The Bucher Blog

New Blog Site

2013-05-20T22:07:00.000-04:00

You can visit our new blog at: http://bucher.solidrockinternational.org/

The Adventure Ahead

2013-05-04T13:00:00.002-04:00

There are moments in your life that take your breath away, and there are places along the way that steal your heart. San Juan de la Maguana, a city in the Dominican Republic, has been a part of our lives for many years, and each time we have visited we have left a part of our hearts there.

When I started my blog almost 2 years ago, Jeff and I were spending the summer in the Dominican. At that time we were getting a glimpse of what life as missionaries was like. I have been reading Kisses from Katie, by Katie Davis. I feel that I can relate to her so well as I read about her experiences in Uganda. One of the things she said was, "I've had people ask me why I think Africa is so impoverished, but these children are not poor. I, as a person who grew up wealthy, am. I put value in things. These children, having no things, put value in God. I put my trust in relationships; these children, having already seen relationships fail, put their trust in the Lord. This nation is blessed beyond any place, any people I have ever encountered. God has not forgotten them. In fact, I believe He has loved them just a little bit extra." It is hard to relate to experiences like this unless you have experienced life outside of your comfort zone. It does not make sense why two college educated adults with full time jobs and a new baby would give up everything they have to go serve in another part of the world. We feel God is calling us to the DR at this time to use the gifts He has instilled in us.

Throughout the past few years we have felt a tug on our hearts to serve in the Dominican Republic (DR) for a more extensive time period other than just a week or two. This dream became a reality as we began talking with the Executive Directors of Solid Rock International (SRI), Joe and Shannon Zimmerman. As SRI continues to grow we saw a chance to use our abilities to serve the people of the Dominican. We will be moving to San Juan de la Maguana in mid-September 2013 and have made a 3 year commitment of service.

Jeff will be working as the Construction Project Coordinator. This job consists of the following:

Plan construction projects (coming up with estimates, collecting blue prints, ordering supplies, etc.)
Work with construction and other teams during their work day
Work as a bridge between the construction groups and U.S. project manager/Dominican contractor
Work with teams and assist with general guesthouse needs when construction groups aren't present

Kamanda will be working as the Education Coordinator. This job consists of the following:

Increase student sponsorship and awareness
Communicate with school administrators to create and update an education needs list
Keep updated information on current students receiving and needing sponsorship
Assist with the Child Nutrition Program

We need to raise $3,000 a month to cover our financial needs and many people to commit to praying for us. Support can be made through a one-time gift, or a monthly or annual contribution. You can visit our page here:)

Stay tuned....

1st month of being a mom

2013-03-08T10:43:00.001-05:00

Braegan Mae is one month today, and the days have been flying by since she arrived.

As most of you know, I live on a schedule. This is good and bad at the same time;) I honestly was predicting Braegan to arrive late only because "no one every has their first child early or on their due date". I don't know how many people told me that....so when I woke up at 2:25 am on Friday, February 8 and my water had broke, I honestly didn't think it was for real. I then reminded myself that I had told myself that my due date was February 8...and that obviously meant it was time:)

Jeff and I made sure we had everything together and left for the hospital. It's crazy how quickly you can get somewhere when everyone is sleeping! We pulled into the ED to get admitted, and when they told me I needed a wheelchair, I told them I was only taking it because "I had to". I wasn't even having contractions, and was joking about driving myself to the hospital. I was also joking about how "easy, breezy" of a day this was going to be since I hadn't had contractions and my water broke on it's own....little did I know what type of day was ahead.

Once we got up to the maternity floor, we were greeted by the amazing labor and delivery staff at Methodist. I couldn't have asked for better care during my short stay! For the first couple of hours, before the sun came up, I was directed to walk laps around the maternity floor in order to get my body progressing more. This really didn't do much for me, because Braegan had been head down for quite a while, and was positioned very low. At about 9:00 am, we decided to start the pitocin, since my water had broke on it's own, there is always a risk for infection. Every so often the nurse would come in to check my progress and up the amount of pitocin coming through my IV line. I was trying to hold off on the epidural for as long as possible, only because I knew once I got it, I wouldn't be able to walk until the baby arrived. I did not like the idea of being confined to a bed...no matter how short or long that time would be. So at noon, I called for the epidural, because the contractions were coming stronger and closer together. It wasn't until about 1:30 that I actually had the procedure done and it had kicked in....but only on my right side. I asked the nurse if it was normal to feel contractions on just one side of your body after having the epidural and she said no, so I turned to my other side to see if gravity would help to spread the medication...after about 20 minutes and the pain continuing, they shot more medicine into my epidural line.

Many hours passed, my parents and Jeff's parents had been to the hospital to check on our status, then went to dinner. I didn't actually start pushing until about 5:30/6:00 pm. This was starting to feel like the longest day ever, and I know longer found it funny thinking about how "easy" of a day this was going to be. The only thought that put me at ease was knowing that Braegan had to come out within the next few hours. After pushing for about an hour, the nurse thought it'd be best to take a break, because Braegan's heart rate was increasing along with my blood pressure. The way Braegan was positioned was making it hard for the monitor to get a consistent read on her heart, so they decided to hook her up to an internal fetal monitor to track her heart. For those of you that don't know what a internal fetal monitor is, you can read about it here. We had learned about this technology during our child birthing class, and honestly I had a feeling I'd be getting one only because Braegan had been a wiggle worm throughout my complete pregnancy...and didn't like to hold still. After an hour of rest, we started pushing again for another hour. At about 8:30 pm, the doctor mentioned that we were going to most likely need to going to need to do the vacuum extraction to get Braegan out a little faster, I looked at Jeff when I heard this and my eyes welled up...I didn't want this at all, but I knew if that was what the doctor was recommending, it was going to be the safest method of getting her out. At 9:13 pm she was born. I realized that I was the first one admitted to the maternity floor that day and the last one to deliver. The nurses had competitions going on throughout the day because there were so many mothers in for delivery to see who would deliver first.

