the beginning of an update :)

I am currently sitting in the United States, drinking some amazing chai tea, rocking out my tie dye t-shirt that Andres (one of the boys in Jaibon) made me, and listening to Dominican worship music. So much has happened in the past few months and this is going to be the first of a series of blogs that I hope will serve as an update on where I am in life and with the Lord :)

Most of my summer was spent at the orphanage in Jaibon. I am absolutely in love with the boys that live there. I have had the amazing opportunity to invest in them and become a part of their family. Many of them talk about how they are all a part of the "Colbert" family and they refer to me as "hermanita" or sister. My time spent at that orphanage is one of the things that I am most thankful for in my life up until this point. They taught me so much about life and love and selflessness and the Lord.

This is Jonel... the little five-year-old love of my life!

The last week I spent in Jaibon, we didn't actually have a volunteer program going on. It was a blessing to be able to spend so much time with the boys and my sister, Jacqueline. This is Jacqueline, Chipa, and I with our completed 500 piece puzzle!

After saying goodbye to everyone in Jaibon, I spent my last two weeks in the Dominican in Monte Cristi. Saying goodbye to the people in Jaibon was definitely difficult. It was so odd to find myself in that place. Volunteers say goodbye to those boys every week, but I had never been in that position. The longest I went without seeing them was a month or so. Entonces, the Saturday I had to say goodbye was not fun. I spent my last couple of weeks in Monte Cristi with the kids there and it was so good to hang out with them again. My last two weeks in the Dominican were full of processing, prayer, packing (whoa, that's a lot of p's!), and spending time with the kids and leaders who have become a part of my family. I was so encouraged the last few weeks I was there and the Lord used that time to do so much in my heart. I went from having no idea where I was going next to being overwhelmed by the Lord's goodness and big plans. I couldn't have dreamed them up if I tried (more on that later :) ). And my Dominican mama, Coco :), was the biggest support ever! I loved soaking up time with her and my sista, Christine. God not only gave me some new Dominican family members, but some American and Canadian ones too :)

So I am back in the States now and have been here for a week. It has been an extremely difficult transition, but I know it's all for the sake of the Kingdom. And for that, I will continue to lay down my desires and my heart at the foot of the cross. I have so much peace about being here right now and the Lord's plans, but I definitely left my heart thousands of miles away. God is bringing me joy in sadness and showing me His promises of new life. He's picking up the pieces of my heart and blowing me out of the water with His crazy plans for my life. I surely don't deserve them! He is so faithful!

I can't wait to see each of you soon! Over the next couple of months I would love to get together and hear about your lives and share about mine. I'll probably be having some sort of open house in Louisville soon for anyone to come over and hear about everything. I hope you all are doing well! I'm excited to see some faces of people that I love soon!

agosto

It's almost mid-August and school is starting here next week! Crazy. I'm not sure how time flies by as fast as it does. All of sudden the months are just gone. It still feels like June to me, when in reality, all of our summer interns are leaving next week. It doesn't seem possible. Things in Jaibon have been busy. The past month has been full of Bible camps, work projects at the orphanage, and activities with the boys who live here. It's been amazing and I have loved getting to know different communities, but I think we are all ready for a little rest.

One of my favorite parts of the past month has been going to La Caya. This is a community about 15 minutes away from the orphanage. We have done two different camps there and I absolutely love that community. The people are so kind and welcoming. The youth are so legit and have really stepped up as leaders in the community. Normally, the teenagers are often misbehaving, but in this community, they help in whatever way possible. They are awesome.

Another thing I have loved is spending some extra time with the boys at the orphanage. We have been able to do lots of activities here with them and it has been such a blessing. They are amazing and God has taught me so much through them.

**One of them just came up to see what I was doing. His name is Luis and he is 15. He calls me his sister and I have loved being able to invest in him. He is family to me. He wants to learn how to use the computer sooo badly. He just typed this :)

mi nombre es luis y soy un hermano de heather y megusta jugar baquecbol

translation... my name is Luis and I am Heather's brother and I like to play basketball.

