Week one...

What a week! First, we simply must say that Santiago Christian School has done an outstanding job making sure we are settled in and comfortable. I went to new teacher orientation each day which was very informational. So much too know about the school, the culture and the kids. SCS served us a fabulous lunch each day. Someone even overheard one of the teachers talking about loving yucca and changed the menu to include delicious yucca the next lunch. SO sweet!

Each day included a "field trip" to accomplish some daunting task like setting up a cell phone, getting our bank accounts and applying for residency which included a trip to Santo Domingo, blood/urine test and a chest x-ray. I cannot imagine trying to ANY of those things without the help of someone from here. It was easy breezy with the SCS team! This week on a personal note one or more teachers or staff from SCS helped us fix our stove, measure for screens, exchange our US dollars, set up a maid, take us to IKEA, loaned us tools to put together said IKEA purchases and ran out for a Gatorade when I was sick with dehydration. I'm sure I have forgotten something. Truly it is like an instant family. Brothers and sisters in Christ. I cannot imagine an international move any other way!

Little things this week:

We have had to acclimate to: (not complaints, just realities)
-NOT flushing toilet paper (Yup, it all goes in a little trash can next to the toilet.)
-hand washing and air drying dishes
-hanging clothes to dry
-driving worse than a New Yorker
-loud motorcycles setting off car alarms at all hours
-soaking our fruits and veggies in a bleach bath before we cut or eat them
-brushing our teeth with bottled water
-no air conditioning in our home
-applying bug spray 3-4 times a day
-booming bass out of 5 foot speakers in the back of a pick up truck
-very pleasant Latin American music played by our neighbors which we can hear of course because everyone keeps their windows open
-security guards and police carrying shotguns
-not texting on our cell phones
-having an employee test anything electronic or electrical before it leaves the store including light bulbs and televisions
-watching Phineas and Ferb in Espanol

Big things this week:
Well the truck we bought before we arrived was a bit worse for the wear for our comfort. With being here for awhile and wanting to take road trips on weekend to explore this beautiful island, we really weren't comfortable with possibly breaking down when our language skills are not quite up to par. So we reached out to our friend Ken George who ministers here through G.O. Ministries to see if he could suggest some options for buying and selling a vehicle. Lo and behold, he was selling HIS truck because he would be headed back to the US and not returning until 2011. His truck is 11 younger than the one we had and he also knows a guy here who put our old truck on his lot to sell. So we are now the proud owners of a 2006 Ford Eurosport. Of course, this was not on our financial radar so please pray our old truck sells quickly! :)

So this week we all start school. I start on Wednesday with an open house for my class and the boys start on Thursday full fledged. They have had some time on campus and have befriended many of the teachers so the last hurdle of comfort for them will be meeting their classmates. Pllease keep them in your prayers this week for peace and comfort and confidence in who they are as they seek out new friendships.

Thanks for all of your prayers and encouragement! Praise God for a blessed first week and our new Dominican "family."

Love, love, love!

First Night in Santiago

This is a photo I took this morning from Noah's bed... :)

Saludos de Santiago, República Dominicana!!! We arrived Thursday night right on time to the happy face of Wayne Lynch, the executive director of Santiago Christian School. It was so nice to see a familiar face in the crowd. Adam whispered to me “I feel so out of place.” Viola! Lesson one: Adam got to first hand experience the feeling of being a minority if only in a small way. It will continue of course but we were able to have a conversation about how that feels and we talked about how sometimes foreigners in America or new kids in school, etc must feel when they enter new countries or situations.

The kids did great helping us handle our 20 suitcases through the airport. Once outside, it was immediately apparent what a friendly, relational group the Dominican people are. Loud, happy greetings and hugs to family arriving. It was almost like a party! Valerio, the SCS driver, loaded our luggage into the school van and then gave Tim immediate practice in Spanish for the ride to our apartment.

Arriving in the night was interesting and I have since heard from other new teachers and even missionary from another country that it is difficult to do. Hard to see, unsure of what you are seeing…then Adam spots someone holding a shotgun. Of course we later find out that most security guards are visibly armed however the mood of the night was now set. At least for the kids, gloomy and for us, well, not nervous but overwhelmed with all of the newness we will be facing.

I liken our arrival at the apartment to arriving at a rented beach house. At first you feel like a guest but after a few days it feels like home. So we unpacked and saw the light of day and things were much better. Our phone rang early in the day and another new SCS employee, Paul Gibbs who lives across the parking lot, said he was bringing us coffee. Woohoo! Someone who speaks our language!!! LOL! Things were already looking brighter. J

So the big realities for the kids is that they are now living in a city and never have. They will be immersed in a new language and are also attending a new school. SO much to adjust to. They are handling things amazingly!!! They could still use some prayers for sure. I was talking to Adam last night and told him to think about how easy Spanish class in high school will be for him once he returns. He said “Sweet! I didn’t ever think about that!” It’s those big picture things they really cannot know because they’ve not lived much of their lives yet.

