Home Again, Home Again

We're home!!!  We arrived safely Wednesday afternoon, and I must say we are blessed to have 2 girls who are fantastic travelers... praise God.  I will admit before heading back I felt confused as to where "home" was.  Having been in the States for 2 1/2 months (to deliver Ryann and waiting for her release from Doctor), I had settled back into the luxuries we will call them and life of living in the States.  Although I was excited to come back to the Dominican, there was some anxiety in readjusting to this life and simply adjusting with an extra daughter, a newborn at that.  But as always, God paved the way!  And it has been unbelievably easy getting settled back in.  I was again reminded of the blessing it is to have running water as Wednesday our tinaco (the tank on top of the house that holds the water received from our cistern) was out of water and we had to wait for the electricity to come back on to refill it.  Of course, this took much longer than I wanted.  And of course I turned into "chicken little" (as J calls me) when the world was coming to an end because I couldn't find places for everything and I wanted to shower and I wanted to go to bed and it was hot... you get the idea.  I tend to have these "special moments" when I am very tired and stressed out.  God blessed me with an incredible husband though who is patient and calm and simply listens and helps where he can.  Eventually we had power and water was restored!!  :)  And in the shower I praised God for the blessing of running water.  It's those moments when I realize how blessed we are and how God always takes care of us. 

We have seen the majority of our Dominican family and it has been great getting to show them our new addition and how much Aubrey has grown.  We have our first official meeting since our return with our AIM staff tonight.  I am pumped to get started working as we have a ton to do, and ultimately we are excited to do it!  We are increasing the accountability of our Dominican staff with weekly log sheets and goals/objectives.  I know this will continue to grow them as they realize where and how their time is being spent and show them the organization and foresight vital to growth within AIM.  J already met with a group of pastors who are interested in completing the Paz Financeria (financial peace) course we offered to our staff in the Spring.  From our staff, it has been a major life change and encouragement in handling their money, so I am excited to see how these men can be impacted and raised up to be financial leaders in their families and communities.  The only problem is we have way more signed up and interested than books, so we are figuring out what to do there.  (I think there will be some sharing of books!) 

Thank you for your prayers throughout our transition back home.  Ryann has adjusted beautifully (J says she is probably thinking she is tired of camping and ready for air conditioning...hahaha).  But overall she has done great, and Aubrey is again loving being the center of attention among our Dominican family and the kids on our street.

Please be praying for Rafael and his daughter Gabriella.  She has sickle cell and is not doing well.  She has had many infections lately and has been in significant pain. 

Also, pray for the island as the chikungunya has been rampant here (some of our neighbors currently have it and many of our contacts have experienced it).  It is spread by mosquitoes and although we can take precautions, we simply cannot prevent every mosquito from entering the house as windows and doors are open all day to allow the breeze in.  From what I understand, it is like a flu with severe joint pain and fever.

And here is an article I found a few months ago talking about the life of a missionary.  Although a few of these don't apply to us, it is very accurate and honest. 
http://www.trinitykenya.com/10-things-missionaries-wont-tell/

Thanks for your love and support!

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.  1 John 4:7-12