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.