Wrapping up 2013

This has been one of the most busy and rewarding years of my life! It is overwhelming to think of all the things I've gotten to experience and the many new people I've met that I now consider friends. Beth turned the big 16 in February. It is scary to think she is growing up so fast- driving, drama club at school, boyfriend, etc. The first several months of the year consisted of getting ready for my first mission trip out of the country- to Haiti. Our trip leader spent a lot of time preparing us for what we would experience. We spent time in Port-de-Paix at Sonlight Academy and in Peredo with Haitian Christian Outreach. They were two very different places, but both were very welcoming and simplistic. One of the highlights was going to the orphanage and wanting to take home every baby I held. As I detailed in previous blog entries, God used this trip to break my heart for the lost and needy. He started revealing to me what His greater plans were for my life. Because the trip was in the beginning of May, I got to share with my students the things I learned. This caused them to be excited for mission opportunities. Also in May, the students I taught when I first started teaching graduated from CCA. This was special to know I played a small part in getting them to this point in their lives. At the end of May, Beth and I went to New Mexico for nine weeks to Broken Arrow Bible Ranch. The summer held many challenges and rewards. It was such a blessing to share the ups and downs with my little sister and be able to support each other. She began to realize why Broken Arrow is so special to me and all that God does there each summer. I grew so much in my relationship with God and with many of the campers and counselors. With this being my third summer, I have really bonded with many of them and it was hard telling them God could have other plans for me next summer. Some highlights were praying with campers to receive Christ, life changing stories at campfires, an awesome hailstorm, being able to lead crafts with some hilarious helpers, chapels, and the staff orientation camp out. It was hard to return home, but I knew I had a lot more support here than in previous years. I immediately had to start getting ready for school, because this year I was teaching three grades (3rd-5th). We also had made the decision to close our high school for at least this year and were making some major changes. It is my tenth year of teaching! It took a little time to adjust on my end and for the students, but once we got into a routine I found it quite easy and rewarding to have three grades. The older students are very helpful, especially with the younger students. Their enthusiasm is contagious. It's important to me that we make memories and that each student knows how important they are, in addition to their education. Teaching three grades has kept me very busy, but everyday I'm reminded why I love teaching in a Christian school. I had the opportunity to participate in two all nighter Relay for Life events. I walked for many people I know, including my dad, that have had cancer (and won or lost the battle) or are fighting cancer currently. It was a joy to do this as a family. In October my niece and nephew celebrated their first birthday. They had many challenges through their first year, but they are growing up so fast and are healthy and happy. I treasure all the time I spend with my two nieces and nephew. In November I went with Broadway Christian Church and a group from Minier, IL, to the Dominican Republic. I've detailed our week long trip in my previous blog entries. I left knowing this is where God wants me to return to teach. I fell in love with the churches we visited, the people who were so welcoming, the culture, the communities, and the full time missionaries we spent time with. We worked mainly in Higuey building an addition onto the existing church. I actually got to mix concrete by hand, help put mortar on the blocks for the wall, and use a sledgehammer to knock down a wall. We also went to church in La Romana where we did Sunday school with close to 90 kids and taught English classes at the elementary school in Punta Cana. God is doing some amazing things in these places. I had the privilege of speaking at two ladies events, doing the youth group message, leading the craft at Sunday school, and teaching at the elementary school. In addition to teaching and construction, I found I connected with our team too. Working alongside them was such a blessing! I was glad to be home and relax during Thanksgiving break. December brought more craziness with several Christmas parties, our school Christmas program, and wrapping up our first semester at school. After our first big snow we had a lot of fun making forts and having snowball fights.Also this year I've been able to do several events with Broadway Christian Youth groups. I find myself connecting with the students more each week. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to our youth pastor and his wife this month. They were a vital part of this ministry and will be greatly missed! However, God has put a great group of sponsors in place to carry through until He sends the perfect youth pastor. God knows the direction He's taking each of us even if we can't understand His plan right now. I'm excited to work with the 6th grade girls each Wednesday. God has been so patient with me. He has consistently reminded me time after time of His faithfulness. He's continued teaching me what complete trust/dependence on Him truly means. He's taught me how to be compassionate, what true love is, and to see people through His eyes. All He asks of me is to make a difference right where I am- wherever that may be at this time. When I fall flat on my face, He helps me get back up. He's put friends in my life to encourage and support me.He's put a fire in my heart for the lost, hurting, and poor. Like I started this entry, what a year this has been! Has it been easy? No. Has God walked with me through the times of doubt, discouragement, and pain? Yes. And He's making me stronger through it all. I can't wait to see what the next year will bring......

Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic: November 2013

It's now been two weeks since we've gotten back from the Dominican Republic. I've been trying to work out in my head how to explain what I experienced during my time there. Those eight days made a great impact on my life. Our team left November 8th. There were seventeen people on our team. I had told someone the day before we left that I wasn't praying for everything to go smoothly, but that I'd find God's peace in the difficulties. I wasn't praying for my words to be heard, but that God's message would be clear through me. I wanted to enjoy the journey and not miss the lessons God wanted to teach me. As we left, early enough to see the sunrise in the air, the colors of the rainbow reminded me of God's promise to be with us in the unknown.

We flew from Indianapolis to Newark, NJ, and on to Santo Domingo. Except for a short delay from airplane mechanical problems and some minor (to me major) turbulence, the flights were smooth. Ryan met us at the airport with the bus. All our luggage arrived without a problem (and we had a lot!).

We loaded up the bus to head to La Romana (where Ryan and his family live) and on to Higuey, where we were staying with Pastor Victor and his family. I found it very interesting to compare the roads, people, towns, and countryside to what I'd seen in Haiti six months before this trip. There are many similarities and many differences. We arrived Friday evening and got settled.

Victor and Heidy's house

 

 Saturday we went to the church in Higuey and started on the work projects- the biggest was building an approximately ten foot addition onto the back of the current church. The ditch was already dug to pour the concrete foundation into, but the pile of dirt/concrete they removed had to moved. So we picked up shovels and started shoveling into wheelbarrows. We filled wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow that the guys moved to an open lot and dumped. Kelsey and I were determined to finish the pile before we left for lunch, which humored some of the Dominican guys we were working with, but we were so close! It was a feeling of accomplishment to finish the job. 

After lunch the guys continued work projects and the ladies gathered at the church for our event. It was decided at the last minute to split my message and do another event later in the week, so I had to be flexible (which I've learned as a teacher). 

 I spoke about how God can take our lives, something we may see as ordinary, and turn them into something extraordinary. Erin (Ryan's wife) translated for me. It was my first time speaking to a group of ladies (normally it's to children) and having everything translated into Spanish, but Erin made it seem easy.
God knows what each lady needed to hear. They seemed to enjoy the craft and I enjoyed coloring with a few of the little children that came.

As the ladies were leaving the teens started arriving for youth group. We did some games with them and then I shared the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego- standing up for what is right. Ryan translated. He did great having the teens act it out and be involved. My battery operated "candle" furnace made the point- with a few laughs. After my lesson Greg taught them 4-square, which was somewhat challenging with the language barrier.

They seemed to catch on after we demonstrated. Youth group ended with the power going out (which isn't uncommon) and them singing "How Great is Our God" in Spanish. That almost brought me to tears. My first full day in the Dominican Republic was sometimes overwhelming, but so rewarding! 




Church was Sunday. We went to church in La Romana in the morning.

The service was in spanish, but for me sitting in the middle of over one hundred kids and watching them as they sang and danced, the language difference wasn't important. Greg gave the children's lesson on Noah's Ark.

He did a great job communicating the lesson that Noah obeyed and God saves. In the adult service they sang many songs I love and because they posted the words I began catching on to the spanish words. Their enthusiasm and passion are indescribable! Halfway through the service the kids were dismissed and we went with them. We split into two groups- Erin translated for me as I did the craft and Ryan translated for the group that did the games.

There were about 90 kids and it was organized chaos! They caught on fast to the rainbow/ark craft and it turned out really cute. After the younger kids did their craft, we switched and the older kids came in to do it. I enjoyed working with kids from as young as 3 years old.


After church Ryan gave us a tour of the medical building that adjoins the church building and explained what the plans are as the construction gets done- ER, OR, dentist, patient rooms, doctor's offices.

Then we went to Jumbo's to eat and shop around (kind of like a big Sam's Club/Walmart). I bought some Santo Domingo coffee to bring home.


In the evening, I found my favorite place was the roof of Victor and Heidy's house.

The sunset was beautiful. I could hear the different sounds of the city-music, children, laughter. I could peek into the lives of those passing by, the young boy happily playing with rocks in the puddles, and the wandering horses. I could see part of the city and the mountains in the distance. It reminded me so much of the view from the roof of Sonlight Academy in Haiti.

We went to the Higuey church for the evening service. I got to hold a two month old baby boy that fell asleep and slept the whole service on my lap.

His mom just kept smiling and afterward she thanked me. Greg spoke from Matthew 9 how God accepted Matthew (a tax collector) and all God asks of us is that we take the first step towards Him and He'll accept us as we are. I'm beginning to connect with the people at the church through a smile or a hug, even though we may not speak the same language. 


Monday, my partner in crime (Kelsey) and I filled buckets with water to use for concrete. We passed out candy to kids in nearby houses. We even chased down a couple kids walking home from school just to say hi and give them some candy. (They started running because they didn't understand why we were trying to catch them, but stopped when some kids told them why.)

I practiced carrying water on my head as the other Dominican/Haitian women do, which gained some laughs from the rest of the team and Dominican workers. (I still need more practice.)

I helped shovel gravel to make concrete mix.

