Wednesday morning the new staff, their families, and the administrators (and their families) loaded up and headed to Puerto Plata to Gran Ventana (an all inclusive resort). I had my agenda of what I was going to do for three days including read, working on school curriculum, and swimming for hours each day. God had a different agenda for me, which included building relationships with the staff.

The minute we walked into the hotel I was quite taken back by the grandness of the entry and the view beyond it to the pool and the beach in the distance.
I knew I wouldn't be spending much time in the room. We checked in and went to lunch. There weren't just a few things to pick from on the buffet at each meal. It was option overload. They had several kinds of fruit, a salad bar, bread bar, dessert bar, different kinds of rice, vegetables, meats, etc. I was so full. And just when my food would settle it was time for another meal! Maybe that's why the pool isn't really deep, because people would sink and drown. By the way, I love being an adult and making the choice to go for the dessert first. I had to make sure I had room for dessert and this was the only way to do it. After lunch we found our rooms. The buildings were shaped like triangles with the rooms on the outside and a beautiful garden courtyard in the center.

Lori and I were surprised walking into our room for several reasons: First, it was as cold as a refrigerator (and unless you turned it off, you froze). I think I'm adjusting to being hot. We chose to freeze most of the time and enjoy being cold while we could. Second, we had no lights until we were later told you had to put your card in a slot by the door to turn on the lights (brilliant because you never had to remember to turn them off, you just took your key out). Even then we went without lights the first night since we couldn't find the switches (they put them in odd places we didn't think to look). Third, there was a big television with several channels including some in English (even though I wasn't ever in the room long enough to watch anything). Fourth, we had a refrigerator with soda and water and a beautiful fruit tray.

After our discoveries we got changed into our swimsuits and went exploring with several of the girls. We walked out to the beach, found where we could get unlimited drinks, and ended up back in the pool.

We spent the afternoon floating around, chatting with each other, and drinking pina coladas. Then we got ready for dinner. People tended to dress up more for the evening meal. Meals were one of my favorite times, not just because of the delicious food, but because I knew it was one of the few times during the day that most of the staff gathered and we could enjoy each other's company. No one was in a hurry to get done and move on. After dinner we got together (again in a frigid air conditioned room!) for a time of worship and devotion. This was another one of my favorite times. That first night each of us shared about ourselves including one thing that surprised us coming to the DR, I knew the SCS staff already from orientation, but it was nice to meet the spouses and children and to put families together. People shared many different things that surprised them, but the overwhelming response included the openness and kindness of the people here. This culture is so relationship oriented and community based. It definitely makes the transition easier to know you have a group of American and Dominican people that truly support you!

After devotions we got out the games for a while before bed. Stacey taught several of us how to play Dutch Blitz. I started off well, but quickly went negative in points. I don't think we really cared about what or how we were playing as much as the quality time spent together. Okay, maybe I do have a competitive side to me, but I'm sure I'll have opportunities to improve my speed next time. Then we switched to the headband game. It's the first time I've played and it's really fun. However, trying to remember the names of animals at 10 pm at night can be challenging. It was good to laugh though.

I will say that even though it felt like I slept in a refrigerator, it was the first time in two weeks that I was able to snuggle under the blankets and sleep soundly.

For breakfast the next day they had just as big a buffet as lunch/dinner- eggs, french toast, pancakes, fruit, cereal, muffins, smoothies, etc. After a couple cups of coffee I was ready to hit the beach. There was a staff volleyball game, which I didn't play since I was already playing bocce ball with some of the ladies.
I actually won a couple times, even though my ball throwing skills are almost non existent. And I didn't knock anyone out around us. The water was pretty warm and the waves weren't too bad, so Stacey, Kristi, and I got our goggles to go snorkeling. The reef was covered with a lot of brown algae, which someone said meant the reef is dying. It was disappointing to see it in such a sad state. Because of this, we didn't see a whole lot of creatures. I did see a few schools of fish, some beautiful iridescent small blue fish, and several sea urchins. These weren't the small sea urchins I saw at Sosua. These had long spikes that probably could have gone clear through my foot if I stepped on one. Well, after seeing some of these on the ocean floor, I was terrified to go back to shore thinking I might step on one. But after swimming a ways out and seeing I was the only one out there, the thought of sharks eating me outweighed the possibility of stepping on a sea urchin. (I've watched too many shark movies.) I made it back to shore pretty quickly.

We went to lunch at a cafe place on the beach, so we didn't have to get changed for the buffet (even though they wouldn't let us in wet, they did allow us to get food and go to another area to eat). They had things like hamburgers, quesadillas, nachos/cheese, and pizza. It was nice to have some of my comfort foods again. By the afternoon the wind picks up on the beach and I was pelted by sand. So, it was off to the pool.

We had time to read, enjoy the swim up bar with as many drinks as we wanted (making sure they were non alcoholic), lay out (and attempt not to burn), and float around. The thing I loved the most about the pool is that time seemed to stop. No one had a to-do list they were anxious to get to. Technology had all been laid aside. And it opened up the perfect opportunity to just talk about life. It was neat to hear about others experiences in the Dominican Republic, their families back in the states, their interests. I was able to listen to Ruth speak in Spanish and understand some of what she was saying to me. I had someone help translate what I had trouble understanding. I've learned it is just as tough for her to learn English as it is for me to learn Spanish. We can both figure out simple phrases and want to communicate with each other. Little by little... I'm looking forward to seeing us both progress throughout the next months and soon be able to talk together, even if it is in broken English/Spanish.

