More Encourgement from up North

Dennis and Ryan Troyer, Gerald Lee, Vernon Birky, Gerald Nisley, Dan, Greg and Nina Unternahrer, Dave Wenger, Carlos

Common site in the mornings when I arrived at the base for Breakfast

Dave and Ryan working the concrete ramp

     Us Mid-westerns are often made fun of "down here" as when ever we talk of going somewhere, it is always in relation as to the direction we are going. Example, if we are to go to Santiago, which is North, we go "up" to Santiago. As opposed to "down" since it is actually about 1500 feet lower altitude. It only makes sense to us but to others it is a different way of looking at things. I find it interesting that there are so many cultural things like that which we dont really even think about but yet there is a difference in people. Not that one way is right or wrong, just different. Much like close friends at home, when we would go to their home, we went to "Jason's" for the evening, not the Smoker's or Jason and Sara's but rather to "Jason's". I am not sure how that came about but it is just the way it is.

Gerald Lee, Dennis, and Carlos working the mixer

More work on the ramp

    We have had a busy last couple of weeks with so much happening in our lives here. God had been so evident and it is so fun to see what He has in store for us in the future. On Thursday the 4th of April, I took "Joel's" (the Miller family) to the airport in Santiago after a great 8 days with them. Then on Saturday the 6th, I picked up a group of 8 men from Shore Mennonite to spend the week with us at Genesis. Gerald Lee, Gerald Nisley, Vernon Birkey, Dennis Troyer, Ryan Troyer, Dave Wenger, Dan Unternahrer and Greg Unternahrer. We also enjoyed having Carlos work with us for the week from right here in Jarabacoa. What a blessing it was to have them here with us. They got so much accomplished but even more than what the eye could see was the encouragement they brought us by just showing up. It is a common theme of missionaries here that when we get visitors from our home area or church, the encouragement that they bring is worth more than they will ever realize. With the 8 checked bags that they brought with them filled with tools, snacks, clothes, office supplies, clothespins, numerous other items that are either not available or extremely expensive here, it was a huge help. A couple of businesses in the Shipshewana area along with our Sunday School class and other individuals from the Shipshewana area donated a vast variety of things for us. THANK YOU does not even begin to cover our gratitude.

Vernon doing some work on the closets

      Included in the group last week was our son Greg and my dad, Dan. It was great having them here too. It was Greg's first trip to visit us here and so we had fun showing him all the sites. He was able to stay a few extra days after the rest of the team went back home. As always, when our children come down, our favorite time with them is just sitting around in the evenings visiting and watching them interact with their three younger sisters. God has blessed us with such a great family and it is good to see then enjoy each other. We look forward to having all four of our older children coming back this summer again along with their spouses.

Dan installing shelves

     This was my last week at Genesis since next week I will be finding more out about my next role here with Students International. This week as I have been helping Karen do a few small things yet at the site, I was reminded that we wont be able to work together like we have been the last year. Many people are amazed that we actually enjoy working together but we always have and yet know that we will also be used by God in the next stage also, whatever that is. GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME.

Gerald Lee transplanting banana trees. (1of 40)

       The Genesis site is now basically ready for class to begin, a few things need to be put away but as of yesterday, I turned the keys in to the old site and gave the rabbits to the grounds keeping guys at SI to enjoy for dinner that night. We are now the proud owners of two goats at the new site. Gary Miller from Shipshewana has agreed to come down every two months to make sure that they are doing OK. He is a world renown "goat trainer" and we are blessed to know him as a personal friend. There are some different pics on the Genesis Blog page if you want to see more. 

Keep Karen and I in your prayers as we look forward to the summer of teams, change and family visits. God has been so faithful to us so far and we know He will continue to be faithful to us in the future.

The "NIPSCO Crew" watching Ryan work.

Dinner in the community at Rosicar's house

We didnt work all the time. One of the ice cream shops (one of 4)

Dan repairing the center column in the terraza

Dennis getting his shoes shined. (we didnt get a lot of work out of him or the shoes after that)

Encourgement from Middlebury Indiana

   So after a long 3+ month wait we finally were able to spend the week with friends from Middlebury IN. Joel, Angela, Bryce, Dustin, Mariah Miller. To say we had a wonderful time is an understatement. I had gotten to know Joel over the course of several years working with Amigo Centre in Sturgis Michigan and then to spend a whole week with the family was such a blessing to us. They all went to various sites of Students International as well as helped Karen and me as we were preparing to move Genesis to the new location. We were able to show them some of the waterfalls in town as well as walk the streets of Jarabacoa to pick up some souvenirs. We played cards with them one night and just visited with them about raising kids and how we need to lean on God with all that comes with that. I think ENCOURAGEMENT is the best word to describe our thoughts of their time here. Thanks Miller's for using your spring break to spend time with us here. It meant more than you will know.
     Having taken the Miller's to the airport on Thursday morning gave us plenty of time to work a little more on the new site as well as prepare for the group from our home church, Shore Mennonite. As I type this Blog, I will be leaving in about half an hour to go pick them up in Santiago. We have a lot of work to get done but we will also take time for just catching up and showing them what our life is like here in Jarabacoa. I am sure that after they spend the week here they will understand without a doubt why we enjoy it here so much and feel so blessed that God has placed us here for this time in our lives.

Leading a team of Oxen through downtown.

The new site, (not yet organized completely)

Thursday the 4th was the last day of classes for the kids at Genesis for the spring trimester. It was also the last day of classes for the kids in the current location. On Friday the teachers as well as Karen moved most of the books, bookshelves, papers, office supplies, and well actually everything except the desks and chairs of the students. Then in the afternoon some of the parents begin the task of relocating the playground. Another cultural experience for me. How to explain that if it took a team of 8-10 people from the states most of a week to put it up the first time, then most likely it will take more than two people and more than one afternoon to relocate it. It is started though - and hey, we have 7 weeks to get it finished so what is the rush now, really?

Karen's office at the new site. A little more works needs done.

       Karen and I did find out a couple of weeks ago that we will need to be moving from our current place of residence (our house) as the owner has told us that they are putting it up for sale. We have found another place that will be vacant in Sept or so and that is our plan for now. Of course, plans here change frequently so we will we how all that works out.
     This week I was reminded again of how God even cares about the small stuff in our lives - even our laundry! The same day that we used our last dryer sheet, we get a care package from Don and Nila Newcomer from our home church with dryer sheets in it. I know it is just a small thing that really does not matter at all, however, it was a lesson to me to watch for God working in our lives even in small ways. He loves us so much that he sends us dryer sheets. :)  Thanks Newcomers for that and the rest of the contents.