Nada Mas

It's been a long week.   An emotional one.  Today I spent it exactly the way I love to spend my day. I give the day a 10+.  Woke up and brewed some amazing hazelnut coffee that a good friend gave me.  I studied some Spanish for quite a bit because I need to get back into practicing conjugations more often.  I enjoy studying it.  I love the language.  Always have since 7th grade.

Then, I researched some human trafficking sites for information as I sipped my delicious joe and blared worship music throughout the empty house.  I am loving the alone time.  I need it.

When 11AM rolled around I packed a bag and caught a moto ride to the pool.  I love riding a moto in this country.  Beauty everywhere as the wind whips your hair and the mountain ranges take over the entire sky.  My friend reminded me today as we rode that the only thing we really need in life is Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Nada mas, he said.  Nada mas.

So, I spent the entire afternoon basking in the sun.   I breathe so peacefully soaking up the sun's rays.  I did it all day... until 4pm.  It calms my whole body and mind.  I read my entire Women's Health and dipped into two other books I am reading.  I love reading.  A perfect day always includes reading and some more reading.  The water was freezing at the pool but it was perfect when I was hot and sweaty from the sun.

I came home and texted Heather asking her if she thinks I can put jammies back on and nap after I have been in the sun all day lounging.  :)  Of course, she said.  Totally acceptable.

I thank the Lord for such an amazing place to live.   I thank the Lord for peace.  I thank the Lord for some awesome people I get to do life with.  I thank the Lord for always being my Rock and Refuge--no matter what the situation is.  Even when I told the Lord this week that I didn't want to talk with Him.   I'm not mad.  I just don't want to talk. 

He still said, "Don't listen to those thoughts that tell you to stay away.  Come to Me."  

His love is unlike anything else in this world.  And, His peace doesn't make sense.

Obey

I didn't plan on writing about this, but God woke me up a few times and said this is what the next blog is about, so here it goes.

In the last 3 days, 3 different people emailed me from the States about some things going on in their lives and how to make sense of what God is up to. 

One of my very close friends emailed me yesterday from work telling me that she had been offered a very generous gift to cover some hospital bills from another coworker that she isn't close to, but is a Christ follower.  She said she immediately started to cry.  She wrote, "I have been asking Him lately, 'Why me?  Why am I so blessed?'"

I told her that when people send me packages/support me financially/etc, I pray for God to return favor to them.  I could never pay anyone back anything compared to the way the Lord can work magic. So I told her that she was obedient when He told her to send things last month, when I didnt even realize these medical bills were looming and she was being generous to me.  I know of many other times, when she is pressed from Him to do something that STRETCHES her, she does it.  I said when you are obedient, He provides.  If we can take our hands off our money and listen to what He says to do, even when we don't think we can give $amount to whatever, He always provides for me later.  My money is His, not mine.  I do not like to look at this as if "I do good, God returns it."  There is a difference between doing good things just because you feel like it and doing it because God told you to do it.  It doesn't stretch me and make me lean on God to give when I have it or feel like it that day.  I woke up in the middle of the night and God told me two things:  Tell ____I love her (God of the UNIVERSE wants to wake me up to let a Kid of His know He loves her.  I love our King!!) and that is why He did what He did.  The other thing is He said "I am Jehovah Jireh."  I said, "Oh, God.  Seriously.  I am going to have to look that up in the morning I don't know that one by heart."    (I am a bit embarrassed to type that as other Christians read this!  I know God just expects me to go look it up and freaking remember it. Not feel horrible bc of not knowing it). I cried when I Googled it, then started the blog.  :)

Email #2
Another email was from a sister in Christ that has a buncha good things going on in her life and wanted to share how God is so good to her.  She said, "I feel total amazement that He is doing something like this for me. Do you ever feel like this, feel lost in His awesomeness?"  Uh, girl, totally lost in His awesomeness.  I know this sister will bring Him glory in what He is orchestrating and He trusts her to do what He is setting up because she lays her life in His hands.  Just like the above Sister, I can't say I am shocked by any of this, they are both obedient to Him and try to stay on the path of His will.  Why would He not work through both of them?  He wants us to rely on Him for our paths.    He wants to provide us with what we need to fulfill His will.  He knows we can't do it without Him, we have to depend on Him.

(Side note: the word obedient has been huge lately.  Every time I read "obey" I see it like this:  OBEY.  There are so many aspects of it right now, but I will just tell you a quick story.  So, God keeps pointing out that word in the Word, bible studies, devotions, songs, todos!  I was in the USA sick last month and visited my old school I taught at for lunch when I got better.  As I walked out of a building, I was chatting with an older lady and we said good bye.  I got about 50 feet away and she turned around and quickly YELLED, "Hey, Brady!!  OBEY!!!!!  Just keep obeying what He asks you to do!"  (Nothing about this lady was natural, I swear it was as if God turned her around and took over her voice to say that to me).  I said, "Yes, ma'am."  :)  Then told myself to not cry until I got into the car to leave!  Minutes before this, a little kid came up to me with an envelope.  Inside was a generous check from a Sister in Christ that works at the school.  I went straight to her class and started to cry.  She said, "God told me to.  TAKE IT.")

Email #3
I am barely going to address this because I don't feel like I can cover exactly what I believe about the shooting in CT that happened in the USA last week without serious emotion. Someone texted me last week and asked what I believed about children being in Heaven.  It was actually a little crazy because that morning I asked God for confirmation and I found it in a FB post that had Mathew 19:14 it said with a pic of Jesus "Let the kids come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these."  I asked God if it was out of context when I went to my Bible to read around it.  He told me to listen to what He told me.  I believe kids go to Heaven.  I type that with confidence in what God has shown me.  You don't like my response, take it up with Jesus.  So, back to the email, sorry off topic!! She asked my opinion on this website she found that had a video that God sent the shooter.  I will not write the website here, because I refuse to allow this demonic site to be seen via my blog.  The emailer friend is not a Christ-follower but she is "searching."  That is how I put it when God has grabbed a hold of a heart and is working in it ;)  I spent many years in that stage.  So, here she comes across this article and is freaked that God sent the shooter from a Christian website.  I was LIVID, to say the least. 

All at one time, because He is omnipresent, Jesus sees all the evil being done all over the world to His children.  We can't fathom this.  We can think about it, but we can't understand what it is like to be PRESENT at what is happening in Rwanda as the Janjaweed group rapes and machetes women/men/children, the abuse of the 27 million people in modern day slavery world wide, while a shooter in CT goes on a malicious rampage and little ones are screaming for their lives, etc.  He doesn't just see it, He is there. 

This book I am reading, Good News About Injustice, says, " The word compassion comes from two Latin words:  passio, meaning "to suffer," and cum, meaning "with."  To say that God has compassion (psalm 116:5/2 Corin 1:3) for victims of injustice is to say that He actually "suffers with" them.  At the root of God's compassion is the fact that He sees, witnesses, directly observes the suffering of the abused." 

I keep seeing other Christians post things on their wall with photos and videos saying crap like "Where was God? Well, we kicked God out of school, that's why He wasn't there/that's why this happened."  I am tryng so hard to be nice right here.  This is so absurd.  Since when do we believe the Lord isn't present??  JESUS WAS THERE.  I dont care if you can pray in school or "God" in the stupid Pledge, HE IS THERE.  Every day! And, when this happened, He was with each kid whether they have EVER HEARD His name or not at home/school, He was with each one.  I don't know what He did before, during, or after,  BUT HE WAS ALL over it and STILL IS.  He is good.  Always good.

