Video Interview With Sandra

Here is an interview I shot with Phil and Sandra in Agua Negra just before we handed a new house over to a family (pictures below).  Unfortunately I don't have my video editing suite here so Windows Movie Maker was my program of choice. It's a little longer than my usual videos but try and watch it all the way through and let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

After this interview we had a ceremony to hand over the house Servants Heart Ministries (SHM) was able to build for a family who had lost their house during hurricane Irene. There are many more families who are in need of new houses and as the money comes in SHM will build more. We also gave some new mattresses to a family for their kids. It was pretty cool.

New house (on the right) a few days before the dedication.	Mattresses arriving.
We could only carry the mattresses to the house. The truck couldn't fit!	The new mom's hanging out.
Inside the new house.	New MATTRESSES!!!
Phil handing the keys over.	Community house warming party.

Thanks for watching!

Chris

Working it out

        Life is starting to feel a little more normal now after a week and a half. When we first got here it almost seemed like it wasn’t going to be hard to adjust. I think that was mostly because I was so excited and had some adrenalin pumping.  Within a couple days my mind actually realized where we were and how long we were here for... I might have freaked out a little bit. I may or may not have said a couple of times I wanted to go home.  After saying that I felt guilty...... I was going through a mixture of emotions.  Chris was really good about calming his “crazy” wife.  I just had this sense of “what did we do!?!?”.  I am kind of a go getter, get things done, fast pace, jump right into things kind of person.  So when I didn’t feel like I was accomplishing something right off the bat it freaked me out. Normally when we come it’s only for a week and it’s usually a jam packed week of doing many different things. It’s been hard to realize being a part of people’s regular lives and regular work days is and will be much different. One thing I really love about the Dominican Republic is the easy going personalities and lifestyles. So I have now decided to embrace that way of life as well. I was just speaking with Franklin (our translator and friend) today about some of the difference between here and Canada.  One big difference I am noticing is a difference in anger. There seems to be so many stressed out and angry people back home.  That doesn’t really seem to be an issue here and it’s refreshing. As an example... driving here is nuts. The rules are “flexible” and it’s kind of scary. People will pass you on the right or left even if there is no lane to pass. So we got cut off today while driving pretty bad today and Franklin just put on his brakes and kept driving. I then said this is how that would have played out at home “what the Eff, watch where you’re going you moron” HONK-HONK-HOOOOOONNNNNKKKK. We all laughed....but it’s so true. Road rage is ramped at home and I am (unfortunately, hard to admit) one of those people but not I think I can truly say I have adjusted well and I’m really enjoying my time here.

On the mom front, Abriel is doing pretty good.  She seems to be learning new things every day. She is crawling around and pulling herself up on anything she can. It’s been a little challenging since we can’t take our eyes off her for a second.  I have had a couple moments of worry because of her getting a few mosquito bites and a heat rash but so far everything has worked out.  She has been enjoying some new foods and loving the attention from everyone here. I feel like a part of the mom’s club here. People have been so inviting to me when they see me with Abriel. It’s nice when you have common ground.  Being a mom is being a mom no matter what country you are in. I have still been breast feeding (even though Abriel has 7 teeth now), which people find very fascinating here. People like to come over and check out how I do it and what my boob looks like. It’s okay though I have become very comfortable and open about it. I am actually thinking about doing a breastfeeding clinic while we are here.

Thanks again for everyone’s love and support, it’s needed and appreciated.

Picture Day and a New House, Batman

The internet connection at our house has been horrible for the last three days which is why you haven’t been updated. 

Kids lining up to get their picture taken

On Tuesday we were at the school in Congrejo for picture day.  Picture day here is different than a Canadian picture day. These kids are some of the happiest kids until they have to take a picture, it seems. Here is the sequence for most of the pictures:

1. The kid is laughing and playing with their friends watching others have their picture taken and trying to make them laugh.  
2. The kid is called up to take his/her picture 
3. The photographer gives the ol’ “smile” 
4. The kid makes one of two faces:  a perfectly straight face OR a “verge of mad face” but definitely doesn’t smile. 
5. *click* 
6. The kid smiles, then laughs, then runs back to their friends to try and make the next kid laugh during their picture.

It’s hilarious.  I’m not sure why this is the way but I do know it’s a culture thing. Even adults do it. I have friends down here who if you don’t ask them specifically to smile they won’t. Crazy. Now, I will say the kids at this school are getting better at smiling during pictures because they are now used to getting their sponsorship pictures done twice a year but there are still many who don’t know how to take a happy picture.

