Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Thanksgiving
We were blessed by Agape Flights, the organization that brings down our mail, by a donation of everything we needed to make a delicious thanksgiving meal. It was so fun to cook my first Thanksgiving and share it with our closest friends.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Essentials in Discipline
Last week we gathered all the parents together on a friday night and showed them a parenting DVD from Focus on the Family called Essentials of Discipline. It is a set of 3 dvds with 4 10 minute sessions on each DVD. The first night was a huge success. The dvds presented the ideas so well and the parents really enjoyed watching them and learning some important tools for discipline. It was fun to watch the parents whispering to each other saying things like, "that happens all the time!". I think they really learned some valuable lessons. What a great tool to offer parents of preschoolers.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Tragedy
This is Rashel.
She is one of the most joyful, bright little girls that I have in my class. I pray the her joy and good attitude will be a light and strength to her family as they have just suffered a horrible tragedy.
On thursday Rashel's little baby brother of 1 year, Yandel, was very sick with a fever and vomiting and his parents took him to the hospital in town. (The public hospital if free for people who do not have insurance or can't afford care in a clinic. Unfortunately, the free price directly correlates to the quality of care.) The doctor gave him a shot and a prescription (without running any tests on him) and sent him home as it seemed his condition had improved. Several hours later he was still running a high fever and vomiting so his parents decided to take him back to the doctor. Again, the doctor gave him a shot (again, without running any tests) and sent him home. Several hours later he began sweating and trembling and passed out. Yandel never regained consciousness.
On friday afternoon we went to their house to visit. As is typical here when someone dies, the whole community was there sitting silently. The men were sitting out under a tree and when I went to give my condolences to the father, he hugged me with a longing for comfort but as if his body had no strength anymore. I can't describe to you the horrible look of pain in his eyes. It broke my heart and brought me to tears immediately.
Just then, Rashel came running out of the house, ("Kati!!!") so excited to see us. She ran to me and gave me a hug and then hugged Alberto. As Alberto held her she said, "Yandel died" so matter of factly as if she knew it was a big deal but really didn't understand the weight of it. Again I was brought to tears.
We entered the little shack and it was filled with women sitting and whispering quietly. The mother was standing huddling over the tiniest casket that I had ever seen. When she saw me she cried out my name in anguish and hugged me as if she would never let go, but again as if she couldn't help but let go. Again I can't even describe to you the pain in her eyes.
I sat and cried with her for a while and then went outside to hold Rashel. She was her normal joyful self and I played with her quietly, relishing in the sound of her laughter amongst all the crying. I held her as she ate her lunch and told me about her new cats and showed me her artwork hanging on the wall. And my heart was breaking the whole time.
I don't know how this family will come out of this tragedy. They are such wonderful, caring parents. I don't know how to tell them that everything will be ok and that God never makes mistakes. I pray that God will slowly heal them and draw them to Himself. Please pray for Rashel and her family.
On thursday Rashel's little baby brother of 1 year, Yandel, was very sick with a fever and vomiting and his parents took him to the hospital in town. (The public hospital if free for people who do not have insurance or can't afford care in a clinic. Unfortunately, the free price directly correlates to the quality of care.) The doctor gave him a shot and a prescription (without running any tests on him) and sent him home as it seemed his condition had improved. Several hours later he was still running a high fever and vomiting so his parents decided to take him back to the doctor. Again, the doctor gave him a shot (again, without running any tests) and sent him home. Several hours later he began sweating and trembling and passed out. Yandel never regained consciousness.
On friday afternoon we went to their house to visit. As is typical here when someone dies, the whole community was there sitting silently. The men were sitting out under a tree and when I went to give my condolences to the father, he hugged me with a longing for comfort but as if his body had no strength anymore. I can't describe to you the horrible look of pain in his eyes. It broke my heart and brought me to tears immediately.
Just then, Rashel came running out of the house, ("Kati!!!") so excited to see us. She ran to me and gave me a hug and then hugged Alberto. As Alberto held her she said, "Yandel died" so matter of factly as if she knew it was a big deal but really didn't understand the weight of it. Again I was brought to tears.
We entered the little shack and it was filled with women sitting and whispering quietly. The mother was standing huddling over the tiniest casket that I had ever seen. When she saw me she cried out my name in anguish and hugged me as if she would never let go, but again as if she couldn't help but let go. Again I can't even describe to you the pain in her eyes.
I sat and cried with her for a while and then went outside to hold Rashel. She was her normal joyful self and I played with her quietly, relishing in the sound of her laughter amongst all the crying. I held her as she ate her lunch and told me about her new cats and showed me her artwork hanging on the wall. And my heart was breaking the whole time.
I don't know how this family will come out of this tragedy. They are such wonderful, caring parents. I don't know how to tell them that everything will be ok and that God never makes mistakes. I pray that God will slowly heal them and draw them to Himself. Please pray for Rashel and her family.
New Slide!
A while back I posted about how our slide was broken and was very dangerous for the kids to play on. I asked for donations to help us buy a new slide.
Praise God! A business associate of my dad's saw the blog post and donated the money for the new slide. Thank you! We waited almost two months for the slide to come and it is finally here! The kids were so excited when the box arrived.
They are so happy to have a nice new slide!
October Birthdays
Last week we celebrated the October birthdays at the school.
Abigail turned 5, Rachel turned 4, Yely turned 3, Wander turned 4 and Luis Angel turned 4.
Yely really enjoyed the cupcakes!
Happy Birthday!
Abigail turned 5, Rachel turned 4, Yely turned 3, Wander turned 4 and Luis Angel turned 4.
Yely really enjoyed the cupcakes!
Happy Birthday!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Crazy rain storm
A few weeks ago we had a crazy storm that flooded barrios all over Jarabacoa. Fortunately, our house is raised up and no water entered our house, but our yard of grass was flooded with about 5 inches deep of water.
Our dirt road turned into a rushing river (which was nice cause it smoothed out all the potholes)
Our dogs enjoyed playing in all the water!
Our dirt road turned into a rushing river (which was nice cause it smoothed out all the potholes)
Our dogs enjoyed playing in all the water!
update on women's group
As I think I mentioned in the past, Daisy, who is the site leader for Social Work in one of the other communities here with SIDR, has started coming out to Mata Gorda once a week to help start up a women's group which we hope and pray will some day turn into a full time women's social work site. We have had several meetings with varying attendance, so 2 weeks ago, one of the ladies suggested we walk around the community and personally invite the women to come to the next meeting.
Here is Daisy, left, and Kathy, right, inviting Judy, center, to come to the group:
Here is a pic of our latest meeting, where we had 12 women come and do a craft and hear a small message:
Please continue to pray for the women of Mata Gorda that the group would start up strong and that many women would hear the gospel. Also pray that God would raise up someone to come work with the women full time.
Here is Daisy, left, and Kathy, right, inviting Judy, center, to come to the group:
Here is a pic of our latest meeting, where we had 12 women come and do a craft and hear a small message:
Please continue to pray for the women of Mata Gorda that the group would start up strong and that many women would hear the gospel. Also pray that God would raise up someone to come work with the women full time.
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