Braegan weighed 6 pounds, 13.7 ounces and was 20 inches long at birth. Jeff was a trooper the whole time, I honestly thought he'd pass out once things started progressing faster, but he was by my side helping me push the entire time. I never knew I could love someone so fast. Within a second of Braegan being placed in my arms, I knew life would never be the same.

We were discharged from the hospital on Sunday, February 10 in the afternoon. Coming home was quite intimidating, because I realized that Jeff and I were now responsible for making sure Braegan survived...that's a lot to take in. Not that I doubted our ability, but knowing that we had to figure out when she needed to eat, sleep, etc....was a lot.

I've now been on my maternity leave from school for 4 weeks, and the days are flying by. The nights are long, but the days are fast. I love watching Braegan move and her hands are my favorite. She has so much expression in her face, and I can't imagine life without her now.

Jeff came across a Carrie Underwood song that I love, Forever Changed. The chorus is exactly how I have felt since Braegan was placed in my arms on February 8th!

Forever changed,
Forever changed,
Nothing ever stays the same
Forever named,
Forever child,
Forever loved,
Forever changed.

The final countdown

2013-01-31T18:34:00.002-05:00

I'm not a fan of the unknown...but who really is?! With only 8 days until my due date, I'm really anxious to have this baby! Luckily my devotions the past few days have been about anxiety and trusting God instead of worrying about the little stuff....I need these daily reminders at this time too.

Every morning that I wake up, I do the usual, and I have found myself arriving to school earlier and earlier each day. I believe this is only happening because I have become super efficient and I find myself planning away at school. I have found that my only "nesting" has been occurring at work, only because there is nothing left to do at home. I'm planning away for even when I return from my maternity leave. Jeff would say differently...and that I have been "nesting" at home too. It's hard for me to agree with this, because I couldn't stand clutter prior to being pregnant, so I think I'm just the same.

I've been so blessed to have a smooth first pregnancy. Don't get me wrong, there have been a few small roadblocks, but thankfully they are out of the way. I'm praying that my delivery will go just as smoothly.

The next time I blog, I will officially be a mom. Please continue to keep the 3 of us in your prayers in the upcoming weeks.

Stay tuned....

25 week update

2012-10-25T18:21:00.001-04:00

It's been a few weeks since I updated....as usual. For those of you that don't do Facebook, and only get updates from the blog, this will be informative for you:)

Tomorrow I will be 25 weeks, and I am still continuing to feel great. Jeff and I found out a few weeks ago that we are having a girl. She has been extremely active the past few weeks. We can even see her move, and I have definitely been feeling her strong kicks.

We have completed our registries at Target and Babies R Us. It seems surreal that in just a little over 3 months, we will have a new person living with us. We are extremely excited!

For those of you curious about names....we are not sharing. I can say this much, that I am partial to unique names that tend to be "gender neutral". It is also difficult for us since we both work with kids on a daily basis.

Teaching is continuing to go well, and it is nice to be teaching the same grade for a second year in a row. I know I have said this before, but I am really blessed to be working with the people that I am.

On to other news....my family is continuing to do great. It is hard to believe they have been out of Peoria for almost a year now. My dad's church recently moved in to their new building, and everyone seems to be adjusting well to the growth of the church.

Trent will be leaving for Ramstein, Germany sometime in the early spring. He will be spending anywhere from 2-3 years there serving in the Air Force. He is really happy, and I am glad to see that he has found a career path that he really enjoys! He competed in the Tough Mudder competition a few weeks ago and was nice enough to share pictures with me...so here is one to put a smile on your face.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Special Delivery Expected on February 8, 2013!

2012-07-29T11:50:00.000-04:00

I finished my last blog with this:

"When you know all of the answers, there is no faith involved". I have always been a very organized person and like to keep my schedule straight...but this statement was an awesome reminder that I can't know everything, and need to continue to let God guide my life. We will see what this next year brings...stay tuned!!

That was on June 3rd….a lot has changed since then, and I have been waiting until today to update you.

On June 4th…the very next day, Jeff and I found out that I was pregnant and due on February 8th, 2013. I think God was waiting for me to verbally admit what I typed at the end of my last blog entry. We were shocked at first, but now that we have had a few weeks to process everything, we are extremely excited for this next phase of our lives. I am a little over 12 weeks along, and so far I have felt great, just a little tired at times.

With a baby on the way, a few other things have changed. In my last entry I told you about the National Board Certification process that I was going to be pursuing this next school year. I was also enrolled in a graduate class through ISU. I dropped the ISU class soon after finding out that I was pregnant, and was still holding on to going through the National Board process. As I have spent more time thinking about everything, it just doesn’t seem possible for me to complete a full portfolio from August-March, when I am due in February. I attended an informational meeting a couple weeks ago to make sure I had a full understanding of what was going to be required of me throughout the whole process. At this time, Jeff and I feel that I need to make sure I’m taking care of myself and developing baby inside of me. I also want to make sure that the 3^rd graders that I have entering my classroom in just a couple weeks are going to learn what they need from me without any added stress. It was hard for me to accept backing out of this process at first, because I am a strong believer in staying committed. I am at peace with my decision now!!

