Friday we didn't have ministry until the night at the church service. So we did get to sleep in until about 7:45. The men, boys and Serenity and Karen went back out to Miguels property to keep digging the hole for the Septic Tank. Everyone else stayed home to clean except Addy, Maggie and I. We went to help Miguel with running errands and watching the girls. We ran around San Juan paying bills, getting things, etc. Miguel and I had a nice talk. He said...and Mark and Wayne and Darwin told me later too, that Cam really opened up the night they had the men only time. Miguel said, "I was so proud of that kid." The other men said things similar. We talked about the Dominicans skin color versus the Haitians and how the lighter the skin, the higher up the social ladder you'll go. Very sad to have prejudices like that. We ran into Manuel and Pastor Rigoberto and chit chatted with them a little bit then headed off to Miguels house. He went and ran more errands and we stayed with the girls. We danced, listened to music, read books and looked at pictures on my iPad from last years trips of them and their daddy. When Miguel got home, he got a call from Kristin telling him the sex of the baby. He said he'd make an announcement later, but my guess was girl...just by how he reacted.
We went back to the house which had been out of power all day. All of San Juan and the surrounding areas were out of power. We had lunch, did our chores which were mostly done and rested a little bit before heading back to Miguels for a Dominican Rising Fundraiser and talking to them about their upcoming Peru trip. I bought two coffees, three vanillas, a bracelet, a necklace, two t-shirts, sugar and a cigar (for dad). I spent $61. Not too bad. After we spoke to them about the Peru missions trip. Then we got BACK on the bus....once we retrieved Cam's shoes. He got on Miguels neighbors roof and threw his shoes to Miguels roof but then he couldn't get over there, so Miguel jumped over and got them. We headed to the city center and looked at the beautiful life like mosaic. It took four years to build. Then we crossed the street to another monument. Then home for Pizza Dominican style! Also at lunch, I forgot to mention that Rigoberto and Manuel came and ate with us. They told us how the church plant in Cerros de Mogollon is going thanks to our trip there last year. The Cerros de Mogollon area was adopted by an Atlanta church. We may adopt the Huatico area. I didn't get to hear much because I had dish duty, but it sounds like things are going wonderfully. The people are responding well, etc. While they were talking, Shari and I walked food over to the neighbors house. The grandma was there. She told me she had 6 kids and 7 grandchildren. I told her she looked so young. She said she got married at 15. I told Mark this and he said in Hautico just recently a 12 year old girl married a 21 year old man! That blows me away! Yes, this culture is very different and they have no problem being sexually active even at the age of 9, but it still seems unreal to me. I got to hear Manuel and Pastor Rigoberto talk a little bit towards the end, but then they had to leave and we had to get ready for our final visit to Hautico for the church service.
It was an awesome service. Taylor and Jenn spoke, Trevor and Ravyn did scripture and Mark translated for Pastor Octavio's service. We also did more singing in English and Spanish. It was a late night though and VERY hot and VERY humid! We said our goodbyes, some tearful and we headed home. We took showers and started cleaning up and packing our things. Shari, Jennifer and Jenn hung out in our room until about 1am. We had some great talks that night and ALL nights. This group of women were very good together, very open and welcoming, no judging etc. Last year it really wasn't like that. There seemed to be more walking on egg shells. I am very happy with our group this year, there was never any awkward moments or feelings of insecurity, nothing, it was FABULOUS!
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