We all knew we were going to the Italian restaurant after our evening meeting Thursday night, but most of us decided we couldn't wait that long to eat. So we had two dinners. We ate a light dinner from the buffet (of course including dessert first), and tried to save room for our second dinner. After dinner Dave, Stacey's husband, led us in worship. We sang the song "Oceans". I love that song. It constantly reminds me that God has called me out on the water and He won't leave me to walk through the waves alone. I can continually give the fears that arise over to Him knowing He's never failed me and He won't start now. Then Alan gave the devotion. It was a reminder that we need each other for encouragement and support. God placed us here, working together for a common purpose. After the devotion we all walked over to the Italian restaurant. We were there for a couple of hours, which is typical, because in the Dominican culture no one rushes, especially at meals. I hadn't gotten a chance to really visit with Kristi and her family up to this point, so it was great to get to know them better over dinner. Seth and Anne also sat with us. It was a beautiful evening with a cool breeze blowing through. I love all the outdoor dining. The Dominican weather is perfect for it, especially because it cools off in the evening. It was a late night and I knew it would be an early morning since I wanted to see the sunrise. After hitting the snooze a few times I did make it to the beach before 7 AM, but the sun was already up. There were very few people out, so I used that quiet time to sit on the beach and read my Bible.
The waves breaking on the rocks were distracting, but seeing so much beauty around me caused my heart to overflow with praise and wonder at the majesty of God. The expanse of the ocean is huge, and I am so small. Yet, He created me and loves me and has a plan for me. What a wonderful way to begin the day!

At breakfast I had a chance to talk with Stacey again and find out more about her family. One question I've asked all the staff that have been here already is what has been the hardest thing for them and how did they overcome it. I know transitioning into another culture is difficult and I'm willing to listen to any words of advice from those who have come before me.

After breakfast it started pouring, but the rain was short lived and we were all going to be wet anyway, whether in the pool or at the beach. I spent my last couple hours at Gran Ventana visiting with Paul, his wife Hollie, and Anne at the pool. Again, I went on this trip with different expectations for how I'd spend my time, but God had a much better plan. I am so grateful for every conversation I had. Little do they know just how much I was soaking up as I listened to them share their experiences and wisdom. Overall I really enjoyed getting to know them better on a personal level, not just professional. Sadly we had to pack up after lunch and head home. I had fun, got to relax, and enjoyed being spoiled thoroughly. I only wish I could have had time to talk with ones I didn't get to talk with.

In the past I have missed great opportunities to grow in my relationships because of fear (fear of being judged, fear of not being accepted, etc) . But God proved to me this week that if I will trust Him and step out of my comfort zone to speak to others, He will bless me far beyond what I can imagine. It was a quiet bus ride home. I think most of us couldn't keep our eyes open. It's time to get back into the routine at home. I may not have all of the things that make me comfortable, but I've already decided I love being just where God put me (heat, skimpy meals, cold showers, and all).

Monday, Owen (the high school principal) spent most of the day teaching us the 9 essentials skills for using Love and Logic in the classroom. We finished up this morning. It is an approach to discipline that I've used parts of in my classroom over the last several years, really without realizing it (and it works!). Love and Logic is based largely on a positive relationship between the teacher and student. It teaches the importance of empathy, giving choices to the students, and setting limits with a positive tone. There are many things I still need to implement within my own classroom.

After orientation a few of us walked to La Sirena again to pick up a few necessities to get through this short week at home. I'm mastering checking out at the store without assistance. (Actually, I just watch the screen to figure out how many pesos I owe, the whole time praying the cashier doesn't try to speak to me in Spanish! And if they do I just shake my head no.) It's working. When we returned home Allison brought over some tools to put my bedside table together. She had just put the same one together at her house and knew what mistakes not to make the second time. She did a great job showing me how to do it and not just doing it herself. I'm terrible at reading directions from pictures, but seeing someone do it makes it much easier. It was definitely a sense of accomplishment for both of us to see it together and with sliding drawers that worked! I stayed back when the girls decided to walk to Bravo (another grocery story), a craft store, sweetFrog (a frozen yogurt place), and a pet store (where they sell monkeys?). However, I will eventually get to try sweetFrog and go to the craft store (which I've heard I will like). I was able to Skype my sister, Beth, which was nice since I hadn't talked to her since I'd left the states. 

Today, after orientation I was able to work for a couple hours on my classroom. The books are somewhat organized. All my "office supplies" are finding places in my desk or on the shelves by my desk. The shelves and boards are dusted. And so far I haven't found any critters living in my room. Little by little. 

Occasionally there are things that happen that remind me I am no longer living in Illinois. For example, coming home on the bus this afternoon there was a random cow hanging out on the sidewalk of one of the neighborhoods. Someone made a joke about organic free range beef (or at least that's the Spanish part I understood). Or the washer taking two hours to fill with water then saying finished, but it never washes/rinses the soap out. Maybe it's when I see clothes drying all over the shelves in my closet because we don't have the clothesline hung to put the wet clothes. But, these are small things in the grand scheme of life. Yes, I may go to school with clumps of soap in my clothes that never rinsed out, but that's okay.

