Introducing...

Luis Alberto!

So I haven't always been the best at updates or in what all exactly happens here... so I thought, why not introduce you to some of the kids here?! This is the handsome Luis Alberto! He is a precious 5-year-old little boy who just started living at the orphanage the beginning of August. His smile will melt your heart. He loooves learning little phrases in English and can tell you his name, age, and that he is doing "fine" if you ask him those questions in English.

I see Jesus in Luis Alberto. Thursday night I was sitting with him and he started tugging on my shirt with a lot of excitement. "Heather, Heather," he said. "Dios esta ariba en el cielo! Mira! Mira! Dios esta ariba!" ...God's up in the sky! Look up! Look up! God's up there! He was so excited to tell me about how God was up in Heaven. So then we started talking about God through his five-year-old eyes and how Jesus lives in our hearts. His child-like faith melted my heart. After we talked for a few minutes, we sat there and then I said, "Luis Alberto, who is your father?" The question puzzled him for a second, but then he turned and looked at me and replied, "God." As he smiled, I smiled, so thankful for seeing glimpses of Jesus through the gentle heart of Luis Alberto.

love them...

Yesterday was one of my favorite days of being here. We took ten of the older kids at the orphanage on a little field trip to some of the cities in the interior of the Dominican. We got to see a lot of places that are rich in Dominican history. It was sooo much fun! We left at 7 in the morning and all piled onto the OO bus. All the Americans were sitting by themselves before we picked up the kids at their door joking that we couldn't wait to see who we would get to sit next to. The first 2 1/2 hours were spent on the bus, but even that was a lot of fun.

Carolina, Nicol, and I on the bus.

The first stop we made was at a park to eat snacks and then visit a local Catholic church. It was beautiful with stained glass windows made from glass brought back from Italy. The Dominican is 95% Catholic so most churches you see are old but not necessarily extremely active.

Afterwards, we headed to another city where there is a museum dedicated to the Maribel sisters who played a vital role in what brought Dominicans the freedom they have today. The country used to be run by a dictator of sorts and these women helped bring restoration to the D.R. We also had the huge privelege of meeting (and taking a picture with!) the only sister who survived the overthrow of the old goverment.

Yessica, Yenny, and I at the house of the Maribel sisters.

The gardens at the house were beautiful!

After this we headed to a nearby town that has a store similar to Walmart. It was crazy big and something I have never seen in the Dominican Republic. We took the kids inside and actually ate at a "food court" that was located in the store. They had a Domino's! So we ordered a whole lot of pizza and pushed together some tables for all 27 of us to sit down and eat. Everyone loved the pizza and getting to roam around the aisles. It almost didn't even feel like we were in the same country. Here's just a glimpse of some of the pizza we ate...

We then headed to a different park with some gardens to hang out a take a group picture. We then headed to the next stop on our list (which I can't remember the city name) which was the sister city to Atlanta, GA! Crazy! We stopped at a big playground. I have never seen anything like it here. It was a wooden playground painted all kinds of bright colors. We had tons of fun running around on everything and taking some more pictures.

We left this city and drove about a half hour to a monument in Santiago in memory of the heroes of Dominican history. The monument sits on top of a big hill and overlooks Santiago (the second largest city in the D.R.). By this time it was dark so it was neat to see all of the city lights. We left here to begin the 2 1/2 hour drive home... which true to Dominican culture turned into a lot longer than that. That's another story in and of itself, but it took us over four hours to get back home. However, even that was so much fun, just hanging out with the kids, playing a little mafia, and arguing over who has the best music. By the last hour or so of the drive, everyone was asleep. I was sitting with Carolina and Nicol... Nicol was leaning against the window, I was sleeping against her, and Carolina was sleeping against me the rest of the drive. I couldn't help but think about how these kids have become so much a part of my family. I have shared life with them the last 2 1/2 years and watched a lot of them grow up. I love sharing special moments like yesterday with them. It reminds me of the beauty of community and the way God intended life to be. All barriers are broken and we are simply living life together. I love them so much!

Yessica posing with a butterfly at the park. Thank you Jesus for new life :)

since i've been back...

