Week 3

Hola amigos!

Sorry for the long pause in between posts... I'm simply having too much fun to spend an hour typing on my phone!! And I'm sorry for the lack of pictures, if you look on Facebook I've been putting a ton of pics from my Instagram on Facebook. Maybe one day I'll figure out how to incorporate those into my post. This has been our first full week of work. We had three work groups: a high school from Durham, NC, Michigan College Young Life College (as in college students in a YL program- some do not know Jesus), and my wonderful Berry College Roman YL leaders. The three groups had crazy different personalities. I think I struggled a bit with the group who had some non-Christian college students because I wondered what would motivate them to come on a trip like this. I know the group I came with last year, we were all so excited to be here working to spread the kingdom of The Lord. Some of the kids with the non-Christian group would have bad attitudes, and I had to keep reminding myself to show grace and understanding as this trip was an outreach trip for these kids. My beautiful group from Rome GA (where I went to college) left on Friday and I was really upset! I loved having them here so much and when they left it felt like I should be going with them! It was another realization that I am now in my post-grad years!! It feels like yesterday that I came to the DR with my friends, when in actuality that was a year ago. God has me in a whole different season of life now,  and I'm learning to love the gift I've been given of this past year: being home to care for my family in a time of need, and now getting to serve my Heavenly Father in the Dominican Republic.

I know that's not too much, but I really would rather spend time sharing with you what God's been teaching me! Since I've been here, I've been studying Isaiah during my quiet time. This week I was really moved by Isaiah 12, a chapter of praise to The Lord for loving us and saving us, even though we are so undeserving!! This is what I wrote in response to reading this:

Isaiah 12 is truly a chapter of excitement and praise. God had just anger with us, and as unfair as it was for him to have to do this, it rounded the character of God for Him to send His Son to die because of our inability to stray from sin.  Because as he is just, he is equally loving.  He doesn't want a relationship where He just rules over us. He created us and He loves what he created.  He is literally dying for us to accept His love.  But because he is a God who is fair and sovereign, He lets us decide to follow Him (even thoughhe already knows every move we'll make!) jr doesn't stop our bad moves, he gives us the free will to choose what we want. But because we choose sin, our world is overridden with it. God created humans, complex characters. He created these ridiculous beings who make decisions that make them anything from the CEO of a company to the lowest of lows. He created my complex mind, if that doesn't impress you, I don't know what will!!!

God chose to comfort me, His lovely creation, even though I actively choose to spit on His face. My mind actively chooses sin. I deserve to die. But, I live, I live well in my tiny understanding of Jesus.  It's crazy that the minute amount that I know about God was enough for belief and He so easily accepts me.  I literally haven't even scratches the surface on what it should take for me to earn redemption with God. Why am I not praising and thanking him daily for my salvation, for Jesus??  I mean, I undoubtedly owe Him, why am I not sharing his name and loving Him the best that I know how?? It is literally all He has asked for in return for sacrificing Himself!! It may sound simple, but it is the basis of our faith, and I am so glad that God is revealing himself so clearly and beautifully to me here as I serve at Pico Escondido.

Until next time,
Ali

Happy Independance Day, DR

It's Independance Day in Republica Dominicana! I've been here for 8 days now! After I spent two days with Julia in Santiago, I met up with the rest of my group  and we headed to Jarabacoa. There are three girl interns this year plus one Dominican girl our age named Michel. We joke because she's like our friend/companion/helper/babysitter! Us three girl interns couldn't be more different! Laura is from Oklahoma and Karina is from California! We're spread out across the country and our personalities are so different. I hope you will pray for great friendships between us and that The Lord really unites us to work our best for Him!!

Once we got to camp, we spent two days settling in. We went on a scavenger hunt to get to know the town so we know where to buy groceries, meds, etc. We got a cell phone to call our dominican friends and we learned how to call our taxi driver, Carlos. We learned what our projects would be this spring from our boss Jose Ignasio and we learned some of the tools in the Woodshed from Berto. We have 4 main projects this spring: we are finishing a fence for the driveway on the side of a mountain, starting and finishing a kitchen expansion, buliding a woodshed so Berto can work even when campers are here, and cutting down problem trees and pulling their stumps out (we are also pulling trees out that block camp views)! We will trade off each week working on these projects with a group of Americans here for a week-long mission trip.

After only two days at camp, we loaded up once again for Santo Domingo for a homestay with Area Director Fernando and his wife Ester. They were wonderful, gracious host. We had so much great time for contact work with the leaders in the area and Dominican kids in the neighborhood where Fernando and Ester live. We experience real Dominican life! We got used to cold showers and blackouts in the middle of the day, loss of water, and roosters crowing at all hours of the night. It was wonderful. I love living like Dominicans do. It will be hard to come back home, I feel so grateful for everything I get here: warm water, clean drinking water, etc. it humbles me that these are luxuries here. In Santo Domingo, we helped fundraise in the streets ( we raised 1500pecos/37US dollars in an hour... And they were all so excited!!) , we painted a basketball court in Fernando and Ester's neighborhood, got to see a Dominican Young Life Club, and had lots of time for relational ministry! It is so wonderful to feel like this is my home! I do not feel like a foreigner on vacation, I love being inside the houses and lives of Dominicans!

I got really close really quickly to a 13 year old girl in Santo Domingo named Hilary. She spoke some English, so we spoke broken Spanglish to each other!! She loved that I would come talk to her even when a big group was around! She just kept telling me to talk, that she love having conversation with me. Her mom doesn't let her go to Young Life club and is very strict. She talked to me a lot about how hard that was! We're now friends on Facebook :) and I hope to be able to continue a relationship with her. I hope I'll be able to visit Santo Doningo again soon!

