Majesty.

Covenant School's crew from Boston, Mass headed out this morning on a flight from Santiago. Some left wearing sandals, ready to pull out and put on New England-appropriate shoes upon their arrival.

I already miss them.

Here's the school website for you to check out when an exemplary job they're doing as an EL (Expeditionary Learning) school with Christian principles and backbone: http://www.csarlington.org/

God was at work daily in conversations, prayers, devotions, service projects, and most especially through our time at the beach.

The leaders can be found on Covenant's faculty site, without Uncle Mike or Nancy included.

Henry - Headmaster and the overall crew director; he and his wife, Nancy, have been here before. His fear pushed aside was motivation for mine to be pushed aside too -- I rock climbed the high point on the beach after his ascent.

Nancy - Henry's wife and art teacher extraordinaire. They taught in Germany for nine years (I think) working at Black Forest Academy. Henry & Nancy met in college, where they each played Hansel & Gretel. (How precious.) They are both from New England, and Nancy studied Puppetry in college, where Henry studied Children's Theatre. We had abundant conversations about community, God's divine appointment in everything we do, and my possible return to Doulos in the fall to be on the Art teaching team. (She's my new advocate in this department.)

Joanna - My psychology buddy. Her husband, Steven, is an expeditionary learning master who actually led Chad & Krista to pursue such a style of learning for Doulos, themselves! We talked about Christian counseling -- she's my new advocate in this department -- and the possibilities of seminary for me, feminism, and women's place in the church.

Linda Lue - A Goldilocks-haired cheerful friend who is full of wisdom and wit. I learned about languages from her and was inspired to do my best in my Spanish communication efforts. She and I were sarcastic buddies, although she nailed satirical humor more than I even attempt to.

Kit - Miss Petite, my aid in Spanish or really my guide, since she is the Spanish teacher at Covenant. We shared attending Urbana in common, traveling to Spain, and a night under God's greatest tent of all -- the night stars on the beach.

Uncle Mike - James' uncle, a fellow Southerner, and the only non-teacher on the trip. We shared the front seat in the taxi and talked about Baylor, trusting the Lord with our financial security control issues, and sharing family pictures.

The Nine - Children, that is. Seventh and eighth graders are hilarious, if you haven't spent any time with that age group lately. I couldn't stop laughing most times they opened their mouths, no matter if serious or light conversations were taking place. I have never experienced so intimately a group of youth with God so evidently present in their hearts.
Ali twisted her ankle and had a stomach bug, Joshua was constantly curious and often behind in conversations -- "Why do they have barbed wire on everything??", Annie was the fastest rock climber, Andrew was a string bean with a kind heart, Michael was the group drummer, James lacked a filter and gave the most heart-wrenching prayers, Noah provided the punch of humor, Keza (from Rwanda) was often hyper and singing pop songs, Steven rarely shared his inner thoughts but when he did I was surprised by his maturity and wisdom.

The Wallaces - Krista and Chad started Doulos; Krista is the Executive Director, and Chad is the Project Manager along with being the owner of Colorado Designs construction design company. Keren and Kate are their two little girls who attend Doulos, of course. They went with us on the trip to the beach and were the true leaders; Chad led the coral reef teaching sessions.

The work team arrived last week on the 16th and left this morning, the 25th. As I walked out of the luggage claim area, I had no idea what to expect. God was present in every moment, and I was welcomed with open arms into their group.

Some of my favorite times were morning or evening, or anytime, prayer with adults or devotions at night with everyone. I joined in their designated times for these often, including the sketch and journal sessions. They even gave me a nature journal to use and keep myself!

They were the first middle school group Doulos has ever had, and essentially the only other Christian exepeditionary learning oriented school in the world.

We built a walled bookshelf system for a public school toward the outskirts of town as a service project before we left for the beach. This work team was unlike many others that come solely for service; this was hopefully the first of many trips like it. They came for a learning and cultural exchange, and the learning goal was to learn about the Dominican Republic and education here, along with coral reefs.

Before we left for the beach to explore the reefs, we didn't catch a wink of sleep. Next door to the villas was a bumpin' party - BUMPIN' - until 4 in the morning. Imagine a bunch of Dominican men and women yelling and cheering (most likely in drunkenness) at the top of their lungs to Dominican rap mixes. There you have it.

So, onward to the beach!

Fronton was the most beautiful place I have been in a long time. It is located on the Samana peninsula, and the only way to get there is by boat, or "hiking" in. We hiked in on old coral that has been there for who knows how long. I felt like I was in the middle of a Jurassic Park scene.