So I safely arrived back in the Dominican late Saturday night. Driving back into town, it almost felt like I had never left. It was so good to see everyone back here and I have loved spending time with the kids since I've been back. Sunday we a little informal church service for the OO volunteers and then we headed to a newly discovered beach after lunch. Nobody swam, but it was fun to just hang out, take some pictures, and enjoy being back outside again. After being at the beach for a while, we headed to the English Institute to play some games and have some real Coke floats made by the Hopkins'. It was so much fun being able to spend time again with the people I live with here. Sunday night ended with going to church with the kids from the orphanage. It was a great first day back!

This week I have been taking over Christine's (my roommate) classes at the English Institute. She will be going back to the States for a month on Saturday so I will now be teaching 5th grade Level 1 students. I have to say, that I miss my Level 2 students a whole lot. It's hard seeing them come into school every day and not get to teach them, but I just keep reminding myself that it's not about me. So this week has been fun getting to know some new students.

I have also being tutoring the five oldest kids at the orphanage in math this week. I enjoy teaching math and it's cool to see how much progress they make in just a week. A lot of times we have to start from scratch on basic concepts because the school systems here are so far behind. But they want to learn so it's neat to see it all clicking for them.

Tomorrow we are taking ten of the oldest kids from the orphanage on a field trip day where we are touring some historic places in the interior of the country. I am so excited to not only see these places, but to get to with them. I love just hanging out with the kids here, so I can't wait to spend the day with them tomorrow. It's gonna be great!

So that's what's been going on this past week! Love and miss ya'll!!

And because she's just the cutest little girl ever... some new pictures of Luz Maria. She's getting so big! Here she is with a notebook and sporting her little backpack...

Before she left to go inside she said... "one more picture?!" She's adorable!

los estados unidos...

As I signed in to my blog this morning for the first time since I have been back in the States, I couldn't put my finger on what was weird about it... and then I noticed. My blog page was no longer in Spanish. In the Dominican all web pages are in Spanish and I had grown quite used to that. These little things remind me of how much I miss that little island that will always hold a piece of my heart no matter where I am.

I came across a quote this morning that really hit me...
"When you feel disenfranchised (like you don't belong in the place that was once your home) it is no longer the world that matters, it is the kingdom that matters and when the kingdom is all that matters to you- you won't fit in."

I have loved being able to see people who are such a huge part of my life these past couple of weeks. I have been able to spend time with family and friends who know my heart and that has been amazing. I have missed being able to share in every day life with my sisters and it has been a huge blessing to spend time with them again. But I also couldn't help but feel overwhelmed that the United States is no longer my home. So much of me feels disconnected from this place. My life is so different now than when I lived here. I sometimes feel myself lost in a distant world where I am back with the kids in the Dominican when people are talking about T.V. shows, the latest movies, or going shopping to find new winter clothes (it's still in the 90s in the Dominican!). It's not that I'm mad or bitter or hate being in the States (I've really loved my time here), I just find myself so disconnected from life here. I haven't listened to American radio in almost 6 months... and while I could tell you the latest Spanish songs and know all the words to Enrique Iglesius' song "Dimelo," I have no idea any of the words to the songs of Miley Cyrus or pop radio or even new English worship songs. So like I said, it doesn't make me mad or even sad, it just reminds me that my home is longer here. My home right now is a little island just south of Cuba... where the people speak Spanish and sit outside all day long and live off little dirt roads and eat rice and beans for every meal every day and will talk to you any time of any day and invite you into their homes and share what they have with you and let you hold their babies even if they haven't ever spoken a word to you and smile at you from their hearts.

And then I came across that quote. And I was reminded that no matter when or how often my physical home changes, I don't want to ever feel like I fit in where I'm at. I don't fit in because I was created for a kingdom that is not of this world. And so while I am here, I pray I am always living kingdom-minded. That the Spirit overflows through me and that I am bringing the kingdom of God to this earth no matter where I am living. Because I have a feeling that my earthly home is going to be changing a lot more than I can even imagine. So I continue to learn lessons of grounding my home in the kingdom instead of my physical location. Oh the beauty of letting the Lord direct our paths. His plans are far better than any I could conceive.