We returned to Jarabacoa yesterday! We really missed Pico Escondido!! Our first work group gets here Saturday, and I think I'll be really thankful that I've had time to rest once they get here! Please pray for all the great relationships that I've been able to make, and for rest before the real work begins! Praise to The Lord for an incredible first week!

Love, ali

Greetings from Santiago!!

Hi!!! I arrived in Santiago last night around 9. I got off the plane, went through security and immediately started scanning the hundreds of people for my friend Julia. Julia is area director for Young Life in Santiago! I finally saw her and ran towards her! It was so comforting to see a familiar face (we met on my week long trip last March). Especially after bring a single traveler all day and entering a country where I don't know the language well! She took me to one of her YL girl's house and we spent the night! I loved Nicol and Angelica... Two of her YL girls! She asked if I was hungry and had one of Nicol's  brother go but some pasta! Turns out it was "blue box Mac and cheese"! It was so good, just my grandmother makes it :) It was the perfect piece of home :)

Today we've been running around hanging out with some of get Young Life girls! Contact work at its finest! Julia is a great translator for me... But I hope I pick up on more Spanish soon!! Tonight a YL girl's mom is hosting a dinner party for us, Julia's campaigners Bible study group, and a few other American friends. We're having been Dominican soup!!

Just a little bit on my first day, I go to Pico Escondido tomorrow night, so hopefully during the day tomorrow we'll see a little bit more of the city! Can't wait to tell more about life here soon!!

Love, Ali

It's Time!!

Tomorrow Morning I leave for my two month adventure to serve with Young Life in the Dominican Republic.  I meet up with my team on Wednesday, but tomorrow I am flying in to stay with a friend in Santiago, DR.  She is an Area Director for Young Life in Santiago and was our host for the week when I went to Pico Escondido last year.  She has graciously agreed to host me for a few days and show me touristy things, as well as let me what contact work with Young Life kids looks like in the DR!  I made sure to pack some great Valentine's Candy for her :)

So many things have come together on this trip.  About a week ago, I reached my fundraising goal!  I am now $10 over what I needed in support! This is such a huge praise to God! It also solidifies how he wants me to be in the DR this spring.  I just knew He wouldn't limit my trip by money, and he has shown how extremely faithful He is when I'm following His will for me!

I'll be honest, I have no idea what to expect over the next seven weeks! I'm so thankful God will allow me to be part of His work in the Dominican Republic, but I'm not quite sure what that will look like.  Right now I would ask for prayers for the work teams that will come on week long trips from the US to help with construction at the camp.  I would also pray just for the Lord to use my willingness to serve how He sees fit.  I know it seems a bit vague, but I will keep updating as I see what my projects are for the spring and how it looks like God will be using me over the next months!

Please also pray for safe travels tomorrow! It's always a bit nerve-wracking to start a new adventure :)

Love,
Ali

My YL team from Rome, GA when we went to Pico Escondido March 2012. They'll be coming back for a week this spring!!

Vida Joven!!

The Adventure Begins!!

Hi Friends!!

I'm so thankful to every one of my friends who has been so supportive in my endeavor to return to the Dominican Republic.  As many of you know, this is my second trip to the DR.  I was able to go for one week to the DR in March, 2012 with my Rome/Floyd County YL area, where I was serving as a volunteer Young Life leader during college.  After graduation from Berry College in May 2012, I spent  part of my summer as summer staff at Young Life's Southwind in Florida.  As someone who is very passionate about Young Life and how leaders love their high school and middle school friends, I spent a good bit of my time in Florida praying about how God wanted me to continue to work with Young Life, even after graduating college! He quickly put it on my heart to return to the Dominican Republic, which I was terrified to do!  I don't like being far away from home, and for two months as an intern, no less!  But the Lord continued to make it clear to me that the Dominican Republic was where he wanted me this spring!  So, I didn't think twice about accepting a position as a Spring Intern at Young Life's camp property, Pico Escondido, in the Dominican Republic.  I will be there from February 18th to April 12th.  And I am so thankful to be able to keep up with each of you reading this blog.  

I hope that you would please keep me in your prayers.  My grandfather has been very sick this Winter, and although he is doing much better, it is very scary for me to leave the country during his recovery.  Please pray for my family and recovery of my grandfather from his multiple strokes.  I also would like to ask for prayers with my travels- I will be traveling by myself until I meet up with my group in the DR.  Most importantly, I hope you will pray for the people the Lord will have me meet in the DR. That includes both groups of believers who will be on Mission Trips at the camp, and my fellow workers.  My work at the camp will impact future kids who will come to the camp and learn about Christ.  I also hope you will pray for the kids whose lives will change when they encounter the Lord at Pico Escondido.  The construction and building we do at Pico Escondido this spring will allow kids an opportunity to learn about the Lord in an amazing environment.  

Please let me know if you have any questions about supporting my trip financially (I have raised 25.9% of my needed support as of today!!) or if you would like to know more about the work I will be doing while in the DR.  Until my next post, enjoy some pictures of the incredible place I fell in love with last spring...

Love, Ali

The Mountains in Jarabacoa, DR

Sign at the Driveway of Pico Escondido

Nearby River in Jarabacoa (the area is very popular for rafting!)

Gazebo on Camp Property built by Volunteer Work Groups on Mission Trips