Los Higos

My day started out as planned but morphed into a drive up to Los Higos. A student here for the summer is learning to drive stick and needed to go there. So I rode along with him on his maiden voyage outside the walls of the base. The drive takes you into traffic of paved roads that lead to pothole covered dirt roads and steep hills. He did very well and was thrilled with the opportunity to drive all the way to Los Higos!

Los Higos is a community nestled back in the mountains with gorgeous views and home to wonderful people in great need. Today a construction team went to lay cement for a sidewalk with a hand rail. There is an 19 yr. old girl named Araceli who has MS. She was married and after having a child her MS grew to a point where she needs constant care. Her husband is gone now so she lives with family. They would not have been able to get a sidewalk between buildings for her without the help of SI. The expense of this simple walkway is way beyond their income.

This video is a panning shot just above Los Higos.

This video shows a pan of Araceli's home. The very first building on the right is the kitchen. I then pan left where the walkway goes from the house to the kitchen. Then I complete the circle to show the surrounding view.

This is a picture of the construction team and some locals who put in the walkway for Araceli today. This makes me think of places I've been in life and not taken the time to look around for opportunity to show God's love through helping someone in need. Here in the DR or home in the US there are plenty of opportunities God gives us to serve Him by serving others. I want to commit to this view no matter where God takes me in life. The reality is, it is really fun to serve :)

Running Hills

I've been running a couple times here but the trail I knew about is not more than about 1/2 mile and parts are super steep to even just walk up. So I found out about another route and I ran it tonight. Well, mostly ran/jogged the route. It is pretty challenging due to hills. I traced the route on Google Earth using the ruler tool and measured it to be 4.55 miles. I averaged 10.22 min. miles which I was thrilled with. I am not real running condition so this was a step in the right direction. Most will not understand the lay out of the route but for those who have been here it may be interesting to see.
Otherwise, I spent the day working on the web site and doing laundry. Real exciting stuff to report about I know. Don't worry, I won't post a pic of my laundry :)
The red dotted line is the route I took to run tonight.

The Falls

On Saturday we went out for an excursion to the falls. There were no teams here this weekend so it was a treat to be able to relax with each other and do some things we can't do other wise. We hiked up the side of this mountain going from the lower falls to the upper falls. Normally with teams they would decide which one to go to and take different roads to drive there. Our trip was adventurous as we were sort of bushwhacking our way up. We missed the turn to go to the upper falls and climbed much higher up than necessary. But I loved it because we saw things we wouldn't have other wise seen. We came back down, found the trail and then went to the upper falls. I would do this day again in a heart beat! Check out the video to get a better idea of what it was like.

The Dead Hornet

Ever have those days where you want to get something done but just keep running up against walls slowing you down? That has been my day today(and yesterday for that matter). So Josh and Vicki were going to let me follow them into town so I could find my way to the store, bank and money exchange on my own in the future. Then Vicki says, "Hey Randy, do you want to do something adventurous?" Of course my interest was peaked and my eyes lit up. So all it took was a suggestion of knocking down some of the little hornet nests collecting on the ceiling over the balcony and I was already heading toward that door. We got a broom and while one of them held open the door for my great escape I thrust the broom into one of the larger ones. Of course while I ran for cover about eight hornets became very angry! They all came to a rest back on the nub of their previous home. I realized they would not leave so would therefore have to be taken care of.
Long story short I ended up going back to the store in town later to buy the wasp spray that puts you a comfortable distance away. They had none. So I bought two cans of Raid fly and mosquito spray. It was successful but only at what I would call "Petting Zoo" distances. I ended up finding several larger nests under other eaves on the building and managed to make an afternoon of it. They will come back, but when they do I'll be ready for them! When the good people of SI Dominican Republic send out a beacon for TDH, I will become...The Dead HORNET! Hornet! hornet......hornet

This is a picture of one of the hornet nests I took down. It is a bit blurry but I still think you get the idea.
This is some of what was left after I swept up the balcony. Victory!

