Updating my Resumé

One of our New Year’s resolutions for 2012 has been to be better at staying in touch with friends and family back in the US.  Well, here we are in February and we’ve only posted to our blog once and emails and phone calls have been sporadic at best.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that we (or at least, I) have never been all that great at communicating with far off friends and family, so our resolution of “getting better” is still achievable!  Anyway, the following is some of what happened in our January 2012.

When we returned to the DR on January 6^th, we both knew we’d have plenty to keep us occupied.  We were both able to detach ourselves for the few weeks we got to spend in the US over Christmas break, but toward the end of the break, our minds often wandered to what this semester would hold.  Just before Christmas break, I was informed that the Cafeteria that serves lunch to about a quarter of the school’s 250 students (and snacks and drinks to the rest throughout the school day) would pass to the school and fall under our umbrella starting in January.  Not only that, but our Executive Director was on a three state fundraising trip to the US for the entire month of January – therefore the majority of the Café burden would fall to me and our Managing Director, Tim.  

While the Cafe had been run as its own business for the past three years, it had experienced numerous issues and struggled to break even.  Obviously, as the Finance Director, I was quite apprehensive about the undertaking.  A solid half of our operating budget at Doulos comes from donors who sponsor students to attend Doulos where they would (financially) otherwise have no such opportunity.  Needless to say, we are not in a position where we can afford to take on a money losing food service.  Therefore, since arriving back at school, I have been intimately involved in the daily operations of the Café Taino – from ordering, to cashiering/sales, to accounting (obviously) – I’ve done it all. 

Overall, the first month of running the Café under the banner of Doulos Discovery School has been a pleasant surprise.  January was a short month (only 13 days of classes where the Café served lunch) and we still broke even.  I am looking forward to gathering a full month’s worth of data to see where we stand, but it looks like with a little work and a few more tweaks, things will work out just fine.   I’ve also learned a lot about trusting God through this experience – I was fairly apprehensive about the possibility of the school losing money through taking this on, but God has provided for our needs as He always does.  It sure has been encouraging (although exhausting for the first month back).  The other positive is I get to interact with students of ALL ages at the school more now than I would have ever though possible.  I think I know more kids names now than some of the other teachers who have been here for much longer than we have!    

All this is to say that I have been updating my resumé this month – not because I am looking for a new job, but because of this big change that I’ve experienced in my work during the month of January.  I now have experience with Mergers and Acquisitions (taking on the Café as a new “business segment” of our school) and Restaurant Management.  One thing can surely be said for working for non-profits; you will never be lacking for titles. 

Christen has been busy in the classroom and continues to be a fantastic science teacher who all of her students really seem to enjoy.  (I will leave her stories for her to share, but I had to mention what she's been up to).  

As always, we hope this finds you happy, healthy, and living in God’s grace.  We LOVE to hear from you and are looking forward to our first visitors THIS month!

SDG

'Twas the season

Well we hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  We were thankful to be able to make it back to the states for the holidays.  We spent Christmas with the Bykers in Philadelphia and rang in the New Year with the Rauschnots in California.  We had a great time spending almost three weeks surrounded by family.  We especially enjoyed watching our 15 month niece, Eliana (Bruce and Sarah) as she was has just begun walking.  We feel so blessed to have had such a long break and are feeling ready and energized to start a new semester.

Before we can move on to that, though, Joe and I wanted to catch you up on what we did the last couple weeks of school, starting with Thanksgiving.

For Thanksgiving we and 3 other couples (and Patch, of course), made a short journey to Cabarete beach for a weekend of fun and relaxation.  We arrived Thursday afternoon and instantly began preparing for our first Thanksgiving dinner in the DR.  It was a huge combined effort and was quite the tasty meal.  Joe was very happy that where we were staying had a tv and cable and was able to watch a LOT of football over our 4 days there - including Michigan's first win over Ohio State in 7 years!  We also spent lots of time on the beach and Patch had a pretty good time too.  The waves were HUGE but we eventually got him out in the water with us.  He was pretty exhausted and maybe even a little traumatized afterwards, however.  Overall it was a great weekend spent with friends and regenerated us for the next three weeks of school.

Our perf Thanksgiving spread!

Joe was so excited to watch College football for the first time all season!

Patch passed out after his first ocean experience.

