The talk of Sosua was focused on one subject only it seemed….are you prepared for the storm? A sudden heavy downpour just before noon on Monday in villa Esperanza sent us scrambling to our vehicles to get across the river below before it rose high enough making it impassable to traverse. This was just a foretaste of what was heading our way with scattered heavy downpours throughout the remainder of the day. 
Flights into Puerto Plata were cancelled (sorry Marissa & Sarah), the 1st days of school were postponed and many businesses closed early including the CMC hospital in Sosua. Even our adventurous Canadian neighbours, Kim & Jerry postponed their late night departure to make their intended 10 hour drive to the border crossing into Haiti close to Port-au-Prince due to the impeding storm. Pastor Jim & Debra opened the church in Villa Paraiso as a storm shelter where food, children’s games and a place of prayer was offered in this safe haven for families too scared to stay in their own homes. 
On this rare occasion, the eye of the storm roared through Sosua and the north coast at approximately 4 a.m. Tuesday with high winds and lots of rain. Even though we have not had electricity for the past 24 hours and our backup batteries died last night at 9 pm….life still goes on. A 30 day revival is taking place each evening until 11 pm in the valley not 500 meters from our home which is so loud that we cannot talk to each other inside our home without shouting…..thankfully, day 7 was a washout and we both slept blissfully through the entire night….storm and all!
Please pray for the families who live in the low lying areas prone to flooding and for all the people in the villages as they deal with the extremely muddy road conditions making travel by motto taxi extremely dangerous.
Ca-li-ch-e…the Dominican version of the infamous Haldimand clay will keep us slip sliding along until the sun shines once again.
Fast forward 28 years to having 4 weddings in less than 5 years….we are pleased to welcome Natalie as our newest daughter to the Huizinga family. Side by side…hand in hand…heart to heart….after 5 ½ years of dating, Calvin & Natalie finally tied the knot after waiting and watching all his brothers do the same.
Some of the Macedonian traditions were incorporated into the wedding feast including the Pig Dance where a roasted pig was blessed and then paraded throughout the hall, 
and the breaking of the bread by the two fathers to see who would become the head of the new household.
All was held in good, clean fun bringing much liveliness to the entertainment of the evening. We were impressed by the grace and elegance of the dance to traditional Macedonia music honouring not only the bridal couple but different family members as well. It reminds me of traditional Newfoundland jigs….with stories told throughout their songs.
Now another chapter in our lives has closed and a new one begins….. grandchildren to enjoy.
We are thankful for the Lord’s many blessings that even though we may be in the Dominican Republic for most of the year….we are still afforded these precious family moments to enjoy. 
