We want you... for 2016 trips

So just a little behind on blogging but who's counting?

We had camp in San Luis July 7-14 and it was phenomenal.  About 5000 kids for 4 days of camp hearing the Gospel, playing sports, eating hotdogs and feeling loved.  Pastor Joaquin (our brother in San Luis) did a wonderful job planning and organizing the events on his end.  But I have to say one of the most heartwarming moments was actually a visit to a local school where a team of about 100 Dominicans had volunteered to prepare the 5000 hotdogs needed everyday of camp (mind you that is a total of 20,000 hotdogs with bread, ketchup and cheese and then bagged).  We were given just a small vision of heaven as the multitudes gathered to serve Christ and glorify God.  These volunteers are not the moms or school volunteers you might imagine from the States, but ranged from teens on up.  Men and women and youth sharing together and working to reach their local brothers and sisters.  It was an amazing sight and I will just say many tears of joy and love were shed.

First day at our site... it's a must to start with a push up contest.

One of our American missionaries luggage was left at the airport. So when we went to get it we decided to take a few minutes as a family and buy an extremely overpriced donut. Totally worth it.

Adrian helped J throughout camp at our site.  He had a great connection with the kids.

Last day of camp was primarily games.  Another must- include the spinning bat game to get some great laughs.

 

 

Tessa at our site one day.  (she is normally the mastermind behind the camera)

 

Picture of the girls at the hotel on Ryann's 1st birthday!

The last evening at camp, we had 3 Americans get baptized in the ocean.

I don't know the numbers of those who accepted Christ, but I do know seeds were planted, relationships were formed and smiles and laughter were everywhere.  Camp is always one of those humbling, fast, crazy times but so joyful as we get to show Christ's love!

Following camp, we headed back home for a few days before heading to the States for a few weeks.  A regular trip of visits, friends, fundraising, work with AIM...  Always a crazy few weeks but so great to be with family and friends (and eat us a few hamburgers along the way). 

We headed back to the DR the middle of August and have been cruising along.  Our staff have grown so much over the past several months.  J and I have been so proud and humbled as we continue watching God unfold our brother's lives to glorify Him.  Their outreach to the community, their discipling of their fellow coaches and brothers/sisters, their love for each other and the work.  We continue to be blessed beyond measure!

Parade to start a project by Victor promoting unity among all the volleyball teams in the Sosua area.

2 of the teams in Victor's project.  The man in the middle is running for office and donated a few balls and nets for the event.

Aubrey and Ryann enjoying some volleyball.

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Aubrey started school at Pastor Rivas's school in Charamicos immediately after we got back and is loving it.  She goes half a day and is learning vowels, Spanish (which she is a champ at), having fun, cutting, gluing, coloring, and even has daily homework. She has a huge smile every time I pick her up (one of my favorite parts of the day) and always talks about her friends and the toys.  She even has a little uniform.  (Yes, she is only 3 but here in the DR they start school at this age.  Ultimately, it's like a pre-pre K.)  Ryann is good and growing.  Her personality comes out more and more everyday (much more animated and dramatic than Aubrey ever was).  Getting more teeth and still loving all our friends that come over after school.  She is much pickier than Aubrey ever was with food so we are figuring that out for her.  Apparently she is too good for leftovers (which we eat every other day here).  High maintenance much?  J and I are great.  Growing and having fun.  Continuing to learn to trust God for His provisions (and not worry- something I am extra skilled at). 

First day of school pictures.

I think this picture is hilarious.  I have no idea what she was doing, but it's funny.

Resting on a Sunday (and swimming in our kiddie pool).

Visiting La Cienaga one day.

Tyler, Marcos and J talking about Tyler's project in La Cienaga.

We want you to join us on our 2016 trips.

At a Father's Day dinner at church last month.  (Father's Day in the Dominican is the last Sunday of July.)

Genesis (our neighbor) has been taking music classes on the recorder in Cabarete for a time now.  We went to see her concert.

Bottom row, far right- Alfre's son and Loralee (neighbor) performing at the same concert.

Thank you for your continuous prayers and love!