On Thursday I went to Agua Negra to see the progress made on a house Servants Heart is helping build and to do some videotaping of a Haitian family who received a new house a few years ago. The progress on the house is going great. I went there on Monday and they were just finishing up the bricks for one of the last walls. Then on Thursday they had the smooth coat done and 80% of the roof put up. This coming Monday is the “handing over”  ceremony where the family gets to move in. This family is receiving a new house because during hurricane Irene their house was completely destroyed. Agua Negra is a massive village (might be a town) built on a garbage dump beside a harbour and a river. When there is any good amount of rain the river rises and quite often knocks down a house or two along the river side. Also because of the garbage underneath the village the water becomes essentially a cess pool of waste water hence the name of the village Agua Negra or “Black Water”.  Not only that but the water rushes into the houses and sweeps away any belongings not tied down or higher than the water line. Servants Heart (among other ministries) have started going into this town and building the houses higher so that the water won’t get in. It makes all the difference in the world. I’m excited and humbled to be able to take part in and witness this new house being given to a family in such need.

kid holding a live bat

In other Agua Negra news: while I was hanging out with Sandra (the Sandra we have written of before) and Franklin (our translator) the kid who watches the gate at the school came in with a live bat in his hands. It was nuts! Sandra said he needed to get rid of it nicely so they found a cardboard box to put the bat in to take it outside. Once it was in the cardboard box it went insane and started flapping around in there. The kid brought it out and everything was ok. Who grabs a live bat? Chiquito does.

This is a long entry already so I’ll end it for now. Thanks for keeping up with us!

Chris

Mosiquito Nets, 9 Eleven and Montellano Registration

Mosquito nets are the most frustrating thing I have ever dealt with; more frustrating than putting up a tent, trying to fold up a pack ‘n’ play or put together a BBQ. When we get back to our Dominican house I will find a way to make the evening struggle less frustrating but for now I will spend half an hour every night trying to make sure there are no gaps, trying to make sure our skin is not in contact with the net and trying to make sure the whole thing doesn’t fall down. If you are a praying person please pray for increased patience while dealing with mosquito nets. I needed to get that off my chest. Thank you for reading on.

Sunday

image taken from another website

Sunday morning we got up and watched part of the memorial service for 9/11. It was hard to watch people read out the names of those who died especially when they were sending messages to those they personally had lost in their lives.





 We then attended a very small, (eight people – including us) English speaking church. It is weird singing worship to what is essentially a YouTube video but on the positive side the music is perfect. No bad notes, no timing issues and the singers never mess up the words . The message was on loving God with everything you have and loving “your neighbour” (the Good Samaritan story). As it turns out your neighbour is everyone else including those that don’t believe the same things you do. The principle goes as far as to say love those who hate you and what you believe because they happen to be your neighbour as well. Not a lot of room for exclusions or exceptions.

Keeleah helping get a kid ready for their sponsorship picture.

In the afternoon we travelled out to the region of Montellano (“Mont-tea-an-o”) where Servants Heart (the people we are working with while we are down here) are starting up an “escuelita” (“es-quel-ee-tah”). The small school will teach 40 of the village’s students English, Spanish and Math. These students all attend a public school during the morning and then go to the escuelita in the afternoon to get help with homework and be taught more than what they learn in school. So, on Sunday afternoon we were there registering these kids and taking their pictures and asking questions about their lives so we can get sponsors for them to attend. It was nuts. The kids were crazy and it was insanely hot in the small building and, as per usual in the Dominican, there were way more kids there to register than originally signed up. In the end we got everything we needed and made a few friends along the way. Abriel was a huge hit with the students and parents. It’s very likely in this village that most of them have never actually seen a white baby in person. She’s a phenomenon.

On your mark, get set, GOOOOO!!!!

Every once in a while, as Chris and I sat in the airport waiting to board the plane and chasing Abriel around as she crawled along the floor, we would just look at each other and smile like there was a secret we knew that no one else did. Most people boarding the airplane were just doing so for one week of relaxation in the sun and all day buffet and bar service. We were boarding for an adventure that we are hoping will change and shape our lives. It felt good to know we had made it this far. The airplane ride was good. We were in a three person row but the third person didn’t show up, so Abriel got her own seat (although you wouldn’t know it by the way she spent most of the time climbing the seats and smiling at people). The really funny part was she was completely captivated and thoroughly entertained by the pre-flight safety demonstration. Every time the stewardess brought out another prop or waived her hands in the direction of the bathrooms Abriel would erupt in laughter. It was quite funny.

As the plane was getting ready to land and we could see the ocean meet the Dominican shore a sense of excitement really hit me. In the past we’ve only come down for a week at a time and everything seems so rushed but knowing we were going to be here for longer really gave me a sense of peace. We were greeted by the Williams’ and two friends of ours, Franklin and Jessica, who work for them as we came out of baggage claim. I’m so thankful there were familiar faces to welcome us back. Off to the house where we unloaded our belongings and then we ate some delicious Dominican food from a local take out place in the area. Soooo yummy!!!

