Bday party with best friends from the orphanage

One of many bday presents from Maria, I love her!

My bday party at Maria's house

 Heeey!! 

So first want to say thank you thank you thank you to those near and far for all my warm birthday wishes.  Even so far away, I could not have had a better bday or felt more loved.  This weekend was an absolutely incredible one. 

It all started Friday morning in my classroom when Dave threw me a party with my students.  He worked all night on this crazy birthday cake covered in everything sweet he could find - from layers and layers of bright colored frosting to maraschino cherries and cocktail umbrellas to chocolate chips and gumdrops.  It was fabulous, we invited all the kids I work with and filled the room, it was crazy and busy and everything was going good til Wilkin decided he wanted a second piece of cake which resulted in punches, thrown chairs, and lots of tears, (just the professional norms right?) all in all it was so great.  Then the gifts started... from the pre-school teacher, a "lamp" created from hours of glue gunning recyclable coffee cups and ribbons - I didn't have any money, she said, but it comes with lots of love.  I don't think I've ever seen anything so creative.  Since Mother's Day here is at the end of the month, we had another HUGE party after my bday party at the school with around 400+ people - all the tias (caregivers) were invited, the teachers, and the mothers from the batey - with lots of songs, dances, plays, and gift raffles.  When I tried to explain I wasn't a mother and couldn't participate, they yelled back "of course you are, do you see any other mother here to these kids, you are a great mother to them, loving them and caring for them everyday".  I got crepe paper flowers, food, cards, and a set of wooden spoons for my Mother's Day gifts - my first mother's day, though I know those of you who have endured labor know I don't deserve any of it at all. :)
From there Dave took me out - shopping for new sunglasses (big green bug eye Chanel knock offs), out for pizza, and a new movie to come home and watch.  Great first birthday.

Saturday was my second birthday - Dave made me breakfast in bed (though I ate at the kitchen table since we have enough bugs), he cleaned our room spick and span and decorated, then made cake #2, maybe even sweeter than the first - for my birthday party with my girls in Casa Santa Ana.  They sang happy birthday in English and Spanish, and then we had a popcorn and movie party in the house watching Disney's UP in Spanish.  Cristel (my Haitian french teacher friend) came looking for me and dragged me out for my birthday manicure and pedicure, giving me even crazier nail art than last time and picking apart my feet lecturing me on how ugly they are and yelling "Ay, muchacha" every time I jumped at her tickling me with the skin chafing thingy (I'm not much for pedicures).  She also gave me beautiful bday messages and a wooden Haitian jewelry set she bought for me the last time she went to Haiti (probably with the little money I gave her to buy food - the extent of sacrifices people make here to be able to give is astounding)  By the time Cristel was done it was almost midnight, so Dave made me wait awake for the best present yet.  He had been making me a 10 minute movie the past 2 days of everyone in the orphanage with birthday messages, dances, songs, and lots of laughs - including lots of pictures with inserted messages from all of you from home - even Trigger with slobbery bday kisses.  His message was last and it was the best one of all.  The video is AWESOME, I've watched it at least 10 times, but I can't send it by email, I will try to get it on the internet sometime though cause it is the best and he is so talented.  He also gave me a beaded necklace and earring set from Jumbo that I had been eyeing the past month.

