The Roof

Well, the Payano house got it's roof today. Germania (Braulio's mom) was very excited. If you haven't seen the photos of the house she lives in now, check them out on my flickr page, under Payano house. It will be such a blessing to her to have a "real house" as she puts it. All the money was donated by Katie and Raul's church in Michigan. I am so grateful to them, as this woman is such a servant who loves on all she comes in contact with. She deserves to live in a beautiful house.

The Zoo!

I took my kids to the zoo today. It was fun. After 9 hours and a splitting headache I sit here writing to you some of the wonderful moments. The kids were all wonderful. They had so much fun and got to see so many animals they had never seen before. After seeing all the big animals, we had lunch. We ate lunch near this playground full of public school kids. They were yelling, pushing, hitting, not waiting thier turn or being very nice. I thought, here's the test Lord. After a wonderful time of them being good examples to the other kids, we began to pick up trash. As we were the only ones, in the midst of around 100 kids playing, some of them stopped to help us. That was a miracle I witnessed today. People here are taught to throw trash on the ground and never pick it up. Despite the challanges I face with this class, after today I am very thankful the Lord has brought them into my life. They have helped me grow in patience and perserverance.

After four years of being in a country where motorcycles are the most common mode of transportation, I finally got to ride on a Ninja. It goes really fast, but doesn't feel like it. You don't think you are going that fast, and you look sideways and every thing's a blur! It was the first, and probably the last, time I'll ever go that fast on a motorcycle. Thank you, Jesus!

So as I sit here, exhausted on a Monday. I confess that it is hard to be here right now. As I was getting ready for bed last night, I confessed to God my desire to go "home" I said. I said "I don't want to be here. I want to go home."
God's response to me this morning was Mark 8: 34-37 New Life Version.
Giving Up Self And One's Own Desires
34 Jesus called the people and His followers to Him. He said to them, "If anyone wants to be My follower, he must give up himself and his own desires. He must take up his cross and follow Me. 35 If anyone wants to keep his own life safe, he will lose it. If anyone gives up his life because of Me and because of the Good News, he will save it. 36 For what does a man have if he gets all the world and loses his own soul? 37 What can a man give to buy back his soul?

My translation, which I can't remember off the top of my head, said to give up himself and what he wants.

Obviously I know now is not the time to leave, but life here is wearing on me. I am tired of so much hate, so much meanness, so much corruption, so much gossip, so much lack of initiative, so much focus on only this moment and the mentality that tomorrow doesn't exist.
There are many wonderful things about this place as well. If you've been following me in my adventures here, you should know them already. My favorite being the relationship focus of the culture. But I feel a heaviness that I haven't felt before. It could be after 4 years, the attitudes of Carnival - a time when spiritual attack is high - is wearing on me. Please pray for me.

Happy Valentine's Day!
Feliz Dia de Amor y Amistad!

This is a video message for Raul & Katie Payano, Braulio's brother & sister-in-law. You can watch it if you want, but it is in Spanish. It shows Braulio, his sister Betsaida, his mom Germania, & his grandfather Victor.

Sometimes life is just...normal - even in the DR.

I am feeling very stagnant in my life right now. I feel like every day is the same as the last. I do the same things every day then I wake up and do them all over again. It is sort of driving me crazy. On top of that I don't really like my class very much (I know you aren't supposed to say that). I like the kids as individuals, but I don't like teaching them as a class. Don't get me wrong, there are some very bright and loving kids in my class, but there are also some petty, selfish, spoiled, unmotivated and mean kids too. I think maybe last year's class spoiled me.

I do need some prayer for a few boys. The boys in this picture. Jorge, Frailyn and Fernando. Frailyn (in the middle) still can't add anything mentally (which he should be able to do), not even 2+3. Jorge and Fernando (on the ends) are behavior problems because they are completely unmotivated. They don't take pride in their work and don't seem to care about much of anything. I am at my wits end about what to do, so please PRAY!!!