We’ve all experienced goodbyes at some level. They can be hard; the people or places you leave behind are so special. I could never share about all of the wonderful friends I’ve made here in the DR, but I’d be remiss not to tell you about sweet Eunice.
End of school awards – 2022!Parent-teacher conferencesWorking through phonics training
Eunice came to us in 2019. She entered the teacher training program that year and began working in “inicial” with our littlest students. Right away, I noticed her integrity, her hard work ethic, and her positive attitude.
Designing visual aidsSmall group work
When I began to work with our elementary coordinators a little more closely in 2022, I got to know Eunice even better. And I loved everything about her: the way she cared for her teachers, the way she humbly asked for help and advice, and the way she infused God’s truth into each situation she encountered. There were many days that she entered my office for our weekly meeting, and I left more encouraged because of her perfectly timed words of wisdom and hope.
The second grade teamElementary coordinators – 2023
I have gained another kindred spirit in Eunice, and I don’t like that we’ll be so far apart. But that’s the good thing about kindred spirits – you can pick up where you left off as if no time has passed. I’m not sure when I’ll see this wonderful lady again, but I am thankful to call her friend.
Today, I’ve got a relatively simple card game for you: Wizard. This trick-taking game is solid because it’s easy to learn, and the rounds are quick. However, there’s just enough strategy and luck to keep it fresh each time. Wizard uses a normal 52-card deck – with one exception. There are 8 additional cards: 4 Wizards (which beat everything) and 4 Jesters (which lose to everything).
At its base, this is simply a game of following suit. But before play begins, you must guess how many tricks you think you’ll take. I’m going to go ahead and say that the Deluxe edition of Wizard is the way to go. It comes with these fun little wheels that you can use to lock in your bids each round. You can play several different ways, and the wheels are extremely helpful for certain variations.
Wizard truly is the perfect game for a lazy Saturday afternoon with friends. We broke it out recently, and I don’t know why we don’t choose it more often. A relaxing, fun-filled day!
Number of Players: 3-6
Age: 10+
Playing Time:30-60 minutes
Object: Predict the exact number of tricks you will take each round in order to earn points.
Rules: On the first deal, every player receives one card. (On the second deal, everyone gets two cards. With the third deal come three cards, and so on.) Flip the next card face up. That card’s suit determines trump for the round. If a Wizard is turned up, the dealer picks trump. If a Jester is turned up, there is no trump for the round.
After looking at the card(s) in your hand, decide how many tricks you think you can win. On your wheel, click that number into place. In the easiest version of the game, you’ll all reveal your bid to the rest of the table simultaneously. (A more difficult variation involves a “delayed reveal bid” – you don’t show your bid wheel to the other players until the end of the round.)
From here, the player to the left of dealer begins. All other players must follow suit if they can, unless someone decides to throw a Wizard or a Jester. Highest card in the suit wins – unless a trump card or a Wizard are thrown. The winner of the trick leads the next trick.
When the round ends, points are tallied. If you make your bid, you receive 20 points. For each trick you take, you gain an additional 10 points. (Let’s say you lock in 2 tricks on your bidding wheel and you make those 2 tricks. You subsequently gain 20 points for guessing correctly, and you get 10 points for each of the 2 tricks – a total of 40 points.) If you guess incorrectly and do not make your bid, you will have to subtract points from your score. (For each trick over or under your bid, you deduct 10 points.)
The goodbyes continue as we prepare for our return to the States. Just a few hot weeks of summer stand between us and a new chapter, but I knew I couldn’t leave without sharing about our amazing and fantastic Mery!
If you haven’t met Mery, you’ve missed out. Mery is the first Dominican teacher to ever be employed by Freedom, and she’s still a part of our team! That is just an incredible testament to her heart, and I am so thankful to know her.
Back in 2013, Mery and I had the privilege of co-teaching together in Lima. We shared a classroom of sorts – a small, open-air room up in the top of Lima’s Catholic church. (Lima is an anomaly because it has 3 different church buildings. Most other bateys have 1 church – or none.) Mery and I learned a lot about working together in those days. At times, there were language and cultural barriers, but I couldn’t have picked a better person to spend my days with. She taught me a lot!
2013 – Katie and Mery leading “This Little Light of Mine” during song time
Mery has quite literally been with us through it all – from not having space of our own to rejoicing at where we are today! This wonderful gal has done much to help this ministry become what it is. She has been so flexible, so willing to do whatever is needed. She’s taught first grade, helped with camp programming, and worked as the technology teacher. In recent years, she’s moved out of the classroom and is handling our front office as the school secretary. Her decorating and organizational skills are often put to good use when we have events at school or in the villages. She really takes her job seriously, and we’re blessed to have such a hard worker on staff.