We know that there are more exciting adventures to come, and we wait in anticipation. Please keep the 3 of us in your prayers.

Still Alive:)

2012-06-03T22:09:00.000-04:00

So I started blogging about a year ago now, and I have done a terrible job recently with keeping you all updated. School finished up almost 2 weeks ago, and so far this past year in 3rd grade at South was my most enjoyable year of teaching!! I am really enjoying summer so far, and I have spent a lot of time sitting out at our pool. I realized that it has been a while since I have actually not worked during the summer...so this is the first time ever that I am enjoying a "teacher's" summer!!

My brother left a couple weeks ago for his Air Force basic training in San Antonio, Texas. It still seems surreal that he has committed for the next 4 years, but I know this will be a great experience for him. So much has changed within our family in the past few years that I don't even know how to react anymore. I wouldn't change a thing, because I have never seen my family happier! It has been hard, don't get me wrong, but God has made us so much stronger through it all!

Jeff just spent the weekend with his parents at a campground in Wisconsin. He enjoyed fishing with his dad and spending time in the great outdoors.

There's not much new going on with us. I am going to be attending the National Education Association's Representative Assembly in Washington DC at the end of June, and then Jeff and I will join my parents and Lydia in driving to San Antonio in mid-July to see Trent graduate from basic.

I was recently accepted to become a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT). You can click HERE to figure out what that is all about:) I am excited to pursue this professional development, but I also know that it will be a lot of work!! I am also going to be taking a graduate class through Illinois State University that will help with the whole process. I'm hoping to keep this blog updated more, so you have some clue of how the process is going.

These past few days I was in Ft. Wayne visiting my family. I spent the first day trying to tear up my dad's landscaping that has been taken over by vines. I cleared a few parts and the next day dad dominated some more. I was able to go to my cousin's graduation party and spend time with family that I hadn't seen for a while. I was also able to go to Pine Hills Church on Saturday night. I love the new ministry that my parents are a part of. This weekend's message was about giving thanks and being thankful for the people and circumstances in our lives. One thing that really stood out to me was this, "When you know all of the answers, there is no faith involved". I have always been a very organized person and like to keep my schedule straight...but this statement was an awesome reminder that I can't know everything, and need to continue to let God guide my life. We will see what this next year brings...stay tuned!!

Updates

2012-01-16T21:44:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year....even though we are just a little over 2 weeks into 2012:) 2011 was an adventurous year with its ups and downs.

2012 is off to a great start, I spent the first few days of the year with my family in Indiana. They are doing well, and it is great to see them getting situated in their new home. A statement that was made at church this weekend is that life only moves forward, but makes the most sense looking back. I am thankful that God has led my parents and Lydia to Indiana, and I pray that they are continued to be surrounded by great friends and family.

Jeff is spending his free time playing tennis, he competed in a tournament this weekend. He is excited to be back on the courts. He is keeping busy at the Children's Home too. We are both thankful that this winter has been keeping a low profile.

I am doing well and continuing to enjoy my 3rd graders. I was informed last week that they think I am a secret agent....ok:) I truly feel blessed with my placement of teaching this year. I work with some pretty awesome people, and my kids put a smile on my face every day. I am also enjoying my down time in the evenings.

Jeff and I share a huge passion for missions and international ministry. I posted on facebook a little while ago about a magazine that I am in love with, Reject Apathy. It opens your eyes to issues being faced all over the world. It was also through this magazine that I was introduced to another organization called Light Gives Heat (LGH). LGH is based out of Colorado, whose mission is to empower "Africans through the encouragement of economic sustainability and creative endeavors. Motivating people in the west to be the change they want to see in the world." I have set up a page through their website where you can support their ministry by purchasing the items that the African women are making. Click here for the link to my site. My goal is to provide a year of education to the children of Uganda. You can help through purchasing jewelry, bags, shirts, or pictures from the site. Each item selected will show you what you are providing to the African people. This is a great way to make a difference in the lives of others.

We are excited to see what the rest of this year has in store. Hopefully I will find the time to keep you updated on our lives.

Peace

2011-11-15T17:18:00.000-05:00

So if you've read much of my blog, you can tell that I absolutely love Hillsong. A few months ago, I heard this song "Forever Reign," and it was exactly what I needed. I just came across it again today and wanted to share the lyrics and song with you.

You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
You are love, You are love
On display for all to see
You are light, You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hope, You are hope
You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, You are true
Even in my wandering
You are joy, You are joy
You're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life,
In You death has lost its sting

Oh, I’m running to Your arms,
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

You are more, You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, You are Lord
All creation will proclaim
You are here, You are here
In Your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God
Of all else I'm letting go

Oh, I’m running to Your arms
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

My heart will sing
no other Name
Jesus, Jesus

Oh, I’m running to Your arms
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

Life.

