Watching the Birds Fly By

Today was another great day here in the Dominican. We worked in the community at the school pouring a concrete floor. The concrete was hand mixed by members of the community of our team, then passed through the bucket line. The people at the front were dumping the buckets and spreading the concrete out. Although this was hard work it was a great day. The people of the community worked just as hard or harder than all of us did. It is amazing to our group come together with this community. We have found that even though we do not speak the same language it is becoming easier  to communicate, there is a lot of smiling and gesturing but the point is able to be understood. We also were able to finish more benches for the church today. One of the kids that came to help today was so excited that we were here he skipped school to come help us. Allen and Dale worked closely with the kids measuring and drilling; the kids and men were all smiling from ear to ear. Tomorrow is more work on tables and benches.

There is another story that I want to share tonight, sorry for the long post but I think you all will enjoy hearing this. Tonight during after our devotions Kristen shared the story of her house and how the Foundation for Peace came to be. I will be doing my best to do this story justice.

Alberto and Rosalina were the founders of this amazing organization. They came from Puerto Rico as missionaries many years ago. They felt that God was leading them to this place. There main objective when they came was starting churches, through their work they started over 125 churches around the city of Santo Domingo. They found greater and greater medical needs as they worked in the communities, so they went back to medical school. They were then able to help meet more of the needs the people here. Following medical school they furthered their education with training in psychology to help meet mental health needs of the people. A group of people from the states came down on a mission trip to work with them, during their stay they met a boy with a cleft palate. After the group left they sent money back to help pay for the boys surgery. Alberto and Rosalina were not sure where the boy lived exactly but returned to the community to find him. They arrived at the church and knocked on the door, finally a woman answered and told them that God had told her they were coming. There was a house that they needed to see, it was meant for them. Although they did not think this was in their plan they agreed to see the house. When Alberto arrived at the house he felt  that God had led them to the place. They discussed with some friends and agreed that they should buy the house to help further the mission. They were loaned the money for the down payment and returned to Puerto Rico to raise the rest of the funds. The night before the final payment was due they found they only had 1/3 of the money that was needed. They prayed to God asking for a miracle if this was his plan for them. When they awoke in the morning they heard that the president had changed the exchange rate; the day before it had been 1 dollar to 1 peso and it had been changed to 1 dollar to 3 pesos. They were able to purchase the house and since that time it has hosted too many groups to count and has seen so many miracles happen. Alberto and Rosalina are still active missionaries today, they currently live in Haiti but travel back to the Dominican Republic often.

Thanks for all of the support and prayers.
Love the COAM family!