Sunday, my real birthday, was probably the best one of all.  I got up early and leaving my room saw a big Happy Birthday banner and then saw that my roommates Kristina and Mark had covered our house in birthday pictures and cards from all the kids - a great start.  Then Dave gave me my nicest present (though I think the video is still my fave) - a real amber and larimar necklace and earring set - not the fake stuff, and I don't know where he got it since they only sell it in the north on "the amber coast".  It is so gorgeous and I wouldn't want to know what it cost but I love it.  Then we filled the NPH van with the volunteers and went to my "official" birthday party at Maria (my teaching assistant) house - getting super lost on the way.  When I got out of the van and saw everything she had done I about started bawling right there - it was breathtaking.  She lives in a small barrio with tin shacks and her small concrete block house (9 people in 2 rooms), and it was covered in the most beautiful decorations - streamers, ribbons, lace, artificial flowers - I think she may have put more time and thought than what I put into my own wedding.  In the middle of it all was soooooo much food she had cooked and a huge gorgeously decorated green birthday cake (your favorite color she said).  Then more presents - beautiful earrings from Kristina, sparkly butterflies from Maria's 10 year old daughter, and a huge stunning  Haitian painting from Maria with a handmade glittery butterfly card she must have spent hours on.  Her family were some of the kindest people I have ever met in my life and I don't think I could have been more touched by all of it.  And I'm pretty sure she might have spent more than her entire monthly salary.  She kept saying "I love you so much" and hugged me so long and tight.  Dave spent hours making this card with messages from all the volunteers and teachers at the school.  After my birthday party at Maria's we came back to the orphanage wide birthday party (for all the May birthdays) but got back a little late - "Kristin you missed our birthday party, but we saved you cake!" Erika said - but I was too stuffed.  They had started another Mother's Day party on the basketball court (since Sunday is the real Mother's Day) where the kids shared more poems and songs on our karaoke machine, and I was sung "Happy Birthday" by over 200 smiling kids in English, Spanish, Creole, and Italian, and got tons more hugs.  After that party, I went home to find my roommates Kata and Nicole home from the weekend, with cards and more presents - 2 more pairs of earrings. I drifted off to sleep only to wake up this morning to ...

Birthday #4 - Another birthday cake - covered in candies and chocolate frosting!!  Jose, Kata and Nicole tried to surprise me Sunday night and I was already asleep so we all had cake for breakfast.  And wouldn't you know when I showed up in my classroom this morning - more birthday cake from Maria!! (she thought I might want some for breakfast)  Since not all the teachers made it to Maria's party I got another day of birthdays from all of them.  Then coming to the internet place, I have 84 new facebook birthday messages.... I love all you guys SOOOOOOOOO much.  Next weekend, Dave is taking me to a hotel on the beach too.  Sorry if I seem to be bragging now but I am just so unbelievably blessed, love everyone so much, and am so so so grateful to God and everyone who has helped me through this crazy wonderful experience here. 

So thank you thank you to all, I miss you and wish I could have been with each of you but know you were here in heart - and realize this bragging doesn't mean I forget all the other wonderful birthdays - from parents and family, daycare parties with Teri, Owosso with Darla and Dawnette, my big 18 surprise with Tracye and OCSers, 28 bdays with my BFF Laur near and far, nights out with girlfriends - I remember each one of them.  25 more days til I see you all, and I can't wait..... :)

Love, peace, prayers, and HOT Dominican sunshine,
Kristin 

PS Will try to send pictures of all the cakes and parties soon, but not working now....

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.

Hey all,

Sorry I know it’s been way too long, I missed the last two Mondays for different reasons, I wrote last Friday and tried multiple times to send but problems with the internet/electricity… so here is what I wrote last Friday with a few things added at the end… 

Dave getting ready to start wrestling with the boys!

 

 This is how his ribs were broken

Photo credit for both ~ Beth Wiersma :)

Last Monday we had the day off school because of political elections (the DR was crazy or “caliente” as they say here), so I was in Boca Chica working on my IEP’s by the pool (I let myself jump in after each one I finished), and didn’t get to writing an email...  Any teachers reading this, especially special ed. teachers, know this is the busiest time of the year, I am crazy, and speaking of IEP’s, I wonder with each one I finish, should I really be trying to bring this process to the DR?  Am I nuts? 