2011-11-14T20:29:00.000-05:00

Well, once again it has been a while since my last post. I know that God has really been working with me lately. On my way to school this past week I pulled out my old Hillsong United cd and listened to "Free." The chorus goes like this:

and if I had wings I would fly

'cause all that I need, you are
and if the world caved in around me
to you I'd still hold on
cause you're all that I believe
and the one that created me
JESUS.. because of you.. I'm free

I continue to be reminded that God has great plans for our lives. I'm in Chicago for a few days for some technology training through school. I have found my "down" time to be exactly what I have been needing. I've been sitting in my hotel listening to worship music and not having any immediate responsibilities, and it is absolutely perfect! When I'm home, I'm always looking for something to do and don't take much time to rest...without falling asleep:)

Another song that I am loving right now is "Rooftops" by Jesus Culture. I heard it a few weeks ago at church, and it has been in my head constantly. Thankfully some pretty awesome friends got it for me for my birthday. I'll leave you with this:

Boxes of memories

2011-10-22T14:53:00.001-04:00

You often see "houses" for sale; however, it is almost never that you will find a "home" for sale. To me a house is the physical infrastructure that someone lives in. A home is the atmosphere that is created by those who live in the house. It takes very special people to make a home. As I watch my mom pack boxes of all of our special memories, I pray that the next chapter of their lives will be filled with great memories to get us through the rest of our lives. I am so thankful that our memories cannot be taken from us.

The last 2 months have really been a challenge for me. When you place your life in God's hand, you are up for an adventure. I remind myself of James 1:2-4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

If you know someone going through a challenging time, don't be afraid to ask if there's anything you can do. Sometimes just the presence of someone there could save the day.

Back to Reality

2011-08-21T18:04:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the delay in updates. Jeff and I arrived safely back to Peoria on Saturday, August 6 in the evening. We enjoyed our time in Juan Dolio and Tropical Storm Emily didn't turn out as badly as predicted. We ended up getting 24 hours of rain, and that was it.

The first week that we were back in Peoria, there was a group of 12 Dominicans in town to take in the Global Leadership Summit hosted by Willow Creek Community Church. We spent a lot of time with them, and it didn't quite seem that we were "back" yet. Still interacting in Spanish and eating Dominican food. I spent a lot of time in my classroom during this first week back, because that was the only time I had to prepare for my students. Jeff had an interview on Monday, August 8 at the Peoria Children's Home. He received an offer the following Wednesday to be a Child Welfare Specialist. It's crazy how God's timing works out for everything.

We both started our "new" jobs this past Monday. Jeff has a few weeks of training before he actually receives his case load, but so far he seems to be enjoying the people he is working with. I greeted twenty-one 3rd graders on Tuesday morning at 8:35. Their smiling faces reminded me why I'm in the profession that I am. It's definitely a drastic change from 7th grade. There is so much innocence in their eyes and I love it. I don't even think it is possible to go fifteen minutes without laughing. I'm looking forward to the upcoming months with them.

Jeff and I were talking after church today about what it would take to be Dominican in the US. I honestly thought it'd be easy to come back and be "Dominican" to everyone. Hugs or a handshake with every greeting, really taking time to catch up on what's been going on during the past two months that we were away, relaxing....but sadly I feel like I'm still the Kamanda that was in Peoria as of June 10th. I hate admitting that, but it seems that there's no time to slow down. Recently I have found myself just sitting and reflecting, trying to take in everything that is going on around me. I spent a few hours at the pool today with Jeff, Lyd, and Trent. It was nice to not have any responsibility for a while. I'm praying that God will continue to reveal Himself to me in all situations.

I am reminded of the lyrics from a song I posted this summer by Hillsong:

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity

And these words are my prayer now. I hope it's not as long before my next post, but I just also wanted to take a minute and thank all of you once again for your prayers, encouragement, and support throughout the last several months. We would not have been able to do all of the work and ministry that we did in the Dominican without you. So THANK YOU! We love you!

Overwhelmed with Love

2011-07-30T22:07:00.001-04:00

In exactly one week from right now (as long as we aren't delayed anywhere...), we should be back in Peoria. I can't even believe it....

Today, I went with Nicole Eby to get a pedicure. It's crazy how callused feet become after wearing flip flops for 7 weeks straight...but it sure did feel awesome to have my feet scrubbed and cleaned.

We then drove with Jeff to El Cercado, a beautiful community about an hour away. We visited Nicole's host home and ate lunch there. It was amazing. The backyard was filled with all sorts of produce (bananas, mangoes, pineapple, cherries, etc). Jeff told the woman that lived there that he imagines heaven to look like that. It was unbelievable!!

It started raining after a couple of hours of being in El Cercado so we decided to head back to San Juan, because sometimes the roads get a little flooded. On our way back, we saw some people standing on the side of the road needing a ride, so we picked them up. If you've ever seen "Dumb and Dumber" the scene of Harry and Lloyd picking up the guys on the side of the road comes to mind, "pick em up!" Jeff was a little worried when people kept walking out of the house to get into the car. Adding to Nicole, Jeff, and me there were 7 more people...making for a total of 10. The youngest being only 20 days old. I held the baby and the mother shared the front seat with me. Jeff was a little nervous, because he's never been that close to a baby before. He said he was only going to drive 2 kph because he didn't want anything to happen. They rode with us for about 10 minutes, and I got a couple of pictures of us all in the car. It was a blast.

Once we got back to San Juan we ordered pizza for the group of people that are staying at the guesthouse for the weekend.

I know that I have mentioned this before in a blog post, but in the DR there is such an overwhelming amount of love from the people. As soon as we dropped off our hitch hikers they told us to visit the next time we were in the area. Dominicans' love language is time. They will give you endless amounts of time, I believe this is the reason that we say "Dominican time" so often, because you are their priority. If they get to their next appointment late, it's just fine with them. I have been so humbled this summer, and I know returning home next week is going to be a challenge.