I'm so thankful for our maid (her first time was today) who reorganized the few things in my bedroom to make it feel more welcoming, cleaned our apartment top to bottom, put away our new kitchen items that had been laying out for a week, and so much more. It was wonderful to walk in the door and see a clean, tidy apartment after a busy day. I didn't have this in Illinois (well, my mom did a lot but she wasn't paid :)).

I'd like to finish with my thoughts on the devotions for the last two days, both shared by Sheila. Yesterday she shared about Peter. I can identify with Peter. He messed up and failed many times, and so have I. But Jesus saw potential in him. He saw past Peter's failures and mistakes. Jesus could have given up on Peter at any point, but He didn't. He kept going out to Peter, encouraging him to keep on going. Jesus showed Peter grace, just as He does for each of us. Sheila reminded us that just as God shows us grace time and again, we need to show grace to our students- to give them a clean slate every day, sometimes every hour. God sees great potential in each of my students and my prayer is that God would give me eyes to see that same potential. Today Sheila's encouragement was that "where I plant my feet is crucial for my success"- they should be firmly planted by the Source of the stream. She shared about Joseph, how in the midst of all of his overwhelming circumstances he was still prospering, because he was planted by the Source. People could see God IN Joseph even in the hard times, because Joseph was so in tune with God. In times of great success and great failures I must be firmly planted, spiritually fed, praying without ceasing, in tune with my Source of life and strength. It really challenged me, because I tend to be so busy that I forget or push off my times with God. Then, when I need that strength or wisdom in times of storms, I am lacking. The Bible says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask..." It's crucial that I find that "nugget of truth" every day. I love that verse in Jeremiah 17:8, "They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." This is how I want to live every day, firmly planted by the Source.

Friday morning, after devotions, we learned about education in the Dominican Republic. It was interesting to learn how the education system came to be the way that it is today. There was a time that the education system was steeply declining. It is encouraging to hear about changes that are taking place within the government, just within the last few years, to ensure that money is going towards education and hiring of qualified teachers. It seems that this is a time of continual yet slow growth and I am excited to see how the Dominican education system continues to make progress as steps are taken to protect it. We got a lot of information in a short time, but it was very insightful. It also showed me how blessed I am to teach at SCS. We then went to a museum, Centro Leon, for a tour of the history of the Dominican Republic (and some art displays) . Again it was a lot to take in, but very informative.

In the afternoon I worked on finishing unpacking the things I had sent ahead and started to decide how to organize the room. I'm sure I'll change my mind a number of times before the school year actually begins. I was glad to have a couple hours of uninterrupted time to work.

Someone had graciously blessed the staff with free tickets to one of the finals games for the Santiago Metros basketball team, so in the evening several of us took the opportunity to experience a basketball game here in the Dominican Republic. We arrived 25 minutes before the game was supposed to start and there were hardly any people there. I was very surprised because it was a finals game. We got our seats and waited for the game to start. The game must have been on Dominican time and started 30 minutes late. However, by then the crowds started rolling in and when the game started the stands were very full. I could sum it up in a few words: noisy, packed crowd, high energy, military police. When the Metros scored, the people yelled, beat drums and blew instruments, and made as much noise as they could throughout the stadium. This was a nail biter game for me. Both teams stayed within a few points of each other the entire game. The Metros came out in the lead and won 107-101. There was so much going on, so much to watch. I think my brain was on overload trying to keep up. We were quite a site, being the only large group of gringos in the stadium. And yes, the military police were present to maintain order. It was a late night, but well worth it. Now I can compare a Metros basketball game to a Torros baseball game...

Today (Saturday) we drove to the beach at Sosua. The team that was in Palo Alto for the week came with us. It is about a two hour drive. The beach is beautiful with white sand and amazingly clear water that reflected my favorite shades of blues and teals. God gave us a hot, sunny day to enjoy. The water was pretty calm, which gave us perfect weather to snorkel. There wasn't a ton to see in the reefs, but there were enough schools of different kinds of fish, lots of sea urchins, and large pieces of coral to make it worth the time. The rocks went really close to shore with smaller fish and sea urchins to see, so even the kids could "snorkel" (but made it dangerous to walk on).

It was so peaceful looking at the blue fish, yellow and black striped fish, black and white striped fish, and so much more. It was like swimming in a giant fish tank. This was definitely a more enjoyable snorkeling experience than the last time I tried it (too many waves and too cloudy to see anything). I'd love to try it somewhere with even more to see. Maybe someday. We had lunch on the beach (either chicken or fish). We tend to have rice with every meal, but I'm fine with that since I love rice. One new thing I had today was a pineapple drink. They cut out the inside of a pineapple, blend it with juice and strawberries, and put it back in the pineapple with ice to cool it off. It was a refreshing afternoon drink. I can't imagine making them for approximately 70 of us though! I stayed in the water as long as I could until it was time to leave. It was a mental break, but I was quite tired physically. Time to rest up for a full day in Palo Alto tomorrow. Another day, another adventure...

