One step at a time!

Life in the D.R. can be very challenging at times.

I have so much sympathy for the people who are so poor that they have to go looking for their "daily bread" each and every day. We in the States, at least most of us, have our refrigerators, cupboards, and freezers full of food. If we don't have money then we use our credit cards, and for the poor there are free food cards, food banks, and many churches and organizations that provide a meal. No one need go hungry in America. I am always impressed by the prayer that most Dominicans pray at meals, "God please provide even a piece of bread for those who have nothing today." Most of our kids come from poor families and when 10:00 a.m. comes around each day (surprising that they watch the clock) they are ready to eat. We provide bread and milk and sometimes fruit each day. It breaks my heart to see the ribs showing on some of the kids and how appreciative they are for this food.

As for me, I am totally recovered from this second bout of "flu". My appetite has recovered and I am blessed to have enough food and a wonderful Dominican sister in the Lord to cook it for me.
For us just the daily chores of life here can be challenging but then become habit and almost normal. Like heating up water to take a "pour over the head bath" or the day after day rain that has been falling. Just pouring at night and leaking through the ceiling. But still blessed to know that I have a nice warm bed and my room doesn't leak. The lady who cooks for us has been so upset with this rain and says that she is so cold every night and her house leaks alot. Several of our children have missed school this week because of this "unseasonal" rain. They live in such muddy places that it floods and the streets are unpassable. Our little street boy, Eduardo, has missed lots of school this past two weeks. We are concerned about him but cannot visit him because of the rain. I shudder to think what could be happening if he is cooped up in the house with his step-father who abuses him. Eduardo is so hyper that he can be very "challenging" and it is very hard for him to sit still or concentrate. We pray for him and love on him but feel so helpless as how to help him out of this abusive living situation.

We are still "searching" for a new house to have the school. We met a local Pastor who wants to help us. He has teams who come to work and minister in the D.R. and has offered us a team to help us. We know that whatever house we get will need lots of work so we believe God will show us soon. We need prayer for this!

My sign language class is growing! I am so excited as more and more people from the hearing church are getting interested in Deaf Ministry. A group of teens from the church came a couple of weeks ago and asked me to teach them a song in Sign Language that they planned to perform in church. They learned so fast and did it so beautifully! I was very impressed as feel hopeful that perhaps one or two of these girls will become Interpreters for the Deaf one day.

I sit here on the front patio of the school and there are dogs barking, motorcycles buzzing past, neighbors yelling at each othere and loud latin music blasting. The sky is dark with rain clouds, it is humid and around 70 degrees. The air smells fresh because of all the rain and there is a slight breeze. It is February 10. My home is thousands of miles away over much water and land and there is still snow on the ground and the temperature is around 32 degrees. My precious husband is there and I am here. I have to pinch myself sometimes to see if it is all real. Thank you Jesus for sending me here! Thank you Jesus that you love little Deaf kids that have no hope or future! Thank you Jesus that you came and died for each one of them! Thank you Jesus that these Deaf children are so valuable in your sight that You sent this old grandma here to tell them of your love! God is good! Never doubt it even when the times are challenging and you are not sure what is going on in your life! I trust Him for each and every day here!

God bless you who read this Blog and pray for me and the Deaf children of Hato Mayor, D.R.