Another thing that breaks me as a teacher is knowing that the students I teach have been blessed with so much, yes, I have seen broken homes, but nothing compared to what I have seen here. This past week I had the opportunity to do some house visits to homes near the Haitian border for the Child Nutrition Program that Solid Rock works with. I met a 37 year old mother that became a mother at the age of 11....meaning she has a 26 year old, and then had 6 more children, one being an infant that she was needing food for. I'm overwhelmed with emotion thinking of it now.

I know this post is a bit random, but there is a lot going on in my heart.

I want to close with one of my favorite Hillsong songs:

Hosanna by Hillsong

I see the king of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes
The whole earth shakes

Yeeeah

I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing

Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest [x2]

I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith

I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees
We're on our knees

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity

1 week

2011-07-27T20:21:00.000-04:00

So when I started this whole blog thing...I really thought I'd update a lot more, but as the time has passed I have done less updating...so sorry for the delay. Jeff and I have been doing really well and we are keeping busy.

We just got back from eating at Bienvenidas for dinner followed by ice cream at Splash. It's hard to believe that the DR has been my home since the beginning of June, and now I'm going back to Illinois in just a little over a week. My heart is torn, and only time will tell what the future holds. Jeff and I have met so many amazing people this summer, and I know next week will come and it's going to be extremely hard to say good bye....

Tomorrow I am going to El Cercado to visit a clinic and observe a literacy program that is being implemented in the community.

Thanks to the many of you who have financially and prayerfully supported us throughout our time in the DR, there is no way we could have done this without you.

Reality...

2011-07-17T22:18:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a little while since I've posted, but it wasn't until this weekend that reality hit....school starts in less than a month and if you would have told me 2 years ago...

*that within the next 2 years I'd teach in 3 different schools, at 3 different grade levels
and
*that I would visit Haiti and live in the Dominican Republic for 2 months,
I don't think I would believe you:)

These two statements have been life changing for me. I'm not sure how to word this exactly, but I know God has used my first two years of teaching to draw me closer to Him. I don't believe I've experienced as much in my life as what I have in the past two years. I know every child's eyes that I have looked into and every person's path that I have crossed has been a divine appointment from God. I'm praying that I have planted seeds that will grow.

Looking into the eyes of Haitian orphans reminds me of how thankful I am to have the family and friends that I have. I could not ask for better support.

Being in the Dominican for the past 5 weeks, I realize how simple life can be. I love being with people, so this feels like home. Yesterday, I sat at a friend's house while Jeff played dominoes and watched children run up and down the streets for hours...not a parent insight, yet none of them got hit by a car or kidnapped. These people are so trusting and relational and everyone looks out for each other.

Take a glimpse of what I'm seeing...

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." -James 1:27

Step out of your comfort zone and help someone in need, not because it makes you look good, but because that is what we are called to do.

Weekend Adventures

2011-07-06T15:35:00.000-04:00

Well, since I, Kamanda, have been doing all of the postings, I decided that Jeff needs to have some input. At the end of each day, Jeff documents the day's events. So I will use his entries to inform you of one of our most adventurous weekends ever:) Enjoy...because we did!

Saturday, July 2

This morning we had planned on leaving to go up into the mountains and see the waterfall that I had been to earlier in the week. However, our plans were on hold for a bit when we discovered a leak behind the guesthouse. Water was spewing out of a pipe. My plan was to just turn the water off to the guesthouse for the day, but thankfully Ramon stopped by. We were going to go fishing tomorrow and he came by to get money to buy fishing supplies since the store is not open on Sundays. I showed him the leak and he quickly got to work. Thank God for Ramon. He can fix anything. Kamanda and I got packed up and I left Ramon to work while we headed off into the mountains. It took about an hour to get there, up windy steep roads. Kamanda was a little nervous but I assured her it would be worth it.

When we got to the waterfall it was about lunchtime so we ate our sandwiches and drank our Pepsi’s at the base of the waterfall. After lunch, we decided to go hiking to the top of the waterfall and then follow the stream back into the mountain. We went back a good mile or two. The stream just continued to wind around and up the mountain. There were some areas where we had to climb some big rocks to continue. Other areas had lots of bees nests, so we tried our best to steer clear of those. Every ten minutes or so we would say, “we will just see what’s ahead and then turn back”, but we always wanted to press on. Finally, after about an hour, maybe longer, we decided to head back to the waterfall and the truck. What was surreal about the whole experience was that there was probably not another human being around for miles. The scenery was so beautiful, words can’t describe it. We both wanted to follow the stream all the way to the source of the water, but we had no idea how much farther it went. Although Kamanda was hesitant to hike at first, in the end she loved it and had a lot of fun.

When we got back to the waterfall, since we had warmed up a bit from hiking, I told Kamanda that we had to go into the waterfall since we were here. It took some coaxing, but she got in for a few seconds. There was so much pressure from the water it felt like someone was karate chopping your shoulders and back. But in a way it felt good and refreshing. The water was ice cold.

After the waterfall we drove off and I showed Kamanda the river. It really wasn’t cooler than the waterfall, so we headed back to the guesthouse. So far, that experience was probably my favorite.