Today we went up into the mountains to Palo Alto. There was a building that was being dedicated as a place of retreat for different SCS ministries. We took several vehicles with 4-wheel drive, because the bus couldn't make it up the mountain. At first we were on paved roads and it didn't seem too difficult, but then we hit the rocky, dirt roads that curved around and around (ask this motion sick girl how many curves there were- not that I counted). There were times only one car could get through on the road, or so it seemed. Driving here doesn't exactly have rules of the road. At least I didn't have to drive!  I began to realize why we took the vehicles we did as we got further up the mountain. Paul did a great job driving safely up the mountain. We rode with Ruth (the Spanish teacher at SCS who is working on learning some English) and her husband, Antonio, who did speak English, for which I was very grateful. Even though I may not speak Spanish hardly at all, the more I spend with people who are speaking it in conversation, I'm finding I'm beginning to understand more (even just being here a week). I still can't respond with more than a word or two, but you have to start where you start.

The view at Palo Alto was breathtaking! Lush, green mountains in all directions. Pictures can't describe the beauty I saw and felt standing on the edge. I told a couple people I felt like it was a dream, only it was reality. I live in this incredible place. We toured the building seeing the balconies and sleeping quarters and shower areas (which aren't quite complete). The teams did an amazing job making this into a place of peace and refreshment. I can't wait to see all the ways God uses it to build His kingdom. There was a time of dedication (thanking different ones, prayer, reading Bible passages). It was nice to visit with some of the other staff during lunch. The weather is much cooler on the mountain and the constant breeze was refreshing.

After lunch we took a hike up (showed me I need extra exercise!) to a "plateau" where you could be surrounded by the mountains, yet see the whole city of Santiago in the distance. Someone said we were only like 15 miles from home, but it took approx. 45 minutes to get there because of the roads. Again, the view was stunning! Unlike any place I've been in my travels. Sometimes it is really muddy up there due to a lot of rain, but
because it's been so dry we didn't have to worry about slipping and sliding in the mud. We finally pulled ourselves away from the view to go back down to see where Amado and Ramona stay. They choose to live very simply, so they can better reach their neighbors. What an example that was to me.

Then we attended their local church, just down the road a bit. It was a simple small one room church. We had that place packed with the SCS staff and the team from Pennsylvania. Even though the service was in Spanish for the most part, it's amazing that we can still worship together in song, prayer, and Bible reading no matter what language we speak. Our hearts are united in worship to a God who isn't hindered by languages. Dan Boehning spoke about how God chooses to use ordinary people like Gideon. It was an encouraging message proving that God can use any of us, if we are willing, even if we start off timid and afraid as Gideon did. God still saw him as a mighty man of valor.

After the service we got to stop by and see the local school. It actually is deemed uninhabitable because of earthquake damage that occurred in the spring, but the students have no where else to go. The view would be a daily reminder of the awesomeness of God's creation to all students and staff. It makes me very thankful for Santiago Christian School. I complain too often about little things that may annoy me, but after seeing the way others live so simply, I'm humbled.


Then it was time to come down from our mountain top experience. I will miss the beautiful green mountains, but I can always go back to visit. I do love where I'm living. Upon returning home we had a task ahead of us. The last several days my roommates and I have been living on granola bars and chips/salsa for dinners. We weren't sure we wanted to venture into the world of delivery and phone orders (and we haven't done well buying groceries yet). Tonight we decided to order Yaway. It's like a Subway in the states. Kyla is the only one who can speak enough Spanish to order, so we gave her that job. We placed the order, figured out pesos, and waited to see what would happen. And it showed up with all of the sandwiches correct. We were quite happy to have a decent dinner. I'm thankful God (and the SCS staff) put a Spanish speaking roommate in our apartment. It's time to move on to better menu options for meals... After a long day we are full and ready for bed. Another day, another adventure....

Started off today with another very uplifting devotion led by Stacey (the elementary principal). She talked about how the Hebrew people had seen God fulfill His promises to them time and again and yet were so quick to forget His continued faithfulness. How often I fall into the same trap when life becomes too comfortable. I see God bring me through so many things in my life, yet begin to doubt His faithfulness when things get difficult. But when I'm prone to let fear and distrust creep in, there is a team around me that will remind me of God's faithfulness, pray with me, and challenge me to move on. I didn't fully realize the support I'd get here at Santiago Christian School until I arrived. The administration truly cares about their staff and students! She shared a prayer that I'd like to post from Sir Francis Drake:

"Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the waters of life, having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity, and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas, where storms will show your mastery, where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizon of our hopes, and to push us into the future in strength, hope, and love. This we ask in the name of our Captain, who is Jesus Christ." - Francis Drake, Pirate/Sir

Also today the doctor that works for the school, Elizabeth, talked to us about how to stay healthy here in the Dominican Republic. She informed us of all the different illnesses that are somewhat common to the area, and how to recognize the symptoms of each. I came to the conclusion that I can wash my hands really frequently and wear mosquito repellent all the time, but ultimately I have to know that getting ill may happen and I'll work through it, with good care readily available, when it does. We then spent time working our way through the employee handbook, which wasn't fun but necessary (and Stacey did her best to throw in interesting "brain breaks" for us).