So God didn't send the shooter and I believe those "Christians are in a cult." After I pushed play, immediately I could feel a battle (eph 6:12) and was freaked out!   We need to remember that these battles manifest themselves into tangible injustice, hunger, abuse, imprisonment, beatings (Good News).   I emailed her back, "to her not to watch such trash and they are not followers of Christ.  THAT site is not of GOD.  I dont care how much scripture they use to prove points.  I am very grounded in Christ and God told me to STOP watching it immediately bc it wasn't of Him. So I did. 

I'm done, I could rant all day.  So, Christmas is coming next week and I am staying the DR.  I look forward to being alone for 2 weeks while my roommate is in the States. 

P.S.  Don't forget to look up Jehovah Jireh.  :)


  

Random Thoughts

Ive had a lot of thoughts this past week and wanted to share a few of them while my BFFs are stillllllll watching football.  I am in shock that this football crap has been going on for 5+ hours and they are still watching.

Nurse:

Heather and I went to the hospital for my second check up yesterday because the clinic we went to first said they would charge $250 just to see a doctor, no tests or anything else.  So we opted to go to the hospital and see what that would be like to get blood-work, etc. because I do have Dominican health insurance and they might take it, who knows!?  Because I had pain in my lungs when I would breathe deeply, the doctor ordered chest x-rays.  I wanted to get cleared to leave the States and return home to the DR.  This one nurse took me back that wasn’t very talkative.  Nor am I with strangers unless I’m in a silly mood.  The nurses were a bit intrigued with my stories and so this onr waited until we got to the back to talk with me alone.  As she set up the machine, she said, “So why did you move there?”  I gave her a very brief answer that God told me to and I would follow Him anywhere.  She continued to make the laydown xray machine bed area and said, “So you must be pretty religious to move to the DR alone????”  She rambled a few more things but I stopped listening at the word religious.

 I paused. 

 I really don’t like that word. 

She looked up because I didn’t respond quickly.  I laughed a little and she asked me, “What?”  I told her my brother calls me that and he just means it’s important to me, but when I personally use it, it is because someone is crazy.  She apologized and said she didn’t mean it like that, that she just didn’t understand why I would choose to do such a thing when I could live in America and get quality healthcare here all the time.  I told her I am religious if that means I love Jesus Christ.  She went on to tell me about herself and how she doesn’t go to church…telling me why she isn’t in church and how she would like to be, but something about a divorce and life being hard and busy.  It was as if she had guilt for not going and wanted to explain.  People sometimes do that to me. 

 I told her my home church is in Winter Haven, Ridgepoint.  I explained how it was and what service was like and how my friends attend it still.  I told her it was off Spirit Lake Rd.  I asked her where she lived.  She said off Spirit Lake Road J  I said, “Great.  Come to church this Sunday, I will be there to see my church family.”  She said she might just do that.  I explained where it was and what the website name was to find it online.  I had to get ready to go under and she went back to the machine and came back.  She passed me a paper and pencil.  I didn’t expect it.  She actually wanted to write it down and look it up to come.  Keep her in your prayers tonight.  I know the devil will give her a hundred reasons to stay home tomorrow instead of going to church.  Pray that those thoughts are blocked and she comes. 

As we headed back to my room, I wondered if my sole reason for being sick was to invite her to church that very minute and be her catalyst.  I told God, “That’s a really expensive way for You to make me go to invite a person to Your House.  I will have spent hundreds of dollars, I don’t have, to fly here. So much that I would have to work an entire yearrrr in the DR to afford it with my new salary just to get treatment and fly back.”  I’m sure there was more complaining but I’m too embarrassed to write the rest of my BS.  Immediately, He said, “Phyllis” in a grandpa “think about that” tone.  I did.

“Oh, Lord.  Sorry.  That was so selfish.  Ugh.  Sometimes I am so ridiculous.  I didn’t mean it like that.  I know that lady is just as important to You as I am.”  (Seriously, who am I sometimes?  Do I really believe in Heaven and Hell and I am saying it’s too expensive to be a part of someone’s plan by Jesus for Him to Save someone??)

“Phyllis, Who provides your money to be here?  “You do, God.”  “Okay, then”

 And, I really do believe He provides for me.  He has, had, and will continue as I walk with Him.

Airport:  As Jaci and I drove up, I saw Luke, Trevor, and Josh waiting by the sidewalk.

 

I smiled (and told the Lord I love Him for doing that). 

 

Comforted.

It was about 720AM, we were late because Jaci’s van was having trouble and we had to borrow another car.  The boys had a full day of work ahead of them and I wasn’t too sure if they would even get breakfast because they chose to come pray over me and send their Sister off.  Luke told me a few were gonna come and I was hoping Trev would be one of the ones waiting with Luke when I got there because… We (DR peeps) are all a team in a way I’m not so sure I even understand.  Our lives are intertwined in a different way and we understand things about each other and living in the DR that the others won’t ever understand because they don’t live there with us.   That isn’t meant to be offensive; it just is what it is.  I told Jaci as we walked up that it was a blessing, too, that the team was in Santiago right now.

Bible:  When I packed for my trip to the States, I was making a mental list and getting the items to pile up.  I went to go grab my Bible and Bible study book I am doing and realized this was the first trip I have ever taken where I wanted my Bible.  I have one on my Kindle to travel with, but it isn’t the same as my tangible one.  My Bible is small and fat!  Not really conducive to travelling or throwing in my purse.  Really, I don’t read it on vacations or trips either. BUT…I am addicted to the Bible the last couple of weeks.  I would love to say that I am always a diligent reader every day, but that would be a lie.  But the last few weeks it has been the only water for my thirst.  I can’t get enough of it and just want to read it all the time.  I’ve been reading daily because I crave the Word.  This study I am doing has you look up verse after verse that point to a certain theme and write down what it means; very interactive.  I have loved flipping through my Bible and reading my old highlights and my old notes of how God spoke to me that day with the date He said it.  God and I had a great week.  I stayed at my Pops’ house in FL the second night I was here while Heather was at a show.  I was so sick that night.  I slept and slept.  I had no energy to pack a few things to take back.  As I was lying in bed, God told me to get up and get my Bible out.  Seriously, God?  I am so sick right now.  Tears have flowed from this eyes so many times in discomfort and my energy is depleted.  I can’t possibly get up and read.  My body aches all over.  Let’s do it tomorrow morning.  “Phyllis, I want you to read.”  Okay. Okay.  Once again, I would love to say I read the most profound thing, but I didn’t.  He reminded me that even when I don’t want to, I need to.  That when He says to do something, I need to just do it and not have to understand it. 

I sat on Heather’s porch the next morning and got it out again and it was profound.  It was exactly what I needed to see that I couldn’t see before.  I love that the Word is alive.  (I just sat up in my chair writing that have a huge grin b/c it is exciting how He reveals) I love that you can read something 5 times in the last few years and each time the Lord is capable of talking to you in a different way for where you are right then and there.  INCREDIBLE. 

