Beach Trip to Cabarete

This week is Semana Santa (Holy Week) aka Spring Break. A few of us took a trip to the beach for a couple of days. It was so nice to be in air conditioning! We relaxed, watched kite surfers, and even saw a whale jumping! Here are a few pictures from the trip.

This is a typical site here in the DR. They stuff as many people into cars as they can.

It worked out that the boys (other KAI missionaries) could come for a day trip.

From left to right: Jenilea, Kyle, Brian, me!

Although watching kite surfing was fun, it was a little scary walking on the beach or swimming in the ocean as we jumped a little every time we saw a shadow fly over us.

Some other girls from Jarabacoa (who work at Doulos, an all English speaking school close to Anija) were staying near us in Cabarete. We met up for dinner one of the nights.

From left to right: Jenilea, me, Amanda, Maddie, Kimberly, Jessica, Erica.

More Family Pictures!

ENJOY!

Family picture at the Confluenzia.

My family helped in my 4th grade class.

My parents are now sponsors of Yeraudy! What a big smile :)

They also helped with sponsorship projects for Easter.

A couple students gave their extra Easter cards to my mom or sister.

More Easter cards!

My family even got to meet the four Haitian boys!

We visited the Ark, where a lot of my students live.

We went to the Dougans house for dinner and to play games. I invited two of my closest friends, Michel (left) and Loida (middle). Milagros (second from left) made Sancocho, a typical dominican meal).

My mom had a great time doing laundry. It took her an hour and a half to wash one load and hang up the clothes. About 20 minutes later it started pouring! I couldn't help but laugh.

We played cards all afternoon on one of the cloudy days at the beach.

We had fun in the waves. I only got sucked under a couple times...

Who wants to visit?!

This is Cambria. She is the intern coordinator at the KAI US Home Office. She's been very helpful with getting me here, updating me with my supporters, helping with my budget, and with any other things she can. I met her while she and the Field Directors from several other KAI sites along with Al Lacky, the KAI President, and other KAI Canadian and US staff were here in Jarabacoa for a week long conference (back in November). Once again, she's helping me with the process of raising support. If you're interested in supporting me prayerfully or with donations for the ministries I'm involved with here in the DR, please email me (julieannebailey@gmail.com)! If you would like to support me financially, contact Cambria at 800-543-7330 or by email at cambria@kidsalive.org or if you'd like to make a donation online to go:

http://www.kidsalive.org/around-the-world/latin-america/dominican-republic/

and scroll down to find Julie-Anne Bailey. May God bless you this week!

Thoughts from Last Weeks Home Visit

Thank-You Lord for helping Natahly and I find the students houses during home visits last week. I feel a little weird reflecting on today's home visits. During the visits, I felt like saying, "these houses weren't too poor" or the situations weren't too bad." I can't let myself get numb to seeing these living conditions or compare their needs. No matter the situation, God is good and He is our Provider. I continued to reflect on the day as I took a shower. I remembered seeing one of the girls moms through a window outback who had just finished bathing. It was most likely a bucket shower as this family doesn't have a bathroom. Wow, how grateful I was to be standing in an actual shower, inside my house, and with hot water. I have to remind myself that my life is not fuller or better because I live "comfortably." Yet why do I always find something to complain or be ungrateful about? God is Provider for all His people. God, I ask You to bring these families into having personal relationships with You and that they would seek You as their Provider.

Philippians 4:12-13 "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Kids Alive University Program

Here's a link to a new video that gives a great summary of our University Program with Kids Alive. I work with Maria at Anija and see a lot of the others around Jarabacoa and just went on a day hike with this group on Saturday. I thought this was a neat video, Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNR6BYDq73c

Picture's from Family Visit!

Here are some pictures from my parents and sisters visit in February. More to come!

First "momma Bailey" hug out of many more to come :)

My parents went to one of my tutoring sessions with me. Nelly (on the far left) was my tutor up until Christmas. Luz Angela (between Jennifer and me) is my tutor now.

We took pictures at the Confluencia (where two rivers merge).

We went to Salto Biaguate, a nearby waterfall.

Mom wanted to help me pick out some vegetables.

We walked around in a barrio (neighborhood) were a few Anija students live. This is one of our students homes.

We enjoyed time at the beach in Sosua. We stayed at Casa Marina Beach and Reef Resort.

Home Visits Round Three

Wow. Today was not a good day to spend an hour looking for students houses as it was really hot out! We spent almost an hour driving on my pasola up and down rocky roads, asking someone about every 100 meters if they knew where such and such lived only to find out that we had been passing the students houses the whole time. Gracias a Dios, we eventually made it to 4 students houses.

These kiddos are in 1st grade. They were really quiet while we were there. Their dad was making tostadas to sell while we talked.

Six or seven people live in this house with only 2 bedrooms.

Natahly with one of her students. This first graders mom was just finishing bathing out back when we walked up as they don't have a bathroom.

This student lives with his grandparents. His mom died and his dad doesn't live in Jarabacoa.

Home Visits Round Two

This week's home visits were a little different than the first week. Judit (a second grade teacher at Anija) and I had no clue where any of the kids lived (there are very very few street names and no addresses). We only knew the barrio name, La Joya, which is close by where I live. So we just stopped and asked random people if they new a certain kid and where they lived and eventually we found all four houses! Some of the people were hesitate to tell us where the kid lived. Judit explained to me that a lot of times when someone is asking where a person lives it's because they are in trouble so that explains why people in the community don't like to say where people live. Here are some pictures from the home visit.

