Sometimes Pictures are Enough...

How about a blog post of just pics and captions to tell about the last couple of weeks?



Our bins full of stuff from home arrived from the states!!!
Jakey asleep in the car after a long day of kindergarten...
Moto ride to the coffee farm and back. One of us walked across the bridge, one of us had to get wet...
Stairs built by Noah and his classmates on 4th/5th grade camping trip to Manabao.
Finally!!! Something that feels like home.
I know the picture is small... but look closely...
The part you can't see is that we are driving on the major interstate in Santiago...
Enjoying our Haagen Dazs on the outside patio in downtown Santiago.

God's grace to all of you...
Jayson

7 weeks. The time feels like an eternity since we left the airport in Chicago to head to our new home here in Jarabacoa, and at the same time, the days and hours move so fast throughout the weeks. As I reflect over the last several weeks, the words that come to mind are: challenging, frustrating, unpredictable, humorous, exhausting, joyful, lonely, loved, and home just to name a few. Noah, Amanda, and Jacob have jumped right in at school making friends, learning language, and diving into soccer practice. Jayson and I have had a more difficult time adjusting to the pace of life here, learning to practice patience each day, depending solely on the Lord God Almighty and re-learning what it means for God to be in control and not us. An on-going prayer of mine is "Lord, I can't do this on my own..." especially after flunking spanish exams, putting oven mitts on full of ants, and realizing I just ate a mango with maggots in it and that I gave some to my son!!!! But as the book of Psalms says "Weeping may tarry for the night,but joy comes with the morning." And the joy has come. All of our bins from the states arrived, everything intact and smelling like our home in Sycamore! That was a joy day. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Jayson and I head down the mountain to language class and go thru am amazing tunnel of trees.
That is a joy moment. Packages arrived from friends and family last week filled with cards and goodies! That was a joy day. Jayson installed an on-demand hot water heater so that we don't need to wait an hour before taking a hot shower and we purchased some new shower heads that has made such a difference in living here....small things I am forever grateful for now...hot water and water pressure. Joy. I thank the Lord for the new relationship I have found in Him. One where verses are becoming lifelines in the weariness of learning how to live in this new and different culture. As the apostle Paul says, "when I am weak, then You are strong."
God's Blessings,
Lindsay

Gus is here!!!!

Who's gus? Some of you know. If you don't, you can just look here...

After 3 and half weeks of waiting, Gus finally boarded a plane (well, sort of) on Tuesday and made the journey that the rest of us made on the 15th of August. Gus's journey was much different than ours, however, as he had an overnight "layover" in Atlanta. While there, he was shuttled over to Dandie Kennels, where he was fed, given water, and walked a little. Then, on Wednesday, he was packed back in his crate, shuttled back to the airport, and put on a plane to Santo Domingo. Lindsay and I were very nervous about his trip and how he would handle it, so the days leading up to and the days of his travel were a little uneasy for us. And, as seemingly every story here in the DR seems to be, our journey to get Gus was plenty eventful.

It all started in Chicago when Al dropped off Gus at Delta Cargo. After a lengthy "discussion" about paperwork and such (I will save the details of the "discussion" between Al and the cargo personnel, but let's just let the quotes around discussion speak for themselves), Gus was put in his crate, only to have his flight to Atlanta cancelled. Luckily, there was a flight only a couple of hours later, and he made it to Atlanta that evening. Minor setback, but nothing major.

Lindsay and I started checking his status for his ATL-SDQ flight early on Wednesday, and had a little trouble confirming that he was on the flight. Since his crate, and consequently Gus, were treated as cargo, he had an assigned airbill number which received scans at just about every point on the journey. Well, all but one. After a little "discussion" with the Delta cargo people, again, we were able to confirm, by means that I was not totally confident in, that Gus was in fact on his way to Santo Domingo. So off to the capital we went. Sort of.

Lindsay and I had never been to the capital. Well, Lindsay was probably 18 or 19 the last time she was there, and would never have really known anything about getting around or such. So, that, added with the fact that customs in this country and culture don't really work like customs in the US, we asked Lowell to come along with us to help us get to the airport and to help us with the spanish and with the customs "issues" that seem to come up here.