He spoke loudly and clearly about our lives in the DR.  It was exactly what Kathy and I had a conversation about one night on her porch about Him; the struggle between DR and American life.  That’s all I am giving about the details right now.  It cleared it up for me and I could change my view to see better using two different verses; one i have read many times and one I had never seen before.

Oh, how I freaking love Him. 

P.S. I just woke up to post this and I had an email from the University that my intern Kelsey attends.  They are sending me an unexpected check for being Kels' cooperating teacher for internship. 

Who provides for me???

I'm Home in the States

I am in America.

Some of you know and some of you aren’t sure why.  Okay, I was sick.

I flew in under the radar Tuesday.  I emailed my church leaders in the States to pray for me, and my other leaders/church family were already in the DR with me for a mission trip to Santiago.

I really don’t like attention like this and people freaking out, so I kept it hush until I knew if I was really sick.  I told Heather my flight and she picked me up in Tampa alone.  She kept telling me to come home.  Come home.  Love that girl.  I felt bad not letting my besties know, but I figured when I was cleared or sick, I could tell them then with actual facts and details of what was going on. 

It started about 3 weeks ago when I ate something that made me have to use the bathroom 20+ times in one day.  I left school by 10AM because I had done to the bathroom 9 times by then.  I was useless.  Nausea, horrible headaches, and a knots in my stomach.  That persisted for just a day or so, but the other symptoms stayed.  I would break into a sweat and my temp would say 97.5.  It was so odd, but my temperature wasn’t a fever.  My headaches were a sign.  It wouldn’t stop for 2 weeks straight and at times, I would tear up at night because it wouldn’t go away.  I finally caved and went to the local clinic.  One of my admin went with me to translate.  I did blood, stool, and urine testing for 45 pesos.  That is about a dollar.  The same lady that was doing lab testing came to take my blood.  No gloves were changed.  She had trouble so she pushed the syringe pump in and out a few times.  I was mortified, so was Elisse.  It left a lovey bruise, in which my doctor last night kept looking at it in disgust and I turned to look at it and he blurted out sternly, “what happened there??” (Definitely not a drug addict)

In the DR, the stool cup they gave me was a THE EXACT same cup you get at chili’s for to-go BBQ sauce, with the little pop top lid.  Let me stop here and say I don’t get sick.  I had no idea about even a “clean sweep” as the nurse called it, last night in the hospital, to pee in a cup.  So asking me to defecate in a to-go soufflé cup freaked me out. IF I am sick, I let my body take care of it without medicine.  I couldn’t see my Primary Care Physician before I left to move to the DR because she had no idea who I was; I went there maybe 6 yrs ago when I was hired by Polk School Board.   I do not over exaggerate conditions, if anything; I minimize it to be “nothing”.  Hence, the reason I have bacteria all over my freaking body because I didn’t seek meds earlier. 

In the DR, I went into the hospital clinic’s bathroom to go and I just couldn’t.  When I gave up and came out, I realized there was no soap or paper towels for me to use.  Thank goodness I didn’t try to figure that out.  Trevor adn Luke took me over to get my results.  When I got my tests back, the nurse gave me a Rx and I googled it when I got home and it was for parasites.  Well, my lab work said there was an abundance of bacteria and yeast and some blood in both my urine and stool, no parasites.  So I sent my lab results to my nurse friends, Susan, Kristen, and Casey and they guided me along the way of what to do.  Miranda called Nikki and she helped as well.  I started Cipro.  A few days later, my hot flashes were worse, I was so lethargic, and my kidneys began to hurt.

I went to Santiago to see the mission team at church with Kels and Anne-marie.  I prayed on the drive down for energy and no pain while I worshipped with them.  He delivered. I felt so good. The drive home, my kidney pain was worse, though.  I headed to church later that night with Kelsey to our local church to listen to the worship music.  I can’t get enough of it.  Sometimes, I skip out after the music.  That was my plan but by the end, I was dizzy and sweating to death in the air-conditioned place.  I’m real sensitive to A/C now that we live without that crisp air.  Here I sat in a pool of sweat.  I told Kels, Im walking home in the middle/end of the song.  There is nothing that makes my heart smile more than worship music, clapping, and singing as loudly as possible.  I was sitting down in my chair during the music cause I was so tired and dizzy.  I wondered if people thought I was rude to sit.  Got home. My temperature read 96.5. 

What the heck is going on?????  So frustrated.  To the point of tears.

That was the lowest I had seen.  Online said I should be freezing at that temp, unless I have a serious condition, in which my body is freaking out, pretty much.  I crawled into bed lying on my belly because my kidneys were radiating heat and painful to lie on.   I've never slept in a hospital before and my first time wasn't going to be there.

Naomi had texted me what she thought and I said to God I’m over people telling me what they think and what I think!  I wasn’t panicking, but I knew I was sick and my emotions were heightened because I have never had any kind of infections before other than a respiratory one.  So here I am with some intestinal infection and my kidneys are on fire and I could barely walk 5 minutes up the plaza to Skype Summer because our power was out.  I had never walked that slowly before and almost caught a moto.

“Lord, do I need to go home or not!?  I know You can tell me! So be clear and tell me!”  Naomi’s next text was that she prayed about this and God is telling her that I need to go to the States.  Of course.  She said, “I know you don’t need me to tell you what God is saying, but…”  Uh, yeah, I most certainly did need help with what He was saying.  Luke and Nay got home and Nay came down to sit on my bed while I rested.  Luke came down with us and prayed over me.  Go home.  Ugh, I might.

I’m a brat.  I got in bed and told God that if my temp is still low w hot flashes the next day with that killer headache, I will leave.  So I woke up to a 96 temperature again with hot flashes and a headache.  Okay, I am out. 

I went to school in the morning to get things in order and teach Bible.  Kathy told me to just go home, this place will survive without.  She reminded me that school wasn’t as important as finding out what is wrong and fixing it.  Just go!  Uh, I so needed those pushes because I hated going all the way to America for treatment!!  Jaci got up super earlier for me took me over to the airport.  As we pulled up, I was so thankful that the mission team was in Santiago at this exact time and some of my boys could meet me over at the airport at the BUTT CRACK to pray over me and send me off. 

Okay, diagnosis:  bacteria caused an intestinal infection, then bacteria caused a bad UTI (first doc said that it was a bad UTI but my only symptoms was kidney issues), and while I was sick with these, I caught some sort of upper respiratory junk which was why I had pain in my lungs breathing deeply.  I woke up the second night here and asked heather if a bear attacked me or if she punched me in the back in the mid of the night because all my back muscles hurt up to my neck, even my triceps and deltoids hurt.  It was so odd. 

I saw another doctor last night and he ran my blood and urine. He says there is some bacteria still, but I am good.  After Cipro, they gave me Bactrum?, which is stronger.  Cipro wasn’t clearing it up.  He told me not to leave until the second round of antibiotics are done and a day or two pass to see if I still have symptoms/bacteria.   I don’t know what he will prescribe if Bac doesn’t kill it.

I had hot flashes this morning with some right kidney pain for the first time in a day or so, not quite sure what the bs is about.  I feel good, though.  Tired, tired, tired, but overall good.

So I am in America for the week.  I miss America when I am in the DR. 

 

Is it odd for me to say I miss the DR?  

I do. A lot.

Catalyst: Heather Buell

8:13 PM
(We do not participate in the Daylight Savings Time.  Stinkin' sweet, I tell ya)

So today is my friend Heather's birthday.  I woke up at 5:45AM.  It is one of those dates you do not forget and you know exactly when it is and how many more days until it is here.  Sorta like you do with your own birthday.

