Preparing for our first DR Christmas

It is so hard to believe that we are not going home to Canada for Christmas this year. This will be the first time we have ever spent Christmas apart from our children and extended family and its already starting to hurt, knowing the memories of past Christmas' and not being all together. Thankfully our son Dan, Arnie & Betty and their children and grandchildren are coming to celebrate Christmas with us.

This all starts becoming a reality when you see the decorations appearing on some local establishments and knowing that I usually would have battled a chilly Saturday with Calvin putting those decorations on the outside of our home. Cold fingers and snapping attachments. Thankfully the last few years, Bart took my place and helped Cal carry on the tradition.

This year Jane and I went Christmas tree and ornament shopping here in the Dominican Republic and it was soooo painful, buying my first ever "phoney baloney" Christmas tree. I swore in the past I would never buy one but after one quick look for a local real Christmas tree lot, proved "zilch". It still hurts,

(my first fake tree, it is so painful).

It really didn't take long afterwards when Jane and I got home and started unpacking our purchases that we really started enjoying making our home a little Christmasy. Putting our tree together and decorating our home for the first time in Christmas settings actually felt a little bit like when we were first married. Ah yes, that first Christmas together, just the two of us and now 28 years later, just the two of us again and we're still trying to find the right spot for the tree and a place for all the now displaced furnature still proves to be a bit challenging.

Well I got the tree together and started putting on the lights and the other things.

Jane did one of the things she is still awesome at doing and that is making our home just a bit better looking. She did the finishing touches on the tree and figured where the garland and other decorations had to go. I had the joy of supplying the back power while she directed. It wouldn't have been so bad but I was the only manual labor around beside herself.

Some how isn't amazing that the decorations and trees are really just a prelude to the most important part of Christmas. How incredible is that. Join with us in knowing the true preparation and celebration for the season is really this;

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" Isaiah 9:6

Don't work too hard on the preparations, the real reason for the season is still "Jesus Christ".

Ralph, Patty and sons are in town.

Well its not every day that family come to visit and it sure is "awesome" when they do. They came in late Friday night and so when we go together Saturday afternoon for a few minutes it was "Sweet" with a capital S. Looking forward to a week together, well not the whole week, some of us have jobs but I'm going to relish it all I can. Hope they enjoy it as much as I will!

We got together for a few moments and a little ice cream.

A JOB WELL DONE!

Sunday Nov. 16 was a special day for all of us here that work with The Samaritan Foundation. I know it certainly was for Jane and I. Often a pat on the back and a simple “Thanks” is what most of us get for a job well done but the Rotarian's of Sosua had other plans. During their annual dinner where they recognize people for jobs well done, they presented Elio Madonia, founder of The Samaritan Foundation, with a special award for his many years of service and the work of the Foundation here in the Sosua and Puerto Plata area. What they wrote on the award was most fitting. He was seen as one who puts aside all prejudices such as race, colour, creed or wealth but rather focuses on the needs of the poor. It was a wonderful dinner and evening and Elio is certainly most deserving of such an honorary award. All of us are very proud of the amazing accomplishments God has allowed in his life, the many lives positively affected and most of all his exemplary love for God and the poor. Congratulations Elio, you certainly deserve it!

Elio receiving the award from the Rotarian governor and local representative.

Elio with his wife, Lena, enjoying the moment.

THE POWER OF PRAYER FOR LOS ALGODONES

The past year has had a series of ups and downs for the village of Los Algodones. With the help of the Samaritan Foundation and their many generous sponsors, water had been brought up to the village by pipeline for the first time in over 60 years of existence. A parcel of land adjacent to the village was purchased for the construction of homes but this plan was met with resistance. The land was zoned as “Tourism” so through negotiations with local authorities, a school, a medical clinic and a church only was allowed to be built on this site. During the past year, work has progressed steadily and nearing completion, but what about the homes?

Construction of church nears completion

With fervent prayer and a lot of waiting we knew that with God all things are possible in His time. While we saw only roadblocks, God in His infinite wisdom was working on the hearts of key government officials and those who had influence in significant decision making during this time and who have since become followers of Christ. Praise the Lord!
The final piece of the puzzle came with the help of a popular, local TV personality who invited Elio Madonia to appear on his program. On November 8, 2008 just a few weeks after the airing of this show and more meetings with the authorities, permission was granted to build homes in Los Algodones!

Construction began two days later on Monday, November 10th and will continue until all the homes are complete and their existing ones are torn down. Please join us with effective, fervent prayer thanking God for this miracle.

H.O.P.E. BEADS

MUCHAS GRACIAS to Lois, a member of the McKinney, Texas mission team and a new friend, who came in October with the idea to teach some ladies to how to make paper beads and turn them into necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

Lois called these H.O.P.E. beads (Helping Other People Eat) and after spending a week teaching ladies in both Ascension and Algodones left behind supplies to make many more. Two or three times a week five ladies arrive early to the sewing centre in Ascension, eager to begin their work. Their response has been positively overwhelming.

Mercedes the” bead machine” has a talent and an eye for colour to turn out many items quickly and well done.

TEAM H. O. P. E.

One concern I’ve been pondering lately is how to market the items made in the sewing center in villa Ascension.

The ladies are learning and sewing with eager anticipation but where do the items go from here?

They have made headscarves (panuelo’s), pencil cases, make up bags and are beginning to work on tote bags of different sizes. We are still in the beginning stages of operation but if we know there is a market to sell these items, then production will go full steam ahead.

Helping Other People Eat is what our work is all about but it requires a team effort. If you would prayerfully consider taking on the task of marketing these items in local churches, bazaars, schools, etc. we would greatly appreciate your help. The new label will incorporate the sewing center items as well as the beads.

H. O. P. E.

Helping Other People Eat
In The Dominican Republic

A TRIP TO SANTO DOMINGO

John & Jane celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary on November 1st, 2008 by taking a mini vacation to Santo Domingo, the capital city of the D.R. which boasts a population of more than 3 million people.
The easiest and most economical way to travel in the Carribean is by Caribe bus, so we did like the locals and took the big, yellow bus. With no worries or hassles regarding the crazy, aggressive drivers, we sat back and enjoyed the scenery during the 4 ½ hour trip.

The Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo was our destination, perfect for history buffs like John.

The next four days we traversed the narrow streets, exploring many of the 300 monuments, ruins, fortresses and historical sites in the oldest city of the New World that was founded by Christopher Columbus (1496).

A monument of Columbus stands in Parque Colon in front of the oldest cathedral in operation in the western hemisphere. Our highlights of the city included visiting the local markets, a guided walking tour with Manuel, an anniversary dinner in the Colonial Zone and meeting with Stephen Brauning of the CRWM and some of the local pastors.

We stayed at the "Hotel Atarazana", a beautifully restored antique building located in the Royal shipyards near the port and right beside the local police station.

The President’s Palace Offices
These young boys also made our shoes shine! Unfortunately, while enjoying the sunshine of the capital city in the south, a tropical depression pounded the north coast. The rains came down and the rivers spilled their banks flooding many communities in the region of Puerto Plata, including our town of Sosua Abajo. Seeing the furniture and belongings of most homes set outside to dry brought reality to a sharp standstill.

We feel blessed to have a safe home set high on a hill but think of and pray for our many neighbours, including Juan Ovalles, (the director of our school in Los Algodones) whose homes were flooded by more than three feet of water on Friday, October 31st.