It's Educational!

Who says you can't have a Homeschool Co-Op in the Dominican?

Every Thursday afternoon from 1pm-5pm we have other homeschooling kids and teens over to the house for fellowship and learning.  We have the kids break into two groups- elementary and middle/high school- while going through 4 different sessions.

Here's our current line-up of classes...

Elementary group:

Spanish 1- The kids have been learning the Spanish terms for the parts of the body.  Miss Shayna is an amazing Spanish teacher!

                                           


Mission- Minded Geography- Barb teaches the children about various countries and how to pray for the people living there.  She has such a heart for the nations and a desire to bring in "living textbooks" for the children to learn from.  Just last week we had a missionary, Haleigh, (click on her name to see her blog!) from Canada come share her pride for her country.  The kids ate it up!

Worship Dance- Terica has such a passion for praise ministry and we are so blessed to have her lead the girls in worshiping the Lord through dance.  Anyone interested, elementary through high school, can participate and they've already lead worship dance twice at New Life Church.

Science- A hands-on approach to learning is the best! Jen and Jenni have done an awesome job engaging the little ones in the world of science. From the Mentos and Diet Coke experiment to learning about our taste buds through taste tests to the reaction of oil and water, the kids have thoroughly enjoyed the lessons.

Middle and High School group:

Chopped: International- You know teens... always hungry! And these kids have such a passion for cooking and trying new things in the kitchen.  The teens are separated into two teams to compete in preparing the best plate, judged by presentation and taste.  Just like the TV show Chopped, the teams are given ingredients and told to make something.  We've had delicious dishes and desserts... often coinciding with the country our little ones are learning about.  This is a favorite class, for sure! (And the teachers enjoy being the judges, too).

Spanish 2- Shayna challenges the group with more difficult lessons than the little ones. Many of the teens already know some Spanish, but are being challenged on a deeper level so that they can go out and speak in the land where they live!

Math Solutions- (Currently under construction).... We began the season with this class since I have a degree in math education and heard that there was a need.  However, there wasn't much interest and you would have thought the kids were being tortured.  I don't EVER want students to feel this way! So after much prayer, I decided to switch gears.  I gave out my contact information for any math help the teens may want to seek privately.  Today, as an alternative, we discussed the possible idea of filming commercials of various mission opportunities for the English church and the teens were all so excited! Praying for a focus and that the Lord empties me out to be used by His Spirit in whatever way He desires.

Finding Your Identity in Christ- Pam leads this class as our teens explore who God created them to be.  Through personality profiling, the teens will be discovering their strengths, weaknesses, how they work with others, and how the Lord perfectly designed and molded them to carry out a purpose in this world to glorify His Name.  Pretty sweet!

We have a team arriving tomorrow that will be with us through next weekend.  In the beautiful chaos of having a mission team here, instead of hosting the Co-Op as usual, we've invited the teens to join us on the field.  This group has just begun and I can't wait to see all the Lord plans to do this year in and through each person here!

Age-Old Debate

My bible study group back in the states has an on-going debate over which is better... dogs or cats? We were divided down the middle on this matter.  In my opinion, dogs are so friendly and loyal, while cats could care less about your life.  Harsh words, I know... but I'm currently recovering from a mauled knee cap after a spastic kitten attacked me out of nowhere... give me time.

Yes, the Lord created cats, too... I've even prayed for a softening of my heart towards this species because they are His... but so are spiders, snakes, and vultures.   

(I kid... sort of... Glad the Lord has a sense of humor) 

There is a point to all this banter.  I'm presenting you a case in support of dogs.  Substantial evidence of how God has purposefully used this breed to bring light to a small village here.

Missionaries Rick and Barb Sucher visited a small area called Playa Laguna a few weeks back.  While out there, this dog caught Barb's eye.

Malnourished, the dog was caring for her puppies out in a field.  Barb came back with food and asked the woman living nearby about the dogs.  Barb learned that the dogs belonged to the woman, Erika, but she didn't have enough food to feed the dogs and their family.  Erika shared how their house had recently expanded by two mouths as a woman dropped off her two children, 3 and 1 years old, when she found it too burdensome to care for them.  The last time Erika had seen the children's mother was the day after Christmas.  

Further discussion revealed that the children's mother works the streets.  Sosua, where we're located, has the highest rate of prostitution in the Dominican Republic, along with Boca Chica on the south coast.  The Dominican Republic ranks 4th among the largest export of prostitutes in the world behind Brazil, Thailand, and the Philippines. 