The beach has a wooden shack-like bar and cooking area with no electricity, outside seating, and a bathroom whose toilet can be flushed with salt water -- by carrying buckets to and from the ocean before and after use. (Arm strength appeared out of nowhere for those trips.) Those were the only structures in existence.

At lunch time, or throughout the morning, tourists boat in from the next beach over to snorkel and have lunch cooked for them in the open air kitchen.

I had a huge tent all to myself, with lots of nice REI gear borrowed from Shelly and Jonathan for my plush accommodations. The work team and I explored the beach; found fossils, coral, shells and sea creatures; snorkeled; shared devotional time together...

My favorite nights of sleep were spent under the greatest tent of all, God's sky.

Pure Excitement

There is so much on my mind right now, but most importantly, I want to share the work team's arrival!

Covenant Christian School is probably on its way right now, and I am picking the group of middle schoolers up at the airport tonight with our director, Krista. Thankfully, prayers were answered, and details were filled in for me today!

I wanted to let y'all know of the latest news, since I'll probably be blog-less for awhile. I'm staying with the kids and their leaders down the street in those Miami-like villas called "Villas Anacaonas" while they're here tonight through next Wednesday. (Well, a lot of that time will be spent at the beach for their learning trip.)


Backtracking to...Yesterday, Monday --

Our new roommie is here!! Jessica arrived Sunday night from Michigan. She goes to school at Hope in Holland, where she is also from. While she's here, she'll be finishing her student teaching and working with Special Ed, her degree -- she's graduating in May, like Kymberlee.

She's got a background in and passion for YoungLife, loves the outdoors, and doesn't stop smiling. Yesterday afternoon, we went on a run with Amanda down to the river. Thank you, Jesus, for another runner and outdoor enthusiast! For these reasons and more, I couldn't have asked for a better third roommate!

Sunday-

I have been wanting to share this for what seems like eternity! Church on Sunday was fantastic. Pastor Luis started out by saying, "God will either reveal something to you this morning or confirm something in your heart." Please give me grace as I try and transfer and remember the bulk of his message.

1 Peter 1:16 says ..."it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'." What is the significance of this? How can we possibly be holy?

Life in Christ is not about fulfilling rules. We become sanctified because God is sanctified. Let's look at 2 Corinthians 5:21..."God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Galatians 3:5 says "Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?"

Because of His love for us, our Father wants us to be holy. We don't know to fulfill laws but instead to be distinct, different in the way we go about life -- and He has made us that way when we abide in Him!

Not a single one of us can be made holy in our own strength, but in Christ we have been covered. God did not only forgive us our sins by sending Jesus to die on the cross for us and fulfilling His promises through that, but He also justified us; we are truly made holy.

We cannot possibly do anything to please God. However, we are made perfect in Him. The one who fears is not made perfect in love because [we] are not owning to our divine perfection, created in His image. 1 John 4:8 -- Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

He forgave us our sins and completely regenerated us...2 Corinthians 5:17 -- Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (HALLELUJAH!)

Ezekiel 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

The Lord put a completely new spirit and heart of flesh in us, so that we can discern sin from the right paths; we can walk in a clean, new way. He did this not because we are deserving, but because He loves us so! When we have hearts of stone, without the Holy Spirit present in us, we are truly living in our humanness, our brokenness.

Christ has done so many things for us; His love for us is so immense, how can we not do anything but love Him and obey His commands in return?

So, God's been teaching me a lot about His strength in our weakness and our righteousness in Him, without any works of our own.

Saturday --

What an adventure. Who knew looking for stationary would be such an ordeal? I wanted to write all of my sponsors and tell them a loud "THANK YOU!" for sending me here and giving me the opportunity to serve God. Turns out, there is no stationary in Jarabacoa, but there were Valentine's cards.

I went with the solid white sheets of paper and solid white business envelopes to complete the ensemble.

Kymberlee and I went up to school -- as our Saturday morning tradition goes -- and then we headed to lunch at one of our usual spots, La Tanaja. I love getting cheeseburgers there because the meat is extremely lean, unlike the states. Chinola juice is my fav -- tart, sweet, and citrus-y all in one.

Then we wandered around town and went to the grocery store to prepare for the fiesta con nuestra amigas that night. We headed over to our friends' house afterward to help make fiesta platos, and dancing made the preparation that much more fun!

