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 :)

summer is over and the dirt is swept away...

I am continually shocked by how quickly time seems to fly while I am here. When we woke up this morning, my roommate remarked, "Well, your summer is over." What she meant is that the last intern that spent part of the summer with me in Jaibon left this morning. (And I miss her sooo much already!) It's weird for me to think that there isn't anyone else here who experienced the orphanage in Jaibon like I did... who was a part of that amazing spiritual community... who knew those boys so well and watched them change and grow... who experienced a true since of the Lord's divine planning in each person that set foot in that place. Summer is over. That chapter is finished. And while those in the States have the approaching fall season- the cool weather... the changing of the leaves- to remind them of that, I see it in the ending of an internship program insanely blessed by the Lord. His hands were all over it and I saw Him moving so intricately and personally in His children. However, though that summer in Jaibon holds a very special place in my heart, I smile knowing that God's purposes for me here are only just beginning.

And as the seasons of OO change, I am excited for this next one. This morning Christine, my roommate, and I cleaned out our room. And by cleaned out, I mean literally cleaned junk OUT of our room. Living here, things get dirty real fast. Though we are blessed to have a room with concrete walls, a concrete roof, and screens over our windows, dust and dirt still manages to make its way in. So every couple weeks we pick up everything off the floor, sweep, and then "throw water." In the Dominican, you "throw water" to mop. They literally fill up huge buckets of soapy water and then throw it all over the floor. Then you grab a broom, starts scrubbing, and then sweep all the water out at the end. You usually end up throwing water several times before all the dirt is gone. It's sooo much fun! You end up slipping and sliding all around the room with water and bubbles floating everywhere! We also took of our window screens and cleaned out the windows today which we are pretty sure hasn't been done since the building was built a year and a half ago. We were scrubbing those windows forever. Half the time I was standing on a chair, just scratching off caked-on dirt with my rag and finger nail. It looked pretty gross, but it felt so good to be finally removing all that dirt off of our windows. And as I stood there picking the dirt out of the window frames, I couldn't help being reminded of my heart. So many times I forget the need of that clean up. Instead of continually begging God to purify my heart and make me new, I let my dirt and selfishness build up. My business became my dirt. Everything that I had to get done became something that built up dirt on my heart where God was given my pockets of time instead of my all. I was drained and longing for rest in my Love. The past few days I have felt God stripping me of myself and reminding me once again of my purpose in Him. His grace and love for me astound me. I cannot fathom the grace of my Father on a child so weak as me. That when I mess up, He still pursues me. That when He is not my first focus, He still loves me the same. That when I am blinded by my selfishness, He still continually blesses me. So this morning as I chipped the dirt off the windows, I begged God to do the same in my heart. That I would have a clean heart before Him that looks more like Jesus' every day. So I pray that even if it hurts, God continues to chip all the dirt out of my life.

As far as what's been going on here, we have been teaching for two weeks at the English Institute. I have loved getting to know the kids there! They are wonderful. I continue to love the kids here at the orphanage more each day. They have become family to me and hold a very special place in my heart. This week we have a group of 30 high schoolers coming in and we will be launching the first week of the literacy program at a local school. Heck yes! It should be a lot of fun! I love life here. When we drive through town to the Institute, I can't help but think that this feels like home. I don't feel like I'm on a trip or doing an internship somewhere for a few months... this is life. And I love it.

And for fun... You know you live in the D.R. if...
-there is chinola (passionfruit) growing on your laundry lines outside.
-you find turantulas, cockroaches, lizards and many other creatures in your room (or in your backpack!) on a daily basis.
-you find your English getting worse every day as you speak in Spanish or really simplified English.
-sometimes your students at the Institute let out some cuss words... but it's only because they are mispronouncing words in English.
-you get really excited about going to the Italian pizza place in town... and make bets as to who can eat the most pizza.
-you are considered on "team woops" if the OO tshirt you chose isn't the same color as someone else's that day.
-if you relate every weird thing you see back to the earthquake that happened a couple weeks ago.

Love and miss ya'll!

ahora...

And once again, I have failed to update my blog in while. So sorry!

So one question that I have been getting a lot lately is "What exactly are you doing now that summer is over?!" So I figured, why not answer that on my blog :)

This week is kind of the transition week between the summer and fall program with OO. Almost all of the kids have started school (some kids in the Dominican decide they just don't want to go to school the first week or so... and that is deemed acceptable) so we are no longer doing summer camps. At the beginning of the week we took suitcases full of school supplies out to all of the local schools. I loved those days. It was extremely humbling to give these schools the only school supplies they will receive. Orphanage Outreach also started an English Institute in town several years ago where we offer free English classes to 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Tomorrow is the beginning of registration for the Institute so we will be there all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday registering both new and old students. Starting Monday, I will be teaching all day Monday-Friday... God has a sense of humor I guess :) Haha, but I am so excited! I will be teaching Level 2 kids so they have already had one year of English at the Institute. Today we spent the whole day cleaning out the Institute and setting up our classrooms. I had a ton of fun! It's neat seeing that I am now using my four years of college education in my very own classroom. But I must say, I will never again take laminators, copiers, printers, paper cutters, cork boards, or any other school supply for granted! So from now on I will be teaching 6th graders English!

I am still living at the orphanage, so some evenings we have activities for the kids and other evenings we have some free time to just hang out with them or plan our lessons for the Institute. However, this week we also are starting a program for the five oldest kids at the orphanage to help prepare them for college. Leonel and Carolina will be graduating at the end of this school year and Kelvin, Cristofer, and Nicol have two years left. By the time they are ready to go to college, they have to pass a GED-type test. We are working with them 4 nights a week so we are also pouring a lot of time into that. Each of the leaders have a night where we specifically are in charge of teaching a lesson on a specific subject area. My subject is math, so on Tuesday nights, I teach math in Spanish :) Ha, that's definitely a bit of a challenge! But I love it!

In addition, I am also starting a literacy program this year for OO! The rate of illiteracy in the Dominican Republic is extremely high, so my long term focus for this year is starting a literacy program where we promote reading, teach reading, and provide a place where people can have access to books. We will also be involving groups and teams in this program in the spring where we will put on reading weeks (at an unknown location at this point :) ). Yeah literacy!

So... English teacher to kids that speak only Spanish, Math teacher in Spanish, and Literacy Program Director... it's gonna be a busy and fun year :)

Adios from the island full of beautiful sunsets, priceless smiles, dirts roads, loud roosters, palm trees, tons of ants, and an orphanage full of kids who have stolen my heart :)