(I wrote that on the 5th, now I am finishing this tonight on the 7th.  I have been a little sick lately with my stomach.  I'm not too sure what it is, but I hope it leaves my body soon.  If not, I better lose weight from this organism that has taken up residency in my body.)

My birthday is Oct 22, then Heather's is 2 weeks later, then her death anniversary is 2 weeks after that.  We were bff's since we were in junior high.  Her death was a turning point in my life.  If there was a line were my "time-line" was cut by a single event in my history, it would be her death.  It was the most devastating news I had ever received.   Oh, you know your highschool friends and how you just love them like sisters.  Real sisters.  That was Heather.  Years of giggles and inside jokes and fun!

So, I had just moved to FL on Halloween soon after my 21st, and flew to California a few weeks later to go to a Marine Ball with my bff Ben.  I got home from Orlando airport and got into bed on November 20th, 2001.  I had just fallen asleep when Mom came in and said, "Renee has been trying to reach you, Heather died."

What?

What does that even mean?

I was physically sick.  I got out of bed and, of course, called Michael.  I immediately had to do laundry from my trip to Cali and get my butt on a plane to NY state, pronto.  My mom had ran errands, so I was alone in the house while Dad slept.  I walked to the washer in a daze.  When I got to the washer, I could no longer physically stand up, and my knees buckled and I hit the floor in hysterics to God.  To a God I wasnt even sure existed.  I prayed to Him when I was about to get into trouble or hoping I could get out of trouble.  I prayed when people were sick and needed to be healed.

So, when I needed something, I called upon this God.  The one I wasn't sure was listening...if He was in fact real.  I don't know why I called Him, but I did.  I sobbed on the floor and asked Him to "PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME.  Please!  I cannot do this alone. I need You!"

I got up after I doubled over with my head on the floor crying and wailing in hysterics.  I couldnt catch my breath.  I was pretty sure I was going to die of sadness.  I finished the laundry sobbing.  I got in the shower and I felt as if someone punched me in the stomach and my knees buckled. Again.  I fell to my knees crying hysterically, "Oh, please God, I cannot do this.  If you are real, I need you to help me!"  I talked to God and Heather in the shower as I was doubled over on the floor crying with the water just falling on my limp body. 

I seriously felt crazy after her death.  I was crazy.  I would audibly talk to her all the time.  So many crazy things happened after she passed and they were all signs from her.  We wore blue ribbons (baby blue in the shape of awareness ribbons) and blue butterflies to represent her passing and in remembrance.  These things showed up everywhere!  Even in my hotel in the hidden mountains of Greece and the streets of London!!  Jackie and I walked into our hotel in Greece and there someone happened to have left a blue butterfly towel!  I still have it in a box.  I saved it, of course.  I found the same blue ribbon I wore for her in NY, in my FL house.  It was brand new..there was no ribbon in that house.  Where it came from, I have no idea.  I also had a shiver down my spine one day as I got out of the shower and I looked down and a blue rubberband was the all tangled up and was exactly like a ribbon shape.  Once again, I didnt have any blue rubberbands.

Black cats were a symbol of her too and they were everywhere.  I was once lost driving in Florida trying to get to this bar my friend Kenny was playing at and said, "Send me a black cat, Heather, if this is the right way!"  I saw a black cat and then the bar was up ahead, of course.

I have hundreds of stories, so do the Buells.  Hundreds.

Jared, her brother, called me one night and we chatted for a while reminiscing.  I hung up with him as I sat on the front porch and started to sob.  I was so mad at her for dying.  I was at that state of grieving.  Livid.  Yelling at her.  I heard her VOICE CLEAR AS DAY.  "I am here." I JUMPED UP.  My crying ceased!! I picked up the phone to see if Jare was there.  Nope.  I went inside.  I know I heard her.  I'll tell you right now years later, I heard her voice.

Storied upon stories of crazy things, but

I am very tired from not eating much the last 2 days, so I will finish this tomorrow.  It is already 9PM and I need to get to sleep.  Okay, so I slept most of the day the last 48hrs, but I'm exhausted.

I just want to add that I got in the shower very early this past Monday, November 5th, and asked God, "If I could see a ribbon today, it would be cool.  If not, no big deal."  As I hiked Mogote mountain in the Dominican Republic on her birthday,  I looked down at the PRECISE moment to see a ribbon on the ground in the shape of Heather's ribbons.

I smiled, and then pressed my lips together as I let some quick tears fill my eyes, making sure they didn't slip out and be seen.  (Thanks, God, for sending that today :)  Happy birthday, Heather!!

To be continued....

Laundry

I am waiting for my laundry to finish its wash cycle, so I figured I would blog for a few minutes.  Google won't seem to load and the internet is so slow I want to scream.  I am writing this in Word and will transfer it later if it wants to load the page.  I have been trying to load a cute video from social studies since 7PM and the power keeps cutting off and on with glitches.  This is my 5th attempt to load a 1min video that says it will take 1hr 13mins. 

I started the load before I left for dinner at the Plankenhorn's.  It takes 15 minutes to swoosh around, then I have to pick up all the clothes and transfer them to the rinse cycle part of the washer.  I try to do my laundry on Thurs, so we can all get our laundry done by the end of the weekend.  It usually takes a day or two to dry on the line.  Sometimes it is longer if it rains and the air is very wet.  It's nice to have a covered back porch roof for when it rains, but if it wasn't covered it would dry quicker.  This is a no win situation.  The plus to all this BS is that we live in the DR and no one irons anything, so it's wrinkled from line-drying and that is okey doke :)

I was just out there hanging them on the line when the power cut off about 20 minutes ago.  Pitch black took on a new meaning while I stood on the back porch alone.  I couldn't see anything at all.  I had to walk along the wall to get back into the house.  My heart jumped a little.  I went to the kitchen drawer to grab my lighter that I use for the electric stove and started lighting candles.  Thanks, Baker, for the Strawberry Cheesecake candle :)  I love lighting this fat candle I have that is the scent of Christmas tree.  I took it from home in FL because I thought it might come in handy.  It makes me laugh.  The thing is a beast with 3 wicks, so I always light it for a lot of light. 

I went back outside to finish hanging my clothes on the line, this time with a flashlight under my armpit.  I spoke to God for a few minutes about the Dominican and what He is up to and how I would love to get some quality sleep.  I have been up the last 3 nights tossing and turning in prayer with the Holy Spirit.  I dont even understand the words I pray half the time.  I fall asleep, then I am woken up to pray numerous times.  God has all day to talk to me and He chooses to do it when I am trying to sleep.  I dont get it but I am choosing to thank Him for whatever He is preparing us for.  Last time He did this middle of the night praying madness, He was moving me here.  I'm ready.

Okay, I might be able to drain the water onto the sidewalk now.

OH, did I say that the water smelled like trash today?  It did and I'm not sure why I bothered to wash my clothes in that, but I did.  

