for the younger children. The books were a HUGE hit and are going to be an great addition to our classroom! They're heavy duty cardboard and are written in both English and Spanish!! Thanks Tia Charlene!

Decisions

There has been a change of plans and several decisions made concerning my future as a Dominican missionary.

My original purpose here was to help Jackie in both the communities she works in and also as the kid's English teacher. If you've been following my blog, you already know that the first three months here were riddled with set-backs, frustrations, and cultural lessons learned the hard way. Many issues that were not apparent before I moved to the DR have become very visible since I've started working with Jackie's House on a somewhat regular basis.

These issues has lead the church to a very important decision. One week ago I received an email from my boss, the leader of missions and outreach, telling me that the decision had been made to bring me home in March of this year. Although this is only a quarter of the two years I intended to spend in the Dominican Republic, I truly believe it is the best decision at this point.

Christ United Methodist Church still plans on helping Jackie's House by bringing several short-term construction trips down over the summer to work on projects. In addition to these trips, the church and I will be praying about where God is leading us next concerning Jackie's ministry. We still feel called to help the Dominican Republic, but at this point, we're unsure which ways that will be.

I know that this may come as a big surprise, but please trust me when I say that the decision was made based on lots of praying.

Also, it is important that you know that your support has not been in vain. Your prayers and gifts have allowed me to achieve my dream of being a foreign missionary and over the previous four months I have learned more about myself, my faith, and my God then I ever knew possible.

I will continue to work five days a week with Jackie's House until my departure at the end of March. Also, the children's previous teacher, Ruth, has returned and will be continuing their lessons.

As I prepare for my return, I ask that you join me in prayer. Please pray:
-That I would make the most of my last two months here
-That Jackie and Hernando would not feel abandoned, guilty, or burdened in any way due to my early departure
-That God would give me the words to speak in a manner which 32 children can understand when it comes time to inform them.
-That even now, God would be making a way for me in the States involving work, housing, and transportation
-That all the details of my life here would be worked out with the least bit of frustration and anxiety as possible.

I thank you for your continued support and encouragement and would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Meet Sam.

I rescued him from the Garbage Dump community about two months ago and since then, he has become a very healthy, happy, and curious puppy.

We LOVES going outside and putting himself on sensory overload. His nose always leads him to some bit of trash, mysterious liquid, or stray bit of food that I have to steer him away from or tackle out of his mouth.

Yesterday afternoon we were outside and I saw him chopping on something. Hearing crackling and fearing it was a chicken bone (they are strangly prevelant here), I stuck my fingers into his mouth and pulled out a giant, half-eaten cockroach.

BLAH!!!

Round Two

Nearly two weeks into the new year and I have yet to post something....

In case you haven't heard, after a wonderful month-long vacation in the States where I traveled thousands of miles to visit friends and family in Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill, Michigan and Kentucky, I have finally returned to the Dominican Republic.
upon my return - I wasn't coming back alone! A family of four (actually five, but the 2-year-old was left in the States with a babysitter) came back with me to experience the Dominican life for a few days. And what an experience they received!

From the moment they arrived, the Wisemen's trip was full of excitement, laughs, and memorable moments. Jackie had forgotten what day we were landing and she was two hours away at a fun
Although my transition back to bottled water, HOT weather, and perpetual Spanish has been fairly smooth, it has still held some challenges (my first night here I ruined a perfectly good toothbrush by sticking it under the faucet). And unfortunately, the goodbyes never get easier.

But God sent me a HUGE blessing from the States eral when we arrived in Santo Domingo. Around midnight, her son Roger finally came to our rescue and the real adventure began! Roger's car is about the size of a Ford Escort and after a bit of maneuvering, we stuffed the trunk with luggage, tied two bags on the roof, stuck one suitcase in Roger's lap (his wife was driving), and piled all five Americans in the back seat - it was a very long, hot, and hilarious half-hour drive to my house.

The Wisemen's also got to see the house that Jackie will someday move into once construction of the dorms is complete. It's got a looong way to go, be we hope to bring down mission teams to speed along the progress. We also visited Cercadillo and the Garbage Dump. The Wisemen’s trip was such a blessing for me, Jackie and Hernando, and I hope for themselves.

It's been two days since they left and the void has been hard. It's been a long time since it was just Sam and Me but we're slowly getting used to the Dominican life again and I’m sure that God has incredibly things on the horizon.