July 14, 2011

You know by now the routine. I always see the pastor outside feeding his chickens and checking for eggs that have been laid by his birds. He checks to make sure none are sick and if they are, he finds meds for them. I curiously watch and it is fascinating to me. For me, I love to walk my shit zus and play with them, or ride with them in the car. It is a pastime…

We pray together as we are prepare to go to La Romana. We are meeting with our church planters and other pastors in this city to talk strategy about what they are doing. I am observing, but also advising. We talk about marriage conferences, how By Grace Alone Ministries is figuring out in all that we’ll be doing in Dominican Republic in the future and elsewhere.

We are to meet with the Governor and Senator of El Seibo along with the local Free Methodist Pastor as they are interested in collaborating in a medical mission program. The focus is to support the local church and be a vehicle for outreach for them. More negotiations still need to take place. We are focusing on a BGA/FH medical trip in DR for February and a BGA medical trip in March 2012.

This is a season for lots of fruits in Dominican Republic. There are mangos and pineapples to die for. There is a town or city called Cotui, in the Cibao region. If you buy from a vendor and eat a pineapple that has grown from this area, you will wish you had a 10 gallons stomach to keep eating more. They are so fresh, sweet and juicy. Anyway, I just did that. 4 pineapples between Pastor Mario and myself on our way back to Santo Domingo.

Back in Santo Domingo for another meeting with the medical doctors who will be working with us in both February and March 2012.

A dominos game always brings everyone together. I played hard and well. The two Thomas girls are becoming champion competitive dominos players against a well known neighborhood hard hitter Bolivar. You should see their excitement and focus. So we played throughout much of the night until it was time to go to bed. This game keeps us sane.

Tomorrow is a new day. I have several errands to run before leaving later in the day. Go to La  Victoria and meet with the Alcade of the municipality,  etc…