We left about 3 hours before his arrival, only to drive into what could only be described as a monsoon. Actually, it probably was more accurately described as the remnant low of Tropical Storm Gaston. Let me tell you something: If what we drove in was only the last little remnant of a tropical storm, then I take back my earlier post about wanting to live through a hurricane. I have never in my life seen it rain like that. It was raining so hard that even with wipers going and driving at almost idle speed, it was nearly impossible to see. The only noticeable difference between that and what you see on TV is that there was very little wind. But... the ability to see wasn't the only issue this brought.

Part of the reason that we left from Jarabocoa when we did was because at that time of day, "siesta", Lowell said that there would most likely be very little traffic. I agreed, not knowing any better. However, when it rains like that, the water has to go somewhere. Even in the US or other developed nations, this kind of rain would have been a problem. In this country, it was a huge problem. The main roads here, called Autopistas, are usually decent for traveling. While certainly not like modern interstates in the US, they aren't terrible. But sometimes things like a lot of water cause problems. In this case, almost an entire section of road having to pass huge pools of water on the shoulder. Put enough of those around town, and you have a huge mess of traffic. Which is what we were in.

Now, driving here is a different thing also. Mainly because of this: What rules they do have, they are really more like guidelines, maybe even closer to suggestions. Why do I bring this up now? Because the painted lines on the roads really make little difference to Dominicans. Again, typically, not a huge deal, during gridlock, now you have what used to be 3 lanes of traffic turning in 30, which are all trying to squeeze through on the shoulder because of enormous lakes of water just sitting on the roadways.

So, needless to say, we were a little late.

And this is where the story gets really Dominican.

After arriving at the security gate at the cargo portion of the airport, and really, I use that term loosely also, as just about anyone from US security would have a heart attack upon seeing this place, we were escorted to a parking spot where Lowell then went in to sign some papers. We waited for a while, then were able to park, and go in beyond the next "gate", which led to the cargo buildings. Now, in the US, usually these building are in sections and you can drive to a point and the be escorted past. Not here. Here, you are escorted. On foot. A long way. I mean, a REALLY long way. After walking who knows how far, we finally found the "Delta" cargo facility. I use that term also very loosely, as this was some other company, in the furthest building away, that contracts for Delta Cargo. After paying their "fee", which nobody at Delta ever mentioned in the 400 phone calls I had made to them prior to Gus's trip, Lindsay, Lowell, and I were able to get Gus from his crate and the reunion began. He looked a little weary and freaked out when we first saw him, but once Lindsay was able to get him out and hug him and walk him around, he perked right up and back into our Gus.

Now, there are some rules in this country about bringing dogs in and having to bring specific paperwork with the pet. We went thru all of that prior to leaving, and then Al was able to do the legwork at the vet on the day Gus left, so that everything would be in order. How naive I am sometimes, and how I just assumed that we would walk into a Delta cargo facilty, sign a paper, grab our dog, and head out. Oh no no no, not in this country.

Here is a picture of us walking an even further route back to a different set of buildings, where we thought the pet inspector was going to be.


So, after walking what could only be described as "forever", we somehow arrived back at our car. We were then informed that one of our new escorts was somehow, and I never really got to the bottom of this one, invloved with the inspectors office. Now, here is another cultural thing about this place: Nothing, I mean nothing, happens fast here. Nada, zilch, zero. So this guys tells us that we can do one of two things. First, we can continue past where we are, try to locate the inspector himself, who may or may not be there, and may or may not be coming back today, OR we can just pay him the "fee" for the inspector, put ourselves in the car and pull out of the security gate, basically ending the whole thing. Knowing that the "inspector" path was going to be on dominican time, which is not governed by clocks, respect for others, or effeciency, we had a decision to make.

I don't know which one you would have chosen, but it took me longer to grab the money from my wallet than it did to make the decision, if that tells you anything. So, a few thank yous and one trip to get our ID's later, and we were on the road back towards Jarabacoa.

It was quite a day for us and for Gus. Lindsay was visibly relieved once we got in the car, having a look of solitude for the first time in days. The drive back wasn't nearly as exhausting as the drive to the airport, but I was pretty weary by the time we got back. Lowell and I had a nice talk, while Lindsay enjoyed the ride and her new company. Gus, well, his ride back probably wraps up the ending to this story the best. He didn't look out the windows barking or checking out his new life. As a matter of fact, he didn't do anything. He layed on Lindsay's lap and took a two hour nap, exhausted from what, is now, his first of many Dominican experiences.

