Wow was today was one loco day in the Dominican Republic and by loco, I mean el pollo loco!! Not only did Kaylee Fowler see a chicken cross the road today, but we also had chicken feet for dinner! It was one cluck-cluck day to say the least.
This paragraph is brought to you by Kelly Damm. I would like to tell you about all of the teeth I cleaned today. Yeah, you read that right. I typed teeth because I’m at the Dentistry site! Throughout the day we had three patients who needed fillings for their cavities – it was exciting. I had to prepare all of the utensils and other materials needed for those procedures. For example, I had to get out the blue syringe and the infrared light. I also had to put that little bib around their necks (you know that one that the dentist puts around your neck when you go there?). It was really crazy stuff.
Wow, on another non-chicken note… I, Kapri, am in the pre-school site in Mata Gorda. These kids are the cutest little nuggets you will ever see. The ages at the school we’re at are 3-5 year old. Basically, at Mata Gorda, we get to play with the kids all day and help out in every way in the classroom. It has been a real struggle because of the language barrier. I came here knowing NO Spanish whatsoever, but over these past few days I am able to gradually learn how to communicate to the kids. I love to help out with Johanna (our site leader) with making the homework for the kids. Yesterday, we built a giant road with construction paper around a table for the kids to play with. I have an interesting story that happened today. The bathroom at the school is very small, very dirty, and very old. The door is known for getting stuck and having to stick your hand through a hole in the door to open it from the outside. Well, as I tried to open it from the outside from the inside it was locked. It was also locked from the inside. Therefore, I was stuck in the bathroom. I called for help as I was internally freaking out. I had someone help jiggle the knob but it was no use. I jiggled the inside knob AND THEN the knob broke!! It came right off! I internally and externally freaked out. About 5 minutes and a lot of jiggling later, the door finally opened and I was freed. That is my amazing bathroom story. One last thing, I petted a puppy that wandered onto the site and it was the cutest thing ever and I wanted to keep it forever.
For myself, Simone, it was a wonderful day at the woman’s social work site, in the beginning of the day I shared my testimony with the group, our sight leader Daisy was so encouraging, her daughter would interpret for us and they are both such amazing role models for the woman, Daisy gave us the opportunity to talk to the woman and give them some advice, it is so awesome how they keep their faith in a culture that doesn’t care much for rules. We talked to the woman about Joshua and why we gave a year of our life for Christ, some of the ladies shared their stories with us as well, most of the woman are 19 and up who have multiple kids and are married or have a boyfriend. Us Joshua girls said how we didn’t have boyfriends and they were shocked, just because their goal in life is basically to get a husband. Daisy encouraged them to raise their kids that is pleasing to God and not to do the mistakes they made, letting them know that God has already forgiven what they did, and reminding them to make wise decisions. At the end of our little bible study, we were teaching the woman English and they were teaching us some Spanish. It was so cool to be around the woman community and to see how they do life together. Daisy knows everyone around the area and people are drawn to her, she has so much love for the woman, community, God and it is so evident.
Dinner in the community!
DR – Day 4 from Joshua Wilderness Institute on Vimeo.