Un viaje a Los Estados

It has been more than my attempted two weeks between posts, for a couple of reasons. We had been back in Indiana for a week and a half but that is kind of a poor excuse. After all, they do have internet in Shipshewana and I could have found time to do it. I mean, I did find time to go to Dairy Queen three different times. Anyway, our trip back was kind of work related I guess. At least the timing of it was for sure work related. Every year at this time, Students International has a banquet in Northern

Dad and Marcy with the picker

Marcy unloading one of the loads of corn. OSHA approved of course

Indiana and I tried to help them get a few tables filled so it was good to be back for that. It was a great time to catch up with the California staff, past SI DR staff, Past SI DR team participants, and of course family, friends, and supporters. I spent the first few days making contact with current and past supporters of some of the ministry sites and current and past supporters of some of the national staff. It was great to meet some of them and to hear their stories of how they were affected by their short term trip there. Part of my job description now is to help the national staff with their fund raising efforts which includes, but is not limited to, "Thanks You's" for those that have helped them. Several of them had written letters of appreciation that I could hand deliver.
      The rest of the trip was spent with family and friends. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners and just visiting. Of course the timing could not have been better for Marcy and me to help out my dad get the fall corn harvest started. That is one of the things (few things) that I miss about being there, is helping him with the harvest each fall. I am not sure how much it really helps him but I sure enjoy being out there hauling and unloading the ear corn. We were even able to get in on a Sunday School class party.
     Another great short DR story to close with. About three weeks before we left, I had to make an airport run and while I was there, I asked about leaving a car there long term, maybe 2 weeks or so. They said no problem and just showed me where to park and said anywhere in that lot was fine. I got the pricing and did the math and it came to a little less than two trips there and back so I thought I would try it once so no one would need to take us there when we left. Upon returning on Tuesday evening, I went to get the car only to find a wheel lock on the front wheel. I looked for a security guy and he said that I had not filled out the right paperwork prior to leaving but it was no big deal (not to him it wasn't) and I could just take care of it when I left at the toll booth. I get to the toll booth to pay the $27 expected price, only to be told that my bill was $175. It was then that I was told that I was supposed to fill out the correct papers BEFORE leaving. I said that no one had told me about that, his reply was that I had not asked (deja vu of the water line at Genesis that they installed but there was no water in the lines in that part of town). As I looked at him dumbfounded ( I am getting real good at that look) I tell Karen and Janae to get every spare Dominican Peso bill they had and pass them forward. HA! another lesson learned in the DR.

The only thing missing in this move is a baby in the jumper (top left). I quickly got around him before something (or somebody) fell off.