What I've Been Doing

It just dawned on me that I may not have told exactly what I am doing. That is partially because at first I wasn't entirely sure myself. I came with the only direction that I would be collecting media and making videos of the short term teams outreaches. However, there is a girl Andrea and a guy Peter doing that. So on the first day here I was talking with Lowell, the director here, and he said, "What I could really use is a website. Can you build me a web site?" Now granted I have never built a real web site. But it just so happens that about 2 weeks before my trip my friend Scott talked me into buying the software and extra plug ins for building what? A WEB SITE! Hmmm...maybe God knew of this need. So I breathed deep and said, "I don't know how but I guess I can learn as I go." Now you know that I have been working on building a web site. My friend Scott has been beyond valuable to me! I thank God for Scott and his talent in this area to teach me. Besides the web site there are also 4 video projects they want me to try and accomplish. This is a lot to do in the amount of time I am here. I am up to the challenge and pray that by God's grace and Scott by my side I will be able to claim the victory!
Below are a few random pictures that I like and thought I'd share them with you. Enjoy :)
This is Carie Erickson. She and my mom are working together to train the ladies of Los Higos and El Callejon to use the new sewing machines. They have a schedule jam packed teaching the making of skirts and shirts.
This boy was hanging around Los Higos so when I posed him in the window and he loved seeing his picture. We then became friends!
I honestly don't remember where I took this darling little girls picture but I think it was in Los Higos.
This girl in Los Higos didn't realize my zoom lens could get her from a distance. I liked the face with the sewing things next to her. She is very serious about her sewing. She kicks some serious sewing machine!
This girl was being very difficult. I was in Los Higos to take pictures of the girls with the new sewing machines and she kept being camera shy not wanting her picture taken. So I photographically shunned taking her picture. Of course I being wiser than her knew she would cave into the pressure. Sure enough, she came to me with my hat and said, "Photo me?" This is the picture I took of her.
So the girl in the above picture let me take one of her and THEN she wanted to take one of me. I put the strap over her arm and head before releasing it. This is her picture of yours truly. Ya know sometimes I forget how handsomely God made me :)

Post Card

FYI - This post was for June 21 but internet was difficult so it is actually a day after.

Today I drove in the DR for the first time! It really wasn't as spectacular as I thought it might be. It was just like driving in the states except with no lines on the road. It makes perfect sense. If something bigger is coming you move. If you are bigger you take your side and others go around you as necessary. Everyone gets along fine without all the laws and hoopla.
I went to Los Higos to take pictures of the new sewing machines in action. It was fun to see my mom and Carie in action instructing the ladies in the proper ways of a seamstress. Then I came back to download the pictures and make a sort of post card for the purpose of being sent out to as many of the people who helped get them there as possible. So if you read this and are getting one...wait in anticipation for your very own copy! Hopefully you can tell it's supposed to be a bulletin board with pins holding up the pictures :) (See below)

La Vid (The Vine)

Sunday morning we went to a local church called La Vid or The Vine. They have a pastor but many times take turns preaching. The man preaching this morning is a local doctor that serves with Students International. There were songs of praise and then a message from Acts 2:42-47 with a 2Tim. reference as well. An invitation was given for people needing prayer, healing or Jesus at the end. Afterward all the plastic chairs were stacked, chained together and covered with a tarp to protect them from the sun and rain. I would look forward to going back here again. A great morning spent with Jesus :)
This is a video of clips from the church service.
This is a picture of my mom and I Skyping with the family back home. Happy Fathers Day to my dad! I love you dad and hope you survive without mom these next few days. I know you will.
I just got this picture from Carie's camera. This is mom teaching a sewing lesson to the ladies out at El Callejon. She said that so many ladies were all talking at once so fast that even a Spanish speaking missionary could not understand what they were saying! Praise God for this type of positive engagement in the community!

Dinner In The Community

So on Thursday nights the teams go out into the community to have a meal prepared by someone associated with a ministry site. This is a great opportunity for both the locals and the teams to relate with each other differently than when we are at "The Ministry Site". Remember that ministry should be a life style and not just an event with certain hours of operation. I went with a group that works in Los Higos. Los Higos has both an education and social work site.
This is a picture of me and my mom riding in the back of the truck that is taking us out to Los Higos. Everyday the teams go out they ride in these flat bed trucks that have roll bars and benches built on them. They are an experience in them selves!
This is the couple who had us over for dinner and the others minus me. They are Christians. She comes to the ministry site and has been learning to sew. There is also spiritual mentoring that takes place. He works on a horse ranch. They were both very gracious to us.
This is the home of the couple, in the picture above, who hosted us for dinner. The parents moved and left him the foundation and half wall. He then did some repairs to the wall, built the wooden upper wall, and built the new roof.
We had a delicious meal of mashed green bananas and chicken. I know what your thinking but it was GREAT! It is like mashed potatoes. Yummy!

