Home sweet home.

I am typing this from the comfort of my own bed at the Wilderness House in Orange City. We made it back safely! It was interesting to talk to the Nicaragua team and swap stories and share experiences. Please ask us questions about our trip when you see us. Keep us in your prayers as we process our whole trip and as we may experience reverse culture shock back at home. Thank you for caring and praying for us while we were in the DR. God Bless!

Our awesome bus driver, Willie, who drove us everywhere!

Group Photo with our driver and our leaders included.

Homaha.

We just landed in Omaha. The Nicaragua team is still in flight, when they arrive we will hop on a school bus and trek on home to Orange City. Allie's parents made a surprise visit to the airport here. What a lovely surprise!

Leaving on a jet plane.

Hey friends! The rest of our trip went well, a little difficult to process, just ask about it if you get the chance. Sorry I wasn't able to update. The place that we were staying did not have free WiFi. Right now we are in the airport waiting to depart the DR for Newark. Boarding in 20 minutes. Pray that our flights go without a hitch!

BBarcelo Capella or BUST!

In about an hour we are leaving La Romana and heading to Barcelo Capella in Juan Dilio - a nice resort by Santa Domingo. We are all interested to experience a different culture of the DR, but still a little hesitant. It is hard to justify going to a resort for our day off after being emersed in such poverty and meeting such beautiful, humble people. Our leaders from HOPE international told us to get rid of the guilt that is building up in our hearts and use the time to get rejuvenated and to reflect before returning home to NWC. So, let's throw our our guilt, be happy for the memories made, the people met, the lessons learned and be free to enjoy God's beautiful beach! Please be praying for us that we will be mindful of our time to reflect and deeply think about the lessons God has taught us and the changes He wants to make in our lives and in our hearts.

Please also pray for healing on our team. Many of us are sick with colds, sore throats, the runs, and nausea. Pray that the sick can find rest this weekend and find strength in God.

These are are leaders from HOPE (left: Claire; right: Liz) They are some pretty sweet ladies.

Olouine. By Kristen Menchaca

Eyes are tired. Muscles hurt. Skin is ouchy-tingly. Ankle starting to swell. And my heart is... full. Overflowing with love for these people and their country! Oh, the things we have been taught and are now still trying to grasp and process. It is challenging; poverty is a heavy-on-your-heart topic that can be really discouraging, and while our group has caught glimpses of the sadness it brings, we have also experienced hope! Lives are being changed by HOPE International here. This week we were able to witness this first-hand. What a privilege!

In one of the rural communities we visited, my team met one woman named Olouine in her home. She has taken out several loans now with HOPE, which has helped her expand her humble business of selling items like shoes, underwear, and food to people in the community. She is married and has 2 little girls.

Oh my goodness, people, this woman was just the happiest girl I had ever seen! Her dark skin was glowing, her white teeth flashing when she smiled big and, she threw her head back as she laughed. She was just radiating JOY! She offered us seats as we walked into her tiny living room- about the size of a typical American bathroom. We asked her questions about her life: her business, family, experience with HOPE, spiritual life, etc. Halfway through our interview, I asked her what the source of her joy was--as it was just so evident on her face and in her sweet Spanish voice. Olouine responded, "God is in my life! I am joyful because He he has provided for me and my family." She then proceeded to tell us, with a huge smile the whole time, how the Lord had worked a miracle just a couple weeks ago. Her baby came down with cholera--a sickness that commonly takes the lives of children in this community in about 3 days. But Olouine and her husband prayed and prayed for a week as their baby struggled, and now the little girl was running around like normal! We saw her ourselves! This woman praised God again and again. She gave Him all the glory. After this time with Olouine I could not stop smiling myself... :)

I am overjoyed to report that Christ is alive and working in the Dominican Republic! Even in the poorest of communities, He is there. I have seen it. I have felt it.

Well, what now?

