Another month of photos coming at ya! July was… hot. Our team spent a lot of time in the villages over the past 4ish weeks as “village school” and modified VBS programs continued. The new school year at Freedom should start come the end of August. Stay tuned for updates on that front!
While we plan on waiting to take our normal month-long furlough until 2021, we’ve made a quick, 2-week trip back to the States to see our families. It’s been good to soak up a little time with them. Thankful!
Enjoy these 31 pictures of our July!
Krista delivered sponsor letters in Cabeza de Toro
Tree-climbing cutie
VBS in small groups
Jump!
I knelt down to take a picture, and these guys came up. Quick switch to selfie mode!
Say cheese!
Jeyson
Abraam
Kite repair
Ball-catching fun
Leyton and Noah were helpers at a VBS station each week.
Lizards galore
Hugs from my buddies
Little cleaning helper
Games with friends. Can you spell any words with this crazy hand I was dealt?
Caterpillar Caleigh
Saying goodbye to our summer interns!
The masked bandits hit the skies
Caleigh got creative so she could still suck her fingers and comply with mask regulations
Treehouse sillies
Dentist trip
The kiddos enjoyed a supervised session of shooting with Grandpa
We’re spending two weeks in the States with our families! We didn’t reach out to many people because of the quickness of the trip and the current state of the world.
Whenever I’m back, one of the things I always do is make some store runs to pick up items we can’t find in the DR. My first stop this year was Dollar Tree for some teacher supplies! I like to hit up that treasure trove for items I can use as gifts/incentives for our Dominican teachers who go through the teacher training program we’ve started. As I was hunkered over in an aisle sifting through bulletin board border and classroom organizers, a lady and her two children walked by. A neat interaction ensued.
“Are you a teacher?” she asked me.
“Well, sort of! I’m a teacher trainer! I like to look for things my teachers can use when they have their own classrooms someday.”
She responded without hesitation. “Now, that’s something I can get behind. Let me help you out. I want to give you $20.”
“Wow! That’s so kind of you. How very thoughtful! I actually don’t live here in the States. My family has helped start a school in the Dominican Republic where we work with children who live in the sugarcane villages.”
“Even more reason to help. Thanks for making a difference over there.”
A few more details were shared, and she left me with the money and some more kind words.
I had walked in for a routine shopping trip, and I left blessed by a complete stranger. Isn’t it amazing that the the Lord allows us to experience such unexpected blessings?
One year ago today, I was in Lima looking for some of our students’ parents. As I walked amongst the rows of identical, green houses, I saw this little guy, sitting all alone in the dirt. He had no pants on, and he was filthy. I asked some kids running by if they knew his name. Leo, they told me. I knew nothing else about him, but I remember leaving the village thinking how wonderful it would be to see Leo at Freedom one day.
Guess what? This week, Krista delivered Leo’s very first sponsor letter to him right there in front of his house! He didn’t completely understand what was going on, but he paused and gave the tiniest of grins when he saw the picture of his sponsor family.
I’m excited to see how Leo’s little life will be impacted in the months and years to come. While he’s undoubtedly endured some hardship already in the few years he’s been alive, he’s also got a lot of people in his corner. Sponsors, missionaries, and teachers are already advocating for him in some special ways.
Maybe in another year or two, I can share his adorable, round face again. We’re praying this sweet man learns what it means to love God with all that He has.
We’ve crossed the halfway point of 2020! This past month, our team was excited to get back out to the villages as restrictions have begun to lift oh.so.slowly. I personally spent most of my time behind my computer screen as lesson planning continues, but the boys have been in the bateys each morning helping with school – social distancing style, of course. Here’s our June in 30 photos!
My 3 masked bandits
We finished up MK school a few weeks ago
Sad to see Josiah and Sydney head home!
Noah and Leyton made maps of Germany in class
I’ve been on a cookie kick recently, but very little dough actually makes it into the oven… Oops!
Some of our Dominican teachers returned this month!
Leyton in Piñones with Jade and Isabel
Hermes with his small group in Lima
The Ramon Santana crew
Kris continues his carpentry project for the new apt. building
The Hilgemans’ 10-year-anniversary in the DR happened this month!
Becky planned a fantastic potluck for the team!
The soup/bread/pasta salad bar was delicious!
The littles performed a song they learned in school.
We love our Freedom fam!
Just one of the new cuties that will join the PK3 class for the new year!
