Six Weeks

Yep, I did skip blogging last week. For the faithful few, I'm sorry!

Lots of travel and more adventure. Went to Santo Domingo with a bunch of my new amigos here in Santiago. Was a little apprehensive because none of them spoke much English and I speak little (but growing) Spanish. Guess what?? Had a great time. But, I'm sorry to say that if Santo Domingo is the diamond city of the DR, there's problems. From what I saw, it was EXTREMELY dirty and very crowded with cars. The breach front was full (I mean full) of trash. I was very surprised it was that dirty. But the people I went with made it all worth while.

But, here's where you may find a diamond just about anywhere - went to visit a family there in a relatively poor part of town. Wasn't expecting what I found. The master bedroom, with meager furnishings, actually had a working AIR CONDITIONER!! Only my second encounter in a home (plenty of stores have them) since I left Florida. It was a Kodak moment; me and two other adults (a tall man and average size woman) all three took a nap on the same bed with this amazing cool air blowing on us. In their broken ingles (English) I think I understood them to ask me if I wanted to join them for a nap on the bed. Well, this was one time I'm going to assume the best in what they were trying to say. I thought I could never relax if I didn't have a bed to myself. Well, things change quickly when the anty is upped with A/C! When I actually learn more Espanol I may find out that was NOT an offer to join them, but I don't care! It was so nice!

Rented a car and went to Rio San Juan, area where more of the DR missionaries are based, for the weekend. Good to catch up with TJ/Holly. Good good peeps. Also met the new team, Laura Beth and Corey Lamb. And what a great couple. Young and wide eyed, but amazing amazing, with spiritual maturity. Their sponsoring congregation is Henderson C/C in Henderson, TN. And, if this is any kind of sign of what that congregation of believers is producing, I'm extremely impressed. And of course time with Tammie Wallace was just the detox I needed. She reminds me of my aunt Jan. Amazing listeners.

The trip over the mountains between Santiago and Rio San Juan is almost indescribable. Bonito. Bonito. (beautiful!) And, past Rio San Juan, near a town call Nagua (I think) there's a forest of coconut palms you drive through. I'm talking forest. It was so beautiful. My favorite tree is a palm of any kind, but this was actually what I'd call a forest. Just tons of coconuts. And all hanging over the road, so the sky was almost somewhat covered. Never seen anything like it before. And, as I was driving, I was thinking, sights like this are exactly what I was hoping/praying for. And, that's exactly what this 6 weeks has been.... sights, sounds and experiences AND AMAZING PEOPLE I could never have experienced anywhere else.

Speaking of people....

The boys are great. We had what I'd call a (another) break through last evening. We've started a nightly family time where we all get together at the table and share about our day (yep, my Corny idea, but it's been really good). Well, this night both boys were more comedians than usual, and their mom was trying to share about a hard day she had, so I gave them a pretty harsh (but short) lecture about how hard their mom worked and how they should be more respectful and stuff like that. And, it went right to their heart. (which I didn't expect, as many of my "talks" seem to bounce right off their heads) So much so that Marsil let out some really deep emotional stuff about how hard it was to be the man he is trying to be, and work as hard as he does at school and how he does this all because he loves his mom, and telling it all through tears streaming, streaming down his face. It was a really really good night. It was good to hear Marsil express his deep emotions and good to see him let out some of the huge stress he's under. He's like 15 going on 25. Sometimes barely 15; sometimes carrying the load of someone much older.

And guess who volunteered to help me with the dishes. Paul!!! (yep, not a typo!) He's growing. Boy, it's slow, but he's growing.

The stories never end. Went out this morning with a friend. Ask her what is the best, very best place to have lunch in Santiago? Keep in mind, this is a married women of about 35 I'd say. She and her husband fast becoming good friends. This woman is no kid. And, I suggested a few good restaurants (The Pasta House, etc.) of places I wanted to treat her. And there are some decent restaurants here, but what did she consider one of the best restaurants in Santiago?? McDonalds!! My mouth dropped, but I closed it quickly and we proceeded to McDonald's where we had a great time. It again made me appreciate something I take for granted, to say the least. American Fast Food! It was good. Most excellent to see her enjoy it so much.

It blows my mind that these people, even those that have a little tiny bit of money, have never traveled more than 75 miles from their home their whole lives. And all their experiences and their entire world is in the radius of 75 miles. But, they see the world, through internet, TV, etc. But, they will probably never see the world. Still, they are no less happy (perhaps no more) than we are. Perhaps more "happy", whatever that means. So, the secret cannot be in the things of this world, or the experiences of this world, or the place you live.

If the next two months go by this fast, I'll be leaving sooner than I think, or perhaps want.

Yes, there are days, times, that I really miss what was familiar and comfortable and "controllable". But, I look back and ask myself, where do I want to be now. Do I want to go back to the job I had? Do I want to go back to anything I had? Not that it was bad; it was awesome, blessed blessed. But, it's past. And it's not something I want to go back to, or recreate or repeat. So, all I know to do is go/grow forward. And this is the life I choose to grow forward to/with. So, I don't really have a choice. I move forward because I have to and I don't really have a life to go back to (or want to go back to). And that's the choices I made. And I'm at true peace with that. As alone as it is at times; or strange; or just not "home", it is home, for this is where God has planted my heart, in this season. And thank you God for planting my heart deep here, even for a season.