So I pray for all of us that our physical homes don't define us. But that the kingdom is all that matters.

Changes make you reevaluate and think. One more reason why I love 'em :)

2 days :)

I'm gonna miss teaching English to these girls that I love sooo much :)

I'm gonna miss screaming the songs for the Excellent Eskimos, Fabulous Frogs, Wacky Wallabees, and Fantastic Flamingos.

I'm gonna miss this little girl who stole my heart two and half years ago.

I'm gonna miss Ariani screaming, "Hedder, ayuda me! ...suba me!"

I'm gonna miss Coral's attitude, Ariani's hugs, Ari's adventurous spirit, and Paola's smirky smile.

I'm gonna miss driving into this entrance of the orphanage that has become my home.

...But the AMAZING thing is, I get to come back! AND, I can't freaking wait to see everyone back in the States... seriously, I wake up every morning and can't believe that I get the blessing of flying back to Kentucky in 2 days! God is good and I couldn't be more ecstatic! I love you all and am excited about seeing some of you in a few days :)

change

I have grown to love change. While I see some changes as good and some as bad, I have come to see all changes as beautiful part of God's purposes. It seems to me that God created everything to be in some sort of process of changing. People grow. Leaves fall. Seasons change. The sky is different everytime you look at it. Flowers grow. People move. School ends. Souls are renewed. Hearts are changed.

Last night I was laying on the roof and watching the stars. Half of the sky was star-filled and the other half was a mixture of the moon's bright light and clouds. But the sky changed. The clouds moved. There was incredible lightening. I saw a few shooting stars. I kept thinking about how God really does create everything to be in a process of changes. Our hearts weren't created to be stagnant. They were created with life and purpose and longings and desires for our Lover. We aren't meant to simply go through each day just trying to get through it... we are meant to live intentionally and to change... to become more like Jesus and less like ourselves. To fall more in love with our Father every day. And to bring the Kingdom of God to earth.

The past six months have held more changes for me than I could have imagined. I graduated, left home, moved to a foreign country, led a Christian internship program, loved on some awesome boys at an orphanage in Jaibon, moved to Monte Cristi, started teaching at the English Institute, and started a literacy program. I have experienced life in an intense spiritual community and I have experienced it without one. I have struggled, wrestled, and thirsted for the Lord. I have been taught lessons about love and grace and selflessness and mercy. And I have fallen in love with Jesus all over again.

And all of these life and spiritual changes, have resulted in part from the changes in my physical surroundings. If I had played it safe and chosen the easier road, I would not have learned the lessons I have. I would not have learned to trust God with my whole heart. And my faith would not be as deep and real as it is now.

All that to say, change is good. Change is beautiful. And I think, God's plans for us all include more changes than we can even imagine.

We just have to keep our focus at the cross.

new life...

Sometime last year, I got an awesome package from one of my sisters (shout out to you, Katie girl!). Inside, was this flower...

Ever since then, this flower always reminds me of God's promises of new life.... of His promises of rebirth and forgiveness... of His promises to restore His people, bringing the beauty of what He intended life to be. So even now, this precious reminder is twisted around the pole of my good ole' wooden bunkbed. And it reminds me of my soul... once dead, but now made so alive in Christ. God is so faithful and reminds me daily of His love and mercy and compassion and grace, both for me and for the world. I am still so humbled to be here... my eyes are constantly receiving glimpses of God's heart for His children, His heart for the nations, His heart for every person to know Him. And as I held Joanni tonight while she fell asleep, I just kept thinking that I hope this sweet little 5-year old will be overwhelmed by God's love, and one day fall in love with her Maker... and I hope that one day she too will be reminded of new life and the Father's restoration.

So I really can't imagine being anywhere else right now. I love the Dominican so much! The people here are so precious to me! And God reminds me all the time of how divine and perfect His plans and purposes are for our lives.

"As he says in Hosea: 'I will call them my people who are not my people; and I will call her my loved one who is not my loved one.'" Romans 9:25

AND... it's October! And I will be home in less than 2 weeks for Sara's wedding! Can't wait :)