One Week Down!

What an exciting, overwhelming, challenging, and humbling week it has been! Since arriving here in Monte Plata late Sunday night, I have felt so welcomed by all the Kids Alive staff here at the Eva M. Russell School. I am so thankful that God has provided such a kind and patient Dominican roommate for me. Her name is Anadelly and she and I live in a house at the back of the school property. She has been living here for 6 years and is accustomed to having “Americanas” as roommates. She has already helped me so much. While at training in Canada, one of our facilitators introduced us to the idea of having a “cultural bridge” – a national who you can trust to help you navigate a new city, new job, new culture, new people, etc. And Nadelly is that person for me! I didn’t even have to go looking for her – God already had her prepared for me which is incredible!

For the past 5 days I have been working at the school here. There are two Kids Alive sites in Monte Plata – Casa Monte Plata is the residential facility where 21 children live in 4 houses with Dominican house parents. 16 of those children (those in grades Pre-8) attend school here at the Eva M. Russell School. The rest of our students are sponsored children from all over the city who are able to attend our school because they live in extreme poverty and have a sponsor somewhere in the world who is providing the $39 a month for them to eat breakfast and lunch and attend school here. (Just so you know, we do have students here who are waiting for sponsors. Visit the Kids Alive website for more information.) The kids are absolutely precious. So far I have observed in the “Pre” class (like preschool and kindergarten combined in one year) , 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade classes. I will continue observing, spending a whole day in each class, until next Friday. Then I will begin helping the teachers with their math curriculum. I’m still unsure of the details involved in this project, but I know God will continue to provide as He already has. Right now I’m studying the Dominican math standards and am trying to gain a more complete understanding of what the students are supposed to know and be able to do in each grade. Pray that God enables me to know where to begin. The needs here are a bit overwhelming, but the staff is so Godly and is so committed to providing these children with a Christ-centered education that will enable them to look past the seemingly hopeless situations in which they live to a God who shines brightly enough to overpower the darkness of their lives. I am honored to be a small part of it.

When I’m not at work, I’m beginning to navigate my life here in Monte Plata. Nadelly has been so helpful with this! We've cooked several Dominican meals including Papas Fritas (fried plantains – like French fries) and she taught me how to chop up a whole chicken. I have never chopped the toenails off of a chicken before – that was a first! I have also found some stores where I can buy things for my house and was able to buy a mattress on my second day here and some shelves and rugs for our house and my room. My new “house” is slowly starting to feel like my new “home” and I am thankful. I will post some pictures soon!

I thank God for the opportunity to live and work here in Monte Plata. I know without a doubt that God has me here for a purpose much greater than I can imagine. Pray that I am able to trust Him to work out the details and make the path instead of trying to do that myself. Also, pray for Alex, another Kids Alive missionary who arrived here in Monte Plata at the same time that I did. He is working in the sponsorship office right now and has a large project ahead of him as he works with each child to write letters to their sponsors. There are other missionaries who attended training with me in Canada who will be heading to ALL parts of the world in the coming months (Africa, Europe, South America, Asia, and North America). Please pray for them as well as they trust God to provide the necessary finances for their ministries and as they say goodbye to family and friends at home. For all of you who prayed for me and my family as we said goodbye, thank you! Continue to pray for us as we adjust to life with limited communication.