On the way out..
The whole group waiting for the bus
Ready for pizza!
Swinging
Edelin in some shnazzy sunglasses
Yeni
more swinging!
MiBanco Esperanza from Los Higos
Friday, March 26, 2010
Pizza!!!
Today I took some of the El Callejon girls into town to eat pizza. To us this doesn't seem like a big deal at all....but to them it seemed like the greatest thing in the world. Most of them don't get the opportunity to leave their community very often...so when they do it's a big deal (especially when they are going to eat pizza)! They were soo cute! These girls are between 9 and 12 years old, but they all came with their most fashionable clothes, their hair styled, and makeup on. They continued to share lipsticks and fix each other's hair even once we got there. The restaurant we went to has a small playground they got to play on too. These girls definitely have an appreciation for the simple things in life. I know I could learn a few things from them. Enjoy some pictures!!
On the way out..
The whole group waiting for the bus
Ready for pizza!
Swinging
Edelin in some shnazzy sunglasses
Yeni
more swinging!
On the way out..
The whole group waiting for the bus
Ready for pizza!
Swinging
Edelin in some shnazzy sunglasses
Yeni
more swinging!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
"oh yea, well I've been to town 10 times!"
Los Higos is a farming town way out in the campo. It's a 20 minute drive from the main road in Jarabacoa. The first half of the drive is a road that was last paved before I was born and the second half is not paved and so steep that it's impassable if it's raining. If Jarabacoa is 10 years behind the US in technology, Los Higos is 10 years behind Jarabacoa. Many of the adults have never seen a computer. Some teenage girls were arguing the other day when one smirked "oh yea, well I've been to town over 10 times!" Many of the other girls had only left their 3-mile world in the campo 2 0r 3 times in their entire life.
Despite their limited knowledge of the outside world, or perhaps because of it, it's a wonderful place. It's quiet. It's peaceful. It gives new meaning to living in community. I don't think I've ever been somewhere that was so co-dependent.
SI has worked in Los Higos for 5 years and it's been a great success. We have a social work site (similar to what Caroline does in El Callejon) and a pre-school. There is also a church that was started by a Dominican man who is former SI staff.
I'm starting MiBanco #3 in this community. The group has been formed and we're going through the pre-loan training program now. The women do a variety of things, one makes dulce de leche, another casabe (a flatbread made fro yucca), one raises pigs and another goats.
Pray that it gets off to a good start!
A view from the top. While the drive to Los Higos is rough, the views are amazing.
This is a casabe factory. Los Higos is known for casabe. This factory was built so that the women could work together to mass produce it but is no longer in use due to inter-community bickering. The yucca (similar to a potato) is dried out and then grind up into a pulp. This pulp is molded into a flatbread and then cooked over a fire.
The fabric of our lives. I had never seen it in it's natural state before.
Kathy came down on a womens' retreat and worked with me during my first week in Los Higos.
We had 42 women come to the interest meeting.
Despite their limited knowledge of the outside world, or perhaps because of it, it's a wonderful place. It's quiet. It's peaceful. It gives new meaning to living in community. I don't think I've ever been somewhere that was so co-dependent.
SI has worked in Los Higos for 5 years and it's been a great success. We have a social work site (similar to what Caroline does in El Callejon) and a pre-school. There is also a church that was started by a Dominican man who is former SI staff.
I'm starting MiBanco #3 in this community. The group has been formed and we're going through the pre-loan training program now. The women do a variety of things, one makes dulce de leche, another casabe (a flatbread made fro yucca), one raises pigs and another goats.
Pray that it gets off to a good start!
A view from the top. While the drive to Los Higos is rough, the views are amazing.
This is a casabe factory. Los Higos is known for casabe. This factory was built so that the women could work together to mass produce it but is no longer in use due to inter-community bickering. The yucca (similar to a potato) is dried out and then grind up into a pulp. This pulp is molded into a flatbread and then cooked over a fire.
The fabric of our lives. I had never seen it in it's natural state before.
Kathy came down on a womens' retreat and worked with me during my first week in Los Higos.
We had 42 women come to the interest meeting.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Faces
We did this a few times a while back and in continuation with this theme here are a few more faces of the some of the people here.
Lindsey, Kathy, and Rachel. Lindsey and Rachel came down with their university and Kathy is a 15 year old girl who lives in El Callejon. Kathy is very sweet and well-behaved, and like most girls her age is a little boy crazy. But recently she has been going through some tough times. A 40 year old Italian man recently took interest in her and wanted to marry her. He gave her dad some money to help with some health issues he has been having, and because of this, Kathy's parents started to pressure her to marry him. But clearly Kathy did not want to marry him, so he went back to Italy. But now Kathy's parents are mad at Kathy and have been ignoring her and treating her badly. Now Kathy is in a very tough situation because even though she did the right thing, she has lost the love and care of her parents. Please pray that Kathy will continue to be strong and will learn to rely on Christ during this difficult time. Please pray that her parents will realize the hurt they are causing her and that would stop.
Genesis and Rachel. Genesis is an adorable 2 year old girl. She comes to the Social Work site with her mom and grandmother. She was born premature at 6 months, and since then she has had a lot of physical problems. She is now mostly healthy expect that she can't walk. Her muscles are like jelly. She has been going to the Students International developmental therapist (Amy Green) and it has helped her a lot. She has made a lot of improvement. She can now walk when she is holding onto something. Please pray that God will continue to heal her and that she grows up to be a strong healthy woman.