After returning home and showering from a hot, sticky day of walking in Jarabacoa, we headed back to the girls' house (where Meredith, Jyll, Rachel, and Jess live). What a blast! There were Dominicans and Americans, hysterical games, and lots of yummy treats.

My favorite part of the evening was when the crowd died down, and the music got louder. I can be shy about dancing sometimes, and social anxiety can get the best of me; however, I prayed beforehand that God would be my confidence. Boy, was He! We all let loose and danced to every type of music under the sun, except the shag, unfortunately.

Dominicans helped me learn and perfect my beginner attempts at bachata and salsa. My crazy friend Micky said she's going to take me out to the Dominican clubs to try out our dance moves. (Don't worry, she's married to a Dominican, and she knows the culture well.)

We went home late, exhausted with big smiles plastered on wide.

some pics!

These will hopefully suit for a bit...stolen from Kymberlee Ward (my roommie).

street corner on the way home from school -- the sign leads to "La Vid" (our church, "The Vine")

walking home from church

Peek-a-Boo! Kymberlee caught me off guard after brushing my teeth. This is my room. I am thankful for the fan.

This weekend, I am moving in with Kymberlee for our third housemate, Jessica, to get here on Monday and move into my "old room."

Feliz Dia de Amor!

Happy [early] Valentine’s Day for all you Americans!

I wish we were having school on V-Day because I love giving – and receiving – Valentine’s! So, here’s my secret…I made little hearts for each female staffer and placed ‘em in their boxes. Even though we’re not in school on Sunday, we still need to celebrate the holiday!

Okay, so here goes my update – in a completely logical fashion of going in reverse.

Tonight, Friday –

My friend Amanda and I are singing My Favorite Things in the talent show! Hope for Haiti: Doulos Got Talent? Is tonight, so please pray for God to be glorified and for many people to come and raise support!

(Yesterday at practice, I prayed for God to be glorified through our singing, and afterward many people came up to us and told us how happy our song made them!)

Today, Friday –

Friday staff devotionals are my favorite! We get to school at 7 AM, and this morning was extra special. We had homemade, refrigerated cinnamon rolls and started out the morning right by listening to God through song to bring our thoughts toward Him.

Then, we sang praise songs…one in Spanish, two in English. We sang one of my favorites, Divine Romance!

We talked about Josiah in 2 Chronicles: 34, where he became ruler over the people at age eight. What amazing things God taught him throughout the time of destroying idols and coming to know Him, leading people.

God prepares us for the challenges in our lives and brings us through them. Psalm 84 is a great passage about going through an awful time and place, the Valley of Baca, and then having a beautiful and cleansing autumn rain – refreshing pools of rain. God brings good after hardship, and even through it. If He brought Josiah through that challenge of leading people and turning them from their idols with such might, we can trust He will bring us through our own challenges. What victories have you overcome through Him throughout your lifetime? Which ones has He used to prepare you for other struggles and challenges in your life? What are you struggling with now that you want to become victorious over?

Yesterday –

Eric, Kyla & Jake (married with baby Judah), and I played Scrabble and ate pizza at their house. Then, Kymberlee joined after her Bible study, and we all played Apples to Apples! I came second in the last game and last in the first. (Dad, we need to work up my stamina more with Scrabble and crosswords.)

I also carried the two pizza boxes out to the side on the back of Eric’s bike after we picked ‘em up…typical.

Little things throughout the week –

· A mouse was in a pot of food in the kitchen, after we had been served.

· A man came up to us on the street asking for money, for the first time since I’ve been here.

· My roommate, Kymberlee, and I walked home in the dark for a fairly long distance, for the first time as well. We walk home in the dark often, but this was not as close to our house. (Don’t worry Mom and Dad.)

· Our abuelita, Maria, made us each crocheted royal blue floral headbands that are precious! I am so excited to wear mine to school soon.

Tuesday –

I had my second Spanish lesson – Tuesday for two hours, and Mondays for one. My assignment for the weekend is to read little kids’ Spanish books, practice some greeting phrases, and memorize 10 verbs. Oh, I will also be reading kind of like a kids’ Spanish alliteration for pronunciation practice.

My teacher’s name is Nelly, and she’s Colombian. Her daughter, Priscilla goes to school at Doulos. Lessons at her house are tranquil and intimate on the tiny porch, in a quiet neighborhood.

I have a feeling I’m going to like her.

The weekend –

It was busy, like I thought!