After lunch I finally got my hands on the teacher editions of my text books. Time to start figuring this curriculum out! (Step by step I might add.) Then Yoalba took Lori and me to Claro to sign our cell phone plans. I had the same employee from last time, who spoke English, so we were done in no time. Most of the group worked on figuring out how to call taxis (and getting them to the right locations), but I didn't have a chance today. It will happen soon enough though, and I'll probably give the wrong directions anyway and end up across town walking home. But I'd laugh about it since it's my fault for not knowing Spanish. After we all got home, Lori, Kyla, and I decided to go out on our first adventure- walking to the store. La Sirena is less than a half mile away from us, which makes it easy to get to. I was able to purchase curtains and curtain rods for my room. Hopefully they will keep the sun out during the day and make it cooler at night. We bought some other things we needed and set out for home. One thing about walking to the store, you want to think very carefully about what you buy and how much you buy. I will say that if we continue to do this my arm muscles will be quite strong. We all agreed it was good to get out and start exploring our neighborhood. The rest of the evening we had time to relax and Kyla practiced some worship songs on her guitar. Listening to her play makes me miss my guitar so much more.

Tonight there is a block meeting on the street outside our apartment. They shut down a portion of the street and everyone gets together to talk about things such as neighborhood safety, keeping things clean, noise control, etc. (This is what I learned from our neighbor.) It would be interesting to attend, but I wouldn't be able to understand what they were saying. With the loud speakers right outside my windows, I will see what I can pick up. On a different note, we're figuring out, with help from the other SCS staff, how to better cool down our apartment (especially my room), and tonight is the first night since I've been here that I don't feel like I'm sleeping in a sauna. I think God is being merciful and giving me slight relief from the heat! Another day, another adventure....

Tuesday was day two of orientation. During devotions Paul shared from Luke 14:25-33 about what it means to be a disciple of Christ- to follow Him. He talked about some different things that we here in the Dominican Republic have to give up, such as possessions, safety, and family. Of course we live in the top percentage of the people here, but we still had to leave behind items that made life more comfortable. Also, he reminded us that depending on where you live, it is safer here than in the United States. Finally, family isn't something you lose necessarily, but it is definitely an adjustment learning to live apart. There is a cost, but the reward is far greater. The mission of SCS is to disciple the youth that we connect with every day. It is based on building relationships with them and leading by example. First and foremost, He calls us to be His disciples. This devotion really encouraged me to continually remind myself of His purpose for me here and refocus when things get difficult.

The rest of the morning we went through some more technical information, which is a great thing for nontechnical me. I must say I'm catching on though. And they present it step by step, so we aren't crammed with information. We went to the main Claro store (cell phone company here) expecting to be there for hours getting our phones set up, but the group of us were in and out within 2 hours. I just have to wait to be approved and then I can go back and sign up for a monthly plan. The employee who helped me led me to believe he didn't speak English for 30 minutes while someone from SCS translated for me. Then the employee slipped up when talking with me and I realized he COULD speak English the whole time. He laughed and said he hates talking with his accent. No need for translation after that. It was quite funny that he could understand the whole time what I was saying and never let on. It made me wonder how many other Dominicans are the same way. I assume they can't understand English when in fact they can.

After lunch I started having an allergic reaction (breaking out in hives) to something, but Stacey knew just what to do. She was able to get me the medication I needed, and after a little time all the hives cleared up completely. Now it'll be a guessing game to rule out what food or environmental allergen would cause such a rapid reaction. God is good to me and my health is in His hands.

I finished off Tuesday shopping with several of the teachers. It seems like we shop a lot, but you can only buy so many groceries or things go bad and we are still figuring out what we need to make our apartments function better. We went to Bellon (like a Home Depot in the U.S.). Sometimes people tend to stare when a group of us "gringos" (white people) enters somewhere. It's interesting to take note of.

Wednesday in orientation we went through the philosophy of Christian education. It was so cool to see some of the places we partner with. SCS is reaching many places, not just here in Santiago. I'm excited that we get to visit some of these places! After lunch we went to IKEA to look for some home decorating items. They had things for every room of the house. You place an order and they send the items up from Santo Domingo in about a day or two.

 In the afternoon I got to spend a short time in my classroom, beginning to unwrap the containers I sent from the U.S.

I'm incredibly happy to see all the containers made it in one piece. Walking back into this classroom brought such joy and excitement to my heart. I could look out the windows at other buildings on campus and know this is exactly where I'm supposed to be. Now to start organizing everything.

I got to try Baskin Robbins for the first time here in the Dominican Republic and it was so good. It is a great way to cool down on a hot, sunny day. I will definitely be finding my way back to this place. We stopped by another grocery store, that had a book store in it, to look around. There were a lot of books I recognized from the titles, especially children's, except they were in Spanish. It's different to see the majority of the books in a bookstore in Spanish, not English (and not be able to pick up and read them, except the baby books).

Also today my roommates and I were able to find someone who could help us around the apartment. It will be wonderful with our busy school schedules to have someone come one day a week and help us with laundry, cleaning, and even some cooking. She is from Haiti, so we are looking forward to tasting some Dominican and Haitian food! Ir is very typical in the Dominican to have a maid. We couldn't have done this without some amazing people translating for us and knowing what to ask.

Praise report of the day: I used my new phone to calculate pesos and dollars at IKEA. When I left I forgot to pick it up. Hours later I realized I had lost it, and Paul was willing to go back to the store tonight to look for it. I spent much time asking God to please help us find it, as it is brand new. God answered my prayer and it is safely returned. This incident sure taught me many lessons in keeping track of my possessions and not doubting God's continual faithfulness to me even in the small things!

