WEEK 4

DISCLAIMER:
The whole time we've been in the DR, we've been dealing with power going in and out. It happens everywhere including tourist resorts. That has seriously affected our ability to load up pictures and update the blog. It has also hindered us from communicating with y'all. To add to our dilemma, our computer's power supply just took a dump, we just can't win here. Our pics are in there and we have no way of uploading them directly from the camera to our blog until I buy a new power supply. It doesn't look like its gonna happen while we're in the DR. As soon as we can we will. Meanwhile at least I'll tell you what we've done.

THURSDAY

Dinner with the Blakes. A retired couple who lived in Rialto, CA built their home here and moved. They’re fixing a small house on their property to rent temporarily to brothers who might  be coming into the country to serve as needgreaters.  They’ve already offered it to us or anybody we know who might be coming to the country. So you can check the “where am I going to live” off your list, check.

Leti helping make some tortillas

The Blake's, Sanchez' and Leti

SATURDAY

We met at the hall at 6:15am to wait for the bus

Everyone excited as we load up the bus

La Ureña cong. has made plans as a congregation to help out the Sabana Grande de Boya congregation that has some seldom worked territory. The territory hadn’t been worked since 2010. About 60+ of us went to Sabana Grande. When people saw us arrive, they got excited and were actually waiting for us. You could see people bringing out chairs so that we could sit and talk to them. It was quite an experience. We had some hills to climb but nothing out of this world. At lunch time, the elders asked a homeowner with some land if we could have lunch there as a group. They gave us permission and we all ate there. Everybody was really happy to be there and was enjoying the brotherhood. Service was great! I would say the best we’ve had to date. We were supposed to go to a river or a watering hole but service ran late and the afternoon beat us. Service is just so good, you can’t stop. How many times can you say that in CA.

I'm not sure if the brother who hired the bus company told them that we were going to preach and that the message we take could mean life or death for the people that hear it. Maybe the bus owner took it literal, cause he sent the "MORTAL KOMBAT BUS". Imagine arriving in this, in a little town to preach? You think, they were more inclined to listen?
Unfortunately, we were not assigned to preach with the bus group, so we missed out on the people's reaction. I'll tell you what though, that bus arriving to transport a bunch of eager preacher's of the good news, will forever be a classic.

Those who didn't fit on the Mortal Kombat bus went on the mini bus

KH in Sabana Grande de Boya where we met for service

Last minute instructions

Some went to a small town and some of us went to the hills

We have to get there anyway we can

Lunch time

Everybody's having a good time

Break time!

Nap time!

Neighbors were so kind they gave us coffee, right before we left.

This young one is beat, he just collapsed on his daddy's lap

We spent the night with Leo and Amy Morales and their dog Samson.

Our Hosts: Leo & Amy Morales

This is the mighty Samson

He started a fight

He put up a good fight

And lost, miserably!

SUNDAY

I was asked to give the talk in the morning. They asked so nicely I couldn’t say no, even though I had the talk in La Ureña that evening. 9am I gave the talk and we left. We promised to return if we’re ever back in the country. Who knows, it might be sooner than they think.

This talk was in Sabana Grande at 9am

Sunday talk in La Ureña marked another first for me. For the last two weeks the hall has been without electricity. Recently the power company made a change in the way they sell power to non-profit/religious buildings. According to some, most churches get free electricity. But now it seems that’s changing. They cut the power off at the KH. And trying to get it reconnected has been somewhat of a challenge. So meanwhile, we’ve been running on generator power. Which is no problem. Except for today, of all days, it happened today.

Meeting starts, everything is good. I start my talk and less than 5 minutes in, generator quits. Hall is packed. No power means, no fans. I start sweating like a pig, and I think it was more the, no power situation than the fact we had no fans. I’m trying not to yell, but I have to raise my voice so the back audience hears. And of course, the day I decide to change up the talk a little, all this is happening. More nerves! I can see brothers frantically trying to get the generator working. About ten minutes before I end the talk the power kicks in. The problem, no gas. The gas gauge marked half full and it didn’t have any gas at all, faulty gauge. Again, there’s always a first. You just got to roll with it here, that’s what makes it exciting.

At the end of the meeting, the Watchtower conductor announced it was our final meeting. We were surprised by the reaction of the friends. Many who we spent very little time with, came up to us and thanked us for the visit and the time we spent with the congregation. The ones we went out on service with and spent a little more time with, well,  you can tell they were genuinely sad to see us go. We definitely made some friends here. Oh, and they love to take pics.