Lindsey, Kathy, and Rachel. Lindsey and Rachel came down with their university and Kathy is a 15 year old girl who lives in El Callejon. Kathy is very sweet and well-behaved, and like most girls her age is a little boy crazy. But recently she has been going through some tough times. A 40 year old Italian man recently took interest in her and wanted to marry her. He gave her dad some money to help with some health issues he has been having, and because of this, Kathy's parents started to pressure her to marry him. But clearly Kathy did not want to marry him, so he went back to Italy. But now Kathy's parents are mad at Kathy and have been ignoring her and treating her badly. Now Kathy is in a very tough situation because even though she did the right thing, she has lost the love and care of her parents. Please pray that Kathy will continue to be strong and will learn to rely on Christ during this difficult time. Please pray that her parents will realize the hurt they are causing her and that would stop.
Genesis and Rachel. Genesis is an adorable 2 year old girl. She comes to the Social Work site with her mom and grandmother. She was born premature at 6 months, and since then she has had a lot of physical problems. She is now mostly healthy expect that she can't walk. Her muscles are like jelly. She has been going to the Students International developmental therapist (Amy Green) and it has helped her a lot. She has made a lot of improvement. She can now walk when she is holding onto something. Please pray that God will continue to heal her and that she grows up to be a strong healthy woman.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Boy's Club
One thing I love about our blog is that my spouse and I never really say who's actually writing. I think sometimes you can definitely tell, but other times you can't. Ever since 2007 when we started fundraising we consistently had to collaborate on writings together, and our styles have become more and more similar.
Almost a year ago I started a Boy's Club ministry in El Callejon with the purpose of sharing the Gospel with these boys, printing my own money (haha), and teaching the boys how to work, save, and manage dinero. It's been a blast. I get to act like a 12 year old 1 day a week and I love it. At the end of some of the meetings, we go in the yard behind the SW Site where the boys have one goal: to try and knock me over. It normally goes until they can get enough boys together to actually take me down.
It's also been an effective opportunity to minister. Many of the boys have come to know Christ and each week they learn more about how to walk with Him.
There are about 35 boys that come to the Friday Club meetings. Enjoy some of the best pictures of time spent with them.
The very first meeting back in May. The man helping me is a Dominican-American who used to played in the MLB.
I have Dominicans come and share lessons whenever I can. This lesson was about being a Warrior for God.
Flashin their paper. Have I posted this picture before?
Joandre earned 20 pesos for washing this motorcycle. they get 10 Ryan dollars for every peso but they have to pay 5 pesos for materials. He earned $150 de Ryan.
Hidalgo saved for 10 weeks to earn that bike.
Diego ready to take a swing.
Right before I left for Christmas we had a huge field day. There were 2 teams in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. It was my team "Los fuertes" (The strong guys) against the 'other' Ryan's team "Los chevere 9" (the cool 9). My team won in the morning but lost by 1 point in the afternoon.
Los Chevere 9
Five (he was the fifth child and goes by the english word five) and his partner Jose. The purpose of the game was to guard your team's egg while trying to swat the other teams with a sandal. Five did not want to play because he didn't want to get his hair all eggy. I finally convinced him and they ended up winning and his egg didn't explode. I thought he was being a baby for being afraid of a little egg so I broke it after the game was over. He was very upset and late I found out that there was no water at his house to take a shower and he had to go to school in the afternoon. I felt terrible but he found it in his heart to forgive me.
A gross-food eating contest. Francis is enjoying dog food, mayo, mustard, and cayenne pepper.
Frangi.
Miguel.
Luis.
Almost a year ago I started a Boy's Club ministry in El Callejon with the purpose of sharing the Gospel with these boys, printing my own money (haha), and teaching the boys how to work, save, and manage dinero. It's been a blast. I get to act like a 12 year old 1 day a week and I love it. At the end of some of the meetings, we go in the yard behind the SW Site where the boys have one goal: to try and knock me over. It normally goes until they can get enough boys together to actually take me down.
It's also been an effective opportunity to minister. Many of the boys have come to know Christ and each week they learn more about how to walk with Him.
There are about 35 boys that come to the Friday Club meetings. Enjoy some of the best pictures of time spent with them.
The very first meeting back in May. The man helping me is a Dominican-American who used to played in the MLB.
I have Dominicans come and share lessons whenever I can. This lesson was about being a Warrior for God.
Flashin their paper. Have I posted this picture before?
Joandre earned 20 pesos for washing this motorcycle. they get 10 Ryan dollars for every peso but they have to pay 5 pesos for materials. He earned $150 de Ryan.
Hidalgo saved for 10 weeks to earn that bike.
Diego ready to take a swing.
Right before I left for Christmas we had a huge field day. There were 2 teams in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. It was my team "Los fuertes" (The strong guys) against the 'other' Ryan's team "Los chevere 9" (the cool 9). My team won in the morning but lost by 1 point in the afternoon.
Los Chevere 9
Five (he was the fifth child and goes by the english word five) and his partner Jose. The purpose of the game was to guard your team's egg while trying to swat the other teams with a sandal. Five did not want to play because he didn't want to get his hair all eggy. I finally convinced him and they ended up winning and his egg didn't explode. I thought he was being a baby for being afraid of a little egg so I broke it after the game was over. He was very upset and late I found out that there was no water at his house to take a shower and he had to go to school in the afternoon. I felt terrible but he found it in his heart to forgive me.
A gross-food eating contest. Francis is enjoying dog food, mayo, mustard, and cayenne pepper.
Frangi.
Miguel.
Luis.
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