Week 8

So I am continuing to get good use out of the new can of bug spray. So much to update you on... it has been a fun-filled week this past week. This past week was rather special because we didn't put on a camp or go off-site for a program specifically this week. We had the unique opportunity to put on a camp for the boys at the orphanage... only we did Olympics for them. We divided them into four teams and had competitions and activities for them 1 hour in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. It all ended with a Festival on Thursday night. Another fun fact is that we got to take the boys to the beach in Monte Cristi on Wednesday... for some of the younger boys, this was their first time to the beach, but they LOVED it. The look on their faces when we told them that we were going to the beach alone was priceless, let alone seeing their faces as we pulled up and then when they got to play in the water. I am so glad that I got to be a part of that adventure. Also, on Tuesday John, Tom and Heather went to Monte Cristi for leadership meetings and so I was the one "left with keys". It didn't mean anything that important but that I had to make sure everything ran on time and that everyone was taken care of. It was a neat experience that makes me appreciate the leadership so much more than I already did. On Thursday, part of the activity was to watch a movie that Stephanie, one of the interns, compiled on the "Summer of the Monkeys" (as we termed it)... the boys really enjoyed seeing pictures and videos of themselves over the past summer.
Now that last week is over, we look forward to next week, which has already proven to be a busy week... A team of 30 is coming in today and we are going to be doing camp in the morning and afternoon all week. This is also my last week in Jaibon. I also found out today that I will be working closely along side Heather to be a co-program leader, because she will have a lot more responsibility than previously. With all this in mind, please bring the following things to our Father:
- Rest, peace and energy for the upcoming week. We have spent the past month with only interns, so pray that God would give me patience to extend grace to everyone around me.
- Half of our team left this morning. These are ladies and John that have been with me since May 30th... so seeing that piece of my family leave was very hard this morning at 4:30 am. Also later this morning more of the team left, most of them that have been here for a month. Pray that God would provide friendships to fill that void and that God would be honored in my attitude this week.
- Pray for Danis. He is a boy that came to the orphanage this past Thursday. I have been able to talk to him a bit, but it is hard to understand him (especially at the beginning) because he was crying so hard missing his family. Pray that this week that he would see that there are a lot of people here that love him and more so that he would understand God's unconditional love for him.

I am so overwhelmed with the blessings that you all have shown me over the course of this summer. From phone calls to letters to emails to prayers, I feel blessed to have you in my life. I am so excited to tell you about the way that God has changed me this summer and to share a snapshot of how God used this summer in the DR. May God richly bless your week.

Only His,
Monica

Week 7

So I am just about done with my second can of bug spray.. that means that I only have 3 weeks left. Absolutely crazy to think that I only have two weeks left in Jaibon and one week in Monte Cristi. But, as always, God is proving faithful again and again and I continue to stand amazed at the grace-filled blessings that he continues to pour out into my life this past summer.

This past week was a whole ton of fun! We got to go to Laguna Salada which is the next town over from Jaibon. We did a VBS at Iglesia Immanuel. It was so cool to see another part of this community and be able to build relationships with the kids and the ministry there. It was cool to say that I was part of the first VBS in Laguna Salada... God is going to continue to use future teams in this location because of the way that He blessed this past week. I taught English again (insert gasp here...) but it was a complete blessing because I got to team teach with another girl on our team. She brought so many good ideas to the table... some of which I will keep under my sleeve until Bible and Social Studies Methods :)... and for several "Teacher juice" conversations :). Anyways... it was nice to be able to have some help this past week. And the time that I wasn't teaching the unruly but precious boys... I was holding some of God's little angels... there was one in particular that was only 2 months old... she was so precious and it filled my heart with joy. The themes for this week were Creation (animals), Joseph (colors), Jonah (prepostitions), Daniel (emotions). It was so neat to see that the students understood the concepts and were even talking about them after VBS. That leads me to a "God moment" one of many that have been part of my life over the past 2 months. After VBS on Wednesday, the pastor invited us over to her house for sodas and cookies... we were a little worried because we didn't know exactly if they were safe or not, but she reassured us that they were... and thank goodness no one got sick. But the cool thing about it the next day she invited us back... and God continued to take care of us, because when we got there, the pop was still in the bottle (chilled) and the crackers were all in sealed wrappers... not only a sign of God's provision and details, but of the completely humbling act of hospitality shown by the pastor. It was so neat to experience that aspect of the culture... the relational aspect that I want to bring back to the States. God has called us to be in community... and I saw an example of that while at her house.