Lastly, the janitor was cutting some wood outside our classroom today and we couldnt hear anything for a while.  Kelsey just kinda yelled to get the kids to hear her teaching.  Our windows are metal and slant to the side, jalousie windows.  There is no screen or covering, and when trucks drive by selling fruit it is loud and obnoxious in our class.  Today, the saw was out of control! There is no option in closing the windows because we would sweat to death.   I have already had heat rash a few times this school year and have discovered a BRAND new smell to my skin (not armpits, skin) when it sweats for a long period of time in my lovely, heavy polo uniform.  I find this just as odd as you do, as you read this.

Life in the Dominican Republic.  

I am totally complaining in this blog.  Just let me be.  Hehe!!  On a positve note, I had an awesome dinner and convo with the other RPC missionaries here tonight and I'm blessed to be here...even when I complain, I am thankful for what the Lord has done, is doing, and will continue to do in our lives.  Big things to come. 

Discerning the Voice of God

Taken from Discerning the Voice of God:

"John 16:13 paints the picture of the Holy Spirit as a "guide," one who gives continuous direction on a need-to-know-basis....but the Holy Spirit doesn't give us all His directions upfront and then leave us alone to sort everything out.  Rather, He can be trusted to tell us everything we need to know for now, then continually update His instructions as we step out in faith and obedience.

We ought to see this as a great blessing, not a begruding holdout.

So be confident that when it's time for you to know what you need to know, you will.  If you haven't heard from God on a particular issue, it's not because He lost your number and doesn't know how to reach you.  It may just be because the time is not yet right for Him to clarify this for you." 

God's Provision

Eating Hatuey miel crackers with Skippy PB and sipping hazelnut coffee (thanks Darla and Mallory!)

I woke up at 6:15 praying and smiling with God.  I tried to go back to bed but it wouldn't happen so I just got up. 

Yesterday we went on a hike at Salto Jacuzzi (Jacuzzi waterfall).   It is a waterfall that is hidden far in the woods; so hidden many natives haven't ever been there and other Americans haven't experienced it either.  We have to walk deep into the woods and down the mountain.  It is peaceful and filled with God's beauty and awesomeness.  I have been here many times and every time feels like the first time i went.  I absolutely love the hike.  It involves climbing over large rocks that make my knees almost touch my chin, trekking through the lovely water that is sometimes up to our thighs to cross over to another path leading to the 3 hidden waterfalls, and secret trails in the woods to bring us back out to the water. Most of it is walking in shallow water, though.  The first waterfall has specks of gold in the sand.  We are going to mine for money, kidding.  We should, though.  Usually the hike takes us about 1hr 20min to get out there because some of them jump off the first one and we wade around.

It was raining yesterday but we decided to go anyways.  Madre and Padre Ostberg (O) are in town from the USA and this was on the agenda for the day, so we figured we might as well go.  We had a large group:  Kelsey, me, Stefania, the O's, Luke's family, Trevor's family, along with Toshi and his friend Sam. We were pretty wet by the time we made it to the first waterfall.  Then, when we got to the place where we have to climb pretty vertical up this rocky wall, Trev and Kathy decided the kids couldn't go that far.  As I got halfway up the rock, I yelled back saying it wasn't such a bad climb, it just looks steep.  They turned to each other and chatted quietly, and declined.  (Thank you, God, that they did not listen to me!)

It was so awesome hiking in the rain!  My heart was smiling.  It felt so good having the water fall on us as we laughed and climbed together.  I love the oneness when you hike Jacuzzi.  It is person after person lending a hand or a push to another to make it over some feat.  

The rain fell harder as we ventured on and it started to thunder and lightning.  I tried to hurry through the water parts because it was freaky being in the water, of course.  I was just kept praying, "Lord, keep Your kids safe.  I know we made a poor decision by coming out here, but we just wanted to experience Your beauty in making this place...watch over us, please."  If I say I said that 50 times, I really could be underestimating it.  I just kept saying it over and over again.  Little did I know what was about to lie ahead.  We made it to the end and it was great.  Toshi jumped and it was too shallow, so the others didnt.  Luke said the heavy rains causes the waterfall to push the sand all over the place and the deep and shallow parts become unknown. 

As we headed back, Toshi said the water was turning brown.  It was a sign that we need to move faster to get back; that brown means the water is increasing and it could become dangerous.  I thought, Nope.  We are fine.  I even said it to Madre as we hiked back.  (She was a rockstar on this hike.  I told her I hope to be that hott at her age.  I know I wont.  I'll have a good excuse for staying home and reading..hehe)  So, I didnt feel danger ahead.  It will be fine, I think.  We kept going at a quicker pace and the water continued to get darker, faster, and stronger.  The areas that we could casually stroll over, were gone and now replaced with rushing, brown bubbly water.  At one point to cross, we had to jump from one rock to another and the rushing water was causing people to superman while two of us grabbed their hands/arms to pull them up and out of the water.  Luke had Ethan (5) on his back and Dad was crossing and all three of them superman-ed with the rushing water pulling at their bodies, and their lives flashed before my eyes.  Dad wasnt sure how Ethan and Luke were, so he didnt want to get out of the water trying to leverage them with his leg, and i just held on to his arm so he had an anchor not to be swept away.   3 generations:  father, son, grandson filled with great strength yet this was about nature and its force.

Scary

No me gusta.  When we all continued, I was so choked up by what was going on.  I asked God if we were going to be okay and He said yes.  Will we cross this river, Lord?  Yes.  Ugh that isnt the answer I wanted.  At all.  I doubted Him a few times, I must admit.  I requested His peace over and over again. He supplied it.  Just because we serve Him and are Saved doesnt mean that we get out of danger cards free.  If He chose to let us die/get hurt, He is still an awesome freaking God that I love madly.  He said we would all live and I was just going to have to believe that He told me that.

At one point we had to cross to get on a path in woods to leave and it was OUT OF CONTROL; nature at full force and scary.  The boys got a branch and Stefania, Toshi, and Kelsey hung on for dear life as their bodies were submerged in water and their arms gripped to the branch with their forearms to get over.  It was frightening, to say the least.  Lord, what is happening?

I looked up and the water was rushing down faster and harder.  What the hell is going on??  Is this a nightmare?  Is this really happening to us?  Such a beautiful hike has turned into a scary movie scene.  Ethan is frantic and freezing.  I prayed for his heart to be calmed.

The rest of us couldn't possibly cross this.  Okay, I'm sure Luke could have, the rest of us would have been seriously risking it with the branch.  We left Stefania, Kels, and Toshi on the other side to get back and tried to go into the woods that had nothing but thick brush, no paths.  Luke navigated and we just followed the leader.  I kept praying asking God to guide him where to go.  Show us.  Keep us safe.  The Holy Spirit was doing that bubbling prayer where I mumble prayers and I don't even know why I am praying the words, but they just come out.   The HS kept using this word "provision".  I kept thanking God for His provision and peace.  Let's be honest, I dont even know what that word means, but if the Spirit wants to pray it, Ill pray it because He knows what to pray for (Romans 8:26)

So as we left the other team.  I hated this part.  There wasnt a choice.  I watched as they hiked straight up vertically on the mountain.  I am talking rock climbing style.  "Oh, Lord, keep them safe.  Watch out for my girls.  Give them strength to climb.  Perfectly place their feet where they need to step to not fall into the rushing water, God."  I prayed this repeatedly.  Incessantly. (1 Thessalonians  5:17)  A few times I prayed for Stefania's feet in particular.  I didnt know why, God said do it and I did.