This is the end of our time working in the communities in the DR. We have done a lot this past week: become educated on poverty, microfinancing, HOPE international, etc; attend bank meetings and interview clients; play with kids, paint fingernails, and take LOTS of photos; sift sand, lift bricks, lay cement, plaster walls, and get dirty. We have asked ourselves and our teammates tough questions with notsoeasy answers, sometimes nonexistent answers. One of those questions is "Well, what now?" Life in the DR is so different than our lives in northwest Iowa. We are so comfortable in our lives that it will be easy to ease back in and forget about our experiences, or we will find it extremely difficult to merge the two worlds and we will experience reverse culture shock. How will we respond? What actions will we take based on our experiences and our newly formed beliefs? We are trying to figure out some way to effectively share out clients' stories and encourage our friends and family to live their lives with a purpose, with thought, and going with the calling of God. Be sure to ask us for details about our trip, and ask us about what are newly formed thoughts and beliefs are - especially related to poverty and charity and community development. Maybe even ask us about our thoughts on the Pentacostal church... although we probably will just shake our heads and not be able to give you an answer.

Heart Breakers - By Laura Stralow

Yesterday we got to spend the day in one of the communities outside of La Romana.  We went to a bank meeting that was held outside in the community.  I was sitting in the back row with Kristen and Tommy and during the meeting tons of the children surrounded us.  They kept asking us for money and also for anything that we were wearing.  It broke my heart because they could have my headband because  I have plenty of them but so we don't instill the idea that Gringos will leave things with them we had to say no.  It is hard to see how little the people of the these communities have when we have so much compared to them.  At the same time though they are some of the most compassionate people I have ever met.  I know we all have stories like this from time here already and will continue to have stories over the next couple of days while we are here.  To leave you on a happier note yesterday in the same community I was talking to one of the little boys from a distance. I said Hola and motion for him to come over and  try to talk to him so more.  Instead he ran and jumped into my arms and gave me one of  the biggest hugs ever.  We then played with his toy car in the school while he was waiting to color in school.

Today we got MORE sunburns.

Today was a work hard day. Lifting bricks. Sifting sand. Laying cement on a roof. Pulling weeds. Getting sunburns on top of sunburns no matter how many layers of sunscreen applied. Today was also a time of laughter and fun. Playing catch with local kids, swimming in the pool, laughter.

Two funnies:

*I thought that the sky was the ocean while peering between trees during the drive --- yep I got made fun of.

*Tyler saw a baby camel....   ....   .... only it was a goat.   ---- yep he got made fun of.


P.S. I got a couple of people to say that they would post their own stories to share. So hopefully you'll get some more details and more perspective. 

Today we got sunburns.

Today was exciting from beginning to end. Woke up before seven and went out to another batey community for a bank meeting and stayed all day doing interviews, painting fingernails, playing volleyball, and coloring pictures. We all had great experiences interacting with different individuals of the community... hopefully I can get someone to post their stories. The day ended with going out for ice cream at a place called Bon and had a lovely walk back to the hotel. Tomorrow we start construction on two houses in a different community. Time for the hard stuff! Let's bring out the work gloves and the sunscreen.

Our group plus Liz, our leader/guide, at Bon - the ice cream shop

Our friend Jorge, the internet connection we are stealing, is pretty bipolar. So... if you don't hear from us for a couple of days, just blame Jorge. On Saturday morning we are leaving La Romana to relax at a resort, so we will probably have better connection. And for those of you who don't know, we leave the DR on Monday.

Adios!

Women singing at church last night. It was the international women's day.

A letter to Mrs. Z.

Dear Tyler's mother,
Your son ate his dessert first tonight at supper.
Sincerely, DR SSP Team.

Internet Access... what's that?

Hola! It is Tuesday night... and i finally have one bar of internet access!! Hotel wireless likes to do this thing where it connects you to the wireless connection... but won't let you on the internet. Right now I am in another girls' room standing at a counter borrowing some guy names Jorge's unsecured wireless connection. Yep. That's how we do it here in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

The past couple of days have been VERY excited and busy! On Monday we moved to a different hotel in a different down - La Romana. It is more rural. We have also attended our first bank meetings with HOPE International & Esperanza. They have been very informative and have made impacts on all of us. Today we had the opportunity to split into groups and interview a few clients to write down their stories. My group was pretty comfortable asking questions to the clients we were assigned to, and we gathered some pretty amazing stories. After that we got a chance to hang out with children and members of the community. And we sampled some sugar cane. The community that we were in was called a "batey" which is where families who work in the sugar cane fields live.

We just got back from a Pentacostal church service that lasted for 3 hours. Most of us were pretty intrigued and confused about what was going on --- mostly because the man was shouting in Spanish... and also because we had never seen the power of the Holy Spirit work in that way. The singing was exciting and active.

