Home for Christmas...

From the middle of the time until now, we have been going non-stop...

We were in Barahona for a week with our good friend, Wilfrido and family. His wife was "assaulted" by a calf while on a motorcycle and we thank God that the only injury was a broken ankle...

Then we went to visit Ryan DeWeerd's ministry up in Nagua the following week.

We finished the Chronological Bible study and moved onto a study of the life of Christ. It was different (the girls preferred the chronological) but I found it highly interesting and challenging. We did not get through the third study - Spiritual Leadership (by J. Oswald Sanders) and the girls have said that they will continue this back home on their own time.

Overall, the experience was very intense for the three girls - and they learned about God each uniquely, but I have a feeling it is only the beginning of many encouraging challenges yet to come in their lives. I enjoyed the time that we had studying together and also liked getting to see them learn about the culture and some of the language (test them on that) while they mingled with new friends.

As the time came to a close, we made our way toward the East where our flight was leaving. Because of an accident on the only road, our 4hr trip became 6hrs and we had to take a detour (in a Kia Picanto - not ideal...) through the sugarcane fields. I was praying the whole way that we wouldn't bust a flat. We had three very heavy suitcases and two smaller ones, a couple backpacks and the four of us crammed in there. Don't know how Meagan and Melanie survived those 6hrs squished into the half of the back seat, but we made it. And we were too too hungry when we arrived.

We still have some debrief to consider over the holidays. Here are some questions we are still considering:

- what new thing did you learn about God during this time?

- what new thing did you learn about yourself?

- what things about this new culture did you learn that helped you to understand God and yourself in a different way?

-- And then we have to put some of these things together.

If you ask any of them how the time went, they may have difficulty articulating two months in thirty seconds. They are working on that...

As for me, I'm home for Christmas and will return to the Dominican sometime shortly after New Year. I have a course waiting for me 9-13 January and looking forward to more study...

We are also into the planning for the March Break team from BBC - the team from here, I will organise stuff over there... so thanks for all your prayers about that...

There are many other things you can pray about - see the right-hand-column...

Merry Christmas!

Shannon