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."  Psalm 91:2

I'm not worried, I'm living by faith

During our camp in Sosua this past June, part of our team came from the Willing Workers Church in Houston one of which is Eric Carrington.  During Eric's time here, he was able to share his passion for music in a variety of places and share one of his songs within AIM and Sosua.  The words are simple but mean so much...
La La La La
La La La La
I'm not worried
I'm living by faith

La La La La
La La La La
I'm not worried
I'm living by faith
....

My God is big
My God is strong
So I'm not worried
I'm living by faith

Ever since camp in June, Aubrey has been singing this song.  It comes randomly and at the times we need to hear it most.  In the shower, on the road, when something happens that she doesn't even realize is happening...  And it has come to mean so much as I hear God using her to reach me and remind me that He has it in control.  He has it taken care of.  It may not be what I wanted or how I see it or what I thought it should be, but it's all in His hand.

So J and I are working on trusting in God.  I'm not going to be worried because I know my God is BIG and STRONG and CARING and LOVING.  He teaches and instructs us; He guides us and leads us. 

Please be praying for us in this growth and trust.  Not allowing our circumstances to dictate our decisions but relying on God through the circumstances to guide our paths.

(hear the full song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX0EhohnmKE)

Smudgy fingerprints

Wow... what a June!  It came and went, and I am not sure I caught all of it.  It has been a crazy few weeks full of work, camp, love, prayers, interns, spreadsheets, hotels, laundry...  But a great few weeks.  Last I left you we were finishing all the preparations for camp in Sosua which, praise the Lord, was great. 
We had a total of 110 American missionaries and 6 Dominican missionaries (outside of our local Sosua based staff, coaches, pastors, and community leaders) join us for 4 days of camp.  We had a total of 18 different locations and 46 disciplines (baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, track, softball, VBS, art, music, and dance) for 4 days.  At every location, we had a local pastor preach and pray with the children ultimately leading up to the presentation of the Gospel the last day.  One of the most important things for us is for these youth (and even adults) to get plugged into a local church and church community so they have support and a family to lean on.  Being a Christian does not mean the path will be easy, so we want to make sure our new brothers and sisters have someone to lean on and pray with and ask questions.  I cannot honestly tell you how many accepted Christ, but I do know we had about 3500+ kids every day in camp laughing, playing, singing, talking, hugging and loving.  Although for J and me on this side (more behind-the-scenes) it was a bit chaotic and crazy (making sure every place has hotdogs, water, drinks, Dominicans, preachers...), God continued to pave the way ultimately wiping away all our "smudgy fingerprints" and making it His own.  There were some miraculous (and yes I use that word purposefully) things to happen throughout the week in our American missionaries and our Dominicans.  It's always fun to watch the attitudes and nervousness of the Americans the night before camp and even after the first day transform into something open and loving and beautiful. 
One of my favorite parts about camp is getting to share our home with the missionaries if only for a few days.  Those visiting get to see how and why we fell in love with the Dominican.  They get to experience the people, the relationships, the hugs and love, the singing and all out praise to God, the beauty of this place and the overwhelming sense that God is with us.  Even through our struggles (and trust me J and I have had quite a few over the past several weeks) God shines through encouraging and leading.  So how was camp?  It was magnificent and beautiful and stressful and frustrating... but overall it was full of God.

The dance girls during camp.

One of the art sites.  Every kid received a sketch pad, pencil bag with pencils, colored pencils, black markers and pens.

A VBS site

The megaphones for camp day 1 (because God speaks and listens so we can speak to God, too).

Basketball in Villa Liberacion.

One of the ladies who came with us has a passion to paint and a passion for women's ministry.  She joined the 2 and developed this painting where she walks the ladies through the process with each color of paint representing our sin, past life, hurts and struggles, rebirth through Christ, and new walk.  It is absolutely beautiful.  She had a class in La Cienaga with women (and girls) of the community and here is their artwork. 