Sunday many of the teachers went to church at Vida Nueva. It is a Spanish speaking church, but they translated the service over headsets and radios for those of us who haven't conquered the language yet. I was so glad I could understand the message. I love worshiping here in the Dominican Republic, because so many churches sing well known songs and I can sing along. It brought back memories of when my students and I would sing along to Spanish worship songs off of youtube this past year. (Little did I know it would prepare me for moving here). After the service we went over to the Boehning's for lunch. It was another one of my favorite meals- tacos! However it got better because we had fresh pineapples and mangoes. It was a great afternoon of visiting, getting better acquainted, and playing games together. The ladies had an awesome game of Pictionary going on with a close ending. Several of us took another trip back to La Sirena to pick up things that we still needed. It's a place that draws you in and you wander aimlessly looking for things as you enjoy the air conditioning :) Like a Wal-Mart does for many in the states. We went back to the Boehning's house to hang out. It was interesting to see some of the different television stations/programs in Spanish. Watching them could be a good way to start picking up the language. Visiting at their house was my way of denying that I had several suitcases sitting unpacked in my room. But, relationships are very important in the DR, so I was glad for a day to hang out and get to know everyone more.

Today was an early day. One plus of getting ready early in the morning is it is still cool! We got picked up by bus to go to orientation (there is a bus route for teachers without vehicles). At orientation we each got to introduce ourselves and share how God brought us to Santiago Christian School. It was amazing to hear how God worked in each of us to get us to the place we are today. What a great team of teachers/administrators God has given me to work with this year (and hopefully years to come)! Then we took a tour of the campus and the administrators prayed for each new teacher as we came to each classroom. I wouldn't want to begin the year any other way than to ask God's blessing upon this school. There is much construction going on around the campus, including the construction of a building for more classrooms (hopefully to be done by the beginning of next school year). I loved seeing my classroom for the first time. It is almost surreal to think I'm actually going to be teaching here. And I heard my teaching things arrived that I shipped from home, so I'm really excited to see what I actually packed. (I can't remember what I sent, and I sent a lot!) I'll have the next few weeks to set it up and get my curriculum organized. I'm so thankful for the many people that are so willing to help me figure things out.

We went to lunch at a nice little restaurant (with an air conditioned room- notice the theme of where we go) next to a large moment in more central/western Santiago. Please don't ask me the names of the restaurant or the monument. I'm still working on street and grocery store names :) The food was wonderful, and again we had time to relax and visit. We then went to see the monument. We only walked up to the first landing area, but the view was breathtaking! I couldn't imagine the view if you went up further. Paul explained to us where things were located such as the school, the country of Haiti, the main river, etc.

 The rest of the afternoon I had time to relax and finish unpacking my suitcases, finally. I was able to Skype with much of my family. I have to love technology as untechnical as I am.

I'll end with this thought. Seth shared a devotion this morning that really challenged me. He read Matthew 14:22-33 where Jesus called Peter to come to Him on the water. Peter did, but then he began to look at his circumstances and sink. We are like Peter getting out of the boat. We are starting off strong. We are excited and determined. But, too often, we take our eyes off Jesus. We focus on our circumstances. But, Jesus never changed in this story. He was always right there with Peter. It challenged me to stay close to the Lord, to make time each day to spend with Him, because Satan wants me to doubt where God has placed me and sometimes I give in to his lies. How encouraging though that Jesus didn't give up on Peter and He isn't going to give up on me! Tomorrow's a new day, new adventure...

Last night I was getting ready for bed around midnight and I see this large bug on the wall of the bathroom. It was big enough that I almost shrieked. I don't know how it got in. We have screened windows! But, I didn't want to wake Lori. I stood there a minute before deciding to go get a cup to catch it. I went to get the cup and when I came back it was gone. Not a good feeling. I found it in the bathtub flying around. I quickly got the cup over it, but then was clueless what to do. So.... I left it that way. Overnight, trapped in a cup, in the bathtub. And then I dreamed all night that it had escaped and ended up in my bed. Thank goodness it didn't. This morning I asked Lori (my housemate) to "take care of it" and she did. First night, first scare. I was so thankful it was not a tarantula or I would have had a heart attack.

Today was shopping day. Paul and his daughter, Robin, took Lori and I to three grocery stores. At the first two stores he walked us through how to figure out prices, what brands to consider, how to pick fresh produce, etc. The stores seem to be a lot like the ones I'm used to except with less selections of many things and everything is in pesos (I'm learning quickly how to convert pesos to dollars to compare to U.S. prices). I did recognize a lot of the name brand items. We had sub sandwiches for lunch. We didn't do much buying until the third store, which happens to be within walking distance of our apartment. Lori and I had thought through some things we knew we needed right off that were very important. First up for me....coffee pot! Followed very closely with heavy duty fans. The temp got up to at least 95 or higher today, so it was quite warm in our apartment (I am so looking forward to eventually getting the air conditioner installed). We had several other things we needed for the apartment and so we had Paul running around the store finding things while Robin patiently waited with the carts. Needless to say, by the end of the afternoon we were worn out, but ready to start unpacking and organizing the apartment.  I am starting to understand where things are located in this side of Santiago, even if I still can't give a taxi driver my home address.

