Hello all!
It’s been a little while since I’ve given you an update. Sorry about that. Things have been busy and then I didn’t have internet for a while.
Yesterday, Bralio’s daughter Brenda went to the hospital to have open heart surgery to take care of the hole in her heart. We spent some time with the family this morning praying and reminding them of the Lord’s mighty presence through all things. Everything went smoothly and she is in the hospital for the next few days recuperating. Praise the Lord that the surgery was successful and that Brenda made it through the long and risky surgery.
This past weekend I was able to visit another part of the island, a mountain city called Jarabacoa. I traveled with Elliott and Lindsey Drake to a conference for foreigners living in the Dominican Republic to learn more about the culture. The conference was held at the Vida Joven (Young Life) camp in Jarabacoa and I was able to not only become acquainted with the beautiful campus, but also meet some other Americans and Canadians who are living in the DR. We learned a lot about the history of the Dominican, its various conquerors and the period under Trujillo. I really want to read “In the Time of the Butterflies,” which is a history about Trujillo’s dictatorship. We talked about various aspects of the culture, driving here, food, and traditions. At the end of one night we learned how to dance the Meringue and Bachata. We also learned about stress, culture shock and adjustment and how to cope with living in a new culture. A large part of it is having a good support system and I am thankful that I have such a great support system back home and here. I continue to add to it, including a new friend who I met at the conference, Denine, who is working with Youth with a Mission (YWAM), which is known as Jucun.
It’s been a little while since I’ve given you an update. Sorry about that. Things have been busy and then I didn’t have internet for a while.
Yesterday, Bralio’s daughter Brenda went to the hospital to have open heart surgery to take care of the hole in her heart. We spent some time with the family this morning praying and reminding them of the Lord’s mighty presence through all things. Everything went smoothly and she is in the hospital for the next few days recuperating. Praise the Lord that the surgery was successful and that Brenda made it through the long and risky surgery.
This past weekend I was able to visit another part of the island, a mountain city called Jarabacoa. I traveled with Elliott and Lindsey Drake to a conference for foreigners living in the Dominican Republic to learn more about the culture. The conference was held at the Vida Joven (Young Life) camp in Jarabacoa and I was able to not only become acquainted with the beautiful campus, but also meet some other Americans and Canadians who are living in the DR. We learned a lot about the history of the Dominican, its various conquerors and the period under Trujillo. I really want to read “In the Time of the Butterflies,” which is a history about Trujillo’s dictatorship. We talked about various aspects of the culture, driving here, food, and traditions. At the end of one night we learned how to dance the Meringue and Bachata. We also learned about stress, culture shock and adjustment and how to cope with living in a new culture. A large part of it is having a good support system and I am thankful that I have such a great support system back home and here. I continue to add to it, including a new friend who I met at the conference, Denine, who is working with Youth with a Mission (YWAM), which is known as Jucun.
Denine and me at the conference
A fun/embarrassing story happened this past week as well… I was sitting in church listening to the preacher, when I became aware that he was talking about me. He was telling a story about the Sunday before when I was at his house with some of my friends to say goodbye to his daughter, Tatiana. Tatiana was leaving the next day for 9 months to live in the countryside and accomplish a part of her residency as a doctor here. The family loves to sing and all of them are very talented so we spent the night singing. At one point they asked me to sing a song in English. I didn’t really want to, but I obliged and sang a part of Shout to the Lord, which I haven’t sung without having the lyrics in front of me in years. I couldn’t remember most of the words so it was a very short rendition. Well, the pastor finished whatever he was saying and I was aware that everyone was looking at me in the church. At this point my friend nudged me and told me that the pastor wanted me to sing, to which I replied, “Ahora, mismo?!?” which means “Right now?” So, basically I was hauled up to the front of the church to sing a song in English without lyrics, music or any practice… Needless to say it wasn’t fabulous, but it couldn’t have been completely horrendous either because I have been informed that I now will be singing with the worship team Sundays and Wednesdays. My favorite part of all of this is that every time I tell the story to someone here they just laugh and reply, “Oh yeah, he’s like that.” A little warning beforehand next time people!!
This coming weekend a group arrives from Ohio, Florida and North Carolina. Please pray for their safe arrival and that their trip would be an amazing experience. Also, pray for the work that we are doing this week to prepare for the group and the projects in the community. Pray that lives would be touched in an amazing way through God’s goodness.
Blessings,
Anna
Lissette, Diana, Karen & Tatiana
Saying goodbye to Tatiana before she left for the countryside
to practice medicine for 9 months
