First Full Family Trip up to Esperanza!

School in the D.R.

02/04

Yesterday at church, we met Claire.  Claire is a young missionary from England & people call her “The Queen of Esperanza!”  Clair was our host up in the village, but first we were her transportation to get there: 6 people in a Hyundai!  We are becoming more Dominican every day.  We drove slightly faster than walking pace in order not to bottom out on the “road.”

The construction of houses in the village is almost complete: there are only 3 houses left to build. There are almost double the houses than there were when I (Mike) was here last – the size of the village is a little overwhelming to me.  We saw Rob & Tina at the clinic and gave them the supplies many of you provided.  We were also able to meet with the director of the school Juan Ovalle & sorted out the use of space for Alpha, ESL, girls club…  We also have the use of an empty house that had been used for construction storage.

We asked for responses from the kids: Ben said that he was glad that the people we able to have better homes than they used to, but it was sad that they were still so poor. Hayley said she was happy to be back in the village again.  Nicholas said he was glad that people were able to make money in the different stores.

-      Mike

Thanks for your prayers. I feel we are being carried on them. Prayed for a lady dying of cancer today—she knows Christ. We will pray for her constantly to usher her into God’s arms soon. Received a warm welcome in Villa Esperanza(Hope). God is at work through so many gracious, lion hearted missionaries. Gracias a Dios para todos. I was ready to weep at church on Sunday as I experienced being safe in the arms of Christ as we sang Chris Tomlin’s latest song (out last month)--The God of angel armies is always by my side ...Whom shall I fear?

We are walking in God’s grace like rain...

Mike and I are using Shane Claibournes ‘Common Prayer’ for daily prayer---there’s comfort in the structure at the end of the day when we arrive home to mi casa when I am empty and seek the Holy Spirit to fill me. We desperately need a rhythm of prayer to wash, cleanse, heal, fill, and seek direction.

Daily Life

Bugs—love the gecko in my bedside table-hoping he’ll take care of the mosquito that buzzed me this morning—Dengue Fever is in the area.

Tiny, tiny bugs swarm the counters if they’re not fully clean—thank goodness for antibacterial vinegar, by substitute for bleach---speaking of which-yes, Hana, they do cook with bleach—it’s used to wash non peel-able vegetables like lettuce.  Haven’t gone there yet—could someone bring down some grapefruit seed extract so we can eat tomatoes?

Water – is there water today?  Did we turn on the hot water heater switch before showering?  Is there enough water for 2 minute showers x 5 people when we come home hot and sweaty? 

Fun sights

12 mattresses piled high on the back of a very small pickup

4 people on the back of a motorcycle

2 people on a motorcycle balancing a washing machine between them with the driver holding onto it with 1 hand above his head.

A stove balanced on the back of a motorcycle. 

Texting on a cell using the brake hand on a motorcycle

-      - Pam