We have SOOOOO much more to share but will add later. Don’t want to lose you with the length of posts. It’s amazing how much I could share with you from just of first three days!!!

Thanks so much for all of your payers and continued encouragement. Facebook chat us if you would like our Skype address. We LOVE “showing people around” our little spot in Santiago.

Abrazos!

The Farewells Have Begun...

I have been terribly remiss about keeping up on the blog...sorry! It's been quite a whirlwind month. I've been battling what to write mostly because preparations have had their challenges and I feared coming across as pessimistic. I liken the experience to trying to shove an octopus into a gallon Ziploc. Lots to do in a short time. We remain incredibly optimistic and peaceful about our move despite momentary frustrations with as I often call the "Eewy Things." Yes, I teach Kindergarten! LOL!

I read this on the Facebook status of our missionary friend, Karen George, the other day:

When Satan knocks at your door do you say "Jesus, will you get that?"

It's been a month of "knocking." Things from 3 computers crashing (one was only 2.5 weeks old!!!) and the associated affects on all of our businesses, cracked windshields, unexpected surgery, LOTS of paperwork confusion, pukey kids, dead A/C in the house, and wasted trips to the health department for immunizations ("I'm sorry you needed an appointment with the travel health clinic." UGH! )

But it's been a more resounding month of "answering the door." Friends bringing meals, financial support for our mission, family pitching in, our Small Group and the Peter's family just rocking the garage sale prep, selling both vehicles and the associated arrival of the "Blue Limo" (Tim's grandpa's 1992 blue Caprice Classic station wagon... SAHWEET! Just call us the Griswold's! :D), the gift of a Flip video camera, a relaxing week at the beach with friends old and new, Tim's IBM contract extension.

So as we take the last step off American soil and our first step onto Dominican soil this Thursday, we go confident that God has opened AND answered the doors to clear the path for us.

Thank you Lord.

Psalm 119:34-36 (New International Version)

34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.


BTW, pictures and videos promised in the next post... :)

How good is He???

I just crazy LOVE when God uses our obedience to continue to bless His children. Tim's cousin, Brian shared the following after he read our DR story...{sigh} God is so cool!

"It is so funny too. Heather and I were just reading your blog and why you went and everything and when I got to the part where you listed Revelations 3 I almost fell out. Heather was in Virginia this week shooting my cousin's wedding (on my mom's side) and I was here with the boys. We were visiting this new church here in Davidson, since we just moved and the message was on getting visions from the Lord and how to recognize them. The verses were mainly from Acts 16:6 where Paul has a vision to go to Macedonia. However, he also mentioned how God opens doors that can't be shut and closes doors that can't be opened. Of course, this is Revelations 3... and I was sitting there thinking during the sermon I wish I could find out what I'm supposed to do (we are supposed to do) for the Lord. I still am not sure what it is... I used to write a daily Passage of the Day email after my study time (5am-6am) when we lived in TN. The list grew and I'm ashamed to say that after we moved back to NC I failed to keep my daily study time. You have encouraged me to start it again and maybe even to start a website this time instead of e-mails (as blogs are easier and more popular anyway as you aren't bombarding people with updates, they can check as they wish). Anyway, the timing of you all going and the messages and everything has really inspired me and I want you to know that Heather and I will be praying for you daily. "

I will keep you posted on Brian's upcoming website. I know it's going to be awesome be he is called to it by our amazing Father!

Thank you Lord!

The Missionary Heart

A freind of mine from church has venutred on a three month missionary trip aboard a ship called the Logos Hope Missionary Ship. (www.hopeonthewater.com) A very cool back story to how he ended up on the ship! Someone posted the following quote on his Facebook page before he left on May 28.

The Missionary Heart ...
Care more than some think is wise.
Risk more than some think is safe.
Dream more than some think is practical.
Expect more than some think is possible.
I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience.

I find that some friends and family are embracing our decision to move to the DR. Some think we are crazy. Some are envious and wish they could go. Some think it irresponsible to bring our kids out of their school and schedule. Some think our priorities are out of whack. The quote made me realize that my missionary heart is in God's perfect place.

Thank you Lord.

Our Domincan truck!

So the Hoekstra family is headed out of the DR and well, we're headed in so we bought their truck! YAY! They have three kids as well so it should be a perfect fit. In fact, they took their family and three teachers to the beach in it sitting in the the lift back. Cool! THAT would so not fly here! AND, Tim is excited that it is a diesel engine...can you say "convert to cooking oil???" Now our car can smell like french fries in the DR as well...

Our Dominican Digs!

Here are s ome shots of our new place in the DR. Can't wait to get it personalized! Lots of nice cool tile...

Kitchen
Living room

Family Room and I think the front door

View out from the living room balcony

View in from the living room balcony