God has been teaching me a lot recently. I'm learning how much weight words carry... how much people are hurting... how people's pain overflows into how to act towards others... how the way I live my life is a reflection of Jesus... how God's plans are ALWAYS better than mine... how waiting and patience are much better than figuring everything out on my own... how everything is insignificant without love... how God's love is more vast than I could ever imagine. I'm begging God for just an ounce of His love and wisdom. There is so much I don't know and so much I have yet to learn. At the end of the day, I just want people to see Jesus in me and have gotten a glimpse of the Kingdom. I still don't know what comes next. And next is in three weeks :) haha. When God told me to be patient, I never thought I still wouldn't know what I'm doing when I only have three weeks left of my current position. I have no plane ticket out of the country and there are still a lot of things up in the air. I am in love with this country and these people and I hope to be here for many years to come. I feel called to this place and there is no denying that. Needless to say, I would greatly appreciate your continued prayers. Hopefully I'll have some answers soon to that never-ending questions of "what happens next?"

But until then, I hope each of you are doing well! I love and miss you a lot, even if I don't always get a chance to say so!

whoa julio...

I can't believe it is July! The summer is flying by... I just wish time would slow down. The past few weeks have been so full of many great people and great things. Graystone was in MC last week and it was the best week ever! We had a camp at the orphanage with over 450 kids each day. It was nuts, but tons of fun. About 15 of my Dominican friends helped out with camp too and we had a blast. We literally could not have done camp without them. Friday we all went to the beach about 2 hours away... I rode the Dominican bus and couldn't stop laughing and smiling all day long. They have become so much a part of my family during the past year. Having Graystone here for a week was also a huge blessing. It was so good to catch up with everyone and see familiar faces.

Last Saturday, I moved over to Jaibon with all of the interns. I will be here until the end of August. Saturday was rough... saying goodbye to all my MC family, saying goodbye to Graystone, saying goodbye to Julie, and saying goodbye to Bebo who headed to the States with Graystone. It stunk, but I was so excited to see my loves in Jaibon. This week has been busy as well, but I have gotten a chance to catch up with them which has been wonderful. Yay for coffee every morning with my sisters. They have always welcomed and accepted me with open arms as if I'm part of their own family. I feel the love of the Lord in this place.

My commitment with OO ends in September. If you could be praying for wisdom and discernment for me about what comes next, that would be wonderful. I have so much peace that the Lord's plans are good and that He will open and close doors at just the right time. He is so faithful. Until then, I'm surrendering my ideas and laying my life at His feet.

I love and miss ya'll a lot! A LOT :)

Arianni and I eating dinner... Her and her twin sister, Ari, rock my world :)

dame tu corazon...

Summer is here and it's hard to believe. The past month has been so full and has flown by so quickly. One of my favorite nights was a few weeks ago at the English Institute graduation. We have an English school in Monte Cristi that provides free English classes to middle school aged students. This past spring, our first group of students graduated after taking four years of classes. Yessica and Christopher, who live at the orphanage, both graduated with this first class. A lot of the older kids from the orphanage came to watch and we had so much fun. This night was so special for them and I was so glad to be a part of it. It felt like my little brother and sister were growing up!

Yenny, Nicol, Carolina, and I before the graduation.

Yessica!

Christopher and my roommate, Christine (you always will be!)

I loved spending this night with my Dominican family. The next Saturday, my roommate, Christine, left to head to her home in the U.S. It has been so weird without her here and I miss her a lot, but I somehow think we might end up living near each other again :) It isn't the same without you, sister! That same Saturday, a dear friend from college arrived here and it has been awesome to share life with her in the Dominican. That Saturday also started the summer Christian internship program and I can't tell you how amazing that has been! I love each and every one of the interns and am in awe of how God has worked so far.

The past couple of weeks we have done Bible camps at the orphanage, English Institute, and in the community. It has been wonderful to continue to build relationships with the Dominican people. My highlight from this past week was definitely "noche especial." Noche Especial happens twice a year and is a giant sleepover with all the girls from the orphanage. I don't have any pictures to put up right now, but it definitely goes down as one of my favorite nights here. It was full of games, good snacks, movies, tie dye, and lots of quality time with the loves of my life. I am so blessed.

