DR Update #6

Six o'clock came far too early today. There was still more packing to do and the kids had reported that they wanted to go down to the river to pray again, but only a handful of them made it out of bed in time. We all scurried about gathering our belongings, cleaning the dormitory, setting aside the items we were leaving. The breakfast bell rang and we trooped up the hill for our last meal at Camp. Although we are excited that our journey towards home is beginning, it is sad to leave this beautiful and happy place. Most of the staff kids were hanging around to say goodbye and that was a good feeling. We left gifts for them, and tips for the staff that Mary Craig and Laird will distribute in our absence. It is preferred that the short term missionaries not give out gifts or money, that we let such items be distributed by the permanant missionaries. It is more dignified for the recipients, it decreases the attitude of begging in the locals and it keeps us from getting full of ourselves. Also, although tips are one thing, especially for excellent service, we are firmly instructed not to give out cash to anyone, rather we should give that to the church and they will give it out where it is needed. For a multitude of reasons, it is better this way.

 

It was a sad goodbye, especially for Jonathan and I as we have already established relationships with the people at the Camp. It didn't end even when we pulled out of the gate because many of the village children ran alongside the bus for quite a ways. We opened the windows and waved and finally we drove out of sight, down the dirt road towards Jarabacoa.

 

It was not a long drive to La Vega where Keren our Compassion representative was waiting for us. We then drove to Winifer's home. We pulled over on the side of the highway to an extremely dilapidated collection of buildings. Walking between two of them, up a broken and cracked walkway, we saw the Sosa family there to greet us. Winfer was told which one I was, as I am the one who writes to her, and she came forward shyly but happily to hug me. I introduced her to Ellison and they hugged as well. Senora Sosa brought out chairs for all of us to sit on the porch, I think some may have come from a neighbor's house, and we setlled into an awkward gathering. We asked a few questions of one another, shared names all around, while Winifer sat contentedly on Madison's lap. We learned that Winifer lives in the house with her mother, baby brother and another woman with three children. Keren also told us about the Compassion Center and what goes on there. Winifer's tutor from the Center was there and she told us about Winifer's time there.  After a while, Keren suggested we go into the yard to play so we taught the children how to play "Little Sally Walker" a popular game from Camp Saint Christopher. They then sang for us a lively song and then Nick went to get his guitar and we sang a few songs, some of which our hosts sang along with us, but in Spanish. Then we played the Hokey Pokey before we loaded up and went to lunch.

 

Traveling by car is so different here than at home!. The end of each row of seats in the van has a fold up seat with no seat belt, and there is one between the two front seats as well. (I have not let the kids sit on these seats.) When we all piled in, Winfier was on my lap with Ellison next to us in her car seat (protesting that she was the only one in a restraint) and Senora Sosa was on the jump seat behind me, holding the baby. Sometimes I see large vans stuffed with people on John's Island. It was a lot like that.

 

We pulled in at the restaurant and got out of the van, looking, I think, like we were getting out of a clown car. We pulled some tables together, shooed the cat away and enjoyed the breeze in the open air restaurant. (I guess I should point out that virtually everything here is open air.) There were hamocks hanging all around the edges of the porch like space, and the now sleeping baby was promptly nestled in one. Ellison who can find a playground anywhere, spied the rusting and frightening play equipment in the back and she and Winifer raced off, with me at their heels. Meanwhile, Molly ordered up a fabulous feast which arrived quickly and was served up family style. There was a gigantic platter of Domican style fried chicken; bowls of rice; platters of tostones (fried green plantains); piles of corn fritters; platters of salads composed of red onions, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and avocados; bowls of beans and a couple of bottles of Coca-Cola. With Keren, the Sosa family, our driver and the team, it was a lively lunch party. When we had eaten all we could, and Connor ate six peices of chicken, there was still so much food that Senora Sosa said it would feed her family for a week. We had it boxed up, although I doubt she has a refrigerator, so it probably fed their small community supper tonight.

 

After goodbyes at their home, we were back on the road towards Boca Chica, but Keren needed a ride to Santo Domingo so she joined us. The kids, Connor especially, were very interested in the scenery on this trip, and spent time gazing out the windo and talking about what they saw. When we got to SD we stopped at a large grocery store, a French chain called Carre Four. I picked up some chips for the kids and some drinks for the adults and we said goodbye to Keren there. We made another stop at the home base for the company that owned the van to refuel and for our driver to show his boss the tar that had been thrown all over the van when we passed a road construction area. It was covered, I am not sure how he will get it off.

 

Finally, we were in Boca Chica saying "good-bye" to Molly at the Hogar where she is staying this summer, and then we pulled in at Eco Village around 4:30.  Everyone was in the pool as fast as possible, and we stayed there until almost supper time, some of us didn't even get out to eat snack. It was some sort of coconut spread with crackers and Sam-Neill raved about it. Nick, Rhett and Madison gave Ellison swimming lessons, Laura spent some time reading poolside, as she was working on her summer list today. Jonathan tried to launch Sally over the volleyball net and Rhett took the "Nestea Plunge" for a photo op. There was almost no water when we went to shower, so we all washed under tiny trickles of water and dressed for supper.

 

Supper! I hope that y'all are not tired of hearing about food! We had mashed potatoes, macaroni salad, regular salad with their amazing dressing and the best pork chops EVER. They tasted exactly like bacon. I guess they were so good because the pigs here are raised with no cages and eat, well, whatever pigs eat when they are not fed commercial pig feed, plus they are not as lean as US pigs are, so these chops were out of this world. It is for this same reason that the eggs are so good, they aren't just fresh, they are also made by chickens who eat seeds and grass and bugs. (I hope we have eggs tomorrow!) When we were completely stuffed, we were presented with bowls of ice cream. Mine had was dulce la leche with bananas and it was sooo good.

 

By 9:00 everyone was exhausted so we had a short meeting and prayer and everyone went to bed. Tomorrow we see the capitol!

 

Yours in faith, Dorothy