We got caught up about pretty much everything going on here, tried (unsuccessfully) to have a nap, unpacked, met the people in who’s house we will be taking care of for the next two weeks, had a late dinner and by 9pm we were done both physically and mentally. We put Abriel down and climbed into bed and although there were dogs barking on the street, a car alarm going off for over an hour and the ceiling fan chugging away we heard none of it because we fell asleep a few short minutes after our heads hit the pillows.

Chris got up around 7am and went out with Phil to Congrejo to see the finished shed and to help with getting a gate put up. Abriel and I got up about 30 mins later. We got our first Dominican daily life experience: a women coming to the house today and selling fresh avocados and bananas. We got 1 avocado and 2 bananas for 35 pesos, which is just under a dollar CAD. They were huge, fresh and yummy! Abriel enjoyed some banana for breakfast. I enjoyed Dominican coffee and a fresh cheese croissant from a nearby German bakery (Chris opted for the slightly less healthy chocolate croissant earlier on in the day). I am feeling a little spoiled right now. We also did our first grocery shopping at the bigger grocery market in town. Donna showed me what brands to buy and what to stay away from. We didn’t have to buy too much stuff because starting tonight we are house sitting for another couple for a few weeks since they have to go home for a bit. They live about 5 minutes away from the Williams in a gated in apartment on the first floor. It’s really nice and has air conditioning in the bedroom which I am enjoying as I write this. It’s so stinkin’ hot outside!!! A part of me just wants to get all settled into our new place but another part of me is enjoying some of the luxury’s we get in this home.

Abriel has been doing great here and I am thankful for Donna since she takes her when we need to get something done and she is so great with her. It’s nice to have a third grandma when the other two can’t be here. Abriel gets so much attention everywhere we go people just love her and call her a “muñecas” which means doll in Spanish.

Not too much excitement.... but that is the beginning of our adventure!!!
Stay tuned :)

ps it won't let me upload pictures.... will try again later. Sorry :(

PACKING!!

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate packing........ I hate packing for week long trips, so you can imagine my hatred for 5 months worth of packing. I am more of a "throw stuff in a suitcase and hope you have the right stuff and enough stuff and then get mad when you forget stuff" kind of person. Chris is a make a list of the things you need, then make a list of how many of those things you need, then make a list of the things you have packed, then make a list of the things you need, and then finally make a master list of all of the above. It's very time consuming but at least we shouldn't forget things. As long as we get through Chris saying "you are only allowed 4 shorts" and then me saying "how about *cough cough* 7 shorts?" we should make it out with both of us alive.

Yes, I am procrastinating right now, at midnight, from packing, while Chris continues to pack around me. He loves to pack and is enjoying the challenge. Hopefully by tomorrow night we will have 5 checked suitcases and 4 carry's on's packed and we won't have to pull an all niter. We know that 4:30am on Friday morning will come quickly!!  Oh boy..... less then 48 hours and we will officially be living in the DR! So send your packing wishes our way and think positive packing thoughts, because we need it.

Side note: Abriel crawled today, officially, not just a face drag (she is 6 months and 3 days old). She is sooo happy and lovin' the freedom. I am afraid of her need for independence so soon in life but I am so proud of her tenacity and determination.

Extra side note: My friends rock! We do a monthly girls night and tonight was my last one for the next 5 months. They were so thoughtful and each wrote me a letter to read while I am away for encouragement and support. I am looking forward to reading them and showing restraint by waiting to read them. Thank you Kelly, Mellisa, Vicky, Nadia, Sarah, Steph and Mel (the queen of Stir fry). I love you girls :)

well, peace out.... must get back to packing.... boooooo!!!

Labour Day (a.k.a "Family Day")

Yesterday was filled with hanging out with both my family and Keeleah’s family. 

We went to see Grandma and Grandpa Edwards in the morning. They have been such a blessing in our lives ever since I was a little kid and through our marriage and even as we take this step and go to do missions. They have supported us in various ways not the least of which is their encouraging words. The crazy thing about my grandparents on the Edwards side is they are both 92 years old(!) and live by themselves(!) with no one checking in on them (!) in a house with stairs(!) and they still get out and do pretty much what they want, when they want(!). We told them we are on our way to Dominican this Friday and they responded with “Oh, We’re so glad we got to see you before we left. We are leaving for Bermuda on Wednesday.” Ninety-two! We love them very much.

Next stop on the family tour was the Matta House. The Matta’s are such great people.   They love being outside and doing “naturey” things. We ended up going to Christie Conservation Area for an afternoon of fun. We played Euchre, tried to start a fire (unsuccessfully) using our car cigarette lighter, went for a hike to the dam (“don’t use that language around my kid”) and played a hole of disc golf. Unfortunately for Randy I was his partner in Euchre and we lost both games. It wasn’t a blowout (10-9 and then 10-8) but it was enough for the women to rise up in triumphant rejoicing. Who turns down a bower, leads with a bower and then trumps his own teammate? I do. On our hike we found the place where we did our “trash the dress” photo shoot so we decided to take a few pictures there to try and re-enact the photo. The Matta’s are very adventuresome as well. Both parents got out there in the river bed with us to take pictures. I was impressed! I was also impressed with Cathy’s disc golf skills. She was just putting but made most of her shots in one throw. I think we have a competitor for next season! All around, although freezing cold, a great time with the fam.