Our third housemate arrived today, Kyla. and it was nice to finally meet her. Sheila Boehning, the middle school principal, and her son, Cameron (who will be one of the high school teachers), dropped Kyla off so I got to meet them too. Our neighbor, Darlene, who has been here as a missionary from the US for 39 years, also showed up to introduce herself. It is such an answer to prayer to have an American in our apartment building who can help with a lot of the new stuff. And she invited us to come play her Wii (when it's cooler)!

Sheila and Cameron took me to get more large jugs of water, so we'd have plenty to drink and stay hydrated. It is awesome to have people that can translate for me (just until I start getting conversational Spanish down). I find it frustrating to not being able to communicate, but a lot of us are in the same position and in time that will change. I'm determined.

Sheila then invited me over to her family's house to visit and stay for dinner. Along the way she took me to a bakery up the street that makes amazing pastries and other desserts. Then we HAD to stop at a nearby coffee shop. It is my new favorite place, because it has air conditioning, free wi-fi, and coffee. These are in walking distance, which is good because I can walk off all the goodies I eat when I get there. When we finally got back to her house I met her daughter (who is a freshman) and her husband. They are all so friendly and welcoming! Even though I just met the entire family, it's as if I knew them for a lot longer. That's how everyone seems to be in the Dominican Republic. That's why I fell in love with this country so fast. From their rooftop I could see the mountain ranges on both sides of the city- so beautiful. They have two dogs (and I love animals), so it was like a little bit of home. We ordered pizza for dinner, so I didn't have to cook my first meal..... yet. The days are hot, but at night there is a cool breeze that makes it easier to sleep at night.

Tomorrow we are all going to church together and then going to the Boehning's house for lunch. Another day, another adventure.

Praise God I've made it to Santiago! God is so good to me. I met two other single teachers (one is my roommate) and the high school principal, Owen, at the airport in Miami and we traveled together the rest of the way. It was AWESOME to have Owen help with custom paper questions, get through customs and immigration, and collect all our heavy luggage in Santiago! Ryan, something about him reminded me so much of you!) It was smooth sailing the entire way today. The flights were on time and there wasn't any bad turbulence. My luggage stayed intact and all of the luggage arrived. I had some great conversations with strangers about where I'm going and what I'm doing. I stand amazed. When we exited the airport we met up with some more staff including Paul Gibbs, who I finally got to meet face to face after talking with him over the phone and though email. We dropped Heather off at her apartment and then went to Lori and I's apartment. I walked in and thought I was dreaming. Three bedroom, three bath. My room has a walk in closet. I don't need dressers or shelves. It's simple, but it's ours (with a third roommate coming tomorrow). They have provided food and some household things to get started which I'm so grateful for. Soon I'll have air conditioning at night, thanks to the generosity of a great friend. As we drove through town, I just felt peace, like I had finally made it home. Tomorrow we go shopping...

P.S. Sorry about the white background. I won't always copy and paste from my facebook, but I'm going on 24 hours of no sleep. :)

Well, the time has come. The day that I've been anticipating for years. I have prayed that in God's perfect timing He would move me to this place. He's had a lot to do to prepare me for this mission He's called me to. There are lessons I've needed to learn and healing that needed to come. He's been patiently waiting until I was ready and willing. Over the last several weeks there have been a lot of things happening- paperwork, packing, moving, repacking, etc. Now that's done. My suitcases are packed (to their limit I might add). My work visa is set. I'm checked in with the airline. Today I leave for St. Louis and tomorrow morning (very early) I will get on a plane headed for the Dominican Republic. I've had a lot of emotions the last couple of weeks- excitement being the biggest mixed at times with sadness of having to say goodbye (for now) to friends and family. But, I know that our paths will cross again, even if not on this earth. That gives me hope. God has given me such peace. Of course I am nervous. There are a lot of uncertainties. But, I am not fearful. I know my God is going with me. And I have an incredible support team in the states, too. People that are praying me through the transition. There are many things I regret in my life, but God is above all that. He has seen fit to use me to reach this group of students at Santiago Christian School. What a privilege. There is no better place to be than walking in the safety of God's will, depending on Him to be my everything.

My plan is to post updates here as frequently as possible when I'm in the Dominican Republic, so you can share in my journey.

My mailing address is the following (for letters only please since I have to pay to receive packages):

Sarah Tucker
BM#02-30555
8400 NW 25 street, Suite 100
Doral, FL 33198-1522

The words of this song have been very encouraging to me and I want to share them with you...

Bethel Music: You Make Me Brave

I stand before You now
The greatness of Your renown
I have heard of the majesty and wonder of You
King of Heaven in humility, I bow

As Your love
In wave after wave
Crashes over me, crashes over me
For You are for us 
You are not against us
Champion of Heaven
You've made a way 
For all to enter in

I have heard You call my name
I have heard the song of love that You sing
So, I will let You draw me beyond the shore
Into Your grace, Your grace

You make me brave
You make me brave
You called me beyond the shore
Into the waves

You make me brave
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now 
The love that made a way

You make me brave
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now 
The promises You've made

As Your love
In wave after wave
Crashes over me, crashes over me
For You are for us 
You are not against us
Champion of Heaven
You've made a way 
For all to enter in

A Week At CIY: Move

the girls are ready to go

This past week I had the amazing opportunity to go with our high school youth group to Holland, Michigan, to CIY: Move. It's a week long "conference" for high schoolers that better equips them to be kingdom workers. We stayed in the dorms on the campus of Hope College. We took nine students (2 boys 7 girls) and three adults. The group wasn't a really large group like other churches brought, but we were able to bond more closely. We left Broadway Monday morning and arrived in Michigan late afternoon.

