This week has been really encouraging for me.  Jeff and I have said since we started with SRI that we are biased toward the Southern teams that come to visit.  They have a way of making us feel like family (so do the Midwestern teams, since that is where we call home).  This week has been full of a lot of memories for me as I am reminded as to how the Dominican has always felt like home to me. Traveling to San Juan in 1988 planted a little seed in my heart that has continually bloomed and is continuing to bloom today.  I sat in on the team’s evening devotional on Tuesday as Don McClure shared about the very early days of Solid Rock’s ministry in San Juan and El Cercado.  I am a 3rd generation (and Braegan a 4th generation) missionary in San Juan.  It makes my heart happy to hear about the early days and how much SRI has grown in the last several years.  I’m thankful to be a part of the history.

The tasks of the day are very similar throughout the week and that is sometimes what makes our days challenging; however, the little experiences we face each day as we go about them are different. Examples of this from this week:

-I was heading to pick Braegan up from school earlier this week, and I noticed a guagua (city bus) was backing up toward me.  Our horn has been out in our truck for a couple months and we are waiting for a part.  Since I couldn’t honk at the driver I just slowly kept edging forward into on coming traffic to avoid getting backed in to.  When I realized I couldn’t go forward anymore I just sat there and waited for my turn.  Next thing I know, the guagua drove into the back passenger side of the truck.  I got out to take a look and the driver was doing the same, he had a huge smile on his face and I nicely told him everything was fine and to be careful.  We went off in our separate ways.  There’s just a little bit of blue and white paint on the back corner of the truck, but no real damage was done.

-On the return trip from picking Braegan up from school I was about to cross the bridge to get to the guesthouse, and as I drove over a speed bump, I noticed a man down on all 4’s.  I continued to drive slowly as I wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing.  The next thing I knew, he darted at the driver side of the truck.  There are a few people in town that we see on a daily basis that aren’t all mentally there. This man is one of them and just the day before, he was laying in the middle of the road.  No harm done in this episode either.

-This morning I was getting Braegan out of the truck to walk her into school and I overheard someone shouting, “linda, linda, linda” (spanish word for pretty or beautiful).  I turned around to see the owner of the corner store holding a cup of coffee out toward me saying “toma” (take it).  This put a huge smile on my face.  Literally the simplest things lately have meant the most.  Every week we take the group to eat dinner at Bienvenidas Comedor for a traditional Dominican restaurant experience. Bienvenidas is renting out some space to the corner store while they have some renovations done. A few weeks ago, I sat in the store with Braegan and conversed with owner and his family, and now we are greeted daily by whoever is there working.

Relationships and authenticity are huge to me.  I’ve always been a fan of clear communication and being real.  As we have transitioned into our interim roles with SRI, it has been important to Jeff and myself that we are authentic with the people we work with and around on a daily basis.  It’s ok to have a hard day, we are real people.

On another note, this little gem turns 3 on Monday.  Where has time gone!?!?!  She is living the life.  I have said this so many times that I wouldn’t change a thing about her childhood.  This week’s group is from Spartanburg, SC and a majority of them have been present for each of her birthdays in the past couple of years.  They have a way of making her entire birthday week special.  She has received little gifts each day.  To top it all off she doesn’t even have school on her birthday, so she will get to spend the day hanging out and doing the things she loves: playing, observing in surgery, and being with people.

Thanks for your prayers throughout the past few weeks, we can feel them and hear your encouragement.  We most definitely have low days but this week has been filled with many high’s and it so encouraging!

Ways that you can continue to pray for us:

-Braegan is still having restless nights.  Please pray God’s protection over her as she sleeps and for true rest that comes from Him.  This means rest for Jeff and I as well, because when she can’t sleep our nights are interrupted as well.

-Jeff and I are continuing to navigate God’s plan for our future.  Please pray that we are still to listen to His voice.

-We have one more team next week before a week break.  Pray that we are able to truly rest and relax!