Showing teachers how to check out library books in the new systemCleaning up after a hurricane wrecked Ramon SantanaDecorating classroom doors for Valentine’s DayMery and Berwee in 1st gradeEsterlina and Mery at camp
I love that Mery taught both of my boys in first grade. She did her best to make their class time fun and exciting. I often remember walking by their classroom to see her leading everyone in a song or other fun, dynamic activity.
Mery and NoahMery and Leyton
On top of all she’s done to make Freedom a better place, I just love who Mery is as a person. Her happy personality is contagious! She is fantastic at getting people to rally behind a cause. One memory of her that I’ll always treasure is watching her beat on a drum on the back of our safari truck – the kids were riding home on Independence Day, laughing and singing along with her. It was a “small” moment, but it communicated her love for our students. She is such a fun-loving young lady, and she always has a smile on her face!
Learning about tractors in class2012 – “Fridays on the Porch” in Lima! Katie was an integral part of our K class time too!All of our teachers received the “Best Teacher Ever” award! 🙂Yuleisy, Memena and Mery in LimaA fun morning assembly with songtime led by Mery
I haven’t been able to spend as much time with Mery in recent years, but I still feel connected to her. We share a common goal: wanting to see students grow in their knowledge of and love for Jesus. Lots of seeds have been planted and watered because of her efforts. God has done some pretty neat things through Mery because of her willingness to be used by Him.
I must say goodbye for now, sweet Mery! So thankful to know you!
In recent years, I’ve had this low-key desire to someday become a spy. (Hah! I think I’ve read too many WWII novels or something.) When I stop to think about it, I suppose the spy life isn’t truly for me. But taking on another identity sounds so adventurous and exciting, doesn’t it?
Today’s review is all about Spy Alley! This simple deduction game gives me the opportunity to try out my bluffing skills on my kids at a low-stakes level; no government agencies are counting on me to deliver an important package to a dead drop under the cover of darkness.
My mother-in-law bought us this game for Christmas years ago. I had never heard of it and was a little skeptical that we would get much play time out of it, but it has truly been a light, fun addition to our game collection! These last two weeks, the boys have brought it out multiple times, and they’ve even taught some friends how to play.
Spy Alley definitely has Monopoly vibes. Thankfully, it is MUCH shorter than a typical Monopoly game, and you get the added fun of bluffing/trying to deduce the identities of the other players. This doesn’t have super high ratings on BGG (5.7 avg), but it has most certainly become a Mitchener family fave.
For me, there is one “con” in this game. It’s entirely possible to get eliminated fairly early if someone makes a lucky guess about your identity. If the rest of the game goes long, any eliminated players must obviously wait to start another round. My kids have generally found that it’s worth the wait!
Number of Players: 2-6
Age: 8+
Playing Time:30ish minutes
Object: Take on a secret identity, collect the necessary items for your country, and make it to your embassy before you are discovered by the other players.
Rules Rundown: Here’s a link to a digital copy of the official rules.
Deal a secret identity card out to each player. Pass out scorecards and $10 times the number of players. Simply roll the die and move your character the correct number of spaces. You can buy any item you land on (or win a free gift) in order to collect the password, disguise, code book, and key for your country. Each time you pass go, you collect $15.
The point of the game is to buy “extra” items to throw opponents off your scent. For example, if you are Russian, you may want to buy German and American items as well, placing them on your scorecard in order to keep your identity hidden.
At any point, instead of taking your turn, you can try to guess an opponent’s identity. If you guess correctly, your opponent is out of the game, and you collect all of his or her money, cards, and scorecard items. In addition, you have an important decision to make: will you take on your opponent’s identity to try to throw everyone off, or will you stick with your original identity?
If you try to guess an opponent’s identity and you guess incorrectly, unfortunately you are out of the game. There is one exception to this immediate elimination. If you land on the Spy Eliminator Space, you receive a “free guess” on any player who is also in Spy Alley. If you guess wrong, there is no penalty!
Ratings: Scott – 8/10 Ang – 8/10 Noah – 10/10 Leyton – 8/10
If heaven and earth meet anywhere, it just might be right here where I’ve lived for the last decade. I am convinced that Dominican skies are the most beautiful to exist. Maybe it’s because we’re away from the smoggy city. Or perhaps it’s because it rains so often. It could be due to the fact that there aren’t buildings to block my view. Whatever the reason, I’m all about the beautiful blue ocean I see when I look up.
The sheer quantity of rainbows we experience is incredible. The colors are so pronounced that people can’t help but pause to appreciate them. God has certainly used nature to show me how much He cares for me.