In the afternoon part of our team did the Noah's Ark lesson with the children at the Higuey Church while a few of the others and me continued to mix concrete and move it to the guys laying blocks behind the church.

VBS at Higuey

acting out the story of Noah's Ark

We finished in time to help with the craft for the VBS. Around 50 kids came.

One new thing for me were the tarantulas! And yes, several got a good laugh seeing me react to the ones I did see (too close I might add).

I really enjoyed talking, singing, and laughing with Victor and his family, Ryan, Nahum, and the rest of the team. I'm finding it's the little moments of each day I treasure the most, like seeing a little girl and her baby brother walking hand in hand down a dirt road. 

 

Tuesday I helped mix concrete (by hand), carry water and blocks, and learned how to put mortar between blocks and stack the blocks.

I am so thankful for the guys who were willing to patiently teach me how to do these jobs! 

Tuesday afternoon was the second ladies event. This time was easier. We had 20-25 ladies and several children. I finished my message on "Ordinary Into Extraordinary" and we did the other two crafts we brought. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Wednesday we went to Bayahide to the beach (Caribbean Sea). What a place!

It was a beautiful day (as it had been all week). The water was just the right temperature and the colors ranged from dark blue to turquoise. It was a day to relax, swim, visit, shop, and walk the beach.

I loved the warmth of the white sand and seeing the waves crash against the shore. I loved seeing the children splash in the water. I loved hearing the laughter. I did NOT like the few times waves crashed over me when I wasn't paying attention and I inhaled salt water.

lunch at the beach

I went to some of the shops, but didn't like haggling the prices, so I sat on the beach and soaked up the sun most of the time. Before we left the beach, there was a baptism for four people. It was so exciting to see these people make a commitment to give their lives to God.

I am so thankful I got to be a part of this moment in these four people's lives. 

Thursday our team split up again and some stayed at Victor's house to paint the inside and outside while the rest of us went to the church to work on getting as far as we could on the wall. They tried to teach me how to level the blocks as I put them on, but I'm just too slow.

The wall connecting the church to the new addition had to come down and that was something I could do to help! I wasn't sure I could swing the sledge hammer, but after trying it, I was able to knock out part of the wall with each swing.

I had fun this week trying to keep up with the guys, and surprisingly was never sore.

Ryan, Ricardo, Cliff

Thursday night was prayer meeting at the Higuey Church. Because a Haitian church joins them once a month, it was quite full. We got to see some of the guys we had worked with all week one last time. The Haitians dress up in their Sunday best for church. Several different groups or individuals sang songs or the whole congregation would sing a song. In between they would pray for different countries or other needs.


 
 I stood at the back and watched in amazement. It was one of the highlights of my week. I cried as I realized I was falling in love with this place. The people welcomed us with open arms. They were so appreciative of what we did.
 
Friday we went to Punta Cana to the new school that opened this year.

Glenda and I split the English classes and some of our group did the PE classes.

Even though I was teaching basic colors, etc. it felt so good to be back in a classroom again.

using colored t-shirts to reinforce the lesson

 
Erin translated for me only when it was necessary. We did flashcards, simple games, and a short craft to reinforce colors.

   The school is pre-k through 4th grade and has about 100 students currently.

Before we left we prayed for the pastor/director and Ryan gave us the vision for the school- to support the church and its outreach to the community. We went back to Higuey, packed up, and spent time praying for Victor, his family, and the church. He wants to reach the families of the kids that come already and he wants to own a house to be able to reach out to the community better. It was really hard to leave Higuey, but as we left we saw a beautiful rainbow and what a comfort that brought me.

 

Friday night we stayed in a hotel with a pool in La Romana, had pizza for dinner, and went to a baseball game.

I would have thought I was at an American game except for looking around and seeing we were in the minority as white people. That was a unique experience and even though I don't watch much baseball, I had fun. Everybody was together one last time.

breakfast at the hotel Saturday morning

Saturday morning we said goodbye to Victor, Heidy, Abby, Christian, and Ryan, which was hard to do, and headed back to Santo Domingo to the airport.

Heidy and Victor sharing before we left (Ryan translating)

Victor, Heidy, Abby, Christian

I don't know how you can grow to love people so much in a few days, but I did. I'm already praying God will show me a clear direction for my future. The trip home had its difficulties, but we all made it in the end. Along the way were more goodbyes, but God willing our paths will cross again. God taught me many things this week. He gave me courage to do things I didn't think I could do. He gave me the strength to do physically tough jobs. He kept me safe and healthy. He reminded me I don't have to change the world, but to start with loving one person and serving right where I am. He showed me the danger of becoming indifferent and comfortable in my life. I saw the joy and contentment these people have in spite of their simplistic lives. I am learning, daily, to see things as God sees them, to love people as He would, to live each day to the fullest, and give God the only thing I have to give- myself and my dreams. 

Ps. 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.