A Brief Look So Far

I got a wild hair last night while looking through my pictures to this point and decided I just had to do something more with them. So I had for kicks just recorded a couple live worship songs from the staff Wed. night praise and Bible study time. So here is a look set to that music. Enjoy :D

Basketball Round 2

So this morning I was going to put my dirty work clothes from yesterday on for today's dirty work. I put the cement covered pants on but the shirt! Oh man did I smell from working yesterday! So I now officially have 2 extra dirty work shirts for the summer.
The gray paint ordered from the states was supposed to cover the court with two coats. However, we didn't quite finish one whole one. We think the surface was just more uneven and porous than folks are used to when making their calculations. So we left one of the keys undone and later filled it in with blue paint. Eventually the key will blue anyway. But more gray paint will be ordered because it needs to be done right for the long lasting durability of the surface. For now thought the dirty pants can stand in the corner for next time.

Nate is dumping the paint into a big barrel to mix the paint with water in the proper ratio.

I'm mixing four buckets of paint with two of water.

Lowell and Nate squeegeed the gray paint around while I filled buckets and kept a constant stream of paint coming so as not to allow the edge to dry.

Here is a view from above of the main court paint. We will eventually paint lines and boundaries after the next shipment of paint arrives.

I'm a Missionary!!

OH MY HEAD!! One of the sewing machines came missing a set screw for the belt driven wheel of the box the machine sets in. Remember, these are treadle machines. So when you work the foot peddle the wheel turns on a shaft. The set screw threads in the wheel hub and a smooth extended end inserts into the shaft connecting the two. So with out the set screw the machine no worky :( Sooooooo I started thinkin. I went to the warehouse on the base and found a bolt with the proper threads in an assortment of odds and ends. I used a wheel grinder to roughly form it. When it didn't work I wasn't surprised because it looked bad. So today I told Lowell about it and I said if I only had a dremel tool I could fix it. Guess what...THEY HAVE ONE! Guess what...IT WORKS!!!! By the Grace of GOD the set screw will LIVE!!! AHHHH HA HA HA!! AHHHHHHHHH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA ha haaaaaaaaaaaa. So the Sewing machine is set to go to El Callejon where it will be used mightily :)

So since my workmanship is so Jedi level I thought I should tell you that mine is the silver one on the right...NO LEFT :)

Sewing and Basketball

Well my mom arrived on Monday. She and a lady named Carrie(and her daughter Kaitlyn)are here to install 4 new treadle sewing machines. The electricity is hit an miss with more miss than hit. The REALLY old ones have been working for a long time but just can't do stitches the new ones can. So we were up till 11:00 assembling everything. Now they have gone out to the first of two sites to set up the machines with the full time missionary Arlene. To say the people are excited to get these new machines is a HUGE understatement. Pictures of these in action will come in the following days.

Lowell, Nate and I were up and working by 7am toady. We finished resurfacing the last third of an outdoor basketball court. A special concoction of silica, cement, latex and water was mixed and squeegeed on like peanut butter. After drying it will be cleaned and prepped for two coats of paint. Then it will be taped and lines painted.


This is from left to right Lowell, Nate and I


Nate is inspecting the sealant that was sprayed on first. It needed to dry before applying the cement mixture.


I had the messy job of measuring and mixing the concoction. There is a type of mixing thingy on the end of a rod driven by a drill. NICE!


Lowell and Nate used the squeegees to apply the material. The plan is to paint the first coat tomorrow.

Santiago

Today I went to Santiago in the afternoon with the interns. It was nice to see more of the city because it was dark when my plane came in. The interns are a really fun group of college age young people with a real heart for missions. We first went to a famous monument which you can climb up spiral stairs inside for 60 pesos. It was worth it to see the city from up high.


This is the monument in Santiago we went to see. To put it in perspective for you, this last week out at the micro finance work site a conversation was overheard between two girls about 8 or 9. They were, as kids do every where, trying to not be outdone. One girl said, "Well I've been to town!". The other answered back, "Well I've been there two times and you haven't"! There really is not much in the middle class here. You are either rich or poor. And of course that too is left to perspective.


This is one of numerous costumes that a docent explained as being historically related to religion and regions in the DR. Now they are used to celebrate their independence day in huge two day parades. Some what like a Mardi Gras or Brazilian carnival scene.


Here a couple of interns could not resist the huge flock of pigeons just asking to be run through!


We ended the night by going out to TGI Fridays in Santiago. It is a very nice place to eat out there. There were people there all dressed up from suit and tie to US!

Boys Club

So today I went back out with the micro finance team. But today was different. Today we met with mostly jr. high aged boys. Ryan, a full time missionary, has started a program with these boys to try and instill in them the value of work and productivity. Here in the DR there are a lot of men who just don't work. The women have to pull a lot of the weight or there are family members who have made it to the US and send money back to live on exclusively.