Things have been busy, but oh so wonderful. I love the kids here more every day and am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to invest in them. I treasure each moment spent with the kids at the orphanage. It's honestly hard to ever think about leaving them when they have become such a huge part of my family. I just have this crazy Jesus-love for them that I can't explain.

AND, graystone comes tomorrow!!!! Tomorrow starts the week that the kids and I have been talking about for a really long time... when Georgia comes to the Dominican Republic! We can't wait to see ya'll TOMORROW :)

i'm back...

The past few weeks of have been full of so many good things. I spent a little over a week in the good 'ole US of A... journeying around through Arizona, New Mexico, and a little bit of Colorado. The Lord knew I needed that week more than I did, that's for sure. I spent my days with my two sisters, helping one get ready to get hitched. It was so good to be them... who know my heart and sometimes know me better than I know myself. I also met some other pretty sweet girls who were in the wedding... Katie has good friends, what can I say :)

The wedding was beyond amazing! It was incredible to watch my best friend get married. I'm so excited for her and Mike and the gift of marriage God has blessed them with. I see Jesus all over their relationship and the wedding was such a preview of the team for Christ they are going to be. I loved every second of it. Here are some fotos... :)

Going back to the States was good for me in more ways than I realized. It gave me such a needed time to think, pray, spend time in the Word, and seek wisdom from my sisters. I missed home (as in the Dominican) so bad while I was State-side, and yet, it was exactly what my soul needed. The Lord filled me up to overflowing with His love and opened my eyes to His faithfulness and grace that are at work all over my life. He confirmed over and over again that He made my heart with a special place for the Dominican... and I will forever love these people with a Jesus-love that I can't explain. I was able to share my dreams of opening a home for women stuck in prostitution and sex-trafficking with my friends and God continued to fan the flame of this vision. Through their words and encouragement, He gave me so much peace about being patient, yet continuing to move forward and chase the dream.

By the time Monday morning rolled around, I was sooo ready to hop on that plane and head back to the place I call home. I got in late Monday night, caught up with the Hopkins, and crashed, excitedly awaiting the next day. Tuesday was the birthday of a good friend of mine who cooks for us in Jaibon. I was supposed to go straight to Monte Cristi on Monday night, but instead went to Jaibon for a day to pull of a little birthday surprise. So I got up Tuesday and had an amazing morning full of birthday surprises, muffins, pictures, good food, good conversation, and catching up with the boys who have worked their way in to a very special place in my heart. They are pumped about summer and all the Americans that are coming and I am excited about returning to Jaibon in a month to spend the last half of that summer with them.

After lunch, we headed to Monte Cristi, where the rest of my day was full of catching up with my OO family, spending a lot of quality time with the kids, passing out American chocolate, showing off Katie's wedding pics to all the kids at the orphanage, and a roof/coffee date with my sister. I went to bed that night so full of love for these people and this place and so thankful that the Lord has blessed me with this life. I deserve none of it, yet He has given me the desires of my heart. I love it here so much. Being in the States confirmed that I'm not sure I will ever leave.

And God continues to reassure me to dream big and bring the Kingdom to earth. When I begin to think that maybe I can't start this home for women, He crosses my path with someone who assures me that I can. My prayer this spring has been that He will raise up leaders who are passionate about this very thing and I am seeing those answered. God is so faithful and my heart's beating desire is to bring His hope and unconditional love to the Dominican. And sooo, this home will open. I'm not sure when, but it will. In His timing and not mine. And I can't tell you how excited I am about that :) If you want to hear more about it, just ask and I'll be more than happy to share :)

So I'm back in the Dominican, filled with the Spirit, refreshed after a week with my sisters, excited about the future and bringing the Kingdom, content to be with my kids, and excited about the start of the internship program on Saturday. I am so humbled by the Lord's grace and kindness. He really is too good. I hope each of you are doing well and would love to hear updates on your lives whenever you get a chance!

dream big.

we wait for You...

Yesterday, I spent the day in Jaibon. I love those boys so much. They are so genuine and have such big hearts. They all had new clothes, shoes, and socks and were very excited to tell me all about them. Their smiles light up their faces and I would be content just sitting, talking, and hanging out with them for hours. They are great! I also got to spend time with my sweet sister, Jacqueline. Jesus continues to teach me so much about life through her.

