Work Projects

We had two jobs over the weekend- helping with Awana and doing construction.

Friday, our kids helped with Awana.

Starting Awana...

Game time.

Kids watching Awana from the outside of our property.

Game time for the younger kids!

Cheering on the Green team!

More Games!

Even our teachers participated!

Helping kids memorize Bible verses.

The 8th graders prepared and sang a couple of songs for the kids.

Saturday, we helped continue build the wall around the Care Center property.

Preparing the cement.

Piling dirt...

and adding rocks...

Taking a little break.

Barrels and barrels of cement.

Pouring buckets of cement.

And we are done!

Our 8th Graders Arrive!

After a longer than expected ride up to Caraballo (about 30 minutes away from the team house, one of the van's belt broke and they had to get towed into town), the 8th graders arrived late Thursday evening. Here are pictures from various parts of the trip. We had a wonderful time, the kids behaved well, and they worked very hard!

Buying food at La Sirena in Puerto Plata.

Rebecca, one of our wonderful leaders and cook for the week!

We were well fed!

We played games like spoons (or markers) and concentration. Concentration is a challenging game as it is but even harder in another language! I was so proud of myself for making it from the last number to number 1 but then I messed up by saying "1-20" instead of "1-18" as there were only 18 people playing.

Rebecca, Paul, and I got frozen yogurt at La Sirena. I felt kind of bad at first since everyone else didn't get ice cream...

but then I found out they had ice cream at a nearby Splash.

Bedtime!

Getting ready to drive out to the Care Center. We borrowed a truck the first day until the van was fixed. It was quite a bumpy ride!

The old sugar cane factory.

On our way to the Care Center!

Driving through the sugar cane fields.

Driving through a river that sometimes fills too high to cross by vehicle.

Fixing the gate after the van knocked it out of place.

Playtime at the beach Sunday afternoon before heading back to Jarabacoa :)

More of Caraballo

More pictures from Caraballo!

Here's Emily's first grade 'classroom' (it's a corner of the cafeteria).

Part of the new playground set that was put in this summer.

Reading at recess.

The Care Center has pigs!

Outside of the Care Center. We went on a little tour around the Care Center.

A witch doctor lives to the left of this house but he has asked that we don't take pictures. His house is marked with a distinct flag.

There are several rows of cement houses that an organization built after a couple of really bad riots between Dominicans and Haitians several years ago that left Haitians without anywhere to live. The majority of our kids live in this village.

Sponsorship Projects in Caraballo

Here are some pictures of the kids working on their Easter projects (bookmarks) to send to their sponsors. One of my supporters donated scrapbook paper so I used that to glue the bookmark and Bible verse on to.

Here's the finished project!

Hello From Caraballo!

Here's a glimpse of the week so far here in Caraballo...

A view from Caraballo (I took a video of the Care Center that I will load once I get back to Jarabacoa)

Hanging out with the kids at recess and trying to get to know a few (or at least recognize a few!)

Lunch time in their newly expanded cafeteria!

Working on Easter projects

A nice goat to greet us every morning at the Care Center

Prayer Requests

As I mentioned in my last e-mail update (let me know if you don't receive them and would like to), here is a list of the 8th graders who will be going on the missions trip this week.

Oscar

Francisco

Evelyn

Marlenys

Ana Maria

Luis Manuel

Israel

Manuela

Elianis

Nicole

Rosa Nelly

Dary Devy

Limberlyn

Sarai

Jossian

Franny

Mateo

Remember to be praying for opportunities for our 8th graders to serve with good attitudes, love between them and the kids, and that they may grow closer to God during this time. Some other prayer requests are for our third graders who need A LOT of love and patience, for my trip to Caraballo and helping with sponsorship stuff, and for a housing opportunity for me between the end of April and middle of June.

The Three Little Pigs and a Couple Other Pictures

Recently I've started reading a story in the first and second grade classes each week. Last week I read a shorter version of The Three Little Pigs and told the class I was going to read the same story the following week but with a little twist, and that I had a special prop that I was bringing. I told the class that I would need a helper and that their teacher was going to tell me who behaved the best during the week to choose who would be my helper.

So, I brought in a play set for The Three Little Pigs that someone had given me (thank you!) that included the three little pigs and the wolf. My helper moved the pieces to the different houses as I read the story.

The kids (and teachers) thought it was pretty cool.

And although my Spanish still isn't the best, the kids sat and listened well.

One another note...

We had a work team here last week who brought a backpack full of presents for this cute kiddo from one of his sponsors. He drew a kaleidoscope and a kite, two of the gifts he received on his thank you card. He is one happy boy!

Here's a glimpse of a few of the thank you cards kids made to send to their sponsors this week.

(Click on the picture to enlarge it)