When we got back home we called our friend Olvis to have dinner with us. We went to an empanada place. I had 2 beef and one chicken, and a fruit cocktail drink. Kamanda had 2 chicken empanadas and a slice of pepperoni pizza. Olvis had 2 chicken empanadas. The workers there said I had a big appetite since I ate 3, and I could’ve eaten more. The total meal cost…..400 pesos. That’s about 10 bucks. For three people! Insane. Anyways, that dinner ended a fantastic day. I’m excited about fishing with Ramon tomorrow.

Sunday, July 3

Ramon

After today’s events I think I can say that this weekend was the most eventful of the summer. Kamanda, Ramon, Ramon’s amigo (never got his name), and myself left for fishing around 9:30. The place we went to was about an hour away. It was at a river, not sure of the name.

"fishing pole"

Now you have to understand that the Dominican way of fishing is a little different than the traditional way. No poles, bobbers, or worms. We did have line, hooks, and sinkers. But we wrapped the line around a PVC pipe that was about 8 inches long. So that held our line. At the end of the line were two hooks and a sinker (a metal nut). For bait, Ramon and his friend gathered some algae. You just wrapped the algae around the hooks and you were good to go. To cast the line, you held it out to the side and kind of swung it around to get momentum. You have to time the release of the line so that it goes in the direction you want it to. The line then unravels from the PVC pipe. You can cast about 40 or 50 feet on a good cast this way. Then you just hold the line and wait for a bite.

We were fishing off a rock ledge to start. I thought this was kind of dangerous, little did I know of what was to come. I caught the first fish ( I know it’s not hard to believe). It was a tilapia, which I was surprised to hear because I didn’t know you could catch them (you have to use the algae). Ramon caught a couple of smaller fish, but then they stopped biting. Ramon decides to move to another spot. We hike through peoples’ backyards a.k.a. fields to get to our next spot. We go down a couple steep slopes to another rock ledge which was a little bit skinnier than the first. Let me remind you that Kamanda is with us….in sandals. I thought this spot was dangerous as well. Little did I know….

Ramon and his friend

The fish weren’t really biting here either so we packed up and moved again. This time we walked through rice patties and along cactus laden trails. (Kamanda is still with us). This next spot, I was fishing about 10 feet away from a grazing bull (it had horns). I had to keep my eye on it, its cow patties, and my line. Needless to say this spot was no good either, so we pack up one more time to try the next spot. And where was this next spot you might ask? Simply across the river. Don’t worry, there was no bridge for us to walk across. You had to walk/wade across. At this point I thought Kamanda was going to cry. Ramon’s friend assured us (by pointing) that it was only knee deep. We believed him until we were chest deep in the rushing river. Ramon had one of Kamanda’s arm and I had the other. At this point I was hoping there had better be some huge fish at this next spot.

At the final spot, Ramon and I waded a bit into the water to cast our bait far enough into the river to the good spots. We got a lot of nibbles, but they were mostly small fish. Ramon got one last one, and it was time to head back to the truck. The trek back to the truck was much easier, just over a couple streams and through a banana field and someone’s trash pit. Back at the truck we ate our packed lunches and Kamanda and I thanked God we were alive and not drowned/bug-bitten/trampled by cows. Overall we had about 7 fish (mine the largest).

We arrived at the guesthouse just after Dan and Kari got back from the capital. Driving on the street next to the guesthouse we went through a lot of water, about 2 feet of it. We just figured it had rained….a lot. But when we got inside the gate we realized something was not right. One of the pipes the brought water from the city to the guesthouse had burst and water was spraying everywhere at the other end of the guesthouse. Dominicans were scurrying around trying to stop the water and get it fixed. Thankfully Ramon (who else) helped them stop the spewing water and fix the pipe. Luckily no rooms or anything serious was damaged by the water. We just have a mini swimming pool at one end of the compound.

After the water crisis Ramon cleaned up the fish. I will have Margo, our cook, prepare them tomorrow for me. I also helped Dan unload and put together a some musical equipment we bought for a band of some friends of ours. They are a Christian band and needed their own instruments to tour on the road (they currently use the churches). While in the capital Dan and Kari bought them a new guitar, 2 amps, a microphone, a drum kit, and some other supplies. Some of the money used was from our extra support money, Dan and Kari paid some, and Northwoods youth group raised some money as well. The band is coming over later tonight and it is a complete surprise to them. They will be shocked when they see everything set up.

Jhonny on his new drum set

Nefthali was speechless

We just got back from Dan and Kari’s room. Johnny and Nefthali came over (from the band) and we surprised them with their new equipment. They were shocked to say the least. At first they were speechless, then they started crying, and just kept saying thank you over and over again. It was so cool to see their reaction. They said that they have been praying for over two years for these things. They said they wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight lol. We told them that they have to play a concert in July so we can see them before we go back to the U.S. They just kept staring at the equipment, a look of awe on their faces. They called up the other members of the band and told them as well. It was so awesome to be a part of something like that. Praise God for giving us the extra funds to be able to give to those who are in need. We are excited to see what else we can do for someone.

Updates

2011-07-01T09:20:00.001-04:00

If you have been reading our blog updates, you will notice that I have changed the theme of the blog. For those of you that know me well, I like to rearrange things and mix things up a bit. My classroom usually has random changes on a weekly basis just because I like to see things differently. So, enjoy the new look for now:)

If you read our "85 cents a day...." post, you were informed about the Solid Rock Student Sponsorship. Jeff and I are now sponsoring a new student name Flomir. She is four years old and will be starting kindergarten in the fall. We are excited to meet her. The group we had this past week had 4 new families sign up to sponsor students. It was so exciting to see their enthusiasm to choose a child. We then had a fiesta at one of our local school. There was Merengue dancing, rice krispie treats, musical chairs, and lots of fun! Everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves and many said it was the highlight of their week.