Things are going good in the school, can’t believe there is only a month left!  I am soooo sad, though part of me has a hard time carrying on in this heat and is ready for the break (if only to sit in class all day taking grad classes all summer in Michigan).  Since I know I’ll be back in the DR in August though it’s not totally unbearable.  We have been doing lots with our flowers/plants unit – the usual activities – songs, dances, acting out as plants, puppet shows, read-alouds, academic activities, art projects, planting our own plants and watering the ones that are already here, field trip to the NPH garden…. The kids especially love when I pick them up and pretend they’re a seed and drop them in the hole then pretend to pat dirt on them, rain on them, etc. – they giggle and giggle and they love it.  I think I found enough activities to study plants for the next year, so let me know if you’re interested in ideas. J

I have to make this quick, as Jose Martin is waiting for me to shop (he filled his behavior graph again), but just a few random stories to share from the week…

The most bizarre one being from Dave working in the maintenance department.  Last week he was clearing out a shower drain at the youngest girls’ house and came across the usual things clogging it up – hair, toys, knick knacks, when he found not one but two adult molar teeth… real actual molar teeth, with roots attached and everything – in the shower drain!  He asked the tia and she tried to laugh it off, saying she didn’t know and changing the subject.  Can anyone figure out that one???  We still haven’t been able to, seems like something out of a horror movie or something.

Dave’s cousin came here to visit with her class of 23 high school kids to stay in Juan Dolio for a class trip and wanted to spend an afternoon visiting the orphanage, so that was a lot of my week coordinating and arranging things only for nothing to work out as planned, the way things usually go in the DR, I won’t get into details, but we tossed all my plans and schedules aside and had big Dominicans vs. Americans impromptu soccer tournament instead which they all seemed to enjoy.

This week while cleaning we found out that the big momma tarantula that’s been around the house had babies so we have lots of baby tarantulas running around all over our house… around 50 of them more or less.  Not bad now, but hoping we can get rid of them before they grow up.

Forty-some NPH staff (directors and such from various countries) went to Italy last week for this big NPH gala thing, invited by Andrea Bocelli (sp?) the opera singer who's been down here multiple times and so they asked us to write letters from the NPH kids congratulating them on the new “Francesca Rava Foundation”.  Well my girls, being pre-teens, wrote things more like “Hi Francesca, I know I don’t know you, but my name is Alejandra and I want to be your friend.  I’m 15 and pretty and nice.  Will you be my friend?  Will you come here soon to the DR?  I am really cute.  Love you, Alejandra.”  As soon as we finished the notes, I passed them off to the director’s wife and let my roomie Kristina know that I had the letters taken care of, since she was in charge of the project I thought she’d be really proud.  I explained how the girls got a little carried away with the letters and she laughed and said, but Kristin, don’t you know that Francesca Rava died?  This gala is for the foundation in her memory.  By the time I found out that though, the letters were already in route to Italy.  Hope they understand.. J

This weekend was my baby niece’s presentation at Tim and Paola’s church so we went to the capital for that, stayed with my fave Fijian family Tuks and Senata and their 4 year old Josiah (who was a baby when I lived with them before but now he’s 4 and insists he’s my boyfriend, and kisses me in front of Dave to try to make him jealous).  There was a big party for Ana Leah and Tim cooked up tons of lasagna, and delicious cake with chocolate and caramel… amaaaazing.  Speaking of parties and incredible food, we also a going away party for Jacob last week as he moved back to Texas - the special needs house volunteer / lawyer / culinary master / franchise owner / Bill Clinton's personal assist. / / / miss him here already - we had Mexican food, and it was equally fantastic.  Always a great change from the usual rice, beans, and yucca. :)

Yesterday Dave was in the MUSA hospital again because of pain he’s been having since wrestling with his teenage boys the other day – 5 on 1 so he kinda lost.  Well, you remember the MUSA hospital is the free one and it’s terrible.  He was in line for hours in the emergency room with people with all kinds of crazy awful problems and people were fighting about who would get in first.  One four year old girl waiting in line with him was waiting and waiting and finally she died.  Dave doesn’t know what she had, but the people erupted with anger when she died, they said it was simply because she had to wait too long.  After seeing that, Dave left and went to the private clinic.  Again, another devastating reminder of what we take for granted every day.  A few hours in the private clinic and a visit to a “specialist”, we found out Dave has a broken rib that will take 45 days to heal.  The doctor said no work and no physical contact, and was pretty explicit addressing the two of us as to what physical contact was.  But the “poor Dave” nickname just becomes more and more fitting all the time… and of course he is still working hard.  His latest project is making cabinetry for one of our poor Haitian workers on the farm.