This is the home of one of our 5th graders and her 5 year old brother who also attends ANIJA. Their mother wasn't home but we talked with the kids for a little while anyways. About 5 minutes after we got there (and we had arrived the same time as the students), I heard the sound of a baby cry. Sure enough, their youngest brother who is about 9 months old was in the room... the surprising thing to me is that there were no adults home!

A picture with her English teacher :)

This is one of Judit's second graders. She has lived with her grandparents since her mom got married to a man other than her father. Two of her older uncles and cousin live there as well. The house only has 2 bedrooms. She seemed quite happy and loved and gets to see her mother almost every day.

A picture with her teacher.

This is the house of one of my third graders. We passed by twice but no one was ever home. We were told by neighbors that the parents both work from about 7am to 6pm every day.

Volleyball Clinic

Last week a couple of girls (Kelsey and Jessica) who play collegiate volleyball came to the DR to have volleyball clinics at Anija. The Anija girls loved having these "professionals" play with them during recess, PE, and after school. Kelsey and Jessica brought volleyballs and also sports bras for the girls! The Anija girls are excited to use their refined volleyball skills at the Friday tournaments.

More Donations!

Thank you everyone for your donations! You are making a difference in these kids lives as they receive your donations knowing they are coming from people who care for them as brothers and sisters in Christ.

May God bless you!

ChuCho (the PE teacher and sports coach- he's in the picture below) had just given out some of the men's shoes that were donated.

Chucho was a couple of the boys that just came over from Haiti because of the earthquake. The boy of the left loves his new pair of black (Michael Jordan's...I think) shoes.

Some of the fifth graders were looking through a stack of books in English during library time.

Of course the boys found the Nascar and Spiderman books.

I am so thankful for all the people who donated!

I'm grateful to have books in English in all reading levels!

I am always happy to receive more donations whether it's athletic shoes, books in English (or even better Spanish and English), treats for the kids, or other teaching supplies. I'm specifically looking for girls athletic shoes sizes 5.5-8. Email me if you'd like to donate something or send donations to my address in Florida (we pay $1.50 per pound to receive packages):

Julie-Anne Bailey

Unit 3049-KAIDR

3170 Airmans Dr.

Ft. Pierce, FL 34946

KAI Tent City in Haiti

Here is a link to a video that was made by one of the team's that went to our KAI site in Haiti. They helped build a tent city that has the capacity to house 50 Haitian kids who lost parents from the earthquake. I enjoyed watching this video myself to get an idea of what our site looks like in Cap Haitian and how Kids Alive has been proactive getting resources together to support victims of the earthquake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HArUwm1wXzg&feature=player_embedded

First Day of Home Visits

Today was my first day of home visits. Our goal is to see where our students are living, build relationships with the parents, and get a more accurate idea of what a kids home life is like. I went to Barrio Blanco (near by) with the first grade teacher, Rubelina. We visited four different houses of first graders that go to ANIJA that live in this area. There are no street names here so once you get to a barrio (or neighborhood) you just ask whoever is around where this or that person lives.Once we arrived at a student's house, Rubelina talked with a parent and filled out a form about the student's family, house, living situation, etc. while I sat there just trying to understand what was being said. I also took a few pictures.

People here are great at greeting and welcoming guests into their homes.

Although we mostly visited first graders today, I got to see one of my third graders (who has a sibling who is in first grade).

This is a "kitchen." This family has no bathroom and I literally saw one of the little girls pee in that bucket while we were sitting and talking with the parent.

The outside of a few houses.

Update on Ministries

Hello Family and Friends!

A lot is going on here in the Dominican Republic. Over the last few weeks I've had my first visitors including a friend, my parents, and my sister. It was so great to see them and be able to show what the KAI ministries look like here. My parents even decided to sponsor one of my 4th graders who lives at the Ark!
Some updates with KAI ministries- A tent city has been built at our site in Cap-Haitian, Haiti and will be able to accommodate 50 Haitian kids along with 3 sets of house parents. We are also capable of receiving 50 kids here in Jarabacoa but ultimately it is up to the governments in Haiti and the DR to send us kids. Some exciting news, we have officially received our first Haitian refugees here in Jarabacoa although not in the way we had planned. We were told that we were going to receive one 13 year old Haiti at our site in Monte Plata, DR and we ended up receiving 4 Haitian boys, ages 13-16 (we said we could take in ages 3-11). Three out of four of the boys only speak Haitian Creole. They have had great attitudes and we can tell they have been through a lot in the past month. Three of them were found living under a bridge at the border of Haiti and the DR. They had walked from Port-au- prince to the northern border and had a gun pulled on them, robbed, and beaten. Praise the Lord for the opportunity to help these boys! We found an apartment in town along with a house parent and they have already started schooling with a tutor here at Anija. They have been asking if they can learn English so within the next few weeks I will hopefully start tutoring them (using lots of pictures as I only know hello and how are you? in Creole).
Along with tutoring these boys, I am starting to go on home visits with the teachers at Anija this week. I will let you know how it goes. I am also in the process of entering over 75 books in English that family and friends donated into our library as well as continuing to give out more athletic shoes and other gifts the supporters have spent to the kids. I cannot express how grateful I am for your prayers and for not only allowing me to be a part of the ministries here but for taking a personal interest in helping fill the needs of the people in the Dominican Republic. God's greatness, faithfulness, love and ability to provide for peoples needs is being spread!
Please continue to pray for opportunities to help in Haiti, for my new projects, and for the process of continuing to raise support for next year. Thanks again for your encouraging words and prayers and please let me know how I can be praying for you!
May God bless you this week,
Julie-Anne