The first session was Monday night. The messages were all taken from the book of Daniel. The speaker challenged the listeners with two questions: 1.) What is your Babylon- your place of hurt, confusion, etc.? 2.)Who or what is your Nebuchadnezzar- what is taking the place of God and becoming an idol- causing you to conform? The worship was done by the Jordan Howerton Band and was one of the top things of the week for many of us. Each day for the rest of the week there was a morning session, small group/devotion time, free time in the afternoon, an evening session, and we closed out the day with small group discussions about what we learned that day.

Another thing we did throughout the week was when we heard the lion roar everyone (around 1,500 people) would fall to their knees in prayer. It reminds me of the verse "At the name of Jesus every knee will bow..."

day two enjoying some frozen yogurt

selfie with the statues

As the week went on, I found myself connecting more and more with these teens. I started to see their personalities emerge and where God is taking them. We were able to have serious discussions, but also able to laugh together frequently. In fact, there are things that were said or done that will only be understood by those in our group. It was nice to spend our free time together. Several days we walked downtown, got ice cream or fro-yo, and looked around at the shops. It didn't really matter what we did as long as we did it together.

Wednesday night the speaker talked about how it was only through the furnace that Daniel and his friends could clearly see that God was actually there all along. They would have missed out on so much if they had conformed and bowed to the image. It is in the furnace we have our highest potential to recognize that God is here- even in the midst of the fire. The furnace reveals God's power in our lives and others will see it too. It's as we walk through adversity that we grow the most. At the end of the session they had everyone put on the masks they were given (with the eyes covered) and then told a story illustrating how a father never left his son even though his son couldn't see him, just as God never leaves us even when we feel alone. They challenged us to take off the masks we've been wearing and for those that didn't know Christ as their Savior to accept Him right then and throw their masks into the fire. One of our students made that choice and others were able to let go of some things. It was a very powerful evening. God convicted me about letting some things go, to be open and vulnerable, and to stop putting things before Him in certain areas of my life.

group shot at Lake Michigan

Thursday afternoon was extended free time, so we went to Steak 'n' Shake for lunch and headed to the beach. It had been very cool all week, so we were thankful it warmed up to the mid 70s.
Lake Michigan was so cold though! The temperature was only in the 50s. I did go in (slowly), but only because I became numb to the cold. I think I broke the "don't be stupid" rule.
However, in spite of the cold water, the beach was full of activity- sand castle building, kite flying, boating, and a lot more. After seeing several other people get baptized in the freezing water, Silvey decided to go ahead and be baptized in Lake Michigan. It was great to witness her commit her life to Christ.

Silvey's baptism

During the Thursday evening session they had the students write things they learned throughout the week on white bags, put tealights in them, and bring them to put on stage. Once they were all up there it looked beautiful! Hundreds of lights lit up the stage backdrop of the Lion of Judah. During small group I shared that the God of Daniel is still our God today and that we don't have to wait for the mountaintop experiences (like this week), but we can claim Him even in the valleys.

Friday the speaker challenged us to go where God is going and He'll be there every step of the way. My future for tomorrow is determined by my choices today. Daniel looked to the future and believed God's promises to be true. God is here, God will be there, and come what may that won't change! I see how God is drawing the hearts of our students into His work in a deeper way. We ended the week with recognizing commitments students had made (then praying for them) and a great time of worship.

praying before the meals

Friday night in our small group I was able to incorporate the messages of the week into my journey of God moving me to the Dominican Republic. What an opportunity to challenge these students to remember their commitments and to not turn back in spite of difficulties that will arise when they return home. I was able to share from my recent experiences that life is hard and there are costs to being a kingdom worker, but it's worth it. I have grown to really love these students and it's hard to leave them. But, God loves them so much more than I do. We spent time in prayer thanking God for a wonderful week and praying for what would come. As I gave each one a hug, I whispered how much they've impacted my life and how God has great plans to use them if they are willing.

waiting for the doors to open

When we returned to the dorm, the girls each opened their kingdom worker cards and read their challenges. Some were more difficult than others, but the support the girls showed each other will help each of them complete their challenges. I'll admit it was really hard to leave Saturday. Many students knew leaving the "mountaintop" would be difficult, but we are in this together (even if I'm moving away).

I loved hearing them speak Sunday night at youth group about CIY, because they were able to clearly share how God challenged them personally, what they learned, their favorite moments, and how they are different now. When they were asked why others should go next year they answered, "because it would be stupid not to go." They concluded by sharing their individual kingdom card challenges and we discussed how they could help each other complete them this year.

I will finish by saying that it has been a huge blessing to work with the high school youth group over the last few years. I've seen them grow as God works in them. I've seen changes in my own life because of the impact the students have had on me. God is using our youth to challenge this generation and I'm privileged to be a part of it!