Today we took a field trip to the botanical gardens in the capital and the kids were STOKED… to say the least… Kristina said it made her whole day seeing them outside her office jumping up and down screaming we’re going on a field trip to the Botanical Gardens – as if they had just won a trip to Disney World.  But I think they enjoyed it just as much anyway.  We rode a train and saw over a hundred species of palm trees, about a million beautiful flowers, went through a forest of bamboo and then came to the Japanese Gardens which were so unique and gorgeous with all kinds of Japanese statues and vegetation.  There was also a museum and video about the environment which was way advanced, the lady didn't know at first we were a special education class and asked for a volunteer to talk about the effects of forestry here on the environment... Luis Alberto raised his hand and answered "ma ba pa pa ma ma ba ba" then smiled proudly - I think she got the idea and we passed through that section quickly. :)  It was awesome though and I got some great pics so will try to attach some.    

About a million other things I could probably write about but will leave it there… it is raining and pouring here like crazy!!  Sorry for worrying those with not writing, but as always want to say thanks for continuous support, encouragement, emails, and prayers.  Let me know if you would like to pray for Anabel from my Santa Ana house.  She is one my more difficult girls and could use the prayers.  See you all in Michigan soon - less than one month from today - can't believe it....  

Love, peace, and prayers,

Kristin    

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.

Happy Mother's Day!!  After looking on facebook today, I'm seeing more and more good friends and family celebrating their first mother's day - including my sister-in-law Paola!!  My neice Ana Leah keeps getting bigger and cuter here.  Felicidades to all the mothers out there!  Being at an orphanage makes you realize how lucky you are to have one of these, and that they shouldn't be taken for granted.

Well, since it's only been a few days since I wrote last, and since I have been told my last one was waaay too long, I'll try to keep this one short.  Promise. :)

Friday night, the leadership group put on a "Latin Leader" show - like a Latin American Idol and volunteer roommates played the 3 judges.  Lots of dances, lip syncing, very funny skits, Micheal Jackson (of course!), and my Santa Ana girls put on a "modeling show" with our dance idol Luis Manual dancing as Daddy Yankee in the middle and they won first place - they were stoked.  It was a great time, and always nice to see the kids' talents in the spotlight and that they are able to shine and feel good about themselves despite their pasts or the trouble they may be causing elsewhere. :)

Saturday we were up at 4a.m. before the sun loading onto the bus with the teenagers to go to 27 Charcos.  We had no idea what we were in for, but it was loads of fun.  The now tourist spot was a Peace Corps project by JFK's nephew in 2004 but consists of 27 waterfalls that you can climb and slide back down.  I can't imagine doing this before the guides, helmets, lifejackets, and ropes because usually the guide was just pulling me up the waterfall swinging me by one arm while the water plunged against me.  The best part was riding back over all the waterfalls on the way back, fast slides down before long drops into icy cool crystal clear water (think Lake Superior - the kids' teeth were chattering like crazy).  It was a blast.  There was lots of hiking through jungle and crossing rivers, lots of waterfights and sloshing around in our tennis shoes (none of us had Aqua Socks like the tourists).  Afterwards there was a great buffet and barbecue, it was not technically an "all you can eat" but they decided to let our kids go back "if they wanted".  You can imagine how they were regretting that after the 3rd or 4th plate - after eating the same thing every day for 5 or 6 years, you can be sure our kids don't skimp when it comes to a buffet of all different kinds of delicious foods (and we didn't either).  Finally they just started clearing the whole barbecue and taking the food away.  The ride there and back was through the mountains and jungle, which you already know are lush, green, beautiful and I love them. :) 

Sunday was just another day in the school with lots of lesson planning and paperwork - and I'm 36 pages into my special education guide.  Has all my lessons so far from the year in it (that's a lot!) and lots of other strategies and tips.  Planning to send to all the homes in 9 other countries.  Let me know if you want a copy and I'd be happy to share. :)  Also, desperately recruiting for someone to take over my special ed. program here - know anyone??  At this point, we are not planning to stay another year at the orphanage but the thought of leaving my program with no one to keep it going is killing me and I just can't be at peace with leaving, not knowing who will take it over.  Let me know if you know anyone who might be interested.  I can promise it will be a challenge, but will also be the experience of a lifetime.