Finally, a car...

One of the things that we knew from the beginning that we needed to do was buy a car, but with our director in the states for our first 2 weeks in country and being able to borrow his car, along with a couple of others, we also knew that it would be a few weeks before we were able to get a car that was "ours".

Last Saturday, after Lowell returned, he and Lindsay and I went car shopping for a few hours. Car shopping here is not that much different than in the states, I guess. You see one you want to look at, pull in and peek, out comes a salesman who will torture you for a while about the price, you might possibly drive it, and then you get tortured by the salesman again. Pretty much the same, right?

So, off we went to La Vega, where there are more car lots than dogs on the street (and that's a lot). We checked out a few cars, none of which was really worth the money the dealers were asking. Lowell and I decided to drive one while Lindsay and the kids stayed in the air conditioned van that we came down in. I asked Lowell to drive it to see what he thought about the suspension and brakes. About 30 seconds into his drive, the car started to jerk really bad. I asked him why he was doing that, to which he replied "I'm not doing anything!!!" A few seconds later, we were off on the side of the road, with not a drop of gas in the car. Apparently this is a common thing here, as the dealers will leave little to no gas in the cars because, well, actually I don't know if I know why. Other than, possibly, they siphon out the gas and use it somewhere else. Or they are afraid of thieves siphoning out the gas at night. Either way, of the 4 or 5 cars we test drove over the next few days, not one of them showed any more than being right on "E". We did only run out of gas the one time, thank goodness.

So, after a long day of finding nothing, Lowell and I decided to try again on Tuesday. We found a few vehicles that day, and agreed to get in touch with our mechanic, find a time to take him with us, and let him check out the vehicles we liked. Pedrito is his name and he works on just about every car and truck that is owned in the SI staff family. He is a good friend of Lowell's, and he takes time to help us with things like buying a car, knowing that we will bring it to him for service. But, every car that Lowell and I liked, Pedrito found things about them that he thought were not too great. Every single car. So, we were back at square one, with no car and not even a prospect to have Pedrito check out.

Just then, Lowell says "Hey, I saw a car on my way back from the airport today, let's go look at that one, its only about 10 minutes away." So, up on the Autopista we went.

But just as we pulled onto the road, Lowell remarked about how there was a car similar to the one we were looking for, just three cars in front of us with a "Se Vende"(For sale) sign in the back window. I think he even said something like "We oughta call that guy, hahahaha." So Pedrito picks up his phone. Next thing we see is the guy driving look at his cell phone and then answers. After a few minutes of banter in spanish that I have no idea what was being said, Pedrito signals for Lowell to pull off, and sure enough, the car pulls off just in front of us.

After only a few minutes of looking over the car, Pedrito says to me, "Este carro es muy bien". At this point, I am not sure exactly what to say. We are in a parking lot for a furniture store, standing 15 feet from the Autopista (interstate), and now its time to negotiate for a car? So Pedro talked to the owner, told him what the car was worth, which was about a thousand less than the guy was asking originally, and that the owner had to bring it up the mountain to Jarabacoa to Pedrito's shop the next day to have him look at it and to sign papers. The owner agreed, showed up the next day, Pedrito talked him down in price even more, and an hour later, we drove away with our car, almost 3 thousand dollars less than what we were probably going to have to pay at a dealer.

God works in some amazing ways sometimes, providing for us at times when we least expect it. I am sure we would have found a car eventually, but maybe not in as good of condition as the one we bought and never for the price we paid for it. And looking at cars at the dealerships was getting us nowhere. But, just when I thought the process was going the wrong direction, I believe that for some strange reason, the God of the universe had even ordained when we would find the right car for us. Amazing to think that He even cares about those details. Plus, as we are often reminded, this culture will provide plenty of great stories to go along with just about every experience, as long as you are willing to just watch, listen, and enjoy the ride.