I don’t care how good of an iPhone you own, there’s no way to perfectly capture the majesty of these seas of blue and pink.
And don’t get me started on the sunrises and sunsets. I know those yellows and oranges aren’t created simply for my benefit, but sometimes I pretend that they’re secret messages just for me.
There are so many beautiful things in my home country, and I am excited to marvel again at the mountains and the forests and the rolling plains. But for now, I’m reveling in the beauty of these stunning Dominican skies.
No, I’m not saying goodbye to a person today. But God has very clearly shown me his handiwork – and his love – through the paintings he creates on the fresh canvas of each day. And for that I am forever grateful.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Psalm 19:1-3
Do you refuse to play board games in your house because they tear your family apart instead of bring everyone closer together? I’ve certainly experienced some tense moments when playing with particular friends or family members whose competitive genes run strong. (Yes, I’ve even endured the dreaded Monopoly board being turned over. Cue the PTSD for this conflict-averse lady right here.) I’m all about having a good time – it ain’t gotta be that way! Hah!
Drumroll please… enter The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine. This trick-taking game takes euchre-lovers to outer space – as a team! Instead of trying to beat each other, you work together to complete missions of varying difficulty. If you understand the concepts of following suit and trump, this game should be easy to pick up. Yet, it’s challenging and addictive. In our house, we have a hard time finding a good stopping point because we’ve got to complete “just one more mission”!
Number of Players: 2-5
Age: 10+
Playing Time:5-10 minutes per round
Object: Complete 50 missions together as a team.
Rules Rundown: To start, here is the online version of the rulebook. Below, I’ll run through one particular mission scenario so that you can get a general idea of how to play.
First, evenly deal out the entire deck. (The deck contains 4 suits: pink, yellow, green, and blue numbers from 1-9. There are 4 black trump cards that override any of these colored suits.)
Identify who the Captain is for the round and set the Astronaut marker in front of that person. (In this example below, I am the Captain because I have the black 4 – the highest card in the game.)
Mission #10 in the Logbook asks the astronauts to flip over 4 random task cards (the smaller cards in the center of the table above). Starting with the Captain, each player must decide which of the task cards he or she could win.
I decided to take the green 8 as my task card, and I placed it in my area to remind everyone that I must win the green 8. (I chose that task card because I have the green 9 in my hand, which is the highest green card. Since I will begin the game as Captain, I can easily play the green 9 first. Everyone must follow suit, and my fellow astronaut with the green 8 should have zero obstacles to laying the 8 down for me to take.)
In the picture below, you can see two things happened. First, players 2-4 chose their task cards. Secondly, I decided to communicate something before we begin play.
Player 2 needs to win the pink 4, Player 3 needs to win the yellow 7 (currently in my hand), and Player 4 needs to win the green 5.
In The Crew, each astronaut has a green communication token. Once per mission, each player is allowed to give one “clue” to the others regarding a card that is in his hand. Simply place that card on the table face up. By placing the green token on a particular part of the card, you tell the others that the displayed card is your highest card of that color, your only card of that color, or your lowest card of that color. (Above, I communicated that the green 9 was my only green card – a move that was honestly unnecessary since I have the lead.)
Here, I communicated that the 8 is my highest blue cardHere, I communicated that the 8 is my only blue card.Here, I communicated that the 8 is my lowest blue card.
Getting back to Mission #10. I led my green 9, and the other astronauts all laid a green card because they had to follow suit. And look! Player 4 played the green 8; I completed my task on this mission. Now I’ve got to help the other astronauts complete their tasks.
Oops! I should’ve flipped over my green communication token to the red side – I already used up my “clue” for this hand.
For time’s sake, I won’t play out the rest of the round in pictures, but the next move would be for me to lead again since I won the last trick with my green 9. (I could wait to see if any other astronauts communicate anything about a card in their hands to help me know what to lead. If no one chooses to communicate, I might assume that Player 3 has the yellow 8 or 9.) One option would be for me to lead with my yellow 7, hoping that Player 3 can take it. Of course, I am taking a risk, but that’s the name of the game!
This #goodbye series was started so that I could reminisce about the people and places and things that have made the last 12 years so very special. It’s hard for me to process the fact that we’re moving back across the ocean after so much life has been lived here. But taking little moments to count my blessings has done my heart good as we look forward to this next chapter.
Packing has certainly been exhausting. What do I take? What do I sell? What do I throw away? Everything holds a memory. Thankfully, I’ve been able to work through rooms and closets in tiny spurts.
Well, someone in our lives has recognized that this process needs a little comic relief. Recently, we’ve received some decorative additions in our home: a ton of colorful babies have been lovingly placed all over our apartment!