Okay, well that's it for today.  Oh and I'm attaching photos, or will try again, but for now it looks like they are successfully uploading to facebook.  The one of my nails are done by my new Haitian girlfriend, French teacher Cristel.  We have become close in the past couple weeks, and in return for helping her in Haiti, she gave me a free manicure and made my nails "hot", as she describes them, with lots of flourescent nail art.  You can only imagine how much cooler I've become in Santa Ana in the past week with my pre-teen girls.  Cristel also gave me a pair of booty shorts as a gift that only cover about half of my booty.  Not sure where I'll ever wear those, but I told her I'm sure Dave will like them. :)  I don't think anyone else will ever see me in them, ever. 

Okay, have a great week and enjoy springtime in Michigan.  Can't wait to see you all again soon!!!

Love, peace, and prayers
Kristin

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Though I don’t know if you will get this today or not – we have had problems with our electricity and internet all week so I’m writing in Microsoft Word instead.  So that’s why my email is so late.  That and Monday night I was at a Dominican beauty salon getting my hair done and didn’t get to an internet café to write my usual email.  That was a disaster, but long story short, I look like Carrot Top.  Thanks to my dad’s genes, I have been picking out grays all the time so I thought I would do something about it, but I decided to do it in the wrong country (and I’ve only dyed my hair once or twice in my life – and never from a box).  When I asked for them to color my hair the same color, they said they didn’t have anything like that and took me to the supermarket to look for boxes of Dominican hair dye (which should have been my first clue to leave but at that point I didn’t want to be rude).  But even though it’s orange, I was still mostly relieved after they all called over their friends in the salon over to consult whether I did indeed have hongos (fungus) on my head or just dandruff and whether I’d need my head shaved so I guess orange hair is better than none at all (the little girls here get parts of their heads shaved then style it in comb over type braids which I don’t think would quite fit me).  Either way, I was still fighting tears when I came down to meet all my roommates to leave and they all said “It’s gorgeous – don’t worry – it’s more of a strawberry blonde really, you look like a beautiful Barbie doll”, but when I got home to Dave he was more truthful with “I never thought I’d see you as a redhead, it’s really orange, oh well it’s just hair”.  He and the kids still love me anyways.  The kids mostly said “Something’s different about your hair?  What, what would you paint your hair for?”  They didn’t get the concept but they seemed to get over it quick – they’re more interested in what games I have to play, what’s new in the prizebox, and seeking out their daily hugs and kisses.  So in case I don’t get it fixed before summer (which I’m sure won’t happen in this country) I thought I’d give the heads up so I don’t scare you too much – speaking of which… Dave and I bought our tickets to come home!  June 24^th I’m flying into Detroit and then starting a grad class in Kalamazoo on the 28^th.  There is a part of me that is sooo ready for the USA and to see friends, family, go to American stores, eat American food again, etc. and another part of me dying inside with guilt at the thought of leaving these kids.  The older ones will be okay (like my teenage girls), by now they’re used to having volunteers walk in and out of their lives every year (which is sad in itself) but some of my little guys and especially ones that are emotionally impaired don’t understand quite so well.  Yesterday, I took Rodolfo one on one to explain to him that I will be leaving after school finishes and don’t know yet if I would be back yet in the fall.  The look of panic in his eyes, then anger as he screamed that I was a stupid bad poop head while he punched the wall over and over then fell onto my lap and sobbed leaving my skirt wet with tears, snot, and sweat.  He remembers his mom abandoning him as a kid and still holds his breath every Visitor’s Day hoping maybe she will come (she lives in a batey right outside here) but since she never does we’ve become each other’s family and always spent those days together, and I always bought him ice cream cones and Johnny cakes and things visitors would usually buy).  The tias say they’ve never seen him so attached to anyone and he sees me as a mother figure.  I feel like I’m abandoning him all over again – it’s terrible.  And it’s only May so I can’t imagine even how much harder it will be in June.  But at the same time, I can’t wait to see everybody back home too. 

