Three more months, and 2016 will be history. It’s funny how days seem long, yet the months and years just fly. At the close of each day, I fall into bed so very exhausted. But, the Lord! He’s so faithful and constant and near. As difficult and full as each day is, I’m thankful for His presence and strength. You can pray that our family would keep our eyes solely on our Jesus as we make our way through each day.
Enjoy some pictures of this past month in the DR!
This section of the school building has reached 3 stories! Scaffolding gone – looks pretty impressive!More footers and subwalls for new classrooms. God’s provision!Scott continues with music class!Noah loves that his dad gets to spend a little part of the day with him. Enjoying class with Sebastian.Leyton and Cristofer are buddies!Our Accelerate! program continues – Desiree helping her students read through Spanish syllables.Two shipping containers arrived with more tools and supplies to continue the ministry!Airport run! We decided to take the back route through the bateyes. When we were unsure of where to turn, we just asked people along the way if we were headed in the right direction! Who needs maps?!This little one-year-old is developing quite the personality.During our down week, we were able to work on some house projects. Thanks to Gabe for helping make loft beds for the boys!Leyton continues growing. Trying to take advantage of Tuesday and Thursday mornings with this big man.Someone forgot to close the bathroom door one afternoon. We heard splashing and found Caleigh enjoying a new place to play! Bathtime ensued (immediately after the picture). Always an adventure…
Tick-tock! Time marches on – our babies are growing, our ministry is changing, our students are maturing. There’s nothing we can do but take advantage of each moment. Here are some pictures of life in the DR from the last two months!
Digging out the footers for new schoolroomsSuch hard work!
Heather talking with Estaylin after a trip to the office. He recently chose to accept Christ! This little boy’s life is changing!
Smiles from Meroli as she enjoys spending time with short-term team membersSome of our littles took some time to get accustomed to school. Cuddles with Elle!Summer teams built the walls of these two new classroomsNoah working at his technology center in 1st grade
Noah says Jose Miguel is his best friend at school
July was Caleigh’s 10 month
One of the MK’s favorite pastimes is toad-hunting
It’s neat to see Mery as she grows as a teacher. We co-taught our first years in kindergarten.
This little girl loves getting into everything
My little laundry helper
Our newest good behavior incentive – a book giveaway!
We’re loving Anna Luisa’s smile as she picks her book to take home
Caleigh loves to play peek-a-boo
Smiley girl!
Noah leading his class in the Spanish alphabet
Sebastian and Noah
August was Caleigh’s 11th month
First-third graders are beginning music class with Mr. Scott
Carla is learning about musical instruments and their families – she made her own “maraca” out of paper plates and rice!Fernancia and her classmates continue learning and growing!
Wow! Life. So full! Two months of pictures. Praising the Lord for all He has done!
Mother’s Day Celebration in May!Students and mothers worked on a craft togetherCaleigh completed month 8!Noah graduated from Kindergarten!Yeifrey and Caleigh at graduationOur last Parent-Teacher conference of the ’15-’16 school year.Abby and Yuleisy talking with families about student behavior and achievementTwo of our students from Batey CampiñaWe moved! The MK’s did a ton of work helping us get out to Freedom’s campus.The road to campus was upgraded! No more potholes or standing water!Furlough has changed to May! Headed back to the States!Scott shared at an interest meeting for a future DR tripThe boys enjoyed the Columbus Zoo with Grammy and GrandpaRipley’s Aquarium with MemawOur amazing interns joined us soon after we returned to the DR!A shower house was built to the side of the apartment buildingLeyton and Noah on their first day of the ’16-’17 school year!We’ve enjoyed life with several short-term teams so far. Six weeks left in the summer!Caleigh passed the 9-month mark in June!
Our 1st and 2nd graders enjoyed their first-ever field trip to the National AquariumAlfredo, Woobens, AchuchuThe kids were in awe of everything – the bus ride, the fold-down seats in the theater, the exhibits, the playground…Noah is almost finished with Kindergarten!April was Caleigh’s seventh monthNoah lost his first tooth!Leyton is all boy – he ran into our sideboard and got a fun little cut one afternoon.Scott and our intern Patrick had one last weekly meeting at our favorite pizza place before Patrick headed back to the StatesAng worked on sponsorship letters at the end of the month1st grade students drawing pictures for their sponsorsOur $12,500 matching gift was met! A new road and drainage system are being put in!The pad in the middle of the school’s octagon was leveled out. A multi-use building will eventually be built here.Our family is the last to move out to our campus! We are packing everything up!Caleigh helping Daddy fix the laundry room walls before the big move.
A Christian school here in San Pedro came out for a community service project – they did a fantastic job working with our students!March was Caleigh’s 6th monthThe apartments are tiled!Our sweet Yuleisy is moving soon!Freshening up her new place with some paint!Rachel and YuleisyThis little man isn’t so little anymore – Yeifrey is almost finished with 2nd grade!Missionary bonfire on Freedom’s campus!The girls hanging out in Caleigh’s new room one afternoon while Daddy did some workBeautiful sugarcane fieldsCaleigh visited Yuleisy’s family in Lima. Basilio calls Caleigh his “Americanita”Caleigh and WilminHanging out with Yuleisy’s parentsIt’s ash season! The sugarcane factories are making sugar – and they’re making my floors dirty too!Easter Sunday breakfast on the land with the teamHappy Easter from the Mitchener family!
Oh, how my heart has been aching to write. But alas, life is running a mile a minute. I’ve been feeding sweet babygirl, playing momma to the boys, driving to school several times a week, emailing, making phone calls, cooking, planning, and washing (our clothes, our dishes, and our children). Life has been so beautifully and wonderfully full, and I’ve been enjoying this fleeting season. It’s been impossible to find time to splurge on writing. So for now, I’ll post some pictures of this first month of 2016 and try to be more intentional about sharing life over the next 11 months.
Freedom’s first Field Day was a success!
Photo booth cuteness
Sibling love
Caleigh helped us pick out our new bathroom floor at the tile store
Earlier this month, we took a vacation to Gatlinburg, TN with Scott’s parents. It was so relaxing to put aside the stresses of work and support-raising for a week and enjoy spending time with family!
Noah had fun looking at all the fish and penguins at Ripley’s Aquarium!
The Noah-man loves getting into everything now. He just started sitting up and crawling a little, too. Time to “babyproof” the apartment!
Noah with our newest supporter! He must be happy because he’s one step closer to moving to the Dominican Republic. 🙂