This next week we will have the distinct honor of putting on a sort of camp for just our boys here at Jaibon. We are going to do a week long session of Olympics. Today they started and made their team names, and banners. Each day will consist of active games and thinking games, which all add points to their end total. It will be such a blessing to be able to spend quality time with them this week. Also, we are excited to be able to take the boys to the beach!!! This is something that has been in the making all summer and praise God that we get to be a part of it. They are going to be so excited when we tell them on Tuesday morning. Another thing that I am looking forward to this week is going to Monte Cristi tomorrow. I will be meeting with Julie, the director at the English Institute to brainstorm the framework and direction for the future English Institute in Jaibon. What a privelage it is to be part of that process. Also this week Tom Eklund comes to the DR. He is the Founder and Director of OO. It will be an honor to get to know him. Please lift this week up to our Father.

Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement. May God richly bless you in wherever He is taking you this summer. Talk to you next weekend.
In His hands,
Monica

Week 6

So this past week I realized the next time the 8th of a month will come around, I will be on my way home. I am not ready to go home yet, but I am excited for when that day does come. So this past week was a blast. We did a camp at the same church that we were at the week before. Camp this week was only from Monday to Thursday. I taught the English class again and it was such a joy to continue with the relationships built the previous week. The topics that I taught are were Monday (Colors) Tuesday (Prepositions), Wednesday (Fruit), and Thursday (Animals). It was a great lesson in flexibility because there were a couple of days (Wednesday especially) when I came in with one lesson plan and had to completely change it by the end of the day. Such is life, and I welcome experiences like that as a time to grow.

Also this past week we got to hang out with the boys from the orphanage during activities in the morning. We did a paper football tournament, a intern scavenger hunt, science experiments, music lessons and English lessons. It has been such a blessing, especially this past week to be able to continue to develop solid friendships with the boys at the orphanage. I only have 3 more weeks here and one at Monte Cristi. I feel like the time is going to fly by.


Some of my highlights from this week were: Sitting down with Carlos to write the words for Spanish songs, learning how to spin a top from Robinson, "signing autographs" the last day of camp, giving stickers out to students in the English class and seeing their sense of accomplishment light up on their faces, being able to translate between Tia and John.

God is so good... I continue to experience His grace-filled blessings in my life. One of the ways has been how I have been encouraged by many of you. Thank you so much for your prayers and continued support and encouragement. Please continue to be in prayer for health and strength for our team. Yesterday, we added 5 new girls to our family... and in two weeks the majority of our team leaves. Please pray for continued team unity and for health and strength for us as we put on the camp this week. We have a lot of fun activities scheduled for this week... I can't wait to tell you all about them next weekend.

I continued to be amazed at God's blessings...
Monica

Week 5

So I am officially half way through my summer down here. Who would have ever thought that it would come? Now I am wrestling with the emotions that I don't want it to be over, but too soon 3:30 am on August 8th ready to come back home. God has used this time in so many powerful ways so far and I am so excited about what the next 5 weeks hold. Let me tell you about this week... :)

SOOO this week we did a VBS and English camp for 132 kids at a church about 15 minutes from the orphanage. It was so great to see the town and get to meet the kids outside of the school and orphanage here. They have been such a blessing. My part was to teach the English station.. which I LOVED. The theme for this week's camp was: Holidays (Birthday, Valentine's Day, Christmas and Easter) I taught parts of the body (monday), shapes (tuesday), family members (Wednesday), Colors/ Numbers (thursday) and review (friday). It was so cool to be able to try some new games and new lesson ideas. I am so excited about all of the "teacher juice" conversations that I am going to have with Rachel and Susan :). God has really blessed me with a great team and they have really given me a lot of ideas throughout the summer so far!! A lot of really exciting things happened this week at camp, but one of my highlights would have to be with the older boys group at camp. All week they were rowdy and not paying attention. According to them, they had better things to do than be at camp. So I tried to establish myself as the teacher and they finally responded. Friday was an extra day of camp added on because we did our fun day on Saturday (July 4th)... so I was tired and prayed faithfully for strength and patience. I used a vocabulary baseball game that the boys loved!!! I am so excited to work again with them next week.
Other than camp, we did an activity with the boys at the orphanage each morning. All of that leads to VERY full weeks.

So this upcoming week will look a lot like last week. Please pray for new ideas because I will be in the English station again this week :). Also pray for health and strength. Some of us are going into our 6th week and becoming weary and sick. Please pray specifically for Rachel a girl on my team. She has had some family stuff going on back home and she has not been feeling well today.

Thank you to everyone who continues to pray and offer encouragement. You truly are a sweet blessing.
Talk to you next weekend.
In Him,
Monica