Well a month has passed. I went to the fruit store. I bought gas. I paid my phone bill. I went bed & couch shopping (without success). I got some things fixed on my motorcycle: lights, front brake, on/off switch (for a while, a key wasn’t necessary to start my motorcycle) Ah yes, I bought a motorcycle (with help from Sonia, my roommate, and Heladio, the Kid’s Alive driver (not to be confused with helado, which, ahem, is a VERY important word…ice cream) both of whom don’t speak English…). Ah, so much has happened. It doesn’t seem like much, but these are rather big accomplishments in my little world here. In fact, it’s a good day when I venture out to the gas station or supermercado. I have to talk myself into it; unless that is, I’m out of gas and am forced to roll down the hill to the gas station…no wonder I couldn’t get my motor started…
Things are finally becoming more familiar. I’m now an experienced Spanish speaker (‘experienced’), I know not to wear shorts to PE at Palo Blanco (unless I want to itch bites for a week- I took the picture below during PE at Palo Blanco). I know to go running early in the morning when people aren’t awake enough to yell. I know how to do the laundry…although I don’t know how to do it so that it won’t take 2 hours. I know not to use the water after it rains. Either because there IS no water after it rains, or because it’s full of leaves (yes-the water from the kitchen sink)
As you can tell, this has certainly become home…although by now I would have figured home would have included a table and maybe some chairs that weren’t broken … (it’s on the list
for this weekend- see photo to right- it's our living room sin table/chairs- woman in pink is my roomate- the other two are our first dinner guest- Sonia's friends from church). Ok, maybe it’s not quite ‘home’, but it is a rather special place. A couple weeks ago, the Arc (the orphanage in Jarabacoa) received three sisters. I went over there the morning after they came. These girls came from an older male relative that failed to take care of them. They arrived scared, undernourished, and with lice. Of course they can’t read or write because they have never been sent to school. But what a blessing these girls are! I spent an hour taking the middle sister for a piggyback ride around the different homes at the Arc. We had some good laughs at my Spanish too.
That same day I got to meet Diary. Diary also lives in one of the homes at the orphanage. There was something different about meeting Diary, and it turned out that she is my grandma’s sponsor child. She’s part of my family. Yes, she has her house parents and her house siblings. But for me, it’s like finding a little sister. Even when we think we have left home, family, friends, God provides in the most unexpected way. I never even thought that meeting Diary would have such an impact. What a Father we have!
I am running out of time, so I will leave with this…”Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” Heb. 11:1. I was actually given this verse by a little old Dominican woman I was sitting next to during Sunday school. She grabbed my arm and pointed to it. Her bible was both in Spanish and English, so after I attempted to read the Spanish version, I read the English. This gift from the Lord, could not have been at more of a perfect moment. There are many moments when I am frustrated and down (not knowing a language can be very frustrating!), but there is hope! Being sure of what we HOPE for and CERTAIN or what we do NOT see.
Things are finally becoming more familiar. I’m now an experienced Spanish speaker (‘experienced’), I know not to wear shorts to PE at Palo Blanco (unless I want to itch bites for a week- I took the picture below during PE at Palo Blanco). I know to go running early in the morning when people aren’t awake enough to yell. I know how to do the laundry…although I don’t know how to do it so that it won’t take 2 hours. I know not to use the water after it rains. Either because there IS no water after it rains, or because it’s full of leaves (yes-the water from the kitchen sink)
As you can tell, this has certainly become home…although by now I would have figured home would have included a table and maybe some chairs that weren’t broken … (it’s on the list
for this weekend- see photo to right- it's our living room sin table/chairs- woman in pink is my roomate- the other two are our first dinner guest- Sonia's friends from church). Ok, maybe it’s not quite ‘home’, but it is a rather special place. A couple weeks ago, the Arc (the orphanage in Jarabacoa) received three sisters. I went over there the morning after they came. These girls came from an older male relative that failed to take care of them. They arrived scared, undernourished, and with lice. Of course they can’t read or write because they have never been sent to school. But what a blessing these girls are! I spent an hour taking the middle sister for a piggyback ride around the different homes at the Arc. We had some good laughs at my Spanish too.That same day I got to meet Diary. Diary also lives in one of the homes at the orphanage. There was something different about meeting Diary, and it turned out that she is my grandma’s sponsor child. She’s part of my family. Yes, she has her house parents and her house siblings. But for me, it’s like finding a little sister. Even when we think we have left home, family, friends, God provides in the most unexpected way. I never even thought that meeting Diary would have such an impact. What a Father we have!
I am running out of time, so I will leave with this…”Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” Heb. 11:1. I was actually given this verse by a little old Dominican woman I was sitting next to during Sunday school. She grabbed my arm and pointed to it. Her bible was both in Spanish and English, so after I attempted to read the Spanish version, I read the English. This gift from the Lord, could not have been at more of a perfect moment. There are many moments when I am frustrated and down (not knowing a language can be very frustrating!), but there is hope! Being sure of what we HOPE for and CERTAIN or what we do NOT see.
(Picture to right- Ochaira- she likes to come into our office and speak spanish with me. maybe she just likes to get a good laugh.