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We are amping up for camp in San Luis this coming Tuesday (July 7-14).  As of right now we are expecting over 6000 children in 16 baseball, 6 volleyball, 6 basketball, 7 VBS and 1 music site.  I know it's going to be another whirlwind of a week, so please be praying over the next several days and throughout camp.  Just like last time, we are all (Stateside and Dominican) finishing all the preparations and spreadsheets (yes a few more) and site breakdown in anticipation of this camp.  And please say extra prayers for our Dominican brother, Pastor Joaquin, who lives in San Luis as he is working overtime organizing and meeting and preparing for our arrival.
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And something else exciting is J and I got to keep 2 of the missionaries from the first camp as interns!  (Moment of truth... J and I have never been involved in an internship program so we are taking it day by day and acting like we know what we are doing.)  :)  It has been so much fun showing them how we live and helping them get accustomed to the laundry and housing and neighbors and our way of life here.  Aubrey and Ryann have loved the extra attention (as if they don't get enough already) and it is nice having someone around to help as needed with AIM preparations.  They have been a true blessing organizing the camp equipment for San Luis and Cuba, cutting the bottoms out of another 800 foam cups for VBS on the south side (whose idea was it to make megaphones... oh right, mine...), and just simply sharing.  Our house is going to be very lonely when they head back after San Luis camp.

Meet Caitlin and Vanessa...

First day here and they are learning how to do laundry (Dominican style)!

Caitlin and Genesis.

Vanessa and J sorting through equipment.

A picture of all the equipment...

Organizing, sorting, arranging...

Through donations, we have 587 Bibles (and more in Houston) to give out to our coaches and youth on the teams who commit to a 1 year discipleship program.  We are very excited about this opportunity and are praying for those who participate.  I know this can be life changing and generation changing, so please join us in praying for this outreach and program.

Vanessa and Caitlin (and Genesis who hates pictures) stickering the Bibles.  (Yes, that's more equipment in the background.)

587 Bibles stickered and ready to go... and yes, our house is a little full right now.  :)

Sorting and organizing clothing to be given away.

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Things at home are great.  Aubrey is officially 3 years old now (crazy), and we celebrated J's and Aubrey's birthday on the 28th (yes, they share a birthday).  We actually had Aubrey's party a few weeks early before camp knowing it was going to be a crazy month.  It was a Doctora Juguetes (Doc McStuffins) party and we played with our friends, ate hot dogs, and had cupcakes.  Simple but fun.  Ryann is good.  She will be 1 in 9 days (eeekk!!).  Her personality develops more and more each day and I must say she is a riot.  She is VERY different from Aubrey and much more outspoken (already) with opinions and thoughts and an attitude.  Keeping us on our toes.  J and I are great.  Busy but great.  Nothing too exciting here except for camp planning and working and living life.

Ruth, Aubrey and Miralee at the party.  Everyone loves helping make and ice the cupcakes, so this time it was Aubrey's turn for her birthday.

Aubrey wearing her Doc McStuffins coat (thanks to the Morris family for this amazing birthday gift last year!) and her party hat.

Aubrey and J with their birthday hats.

We bought Aubrey a bike for her birthday.  J and I were very excited as this is the first real birthday she was excited about and knew what was happening.

A recent picture of Ryann enjoying some rice (and wearing most of it).  It is so nice having a high chair now (grateful for the chartered airplane AIM used in June to help transport it as well)!  :)

Thank you for your continuous prayers and love.  Even when it's rough and tiring, we know we are surrounded by all of you.  We could not do this without each of you!  Much love from the DR!

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal..  2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Novel #2 (it's a great read!)