If you read the "Dominican Fruits" post, there is a possibility that my favorite ice cream shop, Bon, is closing....we will see if we understood them correctly. Jeff and I stopped in this past week to get some chinola ice cream and they only had Rum Raisin and Strawberry. We asked the employee where all of the ice cream was and she replied with "terminando"...which means ending or closing. I really hope this isn't the case.

To wrap up for now, Jeff and I are really enjoying our time in the DR. I don't exaggerate when I say that we have been more productive here this summer in the past 3 weeks than would have been in the US for the whole summer. We are constantly on the go, helping Dan and Kari, and interacting with the groups. The days seem long, but the weeks fly by...doesn't make much sense.

Psalm 121

2011-06-28T10:24:00.002-04:00

I lift my eyes to the hills-

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-

he who watches over you will not slumber.

Indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you-

the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm-

he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

*Psalm 121*

This is the scripture heavy on my heart today. No matter what obstacle that I have faced in the past few years, God has given me the strength and wisdom to get through and move on. I believe many of the situations that I have been faced with have only been there to make sure that I am truly relying on God.

"I Lift My Eyes Up" is a song I remember singing at Miracle Camp when I was younger. I have included Kutless's version of the song. It's an awesome reminder of where we need to keep our focus no matter what life throws our way.

Dominican fruits

2011-06-24T21:15:00.000-04:00

One of the many things that I love about the Dominican is eating fresh fruit all the time. Today I tried Guanabana juice for the first time...and it was AMAZING. It doesn't look very attractive from the outside, but it tastes wonderful.

Another love of mine is Chinola, also known as passion fruit. I have not actually eaten the fruit itself, but the juice and the ice cream are sooooo good. I'm hoping to make a stop at Bon Helado sometime this weekend to get my weekly fix of Chinola ice cream. Yesterday, Jeff, Dan and I finished off the bottom of their supply.

Well, that is all for now. If you have the opportunity to try either of these fruits, go for it! Most likely you will not regret it. I hope I can find them when I go home...maybe at Fresh Market?

Tomorrow Jeff and I plan to travel to Barahona with Bienva to spend the day at the beach. I am looking forward to some sun time!!

Week at a glance

2011-06-22T22:00:00.001-04:00

Well...since I haven't really told you anything about what Jeff and I are doing in the Dominican, I thought I'd write tonight about what a week looks like here at the guesthouse. As I write this I hear the motorcycles on the local street running through the country. There is music off in the distance and a cool breeze blows through the room.

Below is a rough schedule of our typical week...obviously everything is run on "Dominican time" so everything is very very flexible.

Sunday: Jeff and I attend church at one of two locations: Central Evangelical Church or Prince of Peace. Then we come back to the guesthouse and open up the rooms for the next group arriving later in the afternoon. Once the group has arrived, we help to assure that everyone knows where their room is and orientation follows shortly in the dining hall. During dinner the groups are informed about the expectations and schedule for the week. They are also given a short history of Solid Rock and the Child Sponsorship program. We then eat:)
Monday: Jeff gets up each morning to help Dan prepare breakfast. This is followed by eating, a run to the the Detallista (grocery store) and the market. Jeff and Dan make sure the groups are where they need to be with the supplies they need to get their job done. Kari and I prepare lunch and take care of things around the guesthouse. The group arrives back for lunch around 11:30/11:45 to each lunch at noon. The groups are back on their way out around 1:15. After cleaning up, Kari and I look over the details for the next weeks group. Margo and Rosa prepare an authentic Dominican dinner each day. Kari and I make sure everything is set for dinner, then the group eats. Mondays are also when the Guesthouse store is open. There are a few local entrepreneurs that come to sell their artwork (paintings, baskets, jewelry, clothing, etc). Dan and Jeff also sell Dominican coffee and vanilla. This is also a time for the groups to exchange their American dollars (USD) for Dominican pesos (RD). At 7:30 the groups are invited to participate in a friendly game of softball with the Dominicans at a local field. (I look forward to this time every week. Everyone absolutely loves it!!)
Tuesday: The schedule is pretty much the same minus the Guesthouse store and softball for the rest of the week.
Wednesday: We confirm details for next week's group. Dinner is at a local restaurant called Bienvenidas. This is followed by ice cream at Splash or Bon.
Thursday: This is usually the last work day for groups. Herman the taylor usually shows up around dinner time to deliver his handmade clothing items. If there are sponsored students, the families get to spend some time with their sponsor child. Depending on the group's size, this may even include a fiesta!!
Friday: Breakfast is followed by loading the vehicles to be transported to the capital. Most groups choose to make a stop at the Colonial Zone in Santo Domingo to see and experience the history of the capital. The groups leaving stay at the Barcelo Capella resort in Juan Dolio. Jeff and I stay at the guesthouse to take care of Diego (Dan and Kari's dog), and clean up things around the compound for the next group.
Saturday: Dan and Kari meet the new group at the airport and they are transported to the Lina. They go out for dinner in the evening. Depending on the amount of groups coming in, there may be several trips to the airport throughout the day. For Jeff and me this is a pretty relaxing day of exploring San Juan and catching up on rest.
Sunday: The old groups depart for the states, and the new group attends church in the capital and then begin their journey to San Juan de la Maguana.