By the time we got back to Monte Cristi last night, I was so ready to spend time with the kids here. I had only been gone a day, but it seemed like I hadn't seen them in forever. I hung out with them the last couple hours of the day, thanking Jesus for these kids and in awe of His love for me and His children. I am blessed.

I told Christine this morning that I feel like my heart is a mess right now. I've prayed over and over that people would see Jesus in me and that His love would be what is flowing out of me... that my heart would be broken for what breaks His and that I would have an unconditional love for His people. As thoses prayers are answered, I sometimes feel like I become an emotional mess. I love the people here with a love I can't explain... one that only comes from Christ. I care about them more than I ever thought possible. I'm living life right next to them... sharing in their joys, their hopes, their dreams, their pain, their struggles. I love it. And when I leave one orphanage to go live at the other, I feel like a leave a piece of my heart in the other town. And if I can barely leave these places to go live an hour away when I know I will see them again soon, I don't know how I am ever going to be able to leave this country. So I pray for just an ounce of God's wisdom and that He would continue to open my eyes to His vision for the Kingdom in the Dominican. He is so good.



Hosana is the granddaughter of Tia, the orphanage administrator in Jaibon. She might just be the smartest 1-year-old I know. And she's pretty stinking cute :)



Learning how to cook sweet plantains with Jacqueline.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
Isaiah 43:19

...You are making all things new.

si Dios quiere...

The last week of our spring program officially ended yesterday. It has been a whirlwind of craziness, fun, and lots of energy! We had some amazing groups and it was incredible to see the different ways the communities surrounding Jaibon and Monte Cristi were impacted. My lack of blogging is hopefully ending now that I have a bit more time on my hands :)

I moved back to Monte Cristi three weeks ago. It was pretty rough. I am in love with both orphanages and I can truly say that I don't like one more than the other... however, Jaibon has this special place in my heart... and I just wasn't ready to leave. God taught me a lot in Jaibon, opening my heart to His dreams and plans for my life. And although it sometimes scares me, I know my life is nothing without Him and I will continue to lay my life at His feet, forever humbled by His grace in my life.

The 21 boys in Jaibon became like my kids. I have an unexplainable motherly and unconditional love for them. I want to see them grow into men of God... they already have such a pure love for their Father. I'm amazed by their childlike faith. Their smiles melt my heart. My family just keeps on growing here... :)

One of the hardest parts of leaving Jaibon had to do with saying goodbye to my sisters that cook and clean there. They became part of my family just like those boys did. I learned more from them about life and love and selflessness than I ever thought possible. They loved me like they knew me my whole life and their thoughtfulness amazed me. Their genuine hearts and sure faith gave me glimpses of Jesus. I spent my free time listening to their stories, laughing about the differences between Spanish and English names for food, hearing the joys and struggles of life in the dominican, learning how to light dominican stoves and make coffee, and simply sharing life together. They're family now. Leaving was no other word but hard.

I will see them again though, and I think God used my time this spring in Jaibon to quietly whisper to stay. To stay? To stay. I can't imagine leaving the Dominican. I am in love with these people and I feel like God created my heart to be here. I want to invest myself in them... in bringing change and restoration in Christ... in sharing the truth of the Gospel with them... in breaking the chains of promiscuity and prostitution that are everywhere. And while I'm not sure exactly what the future looks like, I do know that I have a crazy passion to invest myself in this country... si Dios quiere :) So for now, I'm in constant prayer for wisdom on what that looks like, and I would appreciate yours as well :)

This is my sister, Jacqueline. She knows how to cook better than anyone I know and her pure faith and wisdom taught me a lot about the heart of God.

Jacqueline and Betsaida. Betsaida's selflessness and genuine heart showed me what it meant to truly put others above yourself.

And Jacqueline and Dominga! Dominga's spunk, openness, and solid faith taught me a lot about true love. She constantly offered me a place in her house and truly meant it.

I love the Dominican so much!

Si Dios quiere...