Sunday –

We watched the Superbowl, kind of, atop the highest point in town at a fancier restaurant. You would not believe how huge Jarabacoa looks with all of the lights beaming from below. We didn’t really watch the game much, but rather ate “gourmet” food and enjoyed each other’s company. One of the girls from school’s family owns the property, so it felt kind of like a private party for Doulos staff and high school students.

We started out the day by going out to Manaboa, up the mountain, with Karina and her brother Carlos. The scenery was gorgeous and reminded me of home a bit, like the North Carolina mountains…just more tropical. Karina is the director’s assistant at school, and she is so full of life and energy. Her family’s mountain house is right beside the river – what a quaint and refreshing retreat. Her grandma and grandpa were there, along with her parents and some friends that stopped by. There were also caretakers there, who I assume live nearby.

Everyone was so friendly, and we got along great with our broken Spanglish. Karina speaks great English though, which makes comfort easier.

We ate enough food for an army. It was hysterical. Huge breakfast platters were laid out upon arrival, then we went to church where we had a rich oatmeal, chocolate drink with bread after. Then we had snacks back at the house (sardines, olives, canned ham and bread), Sangria, and then lunch. Sancocho…the Dominican soup dish of beef, chicken, rice, carrots, and whatever else – served with avocado. I almost felt like I was in Europe, with the men sitting outside at a separate table, drinking out of miniature wine glasses while we listened to the river go by and enjoyed being together.

Later, on full bellies, we took a nap before leaving.

Before that, Carlos, Kymberlee and I sang praise music on the porch. He sang in Spanish, while we sang in English. He’s a fantastic guitar player, for his friends and family (he says).

Before that, the three of us went down to the river and waded along the baby waterfalls, while I tried to practice skipping rocks.

Before that, the best part of the day happened. Their parents have built a concrete and wooden structure a short walk from their house to host church in when they are there on Sundays, or I guess anytime. We all walked over, and they called out to the neighborhood kids to “Ven acca, ven acca!” (Come here…) We pulled out and arranged the plastic chairs for everyone to be able to have a seat. Little kids holding hands in a long chain trailed in from the stone path amidst the wildflowers to come and hear about God for a couple of hours.

Carlos played the guitar, their mom led, Karina sang, and then their dad preached. Kymberlee and I didn’t understand much, but I did understand the presence of the Holy Spirit. I had a clear picture of Christians, the church and community before me that Sunday morning. Worshipping with strangers who have little to nothing, all to come before our King, was glorious.

Saturday –

Kymberlee and I “hiked” to school and then headed to Santiago (about 45 mins. away) with a car full – Jyll, the Special Ed assistant; Erica, a teacher from NC; Kymberlee; me; and Edith, the administrative secretary. We were headin’ out for an “American” day. We went to the mall, which was unbelievably huge inside contrary to its outside appearance. There were two stories of stores, and the only American stores we saw were Nautica and Levi, which was not selling only Levi brand clothing.

The food court had mostly American eateries, with two pizza places of course. Our restaurant of choice was KFC – kids’ meals please! We also took a picture by the Spanish KFC sign.

We watched Sherlock Holmes with Spanish subtitles, and I have to say I listened mostly to the English. (I thought it as a great flick!)

Now, for the confession…three of us ate two huge cups of frozen yogurt – once upon mall arrival and once upon mall exit.

On our way out of town, we stopped at a national monument to take pictures and to get yelled at by the guards that we couldn’t park there. In her vivacious Dominican attitude, Edith yelled at us to get out of the car anyway and proceeded to tell the guard we were going to take pictures...I can’t explain everything that happened in that five minute stop, but it was hilarious. My mom calls me “Grace” for a reason, so I definitely tripped in those five minutes too.

Okay, I think that update is longer than long for now. I promise I’ll work on pics!

Grab a Mouse by the Tail

That's what I did yesterday morning, outside of the staff lounge...tossed a baby mouse by the tail into the trash.

Bible study was awesome last night, and I felt like I was on a fast-forward into motherhood. The couch was filled with two moms with two babies, and squished in the middle was my friend, Erin, who is pregnant.

Today, I toured Las Villas Anacaonas, where work teams will stay. Shelly calls 'em "Little Miami," which is a great description! Imagine little white concrete brick cabanas with lawn furniture on the patio and a small pool nearby. MAN. The flora here is absolutely gorgeous and breath-takingly, vibrantly beautiful. Wish I could take that home in my suitcase in four months. Who knew on a tropical island, I could look into the sky and see pine trees above bright, floral vines.

Today's been a hodge-podge of various activities and learning new things. No English class -teaching for me today.

