Sunday May 1, 2016

 

 

Well everyone survived the travel on Saturday. We are all proud of Lynnette who decided to make her first flight ever an international one! We are settled into the team house and all slept well after our lack of sleep the night before. I did hear that some of the guys were woken up by our neighbor’s 2am karaoke party but no one in the girl’s room budged all night!

This morning we spent some time before church sharing our hearts and hopes for the trip with each other and praying for our week. We then went to La Vid and worshiped with the Ark kiddos and other Dominican brothers and sisters in Christ. We also had the awesome privilege of joining them in communion. It was reinforced to us again just how big our God is and how His heart for the people of the United States is the same heart that loves the Dominican people and the people in the rest of the world.  While I don’t believe that we consciously think we are loved by God in a privileged way, I think that over all the American people live in a bubble and often don’t really understand the big picture of the whole world and God’s crazy love for us all.

 

 

 

 

                                             (Verray and Rose with their sponsored girl, Genesis)

 

Carmen, our amazing cook is back with us for the week. We were treated to a delicious meal after church of chicken, rice and beans, carrot and raisin salad, arrepita (fried yucca), and mango juice. We enjoyed having missionaries Derrick and Katie Allen and their family join us for the meal – and of course our very own Karen Green.

After lunch it was time for our annual waterfall hike with our sponsored kids from the Ark. We packed everyone in the bus and set off for the Salto (waterfall).  As we were walking (or jumping in some cases) across the swinging bridges we realized that the massive amounts rain that has fallen over the last few weeks has turned the waterfall to mud – not exactly ideal for swimming. It turns out it didn’t matter much though because we got caught in a downpour and were soaked by the time we got back to the bus. We still enjoyed our time with the kids and the beautiful scenery.

On our bus ride back to the team house the streets were busier and louder than usual (which is saying a lot because the traffic in the DR is always chaotic and crazy). The Dominican Republic is in the middle of presidential elections as well and we had gotten caught in the middle of a parade to promote the current president of the country, who is running for reelection. The parade consisted of a caravan of pickup trucks and SUVs blowing loud horns and blaring propaganda, with people waving flags with President Danilo’s face on them. We had the bus windows open and were leaning out watching what was going on and all of a sudden we looked up and the president himself was standing in the back of a pickup truck about ten feet from us waving to us (Rose swears he was waving to her personally). What an experience!

                                            (President Danilo - photo credit Steve Adkins)

This evening we will get to eat dinner out on the town and Delicias Columbianos. Their empanadas and hot sauce are delicious!