Last thoughts

Holden and I with Jairon

I mentioned earlier this week that we had not spent as much time with children as in past years.  They spend all day in school and then most have chores to do at home after that.  In some ways this has been a relief allowing us to pay attention to other relationships and focus on training and adult interaction.However, some of my best connections in the community were with 2 young boys Jairon and Juan Armando. I was blessed to have some interaction with Juan Armando at the school when we were there, and then Thursday afternoon Jairon spent some time with us helping find our new sponsored child Angelo.  It was a blessing to see him.  He is more filled out than every before as are many of the other kids.  The improved nutrition from eggs, school lunch and increased income is evident on all their frames.


















Present with us for both days of the leaders training was Monica.  She and her husband, Wilson, were the first people we met and connected with in Sierra Prieta, thanks to Lori and her outgoing spirit. It was very exciting to see her taking in all of the theological concepts.  Her husband now works for a delivery company and was a work each day.  As she was describing her connection to Cornerstone she shared about that first time she met us and we had coffee and yuca in her home.  It's an event we've joked about many times as a team over the years because just after that we were told we should not eat food prepared in local houses unless people had been trained to keep things clean for us.  She wanted to pose for a picture with  us to show Lori her growing family(sorry you got the Wilson boys in the shot too)..  It was exciting to see that not only was she a part of the church, but was one of the leaders in her church and the mother's group.

Another new face in the Christian scene is Rosey.  She has been a help to us in the community before and has been a part of the community leadership.  Rosey also came to the training and was talking about how much it is going to help her in understanding the Bible.  God is working through the local churches and Christians to change lives in Sierra Prieta.

This is the end of the building where the new construction will be added.

Although we did not see the beginning of the building project Cornerstone is helping provide funds for we did get to see the plans.  The additions to the community center for the health clinic are going to be really nice.  They are planning to add a front entrance cover and the addition on the back will house 2 care rooms, a reception area, a office and a pharmacy.  They are going to build it with the plan to add a 2nd level at a later time when they can expand.  Below you can see the plan they have drawn up.  Upon completion the government will provide the medical staff a 2 or 3 days a week and stock the pharmacy.  The community is organizing the labor force and arranging for delivery of materials with the plan to start construction within the month.

This plan was drawn up based on community input by FH staffer Ceasar.  We trust it's going to serve them well.

A great sign of growing of hope and optimism in Seirra Prieta is the construction of new homes and the significant upgrades to a few more.  Before this people who had the opportunity to better themselves moved away to better neighborhoods rather than invest in new, nicer homes here. These are some pictures of the new houses under construction to close out our week.  God Bless.

Happy Thanksgiving

We begin the Thanksgiving post giving thanks.

Thank you to our family for being willing to part with us for this week and making due without us.  

Thank you to the people and leadership of Cornerstone Community Fellowship for supporting us and making the trip possible.

Thank you to the Food for the Hungry staff who serve us so graciously while we are here and continue this ministry to the people of Sierra Prieta daily throughout the year.

Thank you to God, who through his grace and mercy has seen fit to save us and include us in his work.  Beyond knowing him there is no greater blessing than to be included in what he is doing.

This morning we left for Sierra Prieta expecting to participate in a fun game of baseball.  But all the players were either working or in school. So we left to visit some people we hadn't called on yet.  As we went we passed by the house the community has under construction for Javier's family.  We found the community president Juan and some young men working on more of the concrete forms for the foundation of the house.  So we stopped and helped mix and haul concrete.  What a great blessing to be a part of helping in this way.

We were a part of the cement bucket brigade and assisted in the mixing.  I really appreciate cement trucks about now.
The completed wall foundations are just behind me with the new forms to the right.

With Ceila and Sandra in front of their home.
Still in great shape 4 years post repair.

Once the forms were filled we continued on to the home of Ceila, which we helped repair the 2nd trip in 2010.  The house looks great and she is doing well.  Only one of here daughters, Sandra, was home but we were able to share a greeting from Cornerstone and from the Chandler family who sponsors Elva one of her other daughters.  I learned from Carlos that part of the problem Elva faced was her dependence on her ex-husband who had moved on to another woman.  As FH worked with Ceila to provide her own financial support they discovered that she has a very extensive knowledge of medicinal uses for local plants.  She now gathers the plentiful plants and leaves and sells them at a local market now supporting her family using what God has already provided her.