December also meant my very first Expedition Night.  This is a night where the students at Doulos compile all of the information they learned during their expedition and put it into a final product form for parents and members of the community to see in an open house style.  As you may recall, 6th grade's expedition was on coral reefs.  We spent a week preparing for this night, creating posters, displays, and preparing a presentation.  I was so amazed at how much my students had really learned and their passion for sharing this with others.  They came up with all of the ideas for our final products - which was awesome for me since I did not have to do much thinking!  Their presentation was based on the "domino effect" showing how one thing leads to the next in the case of dying coral reefs as well as with healthy coral reefs.  I was so proud of each and every student as I watched them during their presentation and how much wisdom was in their words.  I must admit, when I began this expedition with this group of 11 and 12 year olds, I did not think it was such a good idea.  I thought that the information was way over their heads and that they would not appreciate the experience.  However I have been converted.  I totally underestimated the power of learning through experience and am still in awe at how much these kids really did learn - not just the ability to recall information, but actually applying what they had learned and teaching others about it.  Wow!

Ysmayar, our narrator for the night, explaining the different effects educated and non-educated people have on coral reefs.

Frailyn starting off the domino effect

The boys being boys

The whole group at the end of the night - I was exhausted!

Once expedition night was over it felt like we were on the downhill towards Christmas.  After just one week of classes, we were free for three whole weeks!  There was still much to do with getting grades out and passing out report cards.  The weekend after expedition night, we had a Christmas party with all of our neighborhood kids.  We had contacted our Sunday school class back in Tennessee who agreed to put together little gifts for 10 of our neighbors ranging from ages 4 to 17.  Joe let them all know that we wanted to have them over for dinner that Saturday at 7 pm.  Saturday rolled around and the kid's anticipation was palpable.  They were waiting around all day long for the party, none of them straying very far from the front gate of our house.  When 7 pm rolled around, we invited them all in and had dinner, soda, and dessert ready for them.  Once they had finished eating all of the chicken and tostones (fried plantains) they could possibly stomach, we pulled out the gifts and handed each of them their bag.  We wish every one of you could have been there to experience the joy on their faces  They were thrilled, surprised, and SO GRATEFUL for these gifts!  Each gift bag had some type of candy, a New Testament Bible, toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss, mechanical pencils or markers and a notebook or sticker book.  It was as if these were the best gifts they had ever received.  After they all had gone through their gifts and said thank you a thoasand times, they ended up staying around for several more hours.  Joe showed them all his TRX trainer and even let them try it out.  Then we taught them to play a game called Signs which they loved.  Finally around 11 they said their reluctant goodbyes, gifts in hand.  What a night!  I am not sure there is any greater joy than giving.  We are so grateful for our friends back in Tennessee who were willing to do so and enable us to create this lasting memory!

David, 4, enjoying food - I do not think anyone left hungry that night!

Evelyn with her gift!

The kids love sliding down our stair case - Cristal, Evelyn, and Clari

The girls and me watching the boys on the TRX

Frandi trying out the TRX

Group pic!

After our Christmas party the next week flew by.  We ended the semester by attending the wedding of one of Doulos' staff members, Jerry Cabot, to his beautiful bride, Leidy.  Jerry is originally from Puerto Rico and is a huge asset to our Doulos staff.  He knows how to connect to his students, and especially ministers to our middle school boys.  I know that I am expecially grateful to have him on the middle school team and have gone to him many a time for advice!

Jerry and Leidy, the newlyweds, with the Doulos staff

Jerry and Leidy's wedding was a beatiful finish to our first semester here at Doulos.  Sitting there and hearing them say their vows, Joe and I looked around, surrounded by our new friends we had made in the Dominican Republic, filled with joy at how God has provided for us here.  We are so grateful for all you who have chosen to support us in prayer and financially and are amazed at how God has blessed us.  As Joe and I were flying back to the Dominican Republic, we gazed out the window as we were leaving Miami and both agreed that we were excited to be heading back home to the DR.  Many of you may know the song by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes but home really is wherever Joe and I are together.

Soli Deo Gloria

Playa Fronton

I've decided to give you a picture tour of our time at Playa Fronton with 18 sixth graders for their coral reef expedition. We started early Monday morning and drove for 5 hours to the Samana peninsula. Things were a little packed on the bus and students were FULL of energy! When we arrived, we were dropped off on the side of a dirt road literally in the middle of nowhere. The beach we would be staying at was not reachable by car so we had to hike for two hours to get there! When we finally arrived, it was amazing to see the faces of several of the students - some had never seen the ocean before. One girl, Noemi, stood with her mouth open in amazement for at least 2 minutes. A whole wave emotion flowed through me during that time as I enjoyed their reactions as much as they enjoyed their first view of God's marvelous creation.