Rocio, "Mamota", Melanie & Leti

Luis & Rocio Mejia and us

Brother Torres & I

Geovanni & Mercedes Rodriguez and us

Anabel (Nurse Volunteer at Bethel, Leti & Isabel R.P.)

The Perez boys (COBE's kids) and I

Junior (Literature Servant) and I

The Perez Family and us

"Mamota" my buddy and I

Alf, Stef & us

WEEK 3

SATURDAY

On our way to buy a giant Pilon, DR version of the Molcajete

Our first weekend in the “campo” as they call it here. We traveled about 2.5 hrs. to Ocoa with our final destination being Rancho Arriba. This is the town the branch suggested to Alf & Stef to move to and help out the small congregation there. We realized quickly we were in the Boonies. Electricity in the homes is free because it’s so irregular. The power company decides when they get electricity. They just take advantage whenever it’s working. If the homeowners have a little money they buy an “inversol (inverter)” , they hook up to some batteries and at least they have some lights working in their house when the power is not on. Water abounds because it comes from the local river flowing through the city.

Alf & Stef's home in Rancho Arriba

We arrive straight to the territory and have a lovely time. I worked with a German brother, Rolando Reimann, who has been in the country for over 20 years. Leti worked with a Dominican sister named Clary. I had my first experience where an interested person trades vegetables for magazines. Rolando got some red bell peppers and shared some with me. There’s always a first. 

Rolando and my share of the Bell Peppers

Sister we had lunch with

A local pioneer sister and her daughter invited us over for lunch. After lunch Leti went with Stef to some of her old studies and RV’s just to say HI to them and invite them to the Sunday meeting. We traveled about 30 minutes up the mountain to get to them. Alf had to do some small electrical jobs he had promised his neighbors he would do when he returned, I tagged along and helped. 

Angelina our host's home

The white wood on the house came from the KH after it was remodeled.

Ceramic vase with a concrete base keeps water cool, they need it since there's no electricity

Stef & Leti doing some calls

We're suckers for dogs, we can't help it

Have you ever seen this kind of Chicken?

Sisters trying to get some cherries

You got a friend in me...

SUNDAY

Service meeting at the hall. Leti got assigned to work with Rolando’s wife. The sister is able to preach to those speaking Haitian Creole and was able to speak to a few. As a matter of fact a few came to meeting. We went to a territory right next to the river. Some Dominican’s have some beautiful vacation homes here. I worked with Arci a brother who’s the High School principle, nice brother. MS and seems to be reaching out. He has 3 teenage daughters who seem to be doing well. 

German sister (Conny)

Meeting was in the afternoon and I gave the talk. The brother’s seem to like it. Some said it was what the congregation needed. Attendance was 37. Small groups make me nervous! 

This is how some get to meetings or service

KH in Rancho Arriba

Outside Bathroom

 

 

 

Congregacion Rancho Arriba

Inpromtu Demo

 

After the meeting our host, Angelina invited some brothers over for a "pasarato", social gathering.

  

Junior (that's his actual name) a Haitian brother who has been raised in the DR and loves to sing Mexican Rancheras, only in the DR

They all love Mexican music, Chente is big in the DR

MONDAY/TUESDAY

Our new beach front property, we wish

Literally the End of the Road in Las Galeras

Today we left to Samana to go Ziplining. YEAAAAHHAHAHAHAH!!!! Got too exicited. We got lost and didn’t make on time. We spend the night in a cheap motel and were ready early morning to go ziplining.

Samana at night

Hanging out in Samana

We were at the location at 7:45am. Alf & Stef had a airport pick up at 11am, so we needed to be out of there by 9:30am. We were, and it was AWESOME!!!! 12 descents, some faster than others and not always upright. Just pure fun. Definatley a spot to come back to, especially after they finish building the tree-top hotel.

After a lightning ziplining tour we went for the airport pick-up. Two sisters who are visiting for a month trying out the preaching in Bayaguana. Dropped them off had some ice cream and not much else to see.

First time zipliners, can you see the fear in their smiles

Climb to the first line was steep

Everyone is pumped after the ziplining

Nice waterfall and swimming hole

Next time, we'll stay in the tree house

Motoconchos: Motorcycle taxi's. They can take people or stuff, check it out.

Any large vehicle, van or bus is called a Hua Hua. It doesn't matter how you get there inside or outside, right?