Worst part, the mother came back and took the 3 year old girl, Rosio, for more work.  Erika shared how she longed to get the little girl back and had been praying that the mother would bring her to them.  Meanwhile, Rick and Barb were able to find support for the little 1 year old boy, Fe, by placing him on a sponsored feeding program.

I visited this beautiful woman and baby nearly a month ago and truly felt such a peaceful presence in their home.  Erika and her husband are a couple living for the Lord and seeking His mercy and guidance.  

Good news! Rosio has been reunited with Erika and her brother! When they got her she was covered in sores, it moved us all to tears.  We may never know the horrendous things she endured, but the blood of Christ washes her through and through.  We've prayed for her little heart to forget all the images, fears, and lies she's taken in and for God to restore her to the beautiful, thriving girl she was born to be.

The main reason Rick and Barb were out in the empty field several weeks ago was to begin looking for a place to start a new church.  Feeling led by the Holy Spirit, they began praying for discernment and for God's provision of the land to plant His Word.  God brought them to Erika.

Just this past weekend, I joined Rick and Barb on a visit out to see Erika and the kids.  What a joy it was!  God has opened so many doors for and through the faithfulness of Erika's family.  In true response to scripture, the family is sharing the land God has blessed them with for the new church.

All the believers were one in heart and mind.  No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.  With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.  And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.  For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.   

Acts 4:32-35

Rick, Barb, Pastor Felix, Pastor Lucien, Erika, and other spiritual leaders in the mission were all present and prayed over the small building where they plan to bring God's Light to this community.  We have a mission team that arrives Friday who will now be spending part of their time working on this church.  Talk about divine timing!

Best part, Rosio was so full of life and joy when I saw her.  We brought some coloring books and crayons so I spent my short time with them that day drawing and simply smiling and enjoying her lively company.

  

Bringing it back full circle...One dog played a huge role in this story of redemption and renewed hope.  If you're a so-called cat person, you can keep praying that my heart is softened.  Maybe He'll use a cat next time... but my bet is on the dogs :)

Sabbath Keeping

On February 27th, the Dominicans celebrated their Independence day.  Holidays are no rarity here in the Dominican Republic, but this being a special one, I decided to join some new friends for a road trip along the northern coast.

We left on a Saturday and took in views of the ocean as we drove from Sosua along the perimeter of the island to just north of Samana in the peninsula.

The sights were breathtaking.  We stopped at several beaches along the way to take pictures. The roadtrip was similar to one we might take in the states, but the roads are more rocky and the pit stops are less cleanly... but definitely an adventure,  no less!

Then we got to the stretch of highway that reminded me of home... smoothly paved! The road wound up the mountain and we took in an even grander view of the north coast as we began our drive onto the peninsula.

So what were we doing driving all the way out to Samana? Well, let me tell you.  From January 15th to March 25th is whale-watching season.  Hundreds of Humpback whales visit the warm coastal waters to breed and give birth during the winter months before traveling back up the eastern coast into the northern Atlantic Ocean.

I was stoked! Not only did we see a whale, we saw a mother whale, her 3 week old baby, and her male "escort" (the males protect and pursue females in hopes to be considered for the following mating season).

Check out some photos I took that weekend!

What a beautiful display of God's creation!

"Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths..."  Psalm 148:7

During the weekend away from doing, doing, doing, God really placed in me a holy reverence for His commands.  Coming from a culture in America where we're always striving to succeed and to do more, it's easy to get tangled in a path of life that is meaningless.  But God really spoke to me about His Holiness and how He calls us to be holy as He is holy.

I was reading through Leviticus at the time and God was unrelenting in speaking the importance of keeping His Sabbath day holy.  I mean, really... He says that in our disobedience of His commands, He will banish us from His land so that THE LAND may keep its Sabbath Leviticus 26... He's serious about His Sabbath.

The Sabbath is not just a suggestion, it is God's holy command and expectation.  He delights in us when we delight in Him, and we delight in Him when we intentionally set aside time to be restored in His presence, in His creation, in His awesomeness.

The Lord was so good to reveal one of His many wonders of the earth to me that weekend.  Burnout can be so easy on the mission field, but the Lord is protecting my heart in so many ways. It was such a blessing to steal away for the weekend and enjoy fellowship with friends and to delight in His creation.  Praise the Lord!