Each day, we find a few more of these miniature, plastic babes – in a drawer, under a recipe card, inside a candle, on top of a shelf. It’s become quite the game. Our kids ask how many new babies we uncover each day. Sadly, we won’t get a final count because Scott was throwing them away at the beginning.
Perhaps you’ve guessed that the point of this post isn’t really to say goodbye to a billion babies. (To be honest, they look a little creepy. 😉 ) Instead, it’s about saying goodbye to sweet friends who do an amazing job of bringing unexpected smiles to our faces when life is hard.
Yes, leaving the DR is definitely hard, but these last 3 years in our new roles were painful at times, too. Yet with each difficulty came another opportunity to trust Jesus. And on the hard days – whenever we’d take the time to look closely – there were myriads of ways that our team members encouraged us. They invited us to dinner, prayed with us, organized game nights, joined us on walks around campus, and left little surprises and sweet notes on our desks. And now, they’ve given us the gift of a billion babies.
So, today, I’m saying goodbye to the supportive people who make up the Freedom team. The Mitchener family loves you all so very much!
May 2024 in pictures! Just 6 more weeks until we get on our one-way flight back to the United States. We’re doing our best to treasure each moment as we continue packing and saying goodbye.
Leyton had to make a 3D model of the solar system as one of his last science projects for his online class.Celebrating the end of homeschool!Leyton finished up his 6th grade year of online school!Cal is happy to celebrate her brothers if french fries are involved!Cal doesn’t have many more days of hanging with this cutie.Uh oh! Someone found some mud!Those are not long sleeves… All dirt!Scott and I are trying to finish up some one-time play games so we don’t have to pack them in our suitcases. We escaped the Sultan’s castle with 10 minutes to spare!This girl loves to help cook!We bought some of those gender reveal baseballs for Joan and Yuleisy!Will Aylin have a baby sis or baby bro?It’s a Boy!Yahoo!Our apartment is well-loved by the lizards – inside and out. I don’t get grossed out by them like I used to 12 years ago, so that’s something!I will miss watching Elena walk to feed the animals in the evenings when I go on my walks/runs.Cleaning up the walls before we moveLeyton helped remove his bunk bed from the wallMore dinner prep – burgers!We had week-long Mother’s Day celebrations – our students’ moms spent time with their kids at school!Cal recited a part of a poem with her friendsLittle sis and big broAustin has a running club with a few of our older students. Joan’s partner didn’t come, so Noah jumped in and ran 3km without any training!We cheered the kiddos on as they emerged from the woods!Jade planned a fun ladies’ event for us before summer season beginsOur family walk didn’t last too long -the boys got bored, but at least we got a selfie together before they leftThese little pups have been all the rage among the MKsAnother baby tooth is gone!This is what a garage sale looks like for a family of 5 and a family of 7 after spending a whole lot of years in a foreign country!Our missionary team prepared a goodbye celebration for us – we loved reminiscing by watching some fun clips of the boys from a few years agoThe Freedom staff put on a luncheon as we get ready to head back to the States – there was singing, dancing, laughter and dessert! Thankful for their dedication to this place!We will most certainly miss our fun-loving Mery!
If there are children in your life, you’ve undoubtedly experienced the following scenario: you’re sitting on the couch scrolling on your phone when all of a sudden, one of your precious charges comes up to you with those puppy-dog eyes and sweetly asks, “Will you play [insert annoying game here] with me?” You internally groan, thinking Does it have to be this one? However, you catch yourself and hold in the sigh. Instead, you oblige the sweet little one who is as happy as a lark to have your full attention.
Kids’ games. What makes a good one? For me, a quality children’s game is tailored to grab the attention of a little, but it’s still enjoyable for mom or dad, too. We’ve found some real winners that I hope to review/recommend in the future.
Today, we’re talking about Guess Who? – by all means a classic. I never actually owned this game growing up. It wasn’t until after I had kids of my own that we were gifted this cute and simple deduction game.
Guess Who? isn’t one that we’ve just played constantly. That doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable; it can just get pushed to the back of the closet. We usually bring it out when we’ve gotten in a rut or when smaller kiddos are over to visit. At 13 and 12, my older kids are on the cusp of outgrowing it, but they still want in on the action when they see their little sis having fun playing.
As a teacher, I’ve gotten some good use out of Guess Who? in my classroom. I’ve taught English to second-language English speakers, and this game is helpful to practice using adjectives/expanding vocabulary. Or, just put it in a center and have your students write down sentences containing 3 adjectives to describe their character.