Hiking in

Noemi (front) & Eliezer (back)

When we arrived at the beach which would be our home for the week, it didn't take much time for the kids to get in the water, clothes and all.

Students enjoying the ocean (some for the first time!)

Eventually, we had to round all the kids up to set up our campsite. We had 5 tents that needed to be set up along with our very own (and my first ever) BIFF - Bathroom In Forest Floor. The first day passed by quickly after setting up camp, dinner, and the requisite campfire.

Our tents

There was always endless amounts of sand in our tents - very uncomfortable to sleep on!

Our first day began with a review session - "obstacle course" style.  Basically students had to make their way through an obstacle course and answer different questions along the way.  If they answered incorrectly, the teacher asking the question got to make them do any embarrassing thing they wanted.  It was a lot of fun for both students and teachers!

Priscylla doing the limbo on the way to Station 1.

Frailyn doing sand stars after answering a question incorrectly.  He always has a smile on his face.



Geremias climbing a tree for the last challenge!

The rest of the day was spent waiting for our experts from the non-profit, Reef Check DR.  We passed the time un-knotting the human knot and even had French class.

Satisfaction - human knot just about cracked!

Joe finding a moment of solitude - always needed when
 surrounded by 11 and 12 year old kids for a week

Our experts finally arrived late afternoon on Tuesday and gave a class on coral reefs.  This included review for the students as well as some new information.

Ruben (from Reef Check) talking with students and teachers.

The next day was what all of the students were looking forward to most - snorkeling!  Before we could get into the water though, the kids had some work to do.  One way marine biologists around the world are helping coral reefs is through coral nurseries.  Ruben informed the kids that they would be helping out by making coral "cookies".  The step by step process (with pictures) is below.

Step 1 - Mix the cement.

Step 2 - Cut out the mesh centers.

Step 3 - Create coral "cookies".

Step 4 - Let them dry.

Step 5 - Pop them out.

Final product - Coral cookie with attached (in this case, dead) coral.

These coral cookies would be used to attach live coral which would then be transplanted to a coral nursery.  In these coral nurseries, marine biologists are trying to re-grow coral and increase genetic diversity of the different coral species - pretty cool stuff!

After making our first batch of cookies, we gave snorkeling lessons and then the students were let loose into the water to actually see the coral reefs that they had been learning about!

6th graders out in the water having a great time!

Adriana being silly!

That night before bed we had one last activity - Plankton fishing!  Using our makeshift nets of pantyhose and strainers, student went plankton catching and used flashlights to see these tiny organisms that are the main food source for corals. 

Joe checking out plankton with Isabela.

Following the very full day we had, everyone was exhausted, so after gathering around the campfire for smores and songs, we went to bed anticipating the next day of adventures.  Day 4 went by very fast.  We made more cookies, snorkeled some more, and students collected loads of data on water quality, beach width and slope.  It was hard to believe that the next day we would already be heading back home.

Taking water quality measurements.

Our snorkeling group pick - can you spot Joe?

Our last day began the same way as every other day - with our daily devotions with students.  That morning; however, we awoke early and did a sunrise devotional time.  Our devotions topics throughout the week all had the theme of water and so we ended on Friday with a more symbolic action with water - Jesus washing His disciple's feet.  It was quite breathtaking sitting on the beach with my kids, talking about God and seeing his beautiful sunrise.  When the sun did make it's first appearance on the horizon we all stopped and soaked it in for some time.  We culminated the trip with washing our own student's feet and gave them the opportunity to do the same for each other. 

Our breathtaking sunrise.

Washing one another's feet

Prayer before leaving Playa Fronton

Boat ride (perhaps the most fun part of the trip for me) back to civilization - the waves
were still quite large from a storm that was raging near the Bahamas

We ended the trip by picking up trash and taking boats (instead of hiking) to the town where our bus was waiting to take us back home.  The bus ride home was much quieter than the one to the beach.  Kids slept or recapped the week.  Joe and I were incredibly exhausted - ready for a shower and a real toilet.  As I look back at our week in Playa Fronton I don't really think about everything the students learned about coral reefs - which was a lot.  Instead I think about the relationships that were formed or strengthened.  Of course I would not like to spend every week in seclusion with 18 sixth graders, but it was the most unifying experience I have ever had with students.  I know that Joe and I made the right decision in answering God's calling for us  in the Dominican Republic.  This blog cannot tell you half of what we experience here and I wish you all could live it with us!

I hope all of your lives are as fulfilling as ours are - that you have found purpose in all that you do, which can only come from God.  As always we enjoy hearing from you and are thinking and praying for you all.

Soli Deo Gloria