Look What We Are Doing

The biggest project that I have undertaken here in Jarabacoa, has been the maintenance program at ‘The Ark’. With more than 10 buildings and around a hundred people; being organized and having a well thought out program is essential. Wilkins, Fernando, and Marino, all house dads, have been working with me for the past couple of months. Organization, structure, quality, and problem solving are all fairly new practices. I have been talking with them about the importance of each issue, and how it relates to every aspect of their lives. More importantly, practicing these things provides key principals we want to instill in the lives of each child in our care. Ultimately we are honoring God and glorifying Him by being good stewards, and responsible servants. It’s a bit of a process going against the grain of a culture, but it has already proven to be rewarding. We are seeing each one start to take ownership over their home, the day to day projects, and life in the Ark in general. It is rewarding to hear the returning work teams say they notice the difference as well. The goal is to have the three guys work as team and be self sufficient in the daily projects and maintenance needs for the entire orphanage.

Eventful weekend

Jesse is married! On Valentines Day our friend and Caraballo co-worker was married on a beautiful private piece of land overlooking the ocean. Ariel is a really great guy, a good, friend, leader in the church, and perfect for Jesse. Our camera was out of battery, so no pics of the wedding. But it was beautiful!
In the same weekend the Parks, long time friends and supporters were in town. The Parks are special people in our lives, and in the lives of so many kids in our program. They have been coming to the North Coast of the Dominican Republic for several years, and were influential in the connection with the Caraballo project and Kids Alive. The Parks have the best house on the beach in Caberete. Caberete is called the kite surfing capital of the world. It is about 30 minutes from our old stomping grounds of Caraballo. It was a place we frequented regularly for some down time, or even to take a team at the end of their stay. We had the privilege of spending a few days catching up with them. One of the main reasons of their visit was to head up a fundraiser called Kite Surfing for Kids. It was an event that took advantage of the Kite surfing community, tourism, and local shops and restaurants to raise money for 3 charities that work with underprivileged children. Kids Alive, Crossroads, and The Dream Project will benefit from and split the $11,000!!! Thank you to the entire Park Family, Kee, Susan, Sophie, and Camile for your tireless efforts in reaching children at risk.
This was also the same weekend our dear friend Candace Greene returned home to Canada after a year and half with us in Caraballo. She has become one of our best friends and we are going to miss her very much.

Our Sweet Pad

The last 6 months at The Ark has been a one of a kind experience. The mountain scenery is refreshing and the air cool and crisp. It rains A LOT! When we arrived in August, it seemed like it rained every afternoon for the next 3 months. Recently it has been raining all day long, going on the 8th day in a row. It is quite frustrating when your transportation is a motorcycle and you live 10 minutes from civilization. Not having a dryer makes things interesting too. There’s something about putting on smelly mildewy clothes that makes you really want the sun to come out.