This has been a rather eventful past week so I will try to explain as shortly as possible.  Last week we finished our unit on colors and rainbows and had a “Colors Day Celebration” on Friday.  Throughout the unit, we made color posters cut from magazines, played colors bingo, pasted together tactile rainbows, played musical colors hop, experimented with food coloring (with all kind of yummy treats), played colors “Hokey Pokey”, read colors books, made rainbow necklaces, sang colors songs, and at our celebration made rainbow cookies and rainbow juice with rainbow straws (see photos).  It was really cute and the kids loved it – and many of them learned their colors too (always a bonus right?).  I also recently translated and taught them “Going on a Bear Hunt” song which they are OBSESSED with and request about 20 times a day and I finally used the Magic Grow Manta Ray that grows 600% that I got for Christmas.  The kids were astounded with this and all thought it was a real animal, daring each other to touch it and trying to find things to feed it.  One of the older ones tricked my little guys by coming back from the bucket with his hand covered in red paint, exclaiming “Be careful – it really does bite!”  The child with the best behavior in the past 2 weeks won it to take home (Luis Alberto), carefully putting it in his backpack before realizing it wasn’t real after all. 

On Friday, classes got out early because they had “Worker’s Day” and a party for all the NPH staff with certificates of recognition and prize giveaways.  We skipped out to go travel but from what I’ve heard it was quite the exciting gathering – one tia won an air conditioner and was crying, she was so excited saying “I’ve always dreamed of having one of these my whole life”.  And one of our Haitian farmers won a king size bed that actually is bigger than his one room tin house in the batey…. it’s good it didn’t fit because it motivated some volunteers to fundraise to get him a better house so hopefully he will be moving up in life soon. 

So while the Dominicans here were having the time of their lives at the party, we were on a loooong 6 hour bus ride through lush jungle and curvy mountain roads up to Playa Limon – one of the DR’s last truly deserted beaches.  The ride was extra long because we were in a guagua and came across political events where people flooded the streets and would jump in our bus and scream at each other like crazy about the most random issues.  One woman with long curly beard hairs yelled and yelled until one man called her a mother f-r and I thought he would knock her out right there – it got pretty wild.  Elections are May 16^th so it has been all the rage here.  That and we would stop about every half hour to let off someone to pee in a bush or grab a beer.  We drove through nothing and nothing and more of nothing until we finally arrived at this little town called El Cedro and from there took a 20 minute very rocky moto ride through more nothing on the worst dirt roads imaginable out to “Harley’s Heaven” – where a guy from Switzerland named Jumbo (name matches his size just right) has a overpriced hotel COVERED in Harley Davison décor.  Even Harley logos painted in the bottom of his pool.  But coincidentally – no actual Harleys.  We got up with the sun Saturday morning and took paddle boats through a lagoon/river surrounded by bright green mangrove trees with twisted roots stretching in every direction perfectly reflected off the mirror of water until we finally reached the outlet into the ocean.  The beach was beyond perfect.  You could walk for miles in either direction without seeing a soul (other than a rundown military checkpoint down the way where men in mismatched camouflage marched with their machine guns and herded cows).  The sun sparkled on the water, which was just the right shade of turquoise.  The bending palms swayed in the breeze, but there was not enough for shade, so of course my brilliant husband decided to build us some.  He spent an hour dragging branches, bamboo, and dried palm leaves until we had a perfect little beach hut.  It was spectacular.  Being in the middle of nowhere at night was just as great, laying under a pitch black blanket of twinkling and shooting stars and watching them for hours.  Later, we met up with some other tourists – an American engineer/former Peace Corps volunteer, an American English teacher and his wife from Spain – and had a bonfire and talked all night about life as a foreigner in the DR – the good, the bad, and the ugly.  They had a rental car and offered to take us to another deserted beach an hour away on Sunday that they claimed was just as remote and even prettier (plus a free ride home) so we accepted.  We got almost there through a downpour of rain through more super rocky dirt roads in their small KIA rental car and had to jump out a number of times until we found a spot where a small lake seemed to have formed in the road so we had to turn around.  I was super bummed as we drove home early but the ride was even more incredible than the first.  We kept winding further and further and further up into the gorgeous green mountains until when I looked out the window all I saw was thousands of feet down a brightly vegetated cliff.  There are not words, or photos, that could justly describe it.  Then we aimlessly came across a cocoa plantation and decided to stay for a while.  Turned out to be fascinating and the original place where all the cocoa is manufactured and exported from the DR.  And you would never believe the great founder, connoisseur, and “jefe” (boss) of the whole operation does most of the work that goes into your Starbucks bags and chocolate bars under and behind his tiny poor tin roof house, while a German man fills his pockets every week bringing in tourists from the resorts.  So sad how cheated these poor people can get.  Anyhow we got to see the entire process and it goes something like this – bright red and yellow fruit get picked from the farm, crack them open to find slimy white cocoa beans that you can suck the sweet flavor from (tastes like guayanabana), clean the beans, roast them (over a fire between cement blocks in the yard – the aroma of dark chocolate is mouth watering to say the least), crush them in this antique wooden bowl, add oil and roll them into balls (looks like you know what), put them in the fridge to cool, then cook them up with milk and voila – milk chocolate.  The finished product was easily the most delicious chocolate I’ve ever tasted.  We bought chocolate balls for the road and Dave was quick to whip up rich luscious brownies when we got home.  A great spontaneous and unexpected experience.  The weekend was just the right getaway and we are hoping to travel lots more in the upcoming weekends and see much more of these hidden hotspots around the country as time slips away through the hourglass – can’t believe only 50 more days.

