mom, eat chocolate!

okay, i realized i have kind of done a poor job of writing out what my day looks like, so i am going to try! also, Mom, i have eaten some chocolate, so please allow yourself something delicious! it was actually really cool, because we have had no running water for the past 6 days...dont ask how were managing, but please pray that it will come back soon! anyways, on sunday night, us girls were eating dinner and we were sitting there just wishing for some chocolate. no joke, as soon as i said that we heard a knock on the door...it was some friends bringing us brownies and buckets of water...2 for 2! God has even been looking out for my chocolate cravings!!!

as for our days here, i am woken up by roosters every morning at 5 a.m. sometimes i fall back asleep but usually i just lay there until about 6 30 and i finally get up and make some coffee, which is made in the coolest way! i will be bringing that back to the states! we usually just take it slow, get dressed, read a little, talk and then head to the Ark for devotions with the other teachers and then at 9 a.m. class starts, for everyone! i am with the little kids until about 11 30 but today 2 of them feel asleep at 11...very cute! after that, we eat lunch...sometimes i eat with the dominican families and sometimes i eat with the other kids from the surrounding villages. at about 1 we resume class for an hour and i help with the older kids. we are done around 2 and then, we have planned activities-sports to play with the kids. also, i am helping to tutor some of the kids here in the afternoons...they are helping me too, with my espanol! that has been very fun!!! at around 4 or 5 we try to make a trip into town to hit up the internet cafes and get our American kick for the day! we walk everywhere, and it has been very fun exploring this area. the mountains surround the city on every side...it is SO beautiful! around 6 30 we head back to our apartment and make dinner for ourselves and usually sit around talk for quite a while. doing the dishes has been fun, especially with no running water...we have to wash everything by hand with soap and then let the clean dishes soak in Clorox water for 20 min so that all of the bacteria from the water is killed. i actually really enjoy doing the dishes, so this has been nice. we end up in bed around 10 or so and read or talk until we fall asleep. however, last night we attempted to do our own laundry for the first time, so we filled the sink and hand washed our clothes, and then hung them on chairs or string to dry. we dont know how often we will be doing this...it is quite the process, but this is how people live.

the days are very peaceful here. dominican time is much different from the US. no one is in a hurry and everyone seems to just enjoy the moment they are in. its very laid back and friendly! almost every weekend is filled up with hiking or visiting the other interns in jarabacoa. we made some good friendships before we all dispersed so we are doing our best to keep in touch with one another!

i also want to share that this morning, i was feeling a little discouraged with my lack of spanish and i was praying that God show me His reasons for why i am here...it is easy to feel as though i am not needed, but i know that is a lie. so, today we were playing the kids and one of my friends, Veronica, who is 14 came up and gave me a bracelet that she had made for me...it made me cry. she is the sweetest girl and her kindness was all i needed to be reminded of the Lords sweet love.

i am reading a book called The Only Road North by Erik Mirandette and there is quote that i wanted to post, because it depicts a lot of how i am feeling and what i am experiencing here...
It is only when we are pushed past our self perceived limits that we are able to clearly see our truest nature, discover our deepest selves, only then can we hope to improve upon what we find. To do so is neither safe nor comfortable, it is both dangerous and scary but we warriors were meant to live in this way.

i know, im not really a warrior, but i am being stretched...building so much character and heavenly understanding.

i love you very much family!