Going through the woods wasnt working, so when we came to a landslide (previously fell on another day when we werent there), Dad started to mess with a tree that fell.  We all pushed it out. We Prayed.  Just as the boys got it to push it across the raging river, I turned to Mom and prayed with her that God would perfectly place the tree (18ft tall?  Luke, correct me on that!) between these two rocks to keep it still for us to try to cross.

It didn't.

In my Spirit, I told God I WAS PISSED!  We prayed in Jesus' name!  We prayed with power and authority!  And, You dont do it!  Come on!  Why didnt You do it!  It was the best spot!!  Goodness gracious, are You just gonna leave us here!!??

Nothing for a minute.  He said nothing to me.  I took a breath.

He said He placed it there for a reason.  He told me He is in control, not us.  Oh, how I forget to Who controls this place.  "Okay, Lord, give us guidance, guide us what to do.  Give these men wisdom and strength to do what You want to do."  If you want us to sleep here tonight, I am fine with that BUT I NEED YOU TO START SPEAKING UP!  I cant hear you on what to do and the more we wait, the more the water is rushing down.  The stupid part is He was speaking, I just didn't like His plan.

We got another tree from the landslide, roots and all.  OH MY GOSH, I just started to cry typing this.  God just told me that He made that landslide in order for us to have two trees to get to safety yesterday.  Speechless.  Oh my gosh, tears are blocking my view.  :( Gonna grab more coffee and a tissue.  Wow.

So Luke came up with a plan to interlock the trees with one of the roots that mirrored a hook that was perfectly crafted by you know Who.  We picked it up and it landed perfectly where God wanted and we now had an escape route.  You had to shimmy across it with your thighs wrapped around it and your arms lifting our booties up and shimmied down the tree.  If you lifted too high the water made you off balance with a pull to one side to almost fall off into the raging river.  I got halfway across and the water was so fast it pulled my little legs and fear gripped me tightly.  I looked up at Luke and said, "I am scared" for my life.  He told me to be strong for Ethan.  I was thinking, "Ms Brady is flipping scared, too!!!"  I split second closed my eyes and asked for peace.  Peace He gave.  <3  We all got across safely and made it back.

When we saw the rest of the team back at the car, they ran as we edged up over the hill and could start seeing their faces in the distance.  Kelsey started to cry.  She said she was so worried we didnt make it.  Goodness gracious, I didnt think they were gonna make it.

Kelsey said that Stefania slid down the side of the mountain clinging for her life as she slid about 5ft until she was finally able to be caught on something that stopped her leg.  (God knew what was going on.  I didn't. I love those prayers.  Validation prayers.  Why we get to be involved, I'm not totally sure, but He wants us to know He hears us and wants to grow us with it)  We got in the car and prayed on the way home for all God had done for us.  Before, during, and what He is continuing to do in our lives. 

I came home and texted Michael that I loved him.  He wrote back Love YOU!  I texted Heather the same and she wrote, "What the heck is going on down there!!??"  Yea, I got a story.

Then, I Googled to see what the HS was praying for...

Provision 1. The act of providing or making previous preparation.

There are days I literally want to scream from the rooftops that I love JESUS CHRIST :)  

School Days

School is in full swing and teaching is more intense than I ever realized it would be with my kids.

Exhausted.  I am exhausted at the end of most days.  I have running tangible lists of ways to improve teaching for them on my desk (Mallory, thanks for the ladybug notebook!!) and lists running in my head all day about what they need and what isn't working to help them bridge between the 2 languages.  All 300 hours of ESOL in college did not equip me for 13 kids (plus, 2 American kids) that have no English proficiency.  15 students sounds like a great number, but it is far too large for a bunch of kids in the DR.

I have a very eager and fabulous intern, Kelsey, that is finding new ideas and ways alongside of me to figure out how to differentiate among the levels.  I am actually proud of the system of centers we have going for both reading and math right now to accommodate all of the little ones, including my on-level American kids.  One of the hardest things with class is slowing my speech and using fewer words to communicate.  My roommate/teammate, AnneMarie said the first week of school her arms hurt from all of the body language she was using to communicate to the kids.  It is so true that 75% of communication is in body language!!  My aide calls my face the BRADY FACE when kids are in trouble.  They may not know what I am saying other than "No me gusta!" but Rosa translates the rest and they know they are in big trouble when they see that face.  :) 

Our kids are starting to emerge with the language and it is the sweetest thing!  One of our little girls said "I need to go bathroom."  We busted out in LOUD cheers!!!!!  She said it all in English out of no where!!!!!  I have shortened the way they say it to help with acquisition.  So many simple things are not simple.  Basic vocabulary is something we are trying to incorporate daily at the end of the day.  In reading Kelsey runs my vocabulary center and the first story from Reading A to Z was Nan and Pap.  It is about 2 little dogs.  In the very short story they are in a pan.  OH my gosh, they couldnt figure out what a pan was and we were a little vexed that the dogs sit in a pan in the story.  No context clues or pictures help describe the word "pan" to the kids.  One day, mid-day, I told Kelsey to run home and get a flipping pan!  In the States, these simple vocabulary words wouldn't be an issue. 

Our American kids say the Spanish phrases for morning greetings and to use the bathroom/water and we are teaching our Hispanic kids to do the same in English.  It is working out well. 

I can't have Rosa translate everything, so being patient and letting them figure out some directions is exhausting.  I have lesson plans I want to follow and we cant get through half the stuff I want to get done by the end of the day.  I want to do a lot of Kagan activities and they are so much lower than I expected.  They cant communicate to each other in English to do the activities.  Most of them are at a Pre-k or early K level.  I am not use to this.  I taught 2nd for 4 years and loved the age-level. 

PS Rosa was playing BINGO with her reading small group and found a penny in the chip.  "Hey, Brady, look at this!"  I instantly smiled at seeing some US currency.  All the times I threw out pennies sweeping, etc, now I grin EAR TO EAR when I see one and put them in my desk.

Last note, Madre and Padre O are traveling here this week... send up prayers for them.  Kathy and Trevor have moved here and things are going well.  I told Kathy we need a blog entry AHORA!  :)  In the meantime, send up prayers for their transition. 

6 Months in the Dominican Republic

March 6th I boarded a plane from TPA to MIA at 435PM, final destination:  Dominican Republic.

Seriously?  I am a little shocked, too, that 6 months has come already.  I just grabbed my journal to read what I wrote that day:  I keep asking God for strength to do this alone.  He told me Josh 1:9.  So, I keep saying it (over and over again) and it helps give me relief.

I remember that day so vividly.  I told myself not to cry, not once, or I would continue to breakdown.  So I played calm as much as I could to everyone around me.

***Joshua 1:9  This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

I posted the rest of that journal a few blog entries ago and talked about dying to oneself and wanting to do His will for my life, yet desperately wanting to hold on to America.  So, God told me to go to a different church a few weeks ago, so I got up and went to see this young girl that attends their school program for teen rehabilitation/church.  I had felt her on my heart for a couple weeks, so I went.  She gravitates towards me when I see her.  I am still praying about that situation.  So, there was a seat open next to her, of course.  During the sermon the pastor spoke about dying to oneself and stated that he wasnt even sure what that "really" means.  I realized I had my journal in my purse...why?  I dont even know.  I dont carry it.  I dont even write in it as much.  It was a beautiful gift my friend, Chase, gave me with Bible verses on each page the day I left Chain of Lakes Elem.  So, I took the journal out and told the young girl next to me that I DID know what it meant and let her read my journal's first entry in coming to the country  (I freaking love God and how He works).  She asked if I didnt like it in the DR and I told her "it didnt matter.  However, I do love the DR, but it wasnt ever in my plans." I still cannot believe I moved here.  I live here.   She asked how long I would be here and I gave her my answer that I say to everyone:  When God tells me to go elsewhere.... but I am pretty sure He has me here for a lifetime. 