Enjoying a lunch of beef with peppers, rice, beans, and local vegetables.
With Carlos our #1 co-ordinator and Cesar a local FH staff member who has
helped us all week.

After another hour of lunchtime hospitality at Jahaira's home, we returned to the church for a continuation of the church leadership training.  About 10 people from 3 or 4 churches made the trip in pouring rain to look into some deeper concepts of theology.  We looked at issues including Justification, Sanctification, Perseverance, Election and a Theology of Man.  The Bible passages we looked at were not new to them but to have them presented in a organized fashion like this was new to them.  Guadalupe, the Mayor of Sierra Prieta, said, "With this information we now have a Bible School in our homes.  This book can help us study the Bible in a way we never could before."  The book is 20 Christian Beliefs by Wayne Grudem.

Theology training in Sierra Prieta.   

Having copies in 2 languages helped with
the translation of technical words.

We were able to stop by and see Angelo our final sponsored child.  He was out tending to the pigs (2 I think) when we showed up.  It was great to meet him and his family for the first time.  Please pray with us for his father to find work.

With Angelo and his family

After the training we were given a warm send off by the community.  Well wishes were sent to all those who were not able to come, in particular Lori, Dan and Roberto.  We were wished well by Jahaira, Vasilia, Juliana, Rosie, Monica, Pastor Segundino, Guadalupe, and a few more whose names I've lost.  I took the time remind them that though only Holden and I had come we were not on our own.  The church of Cornerstone is solidly behind them and they can look forward to us returning with a larger team next year as God allows.

This evening we returned to the regional office where we have been staying and were overwhelmed by a very thoughtful Thanksgiving feast prepared by the FH staff, particularly by Taina who is the coordinator for the Cascade Groups in 5 communities which serve the women in there. Kelvin showed up with the turkey and cake just in time.  It was a real party. We were joined by many of the FH staff and Jennifer Carlos' girlfriend.  We are blessed to receive such great hospitality here.

In front are mashed potatoes with melted cheese, going counter clockwise from that are rolls, turkey, beans and rice and cake.
in the middle is fruit and crackers.  Holden and I both ate enough to really feel like we were at home for Thanksgiving.

Tomorrow we will have some more information about the building project Cornerstone has funded as well as a report from FH headquarters in the Dominican Republic.

Hump Day

Today we had a really good morning.  We spent a fair amount of time interacting with the FH staff in the office.  I had a very good conversation with Kelvin, the Director of the Central Zone for FH. we discussed some of the cultural challenges that FH faces in the Dominican Republic. One of those challenges is that work culturally and in many churches is viewed as evil and a result of The Fall.  Therefore, working hard, or even doing your work with integrity is not a high value in society at large. this also adds to the challenges of overcoming poverty, as many people feel like they shouldn't have to work.  We know that in the garden Adam and Eve were charged with caring for it.  Even before the fall work existed.  At the fall it became harder and filled with more challenges, but it wasn't invented by the fall, or a curse because of sin.  Despite the challenges God has put Christians in their respective cultures to redeem them to the degree that we can.  This is another avenue of a poverty mindset that FH is working to overcome here.

With Martires this morning.
Really, we're working on Holden's smiling face.  Love you bud.

Another blessing we had this morning was a visit from Martirez Olivaro, our old friend who helped out our teams for the first few years and came to visit us at Cornerstone in Powell a few years back.  It was a great blessing to reconnect with him.  He is doing well and so is his family.  He shared with me about the ministry opportunities he has been blessed with.  It is a real privilege to have such friends.  He sends greetings to everyone!

After lunch with many of the local FH staff, we returned to Sierra Prieta for a time of Church Leader training.  There were about 15 people in the training to start and more came in as we went along.  Using some resources we have studied at our men's group I led the church leaders and pastors through a theology of the Bible and of Who God is.  Through a donation by Cornerstone I was able to give each person in attendance a copy of the book.  About half of them will be able to return tomorrow to explore further theological concepts.  This kind of systematic theology has never been shared here before, even to many of the pastors.  They have a basic understanding from reading the Bible and from sermons but this is a whole new approach to many of them.  I challenged those who are returning to at least glance at the table of contents and bring questions about things that were new to them or that were challenging to them.  Thank you for your prayers I believe this time was very fruitful.

