A LONG OVERDUE UPDATE

IT HAS SADLY BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE I POSTED ON THIS BLOG. MANY WONDERFUL THINGS HAVE HAPPENED TO ME PERSONALLY AS WELL AS FOR THE DEAF SCHOOL IN HATO MAYOR, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

First of all, God gave me the bigger house for the school that I was praying so much about.  We moved in January, 2011 with the much needed help of my husband who had come for two months again. We worked pretty hard but God gave us the strength that we needed.  Unknown to Jet at the time he flew here,  he was to teach the high-schoolers for two months!  Cati, the high school teacher was in Miami and wouldn't be able to return until March.  God gave Jet the patience and a great love for the kids.  He was a bit frustrated as he doesn't know much Spanish but I  translated everything for him and eventhough he felt inadequite for the job he took each new day and did great.

On September 6, 2010 (the beginning of the school year) God moved upon me to take Bladimir into my care and live at the school with me.  He had wanted to be able to do something to help this poor little boy for two years and I finally reached that point where God was saying "Now"!  It went quite smoothly as the grandmother who was "caring" for him was all too pleased to get  rid of him.  She had neglected him terribly and was not too happy to have a Deaf child to raise.  Bladimir had been born to a 15 year old  mother. She gave birth at 6 1/2 months to twin boys. One didn't make it but miraculously Bladi survived. When he was able to leave the hospital  he was placed with the grandma. After finding out he was Deaf, his situation became worse.  Deaf people are on the bottom rung of society in the Dominican Republic and subjected to alot of ridicule. He spent much of his time roaming the streets and getting hand outs from caring neighbors as the grandma would go to work and lock him out of the house to fend for himself.   I am amazed that he is in no way bitter about his past treatment and eventhough he has some issues, he is a caring and loving child.
I am now his legal guardian and was able to get him a ten-year visitors Visa to the U.S.  We flew the end of May and he has begun his immersion into the American culture!  Wow!  He has been awestruck and surprised with many things but has adapted and flowed into it very quickly.  Eventhough the neighbors are still in shock at this little black boy riding like the wind down the street on his bike and screaming with joy at the top of his lungs!


We fly back to the D.R. on August 30th and begin the fourth year of the Deaf school in Hato Mayor on Sept, 5th.  We now have 21 students ranging in ages from 4 through 17.  The Department of Special Education has come along side us and wants to help the school become official as well as hire our teaches.  We now have four teachers besides me. I am looking forward to the process of turning the school over to the Dominicans through this next year or two.  My husband will join me again in Jan. and Feb. of 2012, God willing!

Whoever may read this Blog....please keep us in your prayers.