So today, and for the past week, we are praising God for His wonderful provision in our lives, and for the provision of a car for our family. And we are also thankful to God for his constant reminders to not take life too seriously, but rather, enjoy the humor and experiences that He gives us. God is not glorified when we worry or miss the things of this life that He gives, but rather, as John Piper says, "He is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him".

So here is our "new" car and a constant reminder to always be thankful for Jehovah Jireh, our provider.

Stay tuned for a few more blog posts, as we have a few more stories to tell...

Kickin it around again

One of the things Lindsay and I both love to do is play soccer. We met while both playing soccer at Judson College, we were engaged on the soccer field there, we played indoor together in a league in Dekalb for the past 3 years, and also played pickup soccer together for the past 3 years in Sycamore. It has also been fun to watch our kids embrace this part of our lives also, as they have all enjoyed learning to play. Last fall all three of them participated in AYSO soccer in Sycamore, which meant our Saturdays were very full of soccer, usually from 8 in the morning to 530 in afternoon, when the adult pickup games would end. Lindsay and I enjoyed those saturdays immensly, spending those days as a family doing something we all love.

So... one of the things we have been looking forward to doing when we arrived in the DR was getting involved with FC Revolution, the soccer club that Doulos runs. Lindsay and I have been able to play with them on a few occasions over the past year, and we knew that it would be a good opportunity to get involved, work off some energy, and relieve some stress.

The past two weeks, Lindsay and the kids have been able to practice and play with the girls and younger boys teams at Doulos on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All of them have had a great time, even Jakey, who doesn't really have a team or a practice, but keeps himself busy by kicking the ball around with whomever is willing. It hasn't been too hard, since he seems to be loved by just about every girl at the school, regardless of age. The other two have enjoyed going to "real" practices, learning how to do legitimate drills and training, and also just having fun playing the game. Lindsay has been able to assimilate into the older girls team, and also help Amanda as she is by far the littlest girl out there.

All in all, it has been a fun and rewarding time for everyone, and something that we feel will help all of us in many ways. Most of the other players speak only spanish, so it is good motivation to learn spanish in order to speak with them. Playing is a great stress reliever for both Lindsay and I, and it also fills the need of finding areas where we can have fun and laugh and not worry about the other things of life.

But Fridays are a whole different thing... On the wall near the field is a sheet with rosters on it, and then a schedule of teams to play one another on friday after school. These games are reserved for older players, usually high school, but some even older. So Lindsay and I each were able to be put on a team and play this past friday. What a great time we had, even though we had to play against each other!!! It was a good game, and both Lindsay and I enjoyed a little competition. I hadn't played since the spring, with all the business in our lives, so needless to say, I am a little sore today. I am hoping to play a few times this week to prepare for next friday's games.

We will keep you posted on scores and such. Here is a pick from this weeks game...

God's peace,

Jayson

Not so bad after all...

Thank you to those of you who prayed for us in light of the nearby hurricane. It appears that we have seen just about all of what we will see from Earl, at least for now. We had a really heavy rainshower around noon today, and that was about it. It looks as though Earl is following the path predicted by the weather people, even though after watching the storm tracker for the past week, I wasn't so sure until today that they were going to be right.

I must say that I was at least a little disappointed that we weren't involved a little more. I have always wanted to experience a hurricane first hand. Living on this island should provide plenty of opportunities. But for now, I guess I will have to wait... but who knows how long. Could be a week or less at this rate. There is another storm, Fiona, just behind Earl, and then another depression out over the Atlantic. We will keep and eye on Weather.com and see what happens.

One thing that is really funny about rain around here is how the dominicans decide to deal with it. Most of them use a moto to get around, so rain poses a little bit of problem, especially the kind of rain we got today. Lindsay saw a guy on a bike using one hand to drive and the other hand to hold a little pink umbrella. I saw a guy on his bike wearing a garbage bag. Both were pretty funny, but not that uncommon around here, I guess.

I will close with a couple of pics from our last week here that we thought everyone would like.

May God richly bless you all,

Jayson and Lindsay

---Downtown Santiago

--- One of the Jarabacoa "Shoe Shine Boys" giving my running shoes a cleaning...

Ummmm.....

I think I will just let this image speak for itself. If you don't know how to pray for us after seeing this picture, I don't think there is anything I could say that would help. Keep an eye on weather.com while you're at it...