Home Visit with Anna Rosa

After the training we headed for our 2nd home visit.  Anna Rosa, was a little hard to find as she no longer lives with her mom and dad but with a older relative.  Due to a large number of kids in the house A very grown up Anna Rosa now lives with Juana.  When Anna Rosa was very little Juana often cared for her.  Now Anna Rosa helps her around the house.  She still sees here family daily and is very close with her brothers and sisters.  Her parents were away working when we stopped by.  This is another instance of seeing much growth and maturity in a sponsored child.  Though you may not have visited your sponsored child, have confidence that you are a significant part of their development.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to a possible baseball game.  I think the Americans have it in the bag :-).  We'll make some more home visits and continue the leadership training.

Every time we are here we are blessed by the FH staff who support us.  This year we are privileged to spend time with many of the local staff who work in the communities full time.  Our team coordinator, translator and friend is Carlos Nunez.  He is also the poster child for sponsored kids as he grew up in  a local community where FH was working and he was sponsored by a family from Wisconsin.  His integrity, dedication and love for God are an encouragement to us.

With Carlos in front of the house that Cornerstone funded last year and the team helped lay the foundation for.

Thank you again for the cards and notes of encouragement.  We appreciate your prayers for us and our family that did not travel with us.

Progress in so many places

What a great day to some real milestones in Sierra Prieta!  We began the morning in the community touring different houses seeing the impact of our partnerships here.  

This is the same view of the school as was posted yesterday.

First stop was the school to arrange our meeting for the afternoon.  But before we even began to speak with the administration I was blown away!   The updates to the school are incredible.   There are now classrooms for each grade plus a preschool with its own play yard.  In addition the entire area is covered in pavement so that the children never have to play in the ever-present mud.  It is very impressive.  Since they don't have to share classrooms from morning to afternoon with different grades school goes all day from 8am to 4pm.  And to make sure the kids have enough nourishment to pay attention in the afternoon the school provides lunch for every student.  The cafeteria is quite impressive and clean.  Oh and then we met with the administration to arrange to speak to the older students in the afternoon. 

Panoramic shot of the school.  That is the original building on the left and the cafeteria on the right.  The preschool is behind the cafeteria. Pictures can't do it justice, but it is really very impressive.

lots of happy faces headed home after school

Holden right at home in the cafeteria.

A good harvest

We left the school to tour some of the different places that FH has helped people construct chicken coups.  There are 30 families with chicken coups. They were provided with 9 hens and a rooster.  Now each of these families is receiving from 9 to 16 eggs per day.  Those they eat enhance the nutrition of their family.  The extras they can sell, bringing in about $2 per day and providing inexpensive protein to the community.  $2 per day doesn't seem like much until you consider is about a 25% increase the the average income in Sierra Prieta.  That really ads up!  Nutrition experts suggest that the average impoverished person here needs to add 3 eggs per week for good nutrition, especially in children.  Combining the availability of inexpensive eggs and the school lunch program explains why many of the children look much healthier and filled out.  

water filter inspection - this is the whole filter system

Water Purification building.

After looking at 3 or 4 chicken coups we stopped by the new water purification center.  With this filtering system the community now has access to inexpensive drinking water right in the community.  The cost for a 5 gallon bottle of water is now what it used to cost for 1 gallon.  The charges cover the monthly servicing of the filter, a service agreement to fix anything that breaks or wears out, and the extra is put away for future community projects.  There is the possibility for the community to sell the water to others and make even more profit.  What I really loved about the project is that it was initiated by the community leadership, They provided all the labor and materials for the building and the FH in partnership with Agua de Unidad(another development group) provided the $12,000 filtration system.  It is gravity fed and charcoal based, so that it works completely without electricity and is tested regularly to ensure purity.

New house being built, those are cement forms on the walls.

The next project we stopped by was a house that the community is building completely on its own to take care of a very needy family.  This is the family of Javier, who we saw briefly at the school.  his mother and brother have special needs and he now lives with his aunt.  The house that his family lives in is in deplorable condition.  We've posted pictures before.  The community has taken the initiative to provide labor and materials to build them a new house.  It is in process at this time.  People are volunteering 1 day a week, and they hope to be completed by Christmas.  We can really see Siera Prieta standing on it's own soon.

We were blessed to eat lunch at Jahira's home.  In the past she has run the kitchen crew for our teams, but our small group fit in here house.  While there we met Wilmon, a special needs boy she cares for during the week.

