Semana Santa

Hanging out watching tube

Kidney Stones

The plan for this weekend was to take a couple of our Dominican friends to the beach for a day of relaxation after all the crazy that ensues when the groups are here. But we had to interrupt that show to bring you this public service announcement:

If you managed to miss the posts of Facebook, then you are still unaware that Kisha was in the hospital for a night. She has kidney stones, which are usually not life-threatening, but also not fun. She's on a fistful of meds, laying low, and hoping that the stones are small. She also has a small infection, but the doctors are pretty sure the antibiotics will take care of that. So far she's not a big fan of this version of sick, so please pray she gets better soon.

We now return you to our usual broadcasting...

Canadians Are Cool, Too

Kisha and I spent the last week and a half hanging out with a group of Canadian nursing students from Calgary. As it turns out, Canadians are cool, too! It was really nice to just hang out and speak English with people who know how clever I can be with my words :0) It made me miss my ONU days, and reminded me of the mission trip I took to Denver. Good times.



We're doing okay. We just helped host two groups in a row, so I'm learning about the rhythm that is practiced by the people involved with TEARS. We have recently finished the TEARS dormitory, which means that the groups are staying on site now, rather than staying at the conference center in the middle of La Vega. I think it works pretty well, though a little less rain would have afforded a little less mud. This new way of doing things offers jobs to people from the barrio, so they can serve as cooks and help with cleaning in addition to the translating that a few of our Dominican friends provide.



Part of the rhythm is the crash after a batch of groups come through. That's the part we're in now, and it takes some getting used to. I actually got pretty sad on Friday morning when the group was leaving, mostly because a whole crew of English-speaking homies were leaving, but also because I wish I could be getting on a plane as well. I'm leaning good coping skills, and trying to do my very best at school so the kids receive a good education, but I'm also keeping the end in site. Today marks 100 days before my big plane ride.



I'm also keeping an eye to the now, which I think is the lesson I've been learning from God this year. I'm sure somewhere way down the road I'll do something more traditional like kids, house, etc., but that's not what I'm supposed to be doing right now. I'll also be transitioning back to the US in the future, but that's not what God has for me right now. Right now I have 3 classes to finish well, a relaxing spring break, and at least 3 more North American groups to help host here in the DR. Not only am I leaning to be content with these things, I'm learning to look forward to them!



In the wise words of Rocco from The Boondock Saints, "The Lord works in mysterious ways, Man."

Group Time

February 1st started the group season here at TEARS. We have 2 women visiting planing their summer missions trip. Then we have two teams coming from Canada. March has one week empty... and so goes the schedule. The challenge is keeping life balanced in the midst of people coming and going. I have my 5 boys and Yuli to maintain a strong connection to while serving the teams who come in. This disruption in schedule will be a hard on my routine but can be enjoyable as well. Last night Eric and I took the 2 ladies, Jessica and Kathy out for dinner and ice cream.

The tornado has begun...!

Coming Home

For those of you who haven't heard yet, we're coming home in June. The reasons are many and feel complicated, but it all comes down to missing home. Our family... our friends... our healthy way of life... these are things that simply are not available down here in the DR, so we are going to search for another method of helping TEARS and working with the people we have grown closer to over the past 6 months. Kisha will still be working for the ministry as liaison to North American supporters, and will also be learning how to write grants for TEARS as a non-profit ministry. We also have hopes of leading American groups to La Vega during summer breaks, helping people show and experience the love of God in meaningful ways.



We will be leaving for home by mid June, which means we're once again moving into transition. I have notified my employer about our decision, but I have to believe that moving out of a foreign country is a tad bit more complicated than just moving across town. There will be paperwork... fees... and long, emotional good-byes in a foreign language (that coincidentally doesn't seem so foreign anymore). Please pray for us as we start making another big transition.



I am trying to maintain a solid work ethic at SCS. It's not that easy considering the student mindset, but I want to give them the best I have for the remainder of the year. Though I haven't gotten as close with these students as I have in the past, parting is always such sweet sorrow, and I admit I'll miss some of them. They crack me up, for sure. Pray for energy and vision in my classes, that God will allow me to positively impact the student that need a touch from a Jesus follower that just happens to be a teacher.

I am grateful for all the support we've recieved. When I have felt crazy I know I can just pick up the phone and talk to someone who cares. I'm sure I'll need it again in the next 4 months, but I just want to take a moment and say THANK YOU to you guys who have talked me through this gig. You're awesome.

once I thought...

Reaching the halfway point to a year here in the tropics is causing me to reflect. How wonderful I always believed it would be to live here. I envisioned a life full of laughter and tons of time with friends. I thought we would change the world together. I wished that my American friends had the dedication and gumption to follow Christ the way I remembered from my earlier mission trips... I always put my memories of this place on a pedestal. I blamed my lack of motivation on the American churches' format and on Western culture. It is amazing how blinded I was by youth... It was magical to be here because it was my first taste of living on my own.

I am so happy to be here, but at times I am ready to go home. To go back to Portland. Life here is hard, and now that my friends are all grown up with families and children we are not that much different from people in the States. There are a lot of things that take up our time, and we have trouble balancing all of the responsibilities. I hate seeing people I love be affected by severe poverty. I hate knowing that families I care about regularly go without food. I hate watching children I love suffer abuse at home. I understand that this happens in the States, too, and I am not trying to give up the romance of one place by romancing another, BUT it is so in your face here. It is everywhere I look. The divide between the haves and the have nots is huge and frightening. We live in the desperation that is left behind.

So how do I offer hope? How do I even speak Christ into this place. Jesus help me to be your light in this darkness.

What a Time

It has been a while since I have written a post... I don't have any real good reasons why. I felt like all of my posts were sounding the same... but really that is because life has gotten into a routine here for me. 3 days a week I make lunch for/with the 5 boys. The rest of my time I am trying to build into the life of Yuli the girl who is expecting a child. My days are full of just hanging out and loving and praying for opportunities to impart wisdom.

I started taking a class this week to finish my Associates degree through PCC, turns out I was 5 credits short. So that is a change. I am taking Chicano/Latino studies. It will be great to finally finish this task that seems to have taken forever.

But here is a recap of the past little bit of my life starting with the most recent...

sick for 5 days without leaving the house, bad cough... possible yucky virus that will remain nameless.