Dominican Time

Hi Friends of Esperanza,  (Warning--the squeamish may not want to check out the last photo!)
We were in Esperanza on Wednesday and we met Alexandra and family. They are well. We'll be teaching her and others English. We're making lesson plans now. Mike will work with young men like Alexis (has a motorcycle and some English...he's been a great help walking around the village with us. Love it here. God's putting the right people in our path.

Elmond & Mike

Elmond & Noah

We met with our translator Elmond yesterday and today to review alpha training talks with him.  He is a gifted man with a heart for God and the people. He has wisdom and is very knowledgeable working with many missionaries and groups. Pray for him that he may also translate alpha to creole since there is very limited christian material in creole.

  He brought a young American missionary with him and we had a really good conversation about what to do and what not to do while ministering with Haitians. We spent the afternoon learning about the effects of gringos coming down. So many people have read the book "When helping hurts" by Steven Corbett --it seems to be a must read for Int. Dev. Workers since it is changing the way things are done overseas.  We also discussed the need to support local pastors. We will meet pastor Joel this Sunday from our village. Pray for our relationship.

 We were supposed to meet with Elmond again to do the Alpha training today at 3:30, but it’s 4:45 & still no Elmond – welcome to Dominican time.  Someday we will do the Alpha prep! Pray for cultural examples and that we would be of one mind.

Poncho Mateo on the way to Ascension

This morning we visited old friends in Ascension Village: Pastor Jonny & Abuela Jannina who cares for our sponsored child, Cherina.  

Pam made Fried Platanitos!

Movie night at the Wilkins!

Beautiful weather. Yummy mango. One week of completely healthy family...gracious a Dios! Exodus 23:25 is a common grace that I earnestly pray. We are so blessed in Canada that we don't think of such things whereas the last week has been dominated with finding safe food in stores and restaurants. Pray Hayley will be healed of gluten sensitivity which is tough here....I'm speaking Spanish mucho aqui! Mike saved us from a big ugly nasty spider on our ceiling...he kept appearing everywhere. I think God got the design wrong during creation....perhaps these things entered during the fall. I'll ask in heaven. Ha !

This 3 inch  BFU (big fat ugly) showed up on the ceiling fan, in the bathroom and finally on the kitchen ceiling until my knight in shining armor rescued us!!