Speaking with 7th and 8th grade

After lunch we returned to the school and spoke with the 7th and 8th grade students(Yes, now students can stay in the community for school all the way through 8th grade instead of having to travel after 4th). In the gathering Holden shared the gospel, (He did a really great job!) Then I spoke with them, motivating them to consider that their current actions and choices will have long-term consequences.  We had a fun time sharing God's truth with them.

Cute little pre-schoolers headed home after school

I think Holden and Christoper were sharing a joke here.

As school let out we made our first sponsored child visit, to see Christoper.  It is incredible to think we first began this relationship about 6 years ago.  He is now attending the high school which is a 1+ mile walk to the highway and then 25 minute bus ride.  He was talking about enrolling in computer engineering classes in January.  His parents are very proud of him, he has become a very happy and well adjusted young adult.

The initiative that the local leaders are taking in their community is really encouraging.  Another thing you may notice from our pictures is that there aren't a million or so kids hanging on and around us all the time.  That's because they are all in school all day.  The time in the classroom shows in their behavior outside of the classroom.  It's a different community than the one we entered 6 years ago.  More evidence of the promise people feel here is the presence of many new home building projects going on.  People are putting up cinder-block homes rather than moving away as their financial situation improves.  And we saw that kids are now coming here for school from other communities, just as children from here used to travel to other communities for better educational opportunities.  The changes are tangible and very encouraging.                        

Acclimation and Meeting With Leaders

Hello everyone.  Holden and I want to thank our Cornerstone church family for the great notes and cards.  We look forward to opening them through out the week. Your prayers and encouragement are a source of  God's strength and provision for us.

We really enjoyed waking up this morning.  It seemed like a long time since we felt rested.  after breakfast we joined the regional meeting of Food for the Hungry staff.  They asked Greg to share a devotional to get start the meeting.  It was a nice time of fellowship and encouragement.  We met some new people, that work in other communities.  Last night we discovered that Rochelle, who has grown up in Sierra Prieta and is studying in university has been working for FH since last spring.  Last year she was teaching some of the Amo classes which trains children to base their life on Biblical principles.  She is now a full-time FH worker focused on children.  Edward who was doing that has grown in his responsibilities to oversee the Amo program and children's workers in the area.

After the devotion Kelvin, the area director, shared a PowerPoint updating the progress that has been made in Sierra Prieta since Cornerstone began partnering with Food for the Hungry here.  It was encouraging and amazing how far the community has come. I look forward to sharing this information with you as we continue to partner in this ministry

Part of our group during the devotional. I'm not much of a "selfie" taker.

After spending some more time this morning learning more about FH's strategy and the communities they are serving, we headed back to Sierra Prieta for a meeting with various leaders in the community.  There has been some recent road work in the area and we now approach Sierra Prieta from a little different direction because of the improved roads in that direction. 

The improved road, notice the smooth surface and dedicated cement drainage on each side to keep it from washing out.

The gathering of leaders in the community included the Mayor, election officials, the leadership of the mothers group, the agriculture group, a representative from the new savings group, Pastor Segundino and some community members.  We had a good conversation about Biblical leadership and they asked many questions including about developing new leaders and sharing vision with the whole community.

Update Pastor Maximo is doing well, his surgery was needed as a result of his motorcycle being hit by a car.  I spoke to his wife today and she said he is doing very well.

The Savings Group is a new development brought by Food for the Hungry to Siera Prieta.  It is a group of 25 families who have all invested at least 25 pesos.  About the amount of a lottery ticket or small candy snack.  (the exchange rate is about 40 pesos to $1.00 US).  Those who have participated can continue to purchase additional "shares" at 25 pesos each.  If there is a emergency in one of the member families they can borrow from the group at a small interest rate.  Additionally they can sell their shares if the need money.  It is the kind of saving that people in these poor communities have little to no opportunity for.  The money is stored at a central lock box that requires 3 keys to open.  These keys are held by the three elected officers of the group.  The box itself is was provided by FH and weighs over 70lbs.  One member of a savings group said, "I used to throw away 2 pesos, now I believe I can save a lot of money eventually not be poor anymore."   This is another way that we are partnering with FH to help bring hope to the hopeless.

