Thanksgiving!

It was a full house for Thanksgiving at the Simos'. We enjoyed a delicious meal with all the fixings! I'm not sure when the last time was that I ate so much. Oh wait, last Thanksgiving :) Not only did we stuff ourselves, but we played cards all day. It was definitely a day for giving thanks! We are so blessed to be here in the Dominican Republic with our "family" doing what we can to glorify God with our lives.

Trade & Barter Day

I teach History to the missionary kids every Tuesday & Thursday morning. As part of the curriculum, we had a Trade & Barter Day a couple of weeks ago. The kids got in groups of 2 & had to set up a "shop." We had a butcher, baker, & barber shop. Each group brought items that they would be selling at their shop & items they would be bartering with. Also, they enjoyed dressing up according to what shop they worked at. We had a blast learning! They all agreed that it was a lot more fun than reading the lessons & taking quizzes :)

Freedom Intern

At the beginning of November, Freedom hosted an intern for 2 weeks. Her name was Amanda Vore, & she was at the Cline household for the duration of her stay. Kurt & I had a great time getting to know her. It was definitely a change to our routine, but she quickly fit in. I know Kurt was excited to have her there because that meant I had to cook every night :) We enjoyed talking to Amanda about Freedom & having her participate in Preschool & a one-week VBS. She also helped prepare crafts & other activities for the preschool teachers. I think she had a great time & so did we. The two weeks passed quickly, but we were glad she was able to come! Thanks Amanda for visiting the DR & learning more about Freedom to share with others :) 

Land Ho!

Praise the Lord, Freedom has land! Freedom purchased a total of 15 acres right outside a small town called Ramon Santana. The land sits back away from the road & is relatively flat. Right now, there's not much to see but lots of trees & cows. However, we are ready to start building.

It's a step-by-step process, but to give you an idea of our goal, check out the Building Page on our website - "Brick by Brick, we will build." 

Join us as we continue to strive towards our ultimate goal of "equipping people to engage culture according to their design." Our plan is to use the tool of a school to "develop life-changing relationships" with the children we come into contact with so that they might become "catalysts for change in the Dominican Republic."

The Month of October

October flew by so stinking fast! I can hardly believe it's over :) Only a few days ago did I think to myself that November was just around the corner. Now, we're only a little over 1 week away from Thanksgiving.

The month started with the Hilgemans on furlough in the states. I heard they were crazy busy & met with tons of new groups to talk about the ministry, especially the land. Which, by the way, Freedom purchased before they left. It sits right outside of Ramon Santana, a small town half way between San Pedro & the bateyes. We now own a little over 15 acres & are ready to start the building process. Near the end of the Hilgemans furlough, Freedom enjoyed a much needed break from preschool. I'm pretty sure everyone (even the students) were ready for some down time. While on break, I took an amazing 6 day trip to Indiana to see my sister & baby Vienna. I had so much fun, even though it went by at lightening speed! Vienna was a doll & seeing my family brought me lots of joy. I even had a chance to hang out with some amazing friends! I wish Kurt could have gone too. I guess maybe next time :) As the month came to a close, things began to slow down. Just in time for another intern to join the team for 2 weeks.

It's fun to remember each month & all the amazing things that have happened. October was no exception to amazing things, maybe even a little more amazing since Freedom was able to purchase some land. God is moving our ministry forward, & we love being in the middle of it all. He has great things planned, & we're here watching Him move!

Learning the Language

I’m not exactly sure where I expected to be with the language after a year. I remember the first couple of months when communication was nonexistent. I knew basic greetings & words, but to make a simple run to the grocery store was difficult. I couldn’t explain anything. I would be thinking of what I wanted to say in English & realize that I knew maybe two words from that thought in Spanish. I guess I didn’t realize how much we rely on being able to communicate.

Now, a year later, you’d think I’d be able to communicate smoothly & understand everything, right? Wrong, but I’m trying to believe that’s okay.

I have reached the point where I can speak in simple terms. I’m over the hump of knowing only the greetings & basic words. I feel confident with past tense & am trying to use more future tense, forgoing the easy route ir [to go]. I’ve even hit the mark of being able to have decent conversations with friends. While all of that is exciting, I still mess up often & find myself frustrated over my lack of understanding.

I’m behind when it comes to knowing the Spanish verbs. I recognize the essential ones & ones relevant to our work, but there’re so many that I just don’t know. As a result, this makes it difficult to hear the language. I’m constantly asking people to slow down or repeat. It’s something I struggle with everyday. Also, I still feel like my brain is about to explode when I have to talk or listen in Spanish for several hours. If I can’t understand even one little word, I miss out on the meaning of the whole conversation.

Needless to say, my understanding of Spanish isn’t as far long as some others. However, as I looked back on the past year, I have definitely improved, & as Howard Jones sings, “Things can only get better.”

A Note From Kurt

(The other day, I was searching for a document on our computer & came across this letter from Kurt. He wrote it just after our 1 year anniversary here in the DR.   - Katie)

It’s been a little over one year since Katie and I first stepped into the Dominican Republic with a one-way ticket in our hands.  A lot of life and ministry has happened in that one year while we have felt the stretch and strain of growth and change.

I remember our first day walking into Batey Lima, the Batey that we have been in the most, and sitting in a circle with a group of adults talking about our plans and projections.  Well, talking is a relative word saying that only Jason Hilgeman, Freedom’s founder, was doing any talking and I was sitting there trying not to feel awkward or more importantly look awkward.

I remember slipping out of the circle and trying some universal language of “catch.” I brought out some gloves and a ball and found a young man standing on the side to join in.  I asked him “Como te llamas?” (What is your name?) and he asked me “What is your name” (in English) and that was about the extent of our conversation.

Little did I know, but the young man I played catch with that day would end up being one of my best friends.  Wander and I now comfortably switch back and forth between English and Spanish, sharing stories, laughing, and doing ministry together.

The roles of Katie and I have changed frequently throughout the past year from teaching home school to the missionary kids, organizing games in the Bateys, teaching English, making videos, teaching in the Freedom pre-school, assisting the young men’s ministry, and recently, even teaching some of the 50 lessons to creation to Christ IN SPANISH.  We’ve fought through battles of ants, lizards, cockroaches, heat, loud music, poor plumbing, a lemon for a car, being flipped off by kids that you pour out your love into every day, and yes…even learning how to work in the same household with each other! :)

All that being said, we wouldn’t trade this last year for anything and are looking forward to the year to come.  The relationships built, and the lives being changed make all the frustrations worth every penny.  Maybe even most importantly, we’re learning how to give up our precious comforts in order to be faithful to our calling in life to Glorify Christ.

Thank you to everyone for you support, prayers, and love over the last year.  Many of you have made extraordinary efