Sister love

It's been three (3) days since my sister Shené and our friend Teleisha left for Canada. It was a fun visit packed full of new adventures. We have already talked about our zip lining fun and I honestly thought that would be the most adventurous thing I would do while down here.... but I was wrong.  On Sunday we went waterfall jumping!! For $15 we got to jump, slide and swim down 27 waterfalls and it included lunch!!! It was scary but amazing! Chris didn't come because he stayed behind and watched Abriel (such a good man).  It was sooo good I plan on taking Chris there before we leave.

Shené and Teleisha have both been to the DR on a missions trip 3 years ago. That was mostly a working trip so this time was a little different. We did some fun things and did some work. I think they appreciated the mix. They came to our tutoring sessions and met the students, they helped with some painting of the new school and we showed them around some villages they have never been to before. I sometimes feel weird just showing people some of the places because we are showing them peoples real lives.... not a museum or something.  Sometimes people can get a sense that if they have seen it or held some kids hand then they have made a difference and although it's a good start and it is important to see that the poverty is real you can't stop at just seeing.

We are so grateful for the time to spend with family and friends from back home! It means a lot to have people come down and hang out with us and see what we do first hand. You guys rock.

Something we have been facing since we started tutoring is a feeling of helplessness in some of our students lives.  A few of them have shared some things that are going on in their home lives, things like: no food to eat, being abused (physically and mentally) and having to work six or eight hours everyday after school and on weekends when they are in grades one to three.  It's a different life.... a different world.... a different culture and the rules of home don't apply here. I just want to pull them out of the situation and "save" them but it's not that easy.  We have also found out our sponsor girl, Maria, is having a hard time at school as a result of her home life.  She as made some accusations..... (ones that have made me cry and sicken me). We are going to be meeting with her and the school director to try to sort some stuff out and get to the bottom of things. We will update when we know more but if you are a praying person these kids need our prayers... and these parents need a wake up call.