Tonight, I might head over to Whitney's and bake a cheesecake and other goodies for a party tomorrow at her house. Shh! It's a surprise for Erin, whose birthday was yesterday. We're having a Doulos womens staff tea party.

This weekend's pretty packed -- almost feels like home! Party tomorrow, spending the night with Whitney, Saturday's "Americana" day of movies, shopping and eating in Santiago, and Sunday's Super Bowl Sunday (as you well know).

PRAYER REQUESTS & PRAISE -

PRAISE!
~I learned more about workteams today.
~God showed me answers to questions I had in the Bible about lots of different things that have been on my mind.
~Even though my day was chaotic or unorganized at different times, I had a huge peace only He can give.

PRAYER REQUESTS
~I've been really sick for a long time -- including before I arrived. Nasty bronchitis cold type deal that I really need and want to go away!
~I have something wrong with my right big toe, and I would like it to heal properly and fast.
~HUGE prayers need to be lifted up for a past teacher from Doulos. Her name is Kim, and she had to leave the Dominican Republic for health reasons. Her health has continued to decline, from everything to acquiring cellulitis in her leg to losing weight rapidly from her body refusing nutrients. PLEASE pray for her healing and for God to bless her with lots of wonderful care.

Catching Up!

Okay faithful readers, here's a brief update of life here:

Friday-
I had a blast eating with friends at Colombiana's, which is a definite favorite as of yet. I ate with two other American married couples (which there are lots of here in town). Then, I headed to school to watch Walking on Water in the ampitheatre. That turned out to be a sweet flick about groms (little surfers) traveling the world and surfing hot spots with pro surfers, while learning more about other cultures and faith. Both the movie and the setting reminded me of being in Costa Rica watching surf movies at an open air restaurant with Mom and Wes. It also reminded me of how much I love surf culture and why...friendly, adventurous people who love life and others.

Saturday-
Had a good time exploring town and different routes home, while my roommate was on a women's retreat nearby, with most other women from Doulos. Then, I had a fun game night with Eric, his roommate Troy, and another guy named Jake, who is also married. (He and his wife Kyle have a precious baby boy named Judah.) We played Rummikub, which I loved! Initially, I thought I would abhor that game because I really dislike numbers (sorry, MA). It turned out to be a blast, although I didn't win a single round. To finish out the night, we watched an episode of 24, which the boys are currently addicted to. I cannot even tell you how gorgeous the night was with a moon so big and full overhead.

I can't believe I forgot to mention a bit of Saturday, where Maria and I spent time talking together in broken communication about life. I talked to her a little about faith and death, family and life. She shared with me that her favorite Bible verses are Psalm 91 and 93 -- I feel a lot more connected to her from that conversation.

Sunday -
Church at La Vid, the vine, continued to encourage and inspire me for the second week in a row. This time I felt more at home, seeing familiar faces and confidently introducing myself to others I did not yet know. Their praise band is amazing, if that was in question. We meet in an open air shed like building, with a view of the mountains in the distance and a breeze flowing through.

Afterward, I went on a hike with Sara, a math teacher at Doulos who is married with two kids. We had a fun time getting to know one another, sharing past stories; it was surprising to me how much we had in common. I love life's little surprises because they obviously come so unexpectedly. We hiked right near our houses -- she lives near me -- to Salto Baiguate, one of the many grand waterfalls here. It was neat to be out toward the countryside with panoramic views of the mountains and palm trees, with horses riding by and grazing in pastures alongside.

Dinner was sooo yummy at Jonathan and Shelly's, where we had Shelly's secret recipe burritos with fresh avocado. Delicious. I must add that their veranda view is a spectacular one, and we literally watched the golden moon rise over the mountain into the night sky after dinner.

Monday -
I honestly don't remember!! I assure you it was a great day though.

Tuesday -
Yesterday, I had fun working on some t-shirt designs for the spring service-learning teams. (Hopefully I'll get one or two out of those too!)

Last night was a blast, helping out with YoungLife club. As a typical club goes, we had games, music, dancing, a lesson, and fun talking and getting to know one another. I got to help out with worship and sang along with a guitarist named Chris, who lives in Santiago. He's the area director.

It was really meaningful to me to use my talents God's given me for singing to glorify Him, and I also loved hanging out with my students I don't get to really see outside of class.

TODAY-
It's been a whirlwind of different tasks, and now I'm off to dinner at a friend's house before Bible study. I can't wait for either!

God bless-have a great night! MWAH.