For me, there’s one small con. With the version we own, I sometimes get annoyed with the “pieces.” They can get a little twisted on the tiny metal rod they swing on, and I get low-key frustrated trying to flip the people back up when I start a new game. However, it’s not enough to make me quit playing. Plus, there are a ton of other versions available out there – each one appears to be designed a bit differently. (Perhaps I’ll do a Guess Who? round-up in the future!)
Number of players: 2
Game length: 10 minutes/round
Age: 6+
Object: Try to guess your opponent’s mystery person before he or she guesses your mystery person.
Rules Rundown: Here’s an online PDF of the rules. Choose a person from the stack of cards and keep it hidden from your opponent. Take turns asking “yes” and “no” questions in order to eliminate “suspects.” (i.e., “Does your person have brown eyes?” or “Is your person wearing a hat?”) Flip down any characters who do not hold the correct physical characteristic mentioned. The first person to guess correctly wins the round.
Ratings: Cal – 10/10. Leyton – 8/10. Noah – 7/10. Ang – 7/10. Overall, I think it’s a solid add to your collection.
When we moved to the DR 12 years ago, one of my first roles was teaching kindergarten to our oldest group of students. At that point, we didn’t have a school building of our own; we were borrowing churches in village Lima in order to teach our little band of 90ish students.
September 2013
Those days seem so far away now. Life was awfully full back then. I had 2 little guys of my own at home. I was learning Spanish, writing lesson plans, welcoming a teenager into our family, and attempting to control an unruly group of 6-year-olds each weekday. While I was definitely pushed to my limits, I loved what I was doing. Looking back, I wouldn’t change the fact that our team was gifted the opportunity to love on those precious little souls.
One of our precious little souls was Marcia.
October 2012April 2013Village LimaLuisa Maria, Leyton and MarciaA real, live baby doll!
As a 6-year-old, Marcia was so very spirited. She often found herself in the “time-out” corner in my makeshift classroom for some defiant act or another. I remember once it got so bad that I went to her mom to ask for her help. She shook her head and said, “Marcia won’t listen to me either. Go find her dad. He can help. He lives on the other side of the village.”
I went to visit Dad to explain how Marcia had been behaving. He told me he’d be in my classroom first thing after the weekend to observe her.
When Monday arrived, I wasn’t sure if Marcia’s dad would actually show up. We went through a good portion of the morning without seeing him. But right as we started our Bible time, he walked in. When Marcia saw her dad, she sat up ruler-straight, hands clasped, barely moving a muscle. The kids were reviewing the verse of the week. I looked for volunteers, and several students raised their hands to recite it in front of the class. As we closed out our time, I asked if anyone else would like to try. Marcia’s dad piped up from the back: “Marcia, get up there and say your verse.”
Marcia solemnly and reluctantly headed to the front of the room. She repeated the verse perfectly, then slowly returned to her spot on the mat. I congratulated her but didn’t want to draw too much attention. She was embarrassed that she had a visitor.
The ironic thing was that Marcia’s dad was the witch doctor’s assistant in Lima. He was always very nice to us, but he was involved in a lucrative business. Lima’s witch doctor was well known for miles around, and he had many clients. And there, sitting in my classroom, was the brujo’s “right-hand man”, supporting us in the teaching of God’s Word to his daughter.
KindergartenNovember 2013January 20173rd GradeLoving her Christmas shoebox!9th grade – leading elementary students during summer enrichmentCal and Marcia – 2017
Like most kids, Marcia has had her ups and downs over the years. As we built our own school building and hired more teachers, Marcia had varied experiences with each of the people who were put in authority over her. She has obviously connected with some more than others, but hopefully she has felt loved and safe as she has grown up with us. Incredibly, she’s just finished up her 10th grade year! What a beautiful young lady she is.
2024
In 2022, I had the privilege of working one-on-one with Marcia in our high school mentorship program. We had the space to talk about life: church, boys, school, emotions, family, and faith. It was so refreshing to “reconnect” with her after having been involved in other facets of the ministry.
Staying after school one day to take some birthday picturesA happy 15th birthdayNovember 2022Independence Day CelebrationMarcia and her classmates presenting about famous writers in their Language Art class
In 2026, Marcia will walk across a graduation stage to receive her diploma. She has learned a lot of truth over the last 12 years. She has been armed with much knowledge of her Creator, of her world, and of who she is in Christ. But her beautiful story is unfinished. While I’m so sad that I’ll only watch it unfold from a distance, I am forever grateful to have been a part of these few “chapters” of her life.
Since it’s oh-so-hard for me to truly say goodbye, for now, Marcia, I’ll just end with “See you later.”
The Mitcheners 