*When the groups are not busy with their work projects, they walk around the local barrios and tour the local city.
*There are a lot of youth groups throughout the summer so they are usually completing construction projects at the local schools and churches. This includes cement work, painting, and demolition. The youth groups also do a lot with the local children by organizing Vacation Bible School with Juan Ernesto.
*We also have medical groups that come down.

I know that I am probably missing something. It is crazy to see everything that gets accomplished in a day. There are constantly people coming and going. Depending on the size of the groups, there are translators that are hired for the week to assist with the variety of projects.

Summer reading

2011-06-19T22:13:00.000-04:00

Well from reading my "Inked" entry...you may have gathered that I like the book of James, but if not you now know that I love the book of James. I think it was in college that someone recommended reading 1 chapter every day for a week, because there are five chapters in the book of James so it works perfectly for a month. For example Sunday through Saturday of the first week you would read James 1, then the next week James 2, etc. So every day for a month you are reading James.

I believe there are some great reminders throughout the entire book which is why I'm posting this. I started with James 1 again today. By the end of the week you will find that you have almost memorized the chapter just because you are reading it everyday. You will most likely find that God will place you in situations where these virtues will be strengthened. I challenge you to give this a try.

James

Inked

2011-06-18T14:17:00.000-04:00

A week before Jeff and I left for the Dominican we decided to make a visit to Freedom Ink. For those of you that don't know, Freedom Ink is a tattoo studio in Peoria, Illinois (http://freedominktattoos.com/) We chose Freedom Ink for its reputation, and knowing that Tim Beck, the owner, is a Christian. My brother had also gone there a few years ago for his first tattoo.

This was not a rash decision as Jeff and I had been thinking about getting a tattoo for the past couple of years. We both had some idea of what we wanted. Jeff had designed a 7/11 figure that he liked to signify our wedding date. I on the other hand wanted to get a scripture that's been heavy on my heart throughout the past couple of years (James 1:2-18).

When we walked into Freedom Ink, we were warmly greeted and explained what we were wanting. They had openings for both of us. Jeff was tattooed by Zach Dole, and I was tattooed by Stephanie White. Both did an awesome job! As most of you know, I am extremely anal when it comes to cleanliness and organization and this place was spotless! With a little Ben Folds playing in the background, our minds were at ease.

Zach Dole started on Jeff's tattoo, while Stephanie drew mine out. As Jeff's was about halfway done, Stephanie got started on mine. As I watched the needle and ink go into my skin it didn't seem as bad as I thought it would. However, after only getting through the 1 and the 8, I started to feel a little light-headed. I asked Stephanie for some water and she kindly got me a glass. I also realized that it was about 1 pm and I had not eaten anything all day...this was not good. I guess my blood sugar was a little low, so after about 10 minutes we were back on track.

On my left wrist.

On Jeff's left side. The picture is sideways, but it is actually a 7 with the 11 as a part of it.

I figured this was blog worthy, because most of you will not see us for atleast 2 months and now you know a new random fact. If you are considering getting a tattoo, definitely check out Freedom Ink!

85 cents a day....

2011-06-16T15:11:00.000-04:00

Where does the change from your pockets or the bottom of your purse go at the end of the day? For a little over 85 cents a day you can provide the opportunity of education to a child living in the Dominican Republic. This is such a rewarding experience for everyone involved. Within a 45 minute radius of the Solid Rock Clinic there are 6 schools that have students to be sponsored.

What makes this sponsorship program different than others? First, you have the opportunity to actually meet your child if you choose to visit the Dominican. Second, 100% of your money goes toward the sponsorship of the student. Also, you receive occasional updates, handwritten letters, pictures, etc from your child.

Last night we hosted an ice cream social for the group from Northwoods to meet their sponsor children. It was interesting to listen to the conversations around the room. The highlight of my evening was the opportunity to match up an unsponsored student with a family from Northwoods. Earlier in the evening I was talking with one of the high school boys from the group and asked if he sponsored a student, he informed me that he had not signed up in time, so no. It just so happened that a student was invited to the social that was not currently being sponsored. I met with the Northwoods student and his dad to see if they'd be interested in sponsoring this adorable 5 year old boy. We put together a backpack full of goodies (toothbrush, toothpaste, crayons, pencils, paper), and they were off to meet their new Dominican family member. This interaction turned into the entertainment for the evening. They played games together and the little boy told them that he enjoyed drawing pictures of the moon. Seriously???? Yes, it is true, so he drew a crescent shape with a crayon in his new notebook.

Jeff and I have been sponsoring a child for the past year. We enjoy catching up with him every time we are down to visit.

If you are interested in learning more about the Solid Rock Sponsorship program, check out this site: http://www.solidrockmissions.org/Student_Sponsorship.html, and feel free to send me any questions.

Really consider how impactful the change in your pocket can be!

Virgin Blogger

2011-06-15T22:49:00.000-04:00

So, I've decided to give blogging a try. I've always admired the way people share their thoughts in a blog...but never taken the time to give it a try. So here I am, sitting in the Dominican Republic, and I've decided it's time! Basically the purpose of this blog is going to be to inform you of what's going on in our lives. Tonight's post is short because I've spent the last 20 minutes trying to figure out how to register my blog in Spanish. I've been going between the blogspot page and Google Translate:) I must admit I'm learning at the same time! So from this point on I will no longer be able to refer to myself as a virgin blogger.