Then we were on to the Paris fair for the annual Edwards family tradition of watching the smash up derby championships. It was loud, smelly and extremely cold which made for a memorable night. One of the first things that happened upon arriving at the fair is we saw a large, very nice, pickup truck accidentally ram through a chain link fence. From what we can guess, the driver put the car in drive instead of reverse and tried to peel out but instead lodge herself under the chain link fence in front of her and in the process ripped off the licence plate. It was hilarious for us. Probably not so much for her. Later, during the actual derby, we saw an illegal hit by one of the drivers which resulted in the driver who was hit climbing out his driver side window onto the hood of the car that hit him and then drop kicking the driver through the windshield. It was AMAZING! No one got hurt and the refs came in and broke it up before anything else happened. The illegally hit driver was allowed to get back in his car and finish the derby and he ended up winning. The night ended with a game of Settlers, of course, which my mom won even though she has no clue how she won and then came our final farewells before the trip. It’s always hard to say so long for a longer amount of time. I’m sure my parents have mixed feelings. On one hand they are “losing” a great daughter-in-law, a cute grand-daughter and a wonderful son (nice). On the other hand they have told us before and told us again last night how proud they are of us for going to do what we believe God is telling us to do.

Both our families are tremendous and we love each of them dearly. If you don’t know them you should get to know them ‘cause they are fantastic people.

Thanks Matta family and Edwards Family for such a great day! We love you SO MUCH!

Chris Edwards (and Keeleah and Abriel too, I’m sure)    

Almost there...

The trouble with blogging is: when things are boring we are always thinking “there is nothing interesting to blog about” and when things are crazy we think “which thing should we choose to blog about?” Either way it tends to lead to not blogging. Haha! But we are making a promise to really stick to it while we are away.  We are soooo happy to have so many people rooting for us and wanting to hear about what we are doing. Please, stay with us!

A few Saturday’s ago was our Coffee House and Purse Sale and it was a huge success! Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us and for those who couldn’t make it but supported us by donating purses, gift cards and money towards the event. We were able to raise a bunch of money that will go to bless the people of the Dominican. We will keep you all updated on how the money is used and what cool things we are able to see God do through your generosity. Also thanks to The Freeway Cafe for having such a great spot in Hamilton and renting it out for so cheap! We feel so blessed to have such a great support system behind what we are going to do. So, THANK YOU!

Pictures by: Jenelle Fitch Photography

We are leaving in 7 days!!! It is hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since we made the decision to go and do work long term in the D.R and it’s been 6 months since we actually starting putting things in motion (which means our baby girl is 6 months old on Sunday..... WHAT THE HECK?!?!?!). With being 7 days out we are trying to get all of our “affairs” in order to try and maintain things here on the Canada front so that we don’t have to worry about it while we are away. People have been asking what sorts of things we need to do to get ready. You wouldn’t think it would be a lot of things but it sure does add up. We need to get travel insurance, put our car insurance on hold, get wills done up, switch all our bills to paperless billing, a lot of packing and buying things we wouldn’t be able to buy down there (and trying to figure out what those things actually are), preparing our cats to be watched by someone else.... oh the list could go on and on. Although it’s a lot of work it is kind of exciting work since we know it’s going to lead to a new and exciting adventure. The Dominican is such a relaxed and slower moving pace society and we are really looking forward to that new culture and life style. It has been easier since Chris is not working anymore (3^rd week off!) having him around to help with Abriel and to get things sorted.  What a great way to start our 5 months off together.

In other exciting news: Chris’ sister, Carrie, got engaged about 5 weeks ago and is getting MARRIED! We are so excited for her and Dan. Carrie is such a great person and Dan is wonderful with her. We are happy to have him join our family (even though we think he’s nuts for wanting toJ). The wedding is December 3^rd which means we are coming home for a weeklong visit. We fly home November 29^th and fly back to the Dominican on December 6^th.  It will be nice to see our friends and family for a week but a part of us is unsure how we will experience the quick culture shock (and the cold shock!).... It will be interesting to say the least.

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If you are interested in giving money towards what we are doing in the Dominican and want to receive a charitable donation tax receipt you can do so through our church.

Please make cheques out to:

Community Church
PO Box 290
Waterdown, Ontario
 L0R 2H0.

Please put “Dominican Outreach” in the memo line.

Thanks! You are tremendous!

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