As for what I am up to in this country, who knows, really.  I am just here waiting on God.  I am still at JCS teaching 1st grade.  I will definitely blog on that soon.   have a new roommate, Kelsey.  I am seriously blessed with 2 great, Jesus-loving ladies to live with!  I have enjoyed our late night Jesus talks and being in this same house for a purpose, growth in Him through each other.  Kelsey is also my intern in first grade.  This is the First Grade House!

So I am waiting for direction. Next steps.  Something, God.  Something.  One time His voice was so LOUD and clear to move me here.  If you didnt read that part, go back.  He was LOUD.  He was CLEAR in His promise of guiding and watching over and counseling me in my steps. Psalms 32:8  I never once said, "I THINK God said" during that time.  I knew exactly what He was saying.  I MISS THAT!  I NEED THAT.

God has used me for years as a spiritual coach to so many people; mainly women, but not always limited to just them.  I just realized this a few weeks ago when I started a new book in a little group Luke started on Christian Coaching.  I saw the pattern before, but not so strategic.  So, sometimes, it is friends that I only stay in touch with for the sporadic questions about Him through email, textplus, or Facebook.  Some are my girls from work or my old Jesus Group.  Sometimes, I barely know them.  We may not be BFFs but it is an intimate friendship to just be honest and the door is open to ask whatever.  Most of the time it is a message through Facebook of people searching for answers.  God is good.  He can and will use anything, including Facebook.  When it comes to God, I am very honest and tell you like it is... it is relaxed, not rehearsed, and I think that is why I get messages on almost a weekly basis from people asking how I got to know Him this way.  I dont have all the answers and I dont know half the answers most Christians know...(I looked at my friend Trevor in church a few weeks ago when he was in the DR and said, I dont even know all the books locations in the Bible!)....I should practice some little ditty to learn them!!   but I do know Jesus in a very personal way.  A very different way.

If you've ever had a conversation with me, I bet I squeezed in the love of my life, Jesus, when I got some minutes...and it may have been in a bar :) ...I want you to know Him.

I say all that because last week one of my friends steered me in a new direction.  Something, I am not use to when it comes to God.  I am usually focused and on track.  I GIVE Christian advice and coach others.  It's what He has prompted me to do for years.   I am not a surface friend, I go deep.  I want to invest energy in others growth in Him.  I want you to thirst for Him the way I do.  As Christians, we should make disciples and coach each other in growth...at least that is what we should be doing as Followers.

Who is in your zone of proximal development???  (Okay that is an educ term, but I can so see it applying to Christian discipleship).  It's an honest question to ask yourself...

So, Heather came out and told me that I need to get back on track with reading my Bible, listening to worship music, and listening to sermons online. (Note: this is what I NEED to hear His voice) I had gotten so off track of getting in my time with Him and didnt realize how far I let it go.  It is far harder to live with people than I realized!!  I don't have hours a day anymore of spending just with Him.  I talk with people more and let the other things slip.  She was stern, or atleast, I took her text that way.  I needed to hear it and she said it.  Sometimes, people do that in our lives.  We need to listen and do it when it is Biblical advice.  I was just use to being the one helping others work through thoughts and things; what to do to stay or get on His path for life.  Thanks, Heather <3  She has been sending me vital scripture that is always on target.  God is awesome like that. She reminds me what He has done and will do.  I've been grateful God has put her in my life and is growing her little heart in Him.  I miss talking with God like I use to and I am making time again for what is imperative in my life:  Him.  I cant do it without Him.  I dont know what to do next.  I am playing follow the Leader here!  I don't move an inch without Him directing the step.  I saw Him blow it out of the water before and I'll wait to hear the next direction. I was waiting for the bathroom today and started to talk to God about something so insignificant.  I instantly smiled when I realized I was talking to Him casually again!  I whispered, "Oh, how I miss this Lord.  Keep me here.  Drawwwwwww me close."

I was walking with Kelsey the other day and finally shared my story of moving here.  After we got home, I was so moved and inspired that that actually happened.  I felt like the story was so UNREAL as to how God worked out ever facet of my move to the DR. I needed that reminder while I am in this waiting stage.

I'll just wait.  I dont know how to do anything without Him anymore.  Exactly the way I want it to be: Him, not me.  I suck at life, I need Jesus.   Waiting doesn't mean there is a lack of progress... 

Guest Blogger: Belinda Ressel Santiago Mission Trip

  Hey Everybody!

Hope this all makes sense. I’m sure you are thinking to yourself FINALLY BELINDA IS GOING TO BLOG!!! Yep... I am saying the same thing. Each day I think ok... today is the day I going to sit down and start typing, but then I think to myself ABOUT WHAT!!??!!  So I begin…

As you all know Phyllis and I have been friends for quite sometime. What brought us close was the day she was baptized. She had been talking about it for, it seemed, like months. So… the big day had arrived and I along with several other friends went to Ridge point Church to witness the greatest moment of anyone’s life. In her video taped at least a week before, she talked about all her friends and co-workers and how she was so grateful they had come to her baptism. This was CRAZY!! It seemed has though God had somehow told her that we would all be there. And… Tah-Dah… we were! From then on out I had finally found a church home, which I had been searching for, but honestly off and on, and when I felt like getting up.

So fast forward a couple of years and Phyllis had gone on her first mission trip. I wanted to hear all about it, so we went Chillis (shocker) alone and she told me all of these crazy and unreal stories. Dead people that were shot in the head… little girls being sold as prostitutes…. Families and CHILDREN living in a “landfill”… TRASH DUMP! Seriously, this could not be.  A year went by and I kept thinking to myself “well kiddo… you need to pray and see if this is what’s next in your walk...” YEP! Going to Honduras!!

Since 2011 when I first visited Honduras things had became more difficult. No one said being Christian was easy. MAN, THAT IS SO TRUE!! To this very day I struggle in so many ways. I’m working on some areas and trying to stronger but it’s very hard. I had always thought of myself as a Christian but didn’t really know what that meant until that week in Honduras.

The next summer I planned on going to both trips, back to Honduras to see the people I love and to the Dominican Republic to see what God is up to there.

Side note: When you think of 3^rd world countries, you ask yourself, “How can God be there when it’s so poor and people are suffering?” Let me just say that you will NEVER see God in so many ways until you visit a 3^rd world country. Everything people have, they say is a blessing from God. Things that they hope and pray for in the present and the future will always start with “If it is GOD’S will….” Not if I can get this much money or do this and this and this… NOPE GOD’S WILL!! Their faith is SO strong. Nothing goes unblessed.

