A Good, yet Trying Week

My first week back in the Dominican Republic has gone well, at least as far as work goes. I've really enjoyed having more time to focus on my jobs as the librarian and Sponsorship Coordinator. For the first two months of the school year I was dividing each grade into two groups and only having one group come to the library per week, to help me adjust while learning how to run the library. Since I've been back from my trip, I've started taking both groups for each grade into the library and the kids are so excited! Yes, I have a lot more books to re-shelf but it's fun to see them excited about reading.

I've also started working on this years Christmas project (refer to post "Christmas Projects for Sponsors" to see pictures) to send to our sponsors. It's been fun explaining to the younger kids that they have "padrinos" (translates as godfathers) in the United States that are helping pay for them to go to school at Anija. It's also been great listening to the older kids talk about their sponsors, letters they've received from them, and if they've met them before. We are constantly looking for sponsors for our kids, please let me know if you or anyone you know are interested in sponsoring a child with Kids Alive and I will get right back to you! I can tell you from first hand experience that sponsors change kids lives.

On another note, adjusting to daily life here has been a different story, specifically in three different areas- bugs, power, and Spanish. First, I hate to say this but we've caught four mice in the kitchen last week (after never having them before!) among other friends (a frog, lizards, huge moths, spiders, cockroaches, little centipedes, and of course mosquitoes). Second, the power seems like it has been out more than usual. That means taking showers in the dark, cooking in the dark, working out in the dark, and simply being bored at times. And last, I went to the medical clinic for the first time as I had been sick for a couple of weeks. Let's just say I haven't invested in studying medical terms in Spanish enough. I wasn't able to explain all of my symptoms nor did I understand what the nurse was saying. All I know is that they didn't have me fill out one form, not my name or for any medications I was taking (I was on three including antibiotics) and before I knew it I had two prescriptions that I didn't know what they were for. Anyways, that is life in the DR and I know that God has kept me safe so far (somehow with minimal shrieking or screaming) and will continue to look after me. God is good! ALL THE TIME!