Dear Family and Friends,
When I was at the Miami airport I met a Haitian group from the US travelling to the Dominican Republic (DR) to do a work for the poor there. In the process of our conversation and sharing each other’s goals one of the pastors took me aside and asked if he could donate some money to the cause. He gave me a check and sent me along with his blessing. I was quite shocked…. and thankful.
I arrived in the DR yesterday afternoon (April 7th) and began the trek from Santiago to Puerto Plata. Along the way we visited one of Mercy League's 7 churches (I don't talk about them much because they are not part of the children's home project because they are the work of Mercy League-Dominican Republic). There is also much need in these small churches as they are in some of the poorest areas on the DR. The video that I have put up here is a little church in Beya Gonzales. The pastor there hugged me and then scolded me for not visiting sooner.
I met the couple we are considering as house parents for the children’s home (more like house “grandparents”). We also have a young couple who pastor one of our churches in San Marcos who will be intricately involved in the running of the children’s home. They are really nice little people (They are a cute little couple in their sixties). Things are coming together in that regard.
When I got to the children’s home today it was a mess. The yard was unkept and full of trash. The garden was planted already with the land lord’s potatoes and the fence was down. I have some work to do. The good news is that someone came and worked on the walls of the house and put in a shower and bathroom in the back.
I helped out with the construction of a new church in San Marcos (same town as the children’s home) today as well. The pastor of the church will work (as it stands now) in the children’s home with his wife. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming as usual.
As far as building the beds… It may be that I have found some metal (a local art/craft) beds that may be as little as $120 per bunk-bed including the mattresses. I will let you know… I will begin to work planting banana, papaya, and plantain trees on Thursday, God willing, but tomorrow there will be political demonstrations in the area so I will have to stay home or possible go crayfish hunting in the mountains with the folks I am staying with. ( I know... weird.)
I hope that you are following along,
Please continue to pray for:
Children's home staff
Finances (God will provide)
Health
Shane