The level of pride in the community is growing in many ways.  This is the view from the front yard of the church.  This was a shack like building that was a sometimes little store.  In the last year it has been painted and updated.  Things like this are happening all over the community s hope and pride grow.

In the morning we will have a meeting with the administration of the school and then an assembly of sorts with the older students in the afternoon.  In between we'll be visiting different homes and people throughout the community.

Below is a picture we took of the school while it was under construction last year.  You might be amazed to see how it looks now.  I plan to share some pictures of the school and our upcoming visit in tomorrows' post.

I did title this post with the word acclimation, all I can say is, "Wow, its hot and humid."  and "Praise God for the opportunity to be here."  Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement.  

Quick trip takes a while

Obligatory travel sunrise shot.

From Lunch at the Cody Airport through sunrise at JFK in New York.  We have made the 24 hour journey once again to Sierra Prieta in the Dominican Republic.

We were blessed to enjoy lunch With DR. Bob Chandler before our departure and embarked with  a certainty that we really didn't know what was in store for us but that we know God has all things firmly in his grasp.  A "quick" 24 hours later we were seated in the familiar church in the familiar sticky heat, surrounded by members of a community we have come to call friends.  It  was a brief meeting where each of the community leaders present affirmed their desire to continue our partnership to join God in serving their community.

Holden and I have learned that there are significant strides in leadership and responsibility being transferred to the community.  Part of that was seen in the leaders speaking of partnering with us rather than assuming that we were doing the work, as may have been the case in the past.  There are new young people joining community leadership and familiar faces taking on more leadership. As we look towards about 4 more years in Sierra Prieta, it's exciting to see their independence shine through.

One of  the ways that the community is being thrust into self-dependence is the construction project this year.  Carlos, our Food for the Hungry host and good friend, shared that we will not be part of the building crew, but that the community is expected to compete the project with their own labor force as Cornerstone has provided funding for materials and a project manger.  The construction project we hope to see take shape is the expansion fo the community center, currently used for training and discipleship to add a medical clinic area for visiting medical staff to use on a regular basis.

These leaders of the community and FH staff gathered to welcome us to the community and than Cornerstone church for it's continued influence and support for Sierra Prieta.

We look forward to sharing with how God works this week as well as update what has been happening during the last year since we last visited.  Look forward to hearing about infrastructure project for drinking water and road improvement, expansion of the Elementary school, church development, and an exciting new education opportunity being built nearby.

We will have a brief time with local FH staff in the morning and head to the community for some church leader training.  Other tings we will do this week include meeting with community leaders, church ministry and speaking in the schools.  As well as praying for us and asking God to work through us this week, pray for Maximo.  He is the pastor of the newer church we have partnered with just recently.  We don't have all the details, but he just had some kind of head or brain surgery, we think related to cancer.  Word is he is recovering well.

God bless and know that many of you who have visited before were asked after and asked to share greeting with you.

2014 Pre-Trip words

Thanksgiving is only about a week away, 'tis the season for turkey and good football.  Those two things really remind me of the last 5 trips Cornerstone has taken to Sierra Prieta.  Like turkey dinners and good football games our trips have all been enjoyable but they have all been completely unique.  No two holiday meals with family and close friends are the same, our times in Sierra Prieta have always brought us new friends and deeper relationships with old ones. And even when you have an idea of the team you are going to match up against on the football field you don't know what the results of any play will be until it is over.  We have always prepared for ministry opportunities the best we could, and sometimes ended up seeing God use that preparation to work in ways we never expected.

This trip is already unique in it's make-up compared to previous years. Due to a lot of significant scheduling conflicts for others in Cornerstone who truly have a heart for this ministry, our team is the smallest it has ever been.  This year only Holden(my 13 year-old son) and I will be going  Though we wish that others had the opportunity to  minister with us and I am really looking forward to some great father-son time. Besides the team make-up being so different from the start, we already know that a day or 2 will be spent leading some training for a number of local church pastors.  We will be ministering in Sierra Prieta also and look forward to seeing how we can encourage the churches, leaders and families there.

Please pray for us, the FH staff that we'll be partnering with, the community of Sierra Prieta and the pastors who attend the training.  Ask God to make himself known and to use us to declare his glory to the world.

You can read back on our trips up to this point on this blog, a great summary of our ministry so far is found at the post I wrote pre-trip last year .  You can read it here( if you are not familiar with what we've been a part of up to this point this is a great place to start).