Shanty Town

Ahh...my buddies! Mijos dulce!

One of the few vehicles that drive into El Cacique. The "road" conditions are horrible and extremely dangerous.

A playhouse even in the slum ... Nice!

Notice the road... this is clearly not El Cacique or the Batay. This is Haina where the more fortunate live (I being one of them).

I absolutely LOVE this shot!!! My little guy in the foreground looks like an apparition who suddenly appeared. He is not, but he is a dear who had to be in the front! I usually have to sneak my camera out to get a natural shot because the moment they see the camera they all come running to it!

La Cucaracha

For your enjoyment:

So one day I was visiting with a woman whose son was killed by police in front of her house last September. She continues to experience depression, extreme anxiety, and loneliness. So, I (with Cisco, my translator) went to speak and pray with her. After a nice session, she thanked us and gave me pan de papo (a sweet desert-like bread) which i accepted. I happened to forget one of the golden rules of home-based services…don’t accept gifts, including food, from clients. This is good practice for several reasons; one being you don’t really know what is in the food you are receiving.

Well, I thanked her and headed to another home of twin brothers I have been working with. I offered them one of the cakes and they happily accepted. Once we arrived back at the Desayuno Program, I asked Cisco, Iesha, and another sweet girl there if they would like to share the second cake with me. All agreed. I tasted this same cake, from the same woman, the day prior after she gave it to the women taking the nursing class provided by Sociedad Lucas; I didn’t like it much but thought to give it another try.

We found a knife and Cisco began to cut it in 4 equal pieces as the girls anxiously awaited. When suddenly, Cisco gasped and quickly put his hand behind his back. He said, “Dios Mio, Melanie we ARE NOT eating this cake!” He had a look of horror on his face and I asked him, “what is wrong with you?!” He said he didn’t want to tell me but couldn’t stop himself from showing me… a HUGE (approx. 2 ½ inches long), STICKY (from the sticky treat), DEAD COCKROACH!!!! It was safely tucked away inside the sweet and sticky cake and died there. Oh Dios Mio… I still get the creeps just typing this!

Let this be a reminder to you all...ya just never know! :)

Merry Christmas!!!!

Feliz Navidad! Gloria! JOY TO THE WORLD!!! Oh that He abandoned His heavenly throne to become a simple infant born in a lowly manger. And that He knew the cup that would not pass from Him; He came even knowing His death on the cross would happen. What Love is This???? It is an incredible mystery! Grasias Christo!

May you all feel the blessed gift of His birth today, tomorrow, and all the days that follow. Much love mi familia,
Mjoy

The Library

Ahh... finally some forward movement on the start up of a small library in El Cacique! We presented the Book Drive to 4 churches yesterday (with one more to get to at their Tuesday service) and handed out the flyers I made. Each congregation's response was very positive. We will be picking books up on the next two fridays! Pray that the turn out will be more than we could have imagined! I believe it for i know Anything is possible with our Lord! We also had a really affordable bid to build shelves in the Desayuno program for the first stage of the library. I have a feeling it will grow quickly. We also have a meeting with a influential man in another community who has started a library which has grown quite well in the last few years. We hope to learn a lot from him about how to effectively start this project and how to keep it growing.

I will keep you updated. thank you all for the emails and prayers!!! I am so very blessed to have you all in my family! :)

Dios les bendiga,
mjoy

I am Tired

And again i will say...I am TIRED. I am approaching the last month of my trip and am feeling a bit home sick. I miss my own language! Spanish is coming easier and easier, yet to speak and the understand most things takes a ton of concentration and thought. I am sick of thinking so hard. I joked with some of my friends here that my level of intelligence has dropped considerably while in DR because i cannot use the "big words" and piece sentences together like a 7 year old would!!

We have had a few meetings regarding the start up of the library. It feels so slow moving, but i know anything worth while is never easy. Can i get an Amen?! I am just praying that I can be here to see it start to build. I will have to wait and see. Dios sabe. (God Knows)

Yesterday (Saturday) 30 or so staff and volunteers took the trip out to the Batays again for the annual "End of the Year" fiesta with the children of 6 Batays that Sociedad Lucas serves. We sang songs, had a group of teenagers from a local church in Haina perform some skits, fed all the kids lunch (approx 400 of them), and then handed out goody bags. It was a great day but extremely long!

I moved into Silvia and Samuel's home last Tuesday and everything has been great. I feel a little spoiled as i have my own "apartment" upstairs which includes a fridge, a tv (with American cable), a balcony that overlooks a very busy neighborhood basketball court and a view of the ocean in the distance, and my very own bathroom with a functioning shower head and warm water (but only when there is electricity). Here, people say "Hay Luz!!!!" (There is light) when the electricity is working. It is not uncommon to hear shouts of joy along with it (usually mine). ;) It is not normal for me to watch a lot of TV; and that remains, however i have it on quite a bit just to hear English! Ahh.

Much work left to do before I leave. I am beginning to believe God has more planned for me in the DR. I'm just not sure what that is at this point. But, i am confident that He will reveal to me what i must know when He decides it is best. Living by faith is exciting to say the least. Most days i awake with joyful uncertainty; anxious to see what He will reveal. Grasias Christo!

Dios les bendiga,
mjoy

"We cannot do great things only small things with great love." Mother Teresa

Some shots of the Batay near the Haitian Border

This is poverty.

Meet the Mayor... and his wife

Ok... i really am not that tall! Everyone here is just short... really I am only 5'9!

This is all of us after our long meeting which went great!

Here he is talking with Silvia in the Desayuno Program. See the food set out behind them? For many of the kids, this is the only meal they eat each day.

Funny, the kids were OUT OF CONTROL on this morning... Isn't that how it always goes?!

Back to work

Buena~
Again, i just have a minute but wanted to give a quick update and ask for prayer. First, i have to say God has been SO GOOD... i fell ill for about 36 hours and was beginning to feel completely overwhelmed with the work, the poverty, the death....ect. I prayed, and He released me of both the depressive and anxious thoughts as well as the intense headache and slight fever i was experiencing! Thank You Lord!

Amazingly, the mayor of Haina (the city in which El Cacique is located) has learned of the census we conducted and has requested a meeting with Dr. Silvia and I. He has never shown interest in this part of his city! He will visit the Desayuno program tomorrow morning and will meet with us and Samuel after. I told Silvia i would hold my tounge as best as possible... and she invited me to say whatever my heart, mind, and experience led me! I wonder if she really knows what that means... I hold him and other politicians responsible for many of the problems in this community! I am excited to meet with him and hopefully build an alliance with the local government to address the great needs in this community.

I will let you all know asap.
:Love to you all

Las Galeras Part two

This is on the wall of a local cafe/shop. I want to translate but can't now... my time is running out!

Not a pretty pic of me but wanted to PROVE i was here! I don't have too many pics of me. I prefer to take the photos!

Las Galeras