Now… DR. So Phyllis left in March and I got to take her to the airport which was the hardest thing to do. I didn’t realize until Heather and I were in the elevator that I just left one of my best friends alone to move to the DR and she had NEVER been there before. I got through the first couple days and then it hit me like a ton a bricks on the Friday after she left. I heard “Edge of Glory going to work... cried… got to work looked at my calendar… oh Jesus Group (aka Family Group) no Phyllis… cried again… then Heather walks in the door at work to give me Phyllis’ white jacket that she gave me.. CRIED AGAIN!!! I’m not a crier people, so for this to happen to me 3 times in one day is ridiculous.  Phyllis is someone if you haven’t noticed to tell you how it is, which was great for me because I’m a pain and I don’t like to listen to people so when she told me things... she told me!!!

DR trip… when we landed my stomach went crazy… in a good way. Nervous and anxious to see Phyllis, heather and Luke, When we walked out of the airport it was SO awesome to see them all standing there. I screamed and ran towards her. It was like I hadn’t seen her in forever, and I just saw her in Honduras 3 weeks prior. I was ready for this mission now that I had my girls together.

The first couple of days I spend getting to know the place. It was very different from what I thought it would be. I thought it was going to be like Honduras, unsafe for the majority of the trip. Not really… but a little bit. DR was different. It is really hard to explain now.  Of course I waited several weeks to write my blog so my fault. BUT I do know that the school that we worked in was like a jail but I felt safe ALL the time. It was nice being at the school and playing with all the kids. Considering we had “crap” (to US kids), to play with, we had SO Much fun! They loved to play and just sit and talk with us. (Not that much talking going on due language barrier, but I did pretty good). Each day as we headed back to the hotel it was amazing to hear how many kids were treated that day, which means that’s how many kids I got to see, smile at and reassure that they would be ok at the clinic. Those couple days there were fun but then came the hard work which was working at the trade school. I was climbing in the rafters putting electrical stuff through the insulation with Luke. I think I lost 10 lbs of sweat doing that because I was a little nervous to not let my feet slip because I was going through the roof and it was HOT as you know what. I don’t think the people of the other churches there knew how intense we Ridge point girls are. (Not crazy and we talk really quiet) ha-ha! Just Joking! We were CRAZY! Screaming at nails that (Rated R) sucked and pretty much went to “Do-It-Girl-self” when putting up the walls. We were measuring walls using a tape measure (not easy btw), Phyllis running the saw, doing cheerleading lifts to get the high nails in the wall. It was awesome! Food was VERY scary. I thought I had lost weight from not eating most of the meals, but let me just say that if there was a meal that I could and wanted to eat, I ate… I ate A LOT!!! Can anyone say “Mas papas fritas” (more French fries). J I lived on French fries. They were so good.

After all the work and hanging out with the kids we go to have a free day, so we went to see Phyllis and Luke’s homes. They were very nice. Looked like expensive apartments from outside. Then you go to the inside and it was really simple. Not much on the walls and very little furniture, but there was just enough to make it seem like home. It was so peaceful there. Seemed like there was nothing to worry about except for the random people stopping at the outside gate and it being loud when cars go by but it was yet peaceful. I could see now why Phyllis told me in Honduras, the DR was her home and she missed her home (DR). It was very nice in Jarabacoa. When we went shopping to the stores in the “downtown” area, it was just like walking into stores at an outside mall or like going antiquing with my mom in Dade City. It was easy. We didn’t have to worry too much about crazy  people attacking you with a machete. Oh that’s right… we had the 2 crazies that bought machetes. So awesome, RPC girls. We saw quite a few Americans in Jarabacoa, which made me think it was a great place to live. This made me feel a little bit better about saying Good-bye to Phyllis the following day. After shopping, we were able to lay out by a pool at a near by hotel and then visit 2 waterfalls. They were so beautiful. I even got to jump off a small cliff that was near the waterfall, and I didn’t throw-up, chip a tooth or lose a contact like the time I jumped into the 8^th largest hole in the Bahamas. Yeah… you would think I would have learned from that experience but I’m a daredevil. I like to walk on the wild side. Mom would have had a heart attack. J

So fun day over and church the next day… I haven’t read any of the other girls blogs but I will get to them one day. I’m still trying to catch up on Phyllis’ blogs since this is only day 2 that I have read her blogs. I know… I SUCK AT LIFE and AS A FRIEND!! I’ve been in denial about her living in the DR. I just think… yes I know what’s going…. And I really don’t. I’m getting better. So… church… Church was AMAZING!! This blows any church service I have been to out of the water. Sorry Pastor Timm, but the music and the atmosphere were so awesome that God was there looking at us and speaking to us. A couple of times I thought I was going to loose it. It was either going to be a ridiculous laugh, which I usually do instead of crying or just let the tears come. This time it was a combo. I laughed at appropriate times and got a little bit teary most of the time.  (I’m weird I know… and sorry Dana for laughing when you were reading that one night from Crazy Love to the team in your room… it was either laugh or cry and at that moment it was laugh… super sorry, it was not at you) But the hardest thing I hard that entire day was on the bus that morning riding next to Phyllis. She told me that it was really hard for her to see and hang out with us. It had been the best week ever, which laughing and jokes and just fun, but she knew it was ending on this very day. Of course not forever but for a good bit until we were able to go and visit. This time I cried... oh and I also yelled at her for making me cry. (Sorry, Phyllis) lol!!!

But that Sunday was the best day ever. We were all together, worshiping,  and enjoying our time together. It was a very tough evening but we all made it through with our good-byes. I still think about that day and tears come to my eyes. I miss my Phyllis, my rock. She helped me stay on my toes and kept me straight on my path. I’m a little bit curvy sometimes, but there was one more thing that she said that Sunday morning that I always think and remember, “they are looking up to you” (referencing the ones we lead in Christ; whether it be friends or in a small group setting).

Love you, Phyllis!!!

Your, 

Bee!

School Days

 School started for teachers last week.  This week has been retreats and setting up our rooms!  If you know me, I dont spend money on much.  I spent the most money my first year teaching, then stopped the madness the next year, so setting up my room with nothing has been pretty easy.  Definitely different than IVE EVER had to do in the States, though.  This is my birthday board.  The black sheet background was ripped that I found in the storage room.  I took it home and washed it.  Lydia, my aide, and I cut it up because it was a mess.  My friend Jessica gave me the yellow border and I printed the rest on my computer.  Thanks, RidgePoint Church, for the printer!  Julie Duncan gave me the little index cards for the names and birthdates before I left!

 I hand wrote the banner I Believe In You!  The yellow stars I found in some bag in the hallway.  Some of my girls, Mallory and Fenley, laminated the ladybugs for me and sent them with the missions team.  I printed out the Love God, Love Others, and Be a Good Steward on the computer.  It is our school theme.  That is the fan from my house because someone stole my fan last year :(  I carry this to school daily and bring it back home when I am done.  My chalkboard is HORRIBLE.  As you can tell, chalk barely writes on it!

 God told me that I wasnt teaching for long and to not bring materials to the DR, so here I am with no calendar or anything for that matter.  I keep asking Him and He continues to say NO to having it all shipped.  My intern/new roomate will be here tomorrow, she got me a pocketchart from Target for a dollar and we are making numbers from scratch.  These are things found in storage or printed on computer.

Lydia taught me that instead of laminating, you can cover the entire paper with TAPE!  Freaking awesome!!!  Thanks, Jessica, for the shipping tape!  All of these will hold up nicely because they are fully covered!  I found the bugs in a bag in the hallway, too!

More to do, but this is it for now.