Sorry that there are no photos on this update (they take too long to update)... and that the update it really short. It is almost midnight... and we have to be ready by 7am tomorrow. Hopefully I can find this exact spot tomorrow and update some more (maybe I will assign one of my teammates to share a thought and/or story).

Just know that we are all alive and well (despite our cankles ... yes my ankles are swollen as well).

Goat and Phase 10

For supper tonight we went to a beautiful restaurant and had some more delicious food. We ordered a bunch and set it in the middle of the table to share. Goat, beef, cheesy eggplant (that was my choice), fried plantains, rice and beans. So good! Ask anyone on the trip. We were all pretty excited to eat the goat. 

When we got back to our hotel for the night, we played Phase 10 as a big group. That was probably the most people I have every played with. We were loud and silly and had a lot of fun. 

Darren and Tyler are behind the wall.

Here are some prayer requests that we have:

*Tommy left his Kindle on the flight from Omaha to Newark. The airport told him to contact the airline when he reached his destination and he was able to fill out a form today. Please pray that the Kindle gets back to him safely.

*Tina has cankles. And despite the amount of fun that we all have laughing at them... the swelling of her ankles is a little bit worrisome. Pray that the edema decreases. Here is a picture to aid you in your praying... (... and it is OK to laugh as well.) 

Tina's is on the left. The ankles on the right are for comparison.

*Tomorrow we are going out to a more rural setting and will be there for a few days. Please pray for our safe travels and also that God may use us in that location.

We are here!

Hola familia y amigos!

Sorry we haven't been able to update you all that we have made it. I tried last night, but could not get fully connected to the internet. The man at the front desk even helped, but alas... nothing. Just now Will did a little thing and now it works perfectly... beginner's luck.

We arrived last night at about 6:30. We had not flight problems, so that was a blessing. We ate pizza at the airport. Then drove in a bus for about 30 minutes to our hotel, the Hotel Carey, in Santa Domingo. For two nights we are staying in this hotel, 2-3 people per room. Each equipped with toilet, shower, and most importanly - A/C. (It is very hot and humid --- not like we're complaining much. ). Upon arrival to the hotel, we all went right to bed (after first trying to access the internet.

This morning we met for breakfast at 8:45. Breakfast consisted of fresh fruit (bananas, papaya, pineapple, and melon), delicious scrambled eggs, toast, and orange or pineapple juice. A breakfast like that makes it easy to wake up on time!




After breakfast, we took taxis to church. In one of the taxi's we fit 10 people into a 7 passenger van. Yikes! Church was amazing. It was a pretty Western services, but the singing was way more upbeat and fun. There were 2 other American groups there, so a man translated the service to us and we listened through headphones. A pretty awesome service offered to those of us who do not understand Spanish.

Then we walked through town for a bit, taking pictures and enjoying the nice weather. Lunch was had at a little cafe where we were served beef or chicken with rice, veggies, and beans. Coffee was served afterwards. We walked back to the church to have a session on poverty and on microfinancing. It was very educational, and I think we all know a lot more about the mission of HOPE International and about our purpose for being here in the Dominican Republic.

We are about to leave to go to supper at a restaurant.

Supposedly the whole country is celebrating "Festival" right now as part of the Dominican Independence celebration. And it can get pretty crazy -- especially since it is the last night, I think. So it will be an interesting cultural experience for us.

Flight Itinery

March 5, 2011
Continental Airlines
Omaha #3128 to New York; depart 7:45 am, arrive 11:29 am
New York #707 to Santo Domingo; depart 1:40 pm, arrive 6:20 pm

March 14, 2011
Continental Airlines
Santo Domingo #751 to New York; depart 12:15 pm, arrive 4:15 pm
New York #2666 to Omaha; depart 7:50 pm, arrive 9:59 pm

Who are we?

Advisors: Tommy Moon & Tina Jansen
Student Leaders: Darren Bogaards & Laura Stralow
Participants: Kristen Menchaca, Meredith Hoekstra, Erin Doyle, Ally Strawhacker, Jackie Brooks, Danika Young, Rebecca Reints, Mark Mineart, Will Symonds, Tyler Zeutenhorst.

We are traveling to the Dominican Republic over Spring Break for serve with Hope International. The details of the trips are pretty hazy, but we are pretty flexible to doing whatever God calls us to do when we arrive. We know we are called to love and serve in whatever setting in which we are place. Please pray for us as we prepare to leave Orange City in just a couple days.