This guy’s leaning truck could stand for a trip to the mechanic…
Caleigh with her buddy, Bacon
Scott had a birthday! Abby cooked her amazing rice and carne, and Rach hosted a fun, at-home escape room!
This little one is loving her “nature walks”
And this little one visited me one morning in my office!
Becky snagged this amazing shot of one of our 4’s, Marilianni
Happy Father’s Day!
More nature walk fun with Rach
Our watchman has some baby bunnies!
These kids would kill for an indoor pet.
Hoppity!
We’ve been putting together some resource packets for our Change a Life Champions!
Mixing cookie dough. Training up a child in the way she should go. 🙂
Not long ago, a missionary here asked me, “What do you really enjoy about your job?” I talked a bit about the teachers and the blessing it is to be a part of their lives. While that response is absolutely true, I think I’d expand my answer if I had the opportunity for a “redo”.
I’ve had the incredible privilege to work in several areas here at Freedom over the years. And with each passing day, the Lord is teaching me that no matter what I’m doing, keeping in step with Him is the most rewarding and precious experience this world has to offer.
By nature, I’m a perfectionist. Taking risks is hard for me. To fail is one of my biggest fears. And yet I’m learning that God, while He wants my best, is ultimately responsible to work out His perfect plan. I’ll give an example of how this recently played out in my life.
This past December, I was sitting in Jason’s office one afternoon, brainstorming some fundraising ideas. We’re behind financially in regards to sponsorship numbers, and we hadn’t met our end-of-the-year goal. Our “Change a Life” program is super important for us. It essentially keeps things running at the school. We’re able to bus in our 410 students because sponsors’ monthly donations cover costs like food, transportation and teachers’ salaries. How in the world were we going to find so.many.new.sponsors for the new year? As we bounced around a few ideas, this campaign push just kind of popped up. We thought a good goal would be to find 60 new child sponsors in these first three months of 2020. It was a solid direction, but instead of running after it, fear of the unknown initially began to creep into my mind. Are there really 60 (!) new people out there, willing to give their time and money to this cause? I started to think about all the ways a campaign like this could fail, and I shied away from the idea of putting together anything at all.
But as time went on, God quietly and consistently whispered to my scared little heart, “Just trust me.” I thought, Ok, Lord! You’re giving me this opportunity to walk with you. Even though I think this goal is terrifying and ambitious, You’re in charge…
Well, here we are. Halfway through the campaign. (The Lord has provided about 20 kiddos with new sponsors! That is amazing!) To be honest, I still wonder if we’ll actually hit our goal. I pray we do. It’d certainly be amazing to see this campaign successfully finished on March 31st, but ultimately I’ve been trying to allow the truth that God is in control to soak down deep in my heart. The Lord is doing a work in my life, and I’m doing my best to simply rest in Him. I really don’t have to worry so much when I choose to abide.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 16:11
There is this beautiful balance to be enjoyed in my relationship with Jesus: my humble efforts combined with His perfect plan and powerful provision produce such bliss. Joy to the fullest is found in walking with Jesus – no matter my weaknesses, no matter the circumstances, no matter the outcome.
We often talk about how the word “intern” isn’t good enough to describe a person who spends a school year at Freedom.
Because of our interns, the ministry continues to function. Lesson plans are written. Construction projects are completed. Classrooms are managed, grades are taken, and academic concepts are taught.
But, you know, our interns are more than just people who fulfill important duties. They do more than make copies for teachers or take selfies with cute kiddos all day. By and large, our interns make themselves available to be used by the Lord in whatever capacity He asks of them. Obviously, that manifests itself into things like making play-dough and organizing papers. But it also means correcting little ones with patience. It means passing out hugs and kisses – sometimes to students who don’t know how to accept love and kindness. It means joining alongside parents and missionaries as we try to disciple students to live in a way that glorifies God.
We’re grateful that our interns carry a big part of the workload here. But even more than that, we’re thankful for their big hearts and for their willingness to look at things from an eternal perspective.
Being an intern at Freedom is hard. Sacrifices are made – difficult days are experienced. But I think most of our interns would say – even in the middle of the mess – that investing in these little lives is so completely worth it.
Today was Leah’s last day with her 4-year-olds. She will be so missed!
Thank you, Leah, Becca, Sanna, Amanda, Hannah, Kayla, and Nic – for being more than “just interns” this year! Thanks for investing in the eternal! We appreciate you more than you’ll ever know!
The Mitcheners 