Great time in Miami

Luncheon with the staff at Nutri-Medics

Eating with Dick and Mary Ellen in Orlando FL.

    The middle of November I had the opportunity to go to Miami for a few days to visit an SI donor and also a former staff family. I started my visit there with a luncheon at Nutri-Medics in Jupiter, Florida. They have a staff of about 30 or so and had invited me to come and talk about SI to their staff during lunch on Friday. A couple of the staff there had actually been to the Jarabacoa, DR location a few years ago and so it was good to hear their stories as well as to share a few of my own. Tim Eaton and his team there were great hosts and if there are two things I love to do it is "talk" and "talk about SI". Nutri-Medics has been involved in SI for a number of years now and are great partners with us here in Jarabacoa especially.
     Then on Saturday I had the opportunity to visit Dick and Mary Ellen Meyer that had been the Hospitality Hosts for a number of years here in Jarabacoa. Actually they had been the hosts ever since Lowell and Cheryl Troyer moved to Nicaragua back in the fall of 2011. I had a good visit with them (and Kip, their dog). They left the field about 3 months earlier than they had wanted due to health problems with Dick's heart. He is doing much better there after a couple of surgeries and they anticipate another one yet in April, I am sure they would appreciate your prayers.
   

The food table

Janae showing off some of the desserts

On Saturday on this weekend, we sent off our last team of 2015. While they were here, we had a great Thanksgiving meal with the team and our staff on Thursday evening. Of course that is not a traditional Dominican Holiday so most of the food items are hard to locate here also. We will now have until the first week in January to get ready for our next Work team in Santiago. As we look forward to Christmas and some time off, we will also be having our annual Christmas dinner at our home for the staff at Genesis where Karen works. That will be this Wednesday night. So as usual, we have a lot going on just like all of you this time of year. Thanks for the prayers and support you send our way. They are much appreciated. 

No news is New news

      Well, I went to write an update a couple weeks ago and I just didn't have much new to write about. So I waited until now and............. I still don't. Seems like the longer we are here the more our life's happenings dont really stand out anymore to us. Many things are now becoming normal and hardly worth mentioning in the blog. But, as God is working in our lives constantly, how can I call our days boring? So, like my last post, I still continue to go to Santiago each day and work there on the new base. I've been doing many different things like knocking out a part of a wall to put in a new

Janae putting the final touches on the pool

exterior door, or pressure spraying and then painting a pool (with the help of our daughter Janae), or building an outside dishwashing station for the teams that will be coming down, or teaching a Dominican man who lives on the property how to run and operate a push lawn mower. So many times in our time here especially I am reminded of how many things I was taught by my parents (probably mainly my dad) that I now realize so many others were not taught the same skills, and/or values. Often I take things for granted that I was taught at home and just assume that everyone was taught the same things. The deeper I get into life, the more I realize that that was not the case. Some may call it "Farm Sense", but I think it is more than that. I am sure it was intentionally taught and most likely maybe I was not the best student at times. As I am now again in the role of Drivers Training Instructor for Janae, she has been learning on my small truck here, better known as "The Tonka" It is a 5 speed with a whopping 43HP/ 3 CYL motor. I get questions like "Why do  I have to learn to drive a stick?" "Well, you never know..........." Is about all I can come up with :)

Marcy helping clean fish at a comador at the beach

      Oh, another highlight of my life at this time is that we are in the middle of a remodel of our home here in Jarabacoa, Well, it is kind of a remodel of sorts I guess.  We had water coming through the ceiling (cement) in our dining room (again in less than 2 years) and so it seems like the galvanized water lines going to our guest bathroom upstairs decided that they had lived a long and rusty life and gave way. So the great thing about that is that since it is an all concrete construction, they put a layer of sand between the ceiling and top floor (about 6") in which to put the pipes, that way when they do give way, they are easier to replace. Well, kind of. Actually what happens is the sand starts to absorb the water from the leak it has about a 12'x15' area in which to "absorb" so in reality, you have no clue where the actual leak is even at. The water just finds the easiest way through the ceiling which may be close to the actual leak or 8-10 feet or more away from it. So the fun begins of breaking out the ceramic tile and concrete floor at random trying to find the pipe. Good news is, the guy doing the work found it on the 6th try so it was fairly fast. With today being a national holiday, he will return tomorrow and try to finish up yet this week.
     Well, keep praying for us as it seems like several of us in the U house here are going through some trying times the last number of weeks. There is a country song called "I'll hold on" and I think of that often as we just keep holding on the the promise that we have that ".... and we know that all things work together for good of them that love God......" Not that it will be for what we consider good at the time, rather for the good of God, and that is what matters more. So we keep holding on to that promise.

Scenery on the way to work one morning.

Using a perfectly good wheel borrow for a trash can.

     

Great time in the States

       As I sit to wrote this update, I noticed that my last update was almost two months ago. It appears that I didn't hit my goal of an update every two weeks this time :(. Life here is moving quite rapidly to say the least. We spent two weeks in Indiana with our "Bigs" and other family. It was so good to see them and our parents again. While we were back we spent two days in Chicago so that most of the family could participate in a 1/2 marathon or a 5K. That was the first race for several of them. Before heading back to Indiana, we met up with an SI family that is now living in Chicago and had dinner with them. Also while we were back, we attended the annual SI banquet in Indiana. Several people mentioned that it was maybe the best banquet they had attended.

Lowell Troyer cutting a new door into the block wall.

      After returning back to the DR, I had the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua to help out the SI family there with their new base that they are getting ready to move into the end of November. Even in the Nicaragua heat, we are (I am writing this from Nicaragua) able to help them out with their project. One thing I have appreciated during my time here is how the different countries are able to share resources like this when they are needed. It was one more time that I was able to work along side Lowell and Cheryl Troyer from Guatemala. They also came to the Santiago this last summer to help us out with the two summer teams there.
     I head back to the DR on Sunday afternoon. It will be good to be back to a "semi-regular" schedule once returning. The Santiago base project is moving along good. With much already done, there is still a lot to do to get ready for our spring teams.
       Karen has been busy as usual at Genesis. She now has Courtey Barlow there to help her with the site and that has been a huge blessing to her. Most evenings she comes home with new ideas or dreams of how they can better serve the needs of the children there. It is exciting to see them work together there as their first focus is on where God wants the site to go, and then what is best for the children and their families. God continues to do great things at Genesis.
       Thanks again for all the support and prayers that we have experienced during our time here in the DR. GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME.

This is a photo from one of the bathrooms in the new base in Nicaragua. Yes it is a breaker box, in a working shower. The most interesting thing about this photo is that at the Santiago base, we had an outlet in one of our showers there and could not believe that!!!!!! This of course tops that :)

Update on the U's

      We continue to keep on keeping on. I am feeling much better than I was on my last post. All of my energy has returned and back to normal (whatever normal was). Karen continues to have staff changes at Genesis where she is the site leader. Nina began another year at Genesis. Janae just began her Sophomore year in high school at Doulos Discovery School here in Jarabacoa. Marcy began 6th grade with Megan Adams as her home school teacher. So that is a short update on our family.
    With Karen's staffing changes come some great news that Courtney Barlow that came on staff back this spring has now finished her language time here and began working full time with Karen at Genesis. It is going great for them there.
    I finished up moving all the things from the fist place we used as a base in Santiago to the place we
 have now rented for 3 years. This week we began working on the water and electric supply and hopefully by the end of next week we will have water and electric on both buildings and the security lights. We then began to work on more inside things like adding two more bathrooms and repairing several windows. On the outside there is just a lot of major cleanup of yard trash. As much as I enjoy working up there (it's about an hours drive each day, each way) I really miss being a part of what is happening in Jarabacoa. It's hard not seeing any of the staff and just feeling the disconnect for all that.

Janae spraying the sides

Yesterday (Saturday) Janae and Marcy and I went up to start cleaning the pool up. It was really a mess as you can see. Still a lot more needs to be done on it next week but it is a start. It is all a process.  I am looking forward to working with Marcy in Santiago over this fall and then to some work teams coming down in Jan/Feb.

Marcy in the background dragging the leaves out with a rake

   

Almost done but ran out of time. Notice all the leaves that they rakes out. 

Where Has The Summer Gone?

          Where has the summer gone? It seems like not too long ago I was writing and letting you know

Interesting sign on the Mens room door at a local hardware???

about what will be happening this summer, now we have a week and a half of teams left and the summer will be gone. This summer has been especially full since we had an extra team at the beginning and then another extra at the end, also with being back and forth between the new location in Santiago. We hosted a total of 31 people in that location in two different outreaches. We have some things to improve on but overall it was a great summer there. Marcy, Janae and I are all three ready to be back in Jarabacoa for a while again with Nina and Karen. God is doing so much there and it has been a real joy to be a part of that so far.
       I guess this is a good time for some admissions on my part, This summer has probably been one of the harder times for me personally since arriving here 3+ years ago. With the splitting of my time between Santiago and Jarabacoa and not feeling a true connection at either place. Then last week when our two sons and daughter in law were here I had contracted an amoeba and was down for the count almost the complete time they were here. (I ended up a total of 12 lbs in about 6 days before starting to gain ground on it). This coming Saturday my dad is having his machinery sale at home as he has rented his farm ground out and I wanted to be back for that to help him with that. It seems like there it has been a bit of an emotional time this summer and to spend a large portion of that time away from part of our family here has made this difficult. It makes me realize of just how good our life has been overall here and again how seemingly easy it has been for us to adjust to this culture. A few small speed bumps in the road like these are very manageable when in the big picture I know that God is in charge and "though my love for Him, all this are possible".
     On a more positive note, Saturday night on the 8:45 flight coming into Santiago was Brian, Sissy and the family, This was Sissy's first time back in her house since her accident, since she walked out that night back in April when she went to the base for dinner. She has recovered really well from her surgeries and had great care both here before going back to Huntzville and also back in Alabama. She and Brian both felt that prayers from everyone as she began her long road to recovery.

Backyard at the new base in Santiago

Front view of the house as you drive in the lane.

       About three weeks ago, Brian and Lowell located a better long term option for a base here in Santiago and have since signed a three year lease on that property. It will be very adequate to house teams of up to 20-22 for this next calendar year at least without a lot of major renovating. The infrastructure needs some attention, (water, Electric..) but nothing major. So the next stage in my life will most likely be spending 3+ days a week on that location through the end of the year working with a local plumber/electrician, buying more needed supplies for that location to handle the teams and assembling the 16 bunk beds that my sons and daughter in law made last week while here. I am looking forward to working with Marcy there  this fall. There are two houses - one large on in the photos and then another smaller one in the back of the property. There are a total of about 9 acres on the property so plenty of room to maybe open up an agriculture site we are hoping.
      I am working on having 2-3 construction teams coming down in Jan/ Feb 2016 to do some finishing up work for the March/May teams. The teams are all from our home area in LaGrange County Indiana.
Keep us in your prayers as we work on this location and continue to seek God's will for this site and not go just with our own plans.


More happenings in Jarabacoa and Santiago.

     We are into our third outreach of the summer and it is just flying by. We have had some great teams so far and many more to come yet in 2015. We have made so many contacts since getting here a little over 3 years ago now. We have seen many of the same people come on outreaches each year and it is fun to look forward to their return.


A combine on the interstate. Advantage: you don't need to take off the head.

     Our new location in Santiago is coming along really well. We will be having out first team there on June 29 for two weeks. It is a group from Brenneman Memorial Missionary in Goshen. A couple days after they leave our two sons and one daughter-in-law will be here for a week to help make some bunk beds for that new location. I am guessing we will be able to squeeze in a couple moto rides also. We have been so blessed to have all of our kids and in-laws come visit several times since we arrived here. Marcy and I have been working in Santiago almost everyday now for a few weeks and so it is getting closer to being ready for those teams. Lowell and Cheryl Troyer are here now and will be really helping out a lot during this time there. This will be the third SI location that they have helped to start off from scratch. We are grateful for their help.
      Brian Entrekin (our director here) has returned after spending a few weeks in Alabama with his wife Sissy. She was involved in an accident in April and is now going through Re-hab in Alabama.
We were all so glad that he was able to spend some time with her there and we are all just as excited to have him back here with us. The plan is that Sissy will be able to join us here again about mid August or so.

Marcy helping me build bunk beds for the new location in Santiago

     At our staff meeting on Monday Lowell challenged us to watch where we are and what we are doing. He talked about King David and also Samson and how both of them were not where they were supposed to be and doing things that were not of God when they fell into their deepest sin. He challenged us to stay close to God and how sometimes even our "good things" that we do can be what lead us into sin. Just because they are "good things", it doesn't mean that they are of God or inspired by God. Keep close to Him and He will lead us in the right path.
      Thanks to all of you again for the support that you have given us in prayer, finances, visits, emails........ It means a lot. Thanks. Mike for the family.

Our latest Family photo from here

This is a way that they recycle plastic bottle here, making a cement wall out of them, They fill them with sand and then lay them in concrete to make a solid wall out of them.

Ready for the summer of 2015

     As I write this post, we already have 4 of our 7 short term staff for the summer here in Jarabacoa.

4 of the 7 Short Term Staff for 2015 in Jarabacoa

There will be one more coming in tomorrow afternoon and the last two in a couple weeks. Our first teams of the summer arrive on Monday the 18th. Crown College from MN, Grove City from PA, Olivet Nazarene college IL, and His House WI. There will be a total of 34 people and 5 Short Term Staff and we are ready to roll with 3 months of back to back teams here in Jarabacoa. It will be great to see what God does in all this. Over 600 people have so far reserved spots for teams in 2015. Whether it is a group of 60+ from one school or an individual person coming down to join up with an outreach, we have seen God do great things here, using our staff as a tool to reach the lost or encourage a current believer. Those of you that are reading this and have been praying for our family and SI and those that have been supporting  financially our family and/or SI have a direct involvement in those stories as well. THANKS!!!!
      The work on the Santiago location continues to progress smoothly and on time. With 3 of the 4 sites now in place, we anticipate the 4th one right on time for our teams that are scheduled this summer beginning on June 29. We will also have 4 Short Term Staff helping out there. Marcy and I have been spending a lot of our time getting the base (Finca de Gallos) ready to host the teams for meals, morning worship, teaching time, team time and all else that they do. The Medical Site in Los Mangos had their Grand Opening this last Friday the 15th of May.

50+ people in attendance for the grand opening.

Dr, Fernando leading the group for the grand opening.

Dr. Fernando, the SI Medical Site supervisor from Jarabacoa,  Daisy, the SI Social Work Site supervisor from Jarabacoa, and Eric Miller the SIDR Finance director were all present to rejoice and celebrate with Dr. Brendaliz Hernandez opening her clinic for the first time. Over 50 people from the local communities were present.  How exciting and also making it real that in fact, Students International is opening up in Santiago. Also the same week Pastor Alex Jimemez made his first two sand water filters to go begin the Appropriate Technology Site in Progresso Segundo. GOD IS GOOD. We are just so excited to be part of what God is already doing in all these communities.

     Sissy Entrekin continues to improve in Huntsville AL. You can look back at my last post to see more details on this. Brian was back here for about 2 weeks and then returned with their girls. Their intent is to stay until the end of May and return for a week or so of school activates for the girls then back to Huntsville for the remainder of Sissy's time there. Everyone is hoping she will be able to come back to Jarabacoa by mid to late summer for the remainder of her therapy. Only God knows and He is really the only one that needs to know :). Daisy, the other lady involved in the accident is doing great and is ready to host her first summer team next week.
     Thanks again for the prayers, support, emails, text messages, phone calls and everything. Mike, for the family.

A pick-up with advertising on it. Marcy noticed it in Santiago and said "GROSS DAD!!! Look at that truck" I guess not your typical advertisement that you may see in the US???

    
     

Praying for Sissy

Sissy's first walk in over two weeks

    On Wed night April 1st, Sissy Entrekin (our director's wife) was involved in an accident that left her with a pelvis that was fractured in 5 different places. After two surgeries here in the DR to pin the two major fractures, she was then airlifted to Huntsville AL for yet another surgery and now is in the healing process and in the next day or two will begin her rehab. It will be a long road to recovery but yet at the same time, it is so easy to see God working in her life and bringing the SI family together as well as her birth family and her church family.  The lady that hit her was also part of our staff here and really took it hard. She is much better now and has begun the healing process herself. Interesting that we have two staff members that are beginning their healing process at the same but from two different angles. One healing physically and the other healing mentally and spiritually. Like I said, God has been such a part of this from the very beginning.
       In other news, Karen is getting ready for an additional American to co-lead the Special Education Site, Courtney Barlow arrived here on Monday the 20th and will be joining Karen to help lead the Special Education

Jess Perez (left) and Courtney Barlow (right) last summer.

Site. She is currently taking her common 2 weeks "landing period", to get used to living in a different culture and all. Then she will be going through about two months or so of Language training. She will then hopefully be joining Karen by mid summer or so. She will be leading the Adaptive Physical Education side of the site. Courtney spent the summer with us two years ago and as a volunteer last summer. Karen is really excited to be working with Courtney at Genesis.
      I have been working more in the town of Santiago lately, working on getting ready  for that location to host two different teams this summer. A couple weeks ago, we had friends come down from Indiana and we worked at the site for 3-1/5 days. Thanks goes out to Fritz, Kyle and Benjamin Bontrager, Steve Raber, and Elmer Yoder. They were a group of excavators by trade, that gave of their time to help lay block. It was much appreciated.  We are looking for one or two Americans for the Teams Coordinator position. So, if you feel that you are that person(s)............. One of the teams for this summer is from Brenneman Memorial Missionary in Goshen. Greg Cole, the youth pastor, was here this spring

The new Appropriate Technology Site in Santiago

for a week checking out what was in store for his youth. We are really excited to start to host teams there. Please be in prayer for that location as we continue to see where God takes that and what He will do in the Cienfuegos area of Santiago.
      Thanks to all for your past support so that we are able to continue to do what we do here and we are so glad that so many of you partner with us in what we are doing. Blessings to all.
    

The new Appropriate Technology Site in Santiago.

Surely the Presence of the Lord is in the Place

Rachel and Abby with Danny Polo and Mildred. (Oh Mildred)

      Tonight, as always on Friday night during teams, we had our closing and time of reflection. During the presentation video I was once again reminded of the work that our great site leaders do and the amount of energy that they need to run the sites at SI especially when there are teams. It is so evident when I watch the videos of them interacting with the teams and people in the communities. When I see them I am reminded of my time at Genesis - the Special Education site where Nina attends and Karen is the director. With all the work involved as a site leader, the rewards are worth twice the work. I remember the kids at Genesis always smiling and seeing them smile made it all worthwhile.

Me working in Maribels classroom during our interview

This sign will forever be a part of our lives.

     I was also reminded tonight of our daughter Rachel and how if it had not been for her coming down here through the Bethel College Semester program in the fall of 2010, then Karen, Abby, and I coming down to visit her, we very likely would not be here now. I remember how the day that Rachel found out she was going to be at Genesis she was so disappointed and emailed us telling us of her  placement. But yet was willing to stay and not complain and see what God had for her there for those three months. Then the very next day we get a Skype call from her and she was so excited because she just loved her first day there and was so excited to be there. So excited in fact that 2-1/2 months later when we visited, her enthusiasm was so contagious that we wanted to also be a part of that and felt God's call for us to go into some form of service overseas. Little did we know at that time that in a little over a year we would be in the very same site and would work with the very same kids. WOW! And yet only a year before visiting her that November, Karen had the worst week of her life in this very same country. God can do amazing things in our lives if we are just patient and wait on His timing.

The famous Rachel/Mildred photo.

      "God; please help me to slow down and enjoy our last 14-16 months here and to just really soak up all that You are doing here through SI and the other organizations here in the DR. Help me to take the time to visit the sites and communities and remember that the emails can always be answered, and that the Thank You's can always be written, and that the spreadsheets can always be filled out and updated, but to take the time to really get to know our staff and the people here in the DR that You have placed in my life. Amen"

     Bear with me as I share some of the photos over the years from Genesis and the DR in general.

Nelito (Presidente)

Vanesa

Abby on that Nov 2010 trip

Picture taken on one of my many road trips with Marcy

Two oxen down a main street in Jarabacoa. (not a typical scene in Shipshewana IN)

A bridge where the two sides never quite matched up like planned

Typical tire shop in Santiago

And isn't this how you would haul a couple chairs?

First time we bought fresh milk at the local colmado, (and yes, we still buy it there a couple times a week).

Running about 50 MPH down the interstate. Oh, and no straps or chains. Of course not.

Students International Santiago

       At one point in time, Students International had wanted to start a new country location every three years. After looking at a few countries to consider, it was decided that at this time it would be best to look into starting another location here in the Dominican Republic. Santiago has a lot of need for services and outreach like we provide so it seemed a good match to pursue that avenue. After a couple of fund raising events to kick off that location, in March of this year we will begin with two of what we hope will be three sites for this year - a medical site and an appropriate technology site. The Medical site will be working in two to three communities and the technology site will be working primarily

Progresso Segundo on the North West side of Santiago DR.

in the community of Progresso Segundo. It is a small "squatters community" to the North side of Santiago.( Google Map of the location  ) It is about 3-4 years old now and currently there is no running water at all and the ground is so contaminated with agriculture chemicals that it is not advisable to put a well in the ground. There are about 300 family dwellings on the west side of the canal and about 1200 families on the east side. All the water that is used there is brought in by tanker trucks and put in Tinako or barrels for each family. They then either drink that water or buy 5 gal bottled water to drink. We are hoping to start making and installing a concrete water filter for individual homes. We have ordered the forms from José Rivas in Dajabon to make the filters and they should be ready to pick up by the middle of March or so.We will also work with José for the media that goes into the filter.

Concrete water filters (about 18" sq X 36" H)

      Our goal is to get the water for the filters from a canal that runs through the community and pipe it to the house of Alex Jimenez. He is a pastor in the community of Progresso Segundo that will be running the AT site for us there. We will then filter that water into clean drinking water. Alex will then work with short term mission groups in making and distributing the filters to homes. He will be spending a lot of time training the homeowners in how to use the filters and how to sanitize the containers that they use for the clean water. It is likely that the Community Health site will also get involved in the project to teach the value of clean water and how dirty, contaminated water can lead to numerous health problems. Eventually we would like to locate and tap into a main water line that runs by since this is only a solution for their drinking water and not water to bath, wash, cook, and clean with. But at this point the distance is too far to consider the option of the main water line tap. 

The water filters that we will be making in Santiago.

    We are really excited about this project and look forward to seeing where God can take this and use this for His glory. Currently there are two outreaches planned for this location in June and July. We have a couple of young ladies that were interns last year that are planning on helping us at the new location this summer and are actively looking for a location to host those two teams.

     Right now we are all set on the funds to run the sites and host the teams but we are actively searching for additional funds to help pay for the 2 or 3 National Staff that will be working at this location. We have faith that God will provide those funds through individuals like you and so we are moving forward with this project at this time. Pray that God may use you to partner with the National Staff in Progresso Segundo in this venture.

Some interesting facts about the DR

      3 weeks into the new year and we have our first group here, Joshua Wilderness Camp from Hume

Dinner with Maribel, Abigail and Raquel.

Ca, for two weeks and we always look forward to having them join us. We also are enjoying Fritz and Kris Bontrager from Shipshewana, Dana and Caleb Bontrager from Goshen/Middlebury. They are here helping out with a few projects and working in the social work site.
      One thing I thought may interest some of you is how much some things cost here.

•  2-1/2 doz eggs              $3.14
• 1# hamburger                $1.46
• Milky Way candy bar   $0.65
• Gallon of Ice Cream    $11.00
• Big Mac reg meal        $7.45
• One Gallon Reg Gas   $3.97
• One Gallon Diesel        $3.41
• One Gallon of LP         $2.20 
• 1 year CD for $1,000+    5.6%
• Loan for used house       17%
• Loan for a new car         18%
• Loan for a used car        24%

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  Kris and Fritz at Cabarete

  

  Marcy practicing her machete skills

  
  
  
  
  

  

  Meal at the beach before heading back

  
  

  

  Marcy and Dorine Smith from Archibold OH

  
  

  

  First meal with our new intern Justina. Welcome

   

   

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  

  

  Fritz, Dana and Caleb putting metal on at the base