Sunday night we said goodbye again to our good friend Antoine as he went back to Haiti, determined to start an orphanage like the one he grew up in – this is “his dream”.  This will be another email, but if you are interested in sponsoring this project, please let me know.  Will share his story and ideas if you are interested.  Also, forgot to mention that our roommate Geza, the long-haired dentist/professional kite surfer from Switzerland also left on his next mission to be the first kite surfer to cross the Bering Strait.  If he does, he will break 2 Guinness World Records – http://www.beringstraitexpedition.com/ - pretty cool stuff.  Crazy the people you meet here.  Last week I found out my roommate Kristina who is also an actress was cast for "this American show called Lost - ever heard of it?" - she couldn't get her American visa so came here to save the world instead. 

I could write much more, but one last thing… we got a new child today, only 22 days old and severely malnourished – his skin hangs off all of his bony limbs.  He is absolutely tiny – I would guess maybe 4 or 5 pounds – MUCH smaller than our niece Ana Leah when she was born.  His name is Saul – his mom died in C-section and his dad is dying too and couldn’t care for him.  The tia that was pregnant and recently lost her 3^rd baby (all 3 were lost after 7 months of pregnancy) was curled up with him in the clinic and explained emotionally that the most recent stillborn she had to deliver was the same size as him.  It killed me to see the mixed emotion of pain and love in her eyes as she held him and explained she would give and do anything for a baby of her own.  Instead she just loves so hard with the little ones we have here.

Okay, I think that’s it.  It’s another super long one, I know - but I think these emails will give me a great journal to look back on later down the road - thanks for your patience to those who read. 

Let me know if you want to pray for baby Saul or for Rodolfo too. 

Can’t wait to see you all next month – can’t believe it’s so soon.  And to answer your questions – I don’t know how long we will be in the states and don’t know what we are doing after that.  For now, it’s in God’s hands and we just have to be patient and wait and see.  Will send pictures in another email attached later to go with the stories.

Lots of love, peace, and prayers,

Visiting a chocolate plantation - can you believe this where your Godiva comes from?

We had this place ALL to ourselves :)

The owner of our hotel was SOOOO obsessed with Harley's!

      

Dave built us our own little beach hut for the day at Playa Limon

Decorating cookies at our rainbow party celebration!