Other November Updates

Punta de Garza

In the church Joselo and I have been attending in Punta de Garza, we've been working regularly with children in the community by leading Sunday School.  This month, we had a special Friday night activity in which the children invited their parents to church.  The children led worship songs, shared Bible verses and one young lady even preached about obedience from the book of Jonah.  Afterwards we watched a movie and enjoyed popcorn and juice.  The small church that usually has about 20 in attendance was packed with kids and their parents.  The kids who normally come to church alone thought it was extra special to have their parents there with them.  It was great to get to know some of the parents, and we pray they will visit the church again soon. 

Interviewing Parents

We wanted to take some time at the end of the year to talk to some of the parents in the communities we've been working in to get their feedback on the classes we've been offering for their children.  We talked to parents and community members in Km 16 and in Prudencio and recieved an overwhelmingly positive response.  Everyone we talked to was grateful and thankful that the youth continue to travel and invest in the children of the community.  Parents remarked over and over again that children are learning and growing and their behavior is improving.  Praise God!! 

Visiting Enderson

This last week, Joselo and I took a day to visit a child I've been sponsoring through Compassion International for several years.  He lives in San Jose de Ocoa which is quite a distance west from Hato Mayor.  I had met Enderson for the first time two years ago, and was eager to visit him again.  Compassion has some regulations about how often sponsors can visit the children they sponsor -- to protect both the child and the sponsor.  Most sponsor's however do not live a few hours away from the child!!  We had a great time with Enderson and his family.  He has grown a lot in the past two years.  I was so happy to see his excitement about school, church and the compassion after-school program.  It was also interesting to learn a little more about the organization Compassion International.  We pray that God continues to bless Enderson and his family, and that Enderson's faith and relationship with God continue to grow stronger every day. 

Climate Change

While it doesn't seem like much compared to the winters I experienced living in Minnesota -- I heard the temperature at home in Avon this week was below zero, and there were several inches of snowfall-- the weather here in the Dominican Republic has been changing a bit, too -- from really hot, to hot during the day and a little cool in the evenings.  Growing up in Minnesota, this little weather change hardly seems noteworthy.  When I first came to the Dominican Republic and heard people talking about the weather being cold, I just had to smile and thought to myself, "Really?" 

My brother was questioning whether I was truly Minnesotan because this year along with many other Dominicans I got a terrible cold "la gripe" during this climate change.  I'm through the worst of it now, just battling a lingering cough.  It was not fun, and I pray that we don't have a repeat of "la gripe" during this cooler season.  

Christmas Activities

We are in our last week of ministry for the year and have some exciting activities planned with the children and youth in the communities.  They are preparing Christmas dramas, special songs and will have a special Dominican snack on our last day together.  We are looking forward to celebrating together the coming of Christ.

 

We'll take several weeks off for Christmas.  The leadership team and I will have to do lots of behind the scenes planning and preparing for 2014 once we know all the new class schedules for the youth, and then we hope to start strong again mid-January.

May God bless each of you as you celebrate with family and friends the birth of our Savior.

(Sorry, I don't have pictures to share this month.  First my camera stopped working and now it's missing altogether.)