So these boys are working for Ryan bucks which are used to buy things from Ryan. There are team leaders who keep track of boys on their team. They are responsible for finding odd jobs and assigning a Ryan Buck value to the work. It may be picking up trash, weeding, cleaning a wall, etc.. A parent must sign off that it was completed and random checks are made to keep them honest. Many times the boys are arguing their case for the work done. Also these teams are in competition with each other for earning things like a trip down to the river.

In This picture Ryan is meeting with one of the team leaders to discuss how things are going with the boys on his team and checking the work logged as being done.

This is another team leader who is filling out his paper work and documentation.

This video is of a boy who I was sent with to go check out the work he did. He was a little shocked when I pulled out my camera to document for Ryan if he did the work as he said. Ryan thought this would be a great incentive for the boys to do an extra good job.

Micro Finance

Today I went out with the micro finance ministry site. This is where a group of women are formed to receive a money loan from the SI "bank". They then collectively all pay it back in a structured form by each starting some type of small business. This obviously provides in a way they did have prior to this program.
However the day kinda turned out to be a bit of misc. events. We first went out to a ladies home where she makes candles for her small business and sells them in her little store next to her house. She has been successful in this program started by Students International. We were going to help her make candles but there were already some in the molds and were not cool enough to take out yet. So we agreed to come back later in the afternoon which we did.


Then we went out to the sports site to watch a baseball game that was a big deal. Older teenage guys came from different areas to scrimmage. About 100 people mostly young men came out for the event. Several games were played and afterward a testimony and short bible message was delivered.


At the game a woman showed up who is a part of one of the micro finance groups called a bank and took the opportunity of the crowd to set up her newly purchased BBQ. She sold a lot of hotdogs on a stick along with other side munchies and soda.


Then we finished out the day with a weekly meeting of one of the banks. There the women gather and do a couple worship songs, get a short message from God's word, and then make their deposits to the SI bank and get their loan books updated. It was really neat to see how not just a group of women are being impacted but in reality their entire families. Then the community benefits as well from a stronger economy in these families lives. There are so many practical ways to touch lives and show Christs love at the same time.

Prayer Walk in El Callejon

We went on a prayer walk tonight in the community of El Callejon just outside the outskirts of Jarabacoa. Students International has work sites there for social work and a preschool. One of the SI staff who works in El Callejon walked us around and gave us details about the location, its needs, the ongoing work and items to pray for. We then split up to walk in smaller groups and prayed, even for individuals we met if they were willing. One home had a group of VERY energetic young girls that benefit from the work of SI. They recognized some of the team members and insisted on playing and eventually had us into the home to pray with them. There were 6 of us and about 12 of them including some older family inside. We took turns praying in English and Spanish inside about a 7 ft. x 12 ft. room. I was reminded that wherever 3 or more are gathered in God's name, He will be there. Here are some pictures of some of these precious young girls. Go ahead, try to look without going, "Ahhhhhoooohhhh!" : )

I have ARRIVED!

I was up at 3:45am Monday morning to fly out from the Fresno Yosemite International Airport. A BIG thanks to my mom and dad for driving me at such an hour : ) I flew to LAX and had a quick jump to my next flight to Miami, FL. I was suppose to fly out to Santiago, DR at 6:50pm. However the flight was "15 min. late" which turned in to 1 1/2 hours. So together with the 3 hours later time change, I was picked by the DR director Lowell Troyer and arrived on base at 11:20pm.

I was up the next morning at 6:15 am for chapel with the current team here doing outreach. What a beautiful sight. There are palm trees, flowers, and green, green, green everywhere. Not exactly knowing for sure what I would be doing each day I came prepared for whatever.

Have you ever wondered exactly what does a missionary do on a day to day basis? Well Monday I got a dose of Missions 101. I went with Lowell to the airport to pick up mail. Unlike most of us in the states it does not just show up on a missionaries porch mailbox. You only get it every other Tuesday here AND it is not easy. Depending on who the "captain" is that day it could take just one day or most likely two. So we hurried up to be on time and spent 5 1/2 hours of day two doing paperwork, waiting, talking, asking questions and then they inspected every single box belonging to us and ALL the other missionaries on the island getting mail through customs from the U.S.. Wow! They finally released it to us all 10 minutes before closing!

So the lesson is, to be a missionary you must learn patience, grace and above all flexibility. It does no good to get upset or demanding. Remember you are a missionary and are expected to represent God well. You may be the only Jesus the people your working with have seen. So ask yourself, what does Jesus look like to them in the circumstance? Hmmm, I think this is pretty much a life lesson for no matter where you live.