We are in the crux of camp planning, so life has been very busy.  It seems no matter how much you plan, prepare, and organize beforehand, these last few weeks before camp are CRAZY!  A good crazy but still crazy.  We are very excited for the team to arrive and have been meeting with our staff, the coaches, Freysy and Salomon's solidarity clubs, art and music coaches and other leaders in the community.  We completed VBS (which I am really excited about) and J actually drew the sheep and lion we will be using this year.  (My husband is so talented and amazing.  He worked on these things the past 2 nights until WAY past our bedtime without muttering a single annoyance.  I am so blessed!) 
So, as most of you know our big group and big camp happens in the Summer.  (Our becoming missionaries happened in reverse from the norm- AIM sent a big group to host a big camp for several years before we moved down here whereas most missions send people down to build relationships and find needs and then send groups.  This is just par for the course for AIM- we do everything a little different!)  We will be in Sosua from June 16-23, Las Terrenas from June 23-27, and in San Luis from July 7-14.  A crazy but God-willing amazing few weeks.  Our brothers and staff have been planning and organizing and doing a phenomenal job preparing for camp.  We hosted a big meeting on May 29 to include all the coaches, pastors, VBS ladies, cooking help, translators, art and music and dance coaches and anyone else involved.  We wanted (Disney movie moment- so imagine touching theme music) every leader involved to look around and see that this sport and artistic outreach is not just in their community or even one part of Sosua but is throughout the area.  To witness all the men and women who are serving and pouring into the youth throughout the year by leading, discipling, praying for and with, playing and loving.  To remind the Dominicans that this ministry is theirs and we simply come alongside them to facilitate what they started before we came around.  It was a GREAT night and one of our community leaders came to us after describing the effect the meeting had on him.  As he said, he didn't completely understand the ideas and movement this type of outreach could and does have until he saw all the other people involved.  This man didn't realize the changes that are happening in Sosua because of the Dominican coaches work here and the vision for the future.  Praise the Lord for His work and movement within the community.  I pray we continue to see this understanding happen throughout camp and next year!

Julio Juma leading us in a song to start off the meeting.

Freysy and Victor leading the coaches portion of the meeting.

Rafael speaking with the Pastors and Pastoral outreach.

J closing the meeting.

 

We met with both Freysy's and Salomon's solidarity clubs on Wednesday to prepare for camp.  Both these groups will be participating in camp as missionaries helping cook, play, teach and pray with the kids.  We are very excited about these groups and their continued desire to outreach to their local community in Sabaneta.

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In other news, we participated in a 1 day camp in Las Espinas on May 24.  It was, let's say, an adventurous day (We drove into a river and did not drive out... if you want the details you have to come on our trip...muahaha).  But worth all the adventure and fright as 30 youth accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior!!!  It continues to be very exciting to see the people we've been pouring into learn to be missionaries.

Quite the adventure... don't you want to find out more... come to the DR... :)

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The past few weeks, Rafael has been leading our staff meetings.  As he is the one we foresee taking on this role, J and I started having him draw up the agendas and lead the meetings.  This has been exciting to see Rafael take lead with the group and watch the interactions slowly transition to him as "boss".  He is great at keeping everyone on task (something we admittedly struggle with) and helping organize thoughts and ideas.  We also continue to see Freysy's strength as secretary and organization.  (Everyone knows if you want something done, you ask Freysy.)  Our other staff continue to grow and mature and even though our individual meetings sometimes are a little more tough on them, I pray God continues to grow and mature these men.  God has hand picked a phenomenal team and we are blessed to continue working alongside them. 

It's always important to celebrate birthdays (and Alfre tends to lie about when his birthday is to get extra cupcakes), so here is Alfre's cake of cupcakes for his actual birthday on May 25.

 

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A few weeks ago Checo started a softball tournament with AIM coaches.  It has caught on very fast with the coaches (who doesn't love to play?) and we have participated for 3 weeks.  Throughout this time we have gotten to meet and talk with a missionary family from the States who moved here last November.  It has been a blessing for us to be the vessels God is using to encourage and minister to them.  I understand the look on their faces and their questions and their wariness about living here.  As with anywhere, there are good days and bad especially at first when you miss so much about home.  Please be praying for this family as they continue transitioning to life here and the mission God has placed in their hearts.  It's always nice (even now) to see and meet another American who speaks English and comes from a similar background!

J with Grande and Matt.  Matt is the husband/father of the missionary family.

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Please be praying for our continued preparations for camp.  Please be praying for the Americans who will be joining us and those who have yet to sign up.  Please pray for the youth and leaders of the Dominican who we will pour into and work alongside this Summer.  (We still have room, want to come with us??  Visit http://www.aimissions.net/ for more information.  Or email or facebook me.) 

I will stop now because, what, another novel?  I know, blogging more often would cure this... something I am working on. :) 

Our brothers surprised me this past Monday with a cake for my birthday.  Checo sang, the guys sang and we ate cake.  It was excellent!

Just one more photo of the girls.

Much love!!  (and someone please go eat a Whataburger for me!)

 

Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.  Jeremiah 15:16