Time For A Break!

With summer about half over we had a chance to take our interns to the beach for a day off.  It took some planning, but some of the other staff graciously covered for us and off we went!  What an awesome day it turned out to be! We had so much fun.

We left our base at 5:30 am and got to the beach about 8:00am

Little did we know what was in store for us!

All ready to go

Everyone was  eager to see what was coming

25 minutes out to sea and we came to this little beach.

I'm kinda thinking we were happy :)

YEP!

So Fun

The water was so blue and so warm

Gotta say: The "GO PRO" camera can really capture colors underwater

God's creation is amazing above and below water

HOW FUN!

WOW!

HOW IS THAT FOR COLOR?

It was a very good day!

God's magnificent creation

Best Interns EVER!!!

Our interns gave their all everyday leading up to this wonderful trip.  Loving on each team, pouring into our program to make it better and encouraging the staff who work so hard day in and day out.  What a blessing to have a day to rest, play and strengthen our relationship as a family.  We praise our God who made all this happen!

Surgery

This summer we had a outreach participant that needed emergency surgery for appendicitis.  Once again God confirmed us having a house with a couple extra rooms, as we were able to house these 2 wonderful ladies, Sabrina and Elizabeth.  As their team left on Saturday Sabrina could'nt fly home due to needing to recover.  Elizabeth stayed to help care for Sabrina and comfort her.  She proved to be a great friend.  A week after their team left they were able to return home.

Sabrina was a delightful young lady with a great heart

We could all use more great friends like Elizabeth (R)

Leaving the hospital and coming to our house

Summer 2013 Revisited!

Wow!  What an awesome summer we had this year.  Karen and I were blown away to see so many hearts touched by God.  Really, I can't think of anything that could make the sacrifice of being away from loved ones worth it other than knowing that together with all who support us both financially and prayerfully we are making an impact for eternity.  But, that, alone........ is worth everything!

What a blessing and a joy our 2 volunteers, Courtney and Helena, were this summer.  They were wonderful!  And God gave us 10 interns that we could not have lived without also.  We so love each one of them and they will be forever etched in our hearts.

This summer as we have gathered for meals or bible studies or worship, as our interns can attest, God has continued to press into my heart this thought:
One day we will all sit at the table of King Jesus and bask in His greatness.  Just imagine that!  As I told my friend Carlos last night, " I don't care Carlos if Jesus puts you right beside Him and I have to sit at the farthest end of the table, just let me be there!"  Think about it!  God loves us so much!  He wants so badly for us to talk to Him, to walk with Him, to trust Him.  And... all we have to do is turn to Him and call Him Lord and He will take us under His wing forever.  Wow!

My next 3,4,5 weeks I will put up blogs re-living for you God's faithfulness to Karen and I over the summer.  My prayer is as you read and experience this you will enjoy and truly understand your part in this is every bit as important as our part has been.  The lives we have impacted here can only be done as a body of believers, who together say "Yes God, we will sacrifice for You" .  We all sacrifice in some way for this to happen and my prayer is we all enjoy the work being done for Gods glory.

So...... enjoy :)

SI treated the staff to a "Rest Retreat" just before the summer push, with the theme from Isaiah
"Be Still"
What a joy to all be together and come close before lots of work

Our time was filled with study and praise.  

And fun and games with our staff!  Fernando our Medical Ministry Site Leader

Lots of Fun, Mary Ellen our Hospitality Director

Karen our Ministry Site Leader for Special Education

Rachel,  our  Community Health Ministry Site Leader

Yocasta, one of our Education Site Leader

Michael, one of our Education Ministry Site Leaders

Raul, our Mens Sports Site Leader

I love this pic.  I think this might have been where the Trinity hung out as they finished creation :)

One very happy couple

Time with our wonderful friends, Dick and Mary Ellen

Dont know if I've ever seen this girl sooooooo chill...

The Home Team!

Oh, my goodness! We have had an incredible summer and we an overwhelmed by God's grace and goodness showered on us during these past few months. In a few weeks we will have some time to fill you in but for now I just wanted to share about our team from our home church!

The minute they pulled on to the base I started to cry - I know, go figure! But I was overwhelmed by this sense of peace just knowing that we were going to be surrounded by people we have a history with, people who have known us through thick and thin, who know our character and who love us so much! And people that we love so much and have loved for many years! Some of the participants we have known since before they were a twinkle in their parents' eye! And they are now 18 or 19!

And how honored we were to be a part of their walk with God here in the Dominican Republic. The Holy Spirit was tangible and moving through their lives in a way that was fruitful and nourishing to all they came in contact with. We were so proud to be connected with our Cascade Covenant Team. Jesse, Kelly, Nikki, Shannon and Matt were phenomenal leaders, truly an example of dying to self for the sake of others, always serving and caring, leading and guiding their team members.

While they were here our life was full with our work and daily living but we were able to squeeze in many moments to visit and touch base. How encouraging to hear the stories of all that God has been doing since we have last seen everyone along with all that He was doing during their time here. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera pretty much every day so I only have a few pictures from their time here, although I know everyone else has tons they took!

Beginning on Tuesday, Kenny became so sick that he wasn't able to go to the base and actually remained in bed until just this morning. He went to the base to say good bye last night but is still not fully recovered. Turns out he had an amoeba! Yikes! But he got the medicine needed yesterday and he is already beginning to heal! All that being said, he was so bummed to miss time with the team. So he isn't in any of the pictures! Dios sabe!