So I realize that it has been foreverrrr since I have updated! So sorry! All summer I have thought that I have been busy, but it was really nothing in comparison to the past three weeks. So for now, I'm just going to give ya'll a little update on what I have been doing and later I'll blog what I've been thinking :)
So three weeks ago was the last week of all the 8-week interns. It was a busy fun-filled week which I talked a little bit about in my last blog. However, the last two nights of that week I could probably write pages about... but briefly, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart in incredible ways Thursday night and I was able to share my story of my journey with Jesus with an intern on Friday. Ask me about it and I will give you more details but it's a long story for this blog post :) it was awesome!!! Also, Friday night I had the privelege of giving another intern her first Bible. To see the pure joy on her face in that moment was priceless. I continue to be humbled daily at the gift it is to be a part of something so huge that is going on in the DR.
Saturday two groups joined us in Jaibon for our last week at that orphanage. One was a college campus ministry group and the other was a church group. I led the team as well as directed the programs along with the much-appreciated help of Monica :) It was a very special week that I had the privelege of leading. We did a camp in the morning at the orphanage and camps in the afternoon at two separate bateys (communities built around banana plantations). Both camps at the bateys were incredible and I wish I could share more about those right now as well. God continues to open my eyes to the way that the majority of the world lives and I am moved to inspire change in the way we live.
Last Saturday marked the closing of the chapter that was my summer. We spent the whole day packing everything up in Jaibon and making sure everything was clean and put away for us to leave. It was an extremely emotional day, especially for the boys who have never had a group of Americans stay the whole summer and then leave. They sat in a row of chairs the whole day and just watched us pack everything away. The whole time they just kept saying how sad they were and how they didn't want us to ever leave. Though volunteers will be moving back to Jaibon in the winter, my heart broke for these boys who were once again feeling the pain of someone in their lives leaving. Those feelings and those words are what motivate me to return. I can never see myself not coming back to these places and maintaining relationships with these kids. On a funny note, we were also reminded of what country we were in that afternoon and the fact that we must always be flexible :) We were supposed to be picked up around 3 in the afternoon by a bus coming from the airport to go to Monte Cristi. Well 4 o'clock rolled around and we were still waiting. Through some communication issues, we had been forgotten :) So a few phonecalls later, most of the interns decided to be picked up by another bus to go pick up new volunteers at the airport and Monica and I decided to be picked up by a taxi bus at 8 that was driving through Jaibon... oh DR creativity :) ha! Not to mention, that the lovely ladies that cook for us made us dinner in thirty minutes out of relatively nothing since all the food had already been packed and taken to Monte Cristi! Love it! So about 9 Saturday night I finally made it to my new home at the Monte Cristi orphanage :)
This past week we had a health group and some health-focused individuals so we did a health camp at the orphanage and in a batey. It was the first health camp that we have ever done and I loved being a part of that program. We taught basic health lessons such as dental hygiene, personal hygience, nutrition, and exercise. Concepts that are well-known in the States have never been taught here so it was a much needed camp. We also had some audiologists here that made hearing aids for people at the bateys who had never been able to hear well! The smiles on their faces were filled with more joy than I have seen in a long time. This week was long and equally as busy as the previous two so I was definitely glad for this Saturday to come. I have not had a couple hours to myself in atleast three weeks so today was definitely much appreciated. Though I needed the rest and rejuvenation, today held a sad note to it as well. Monica, who flew down with me my first day here this summer left this morning. It was sad to see the last person who was with me in the beginning leave. Also, I feel as if the Lord has specifically placed people in my life throughout this summer that have understood my heart and had the same passions and dreams that I do. Three specific girls have been here throughout my summer that I know the Lord divinely crossed my paths with. There has always been someone that the Lord has provided for me to share my soul with. Today when the last of them left and I knew there were no interns coming in, it was pretty rough (don't get me wrong, there are still great people here that I love very much... it's just that I miss those kindred spirits). However, I know that God is faithful and is going to bring others when I least expect it. I actually have already seen the loving way that God is doing that. I was writing in my prayer journal this morning and asked that God would bring someone yet again to fill that role of a friend that understands my heart for the Lord and how I desire to live my life for Him. This afternoon I was sitting talking with some of the kids that live at the orphanage and someone came in to visit the kids that had been here last year. I knew who she was but had never been at the same location as her... however, we started talking and ended up chatting for a couple hours about life... finding that we have similar hopes and dreams for living and spreading the Gospel of our Savior. It was such a blessing and I walked away from that conversation praising God for placing her in my path even if it was just for that one conversation that took place today. God is sooooo good!
So that wraps up the past three weeks on a very surface level :) More new volunteers came today and we are doing two health camps again next week. I am loving life here and excited for what is to come in the next year! Oh, and did I meantion that I am starting a literacy program in Monte Cristi for the community?!? I am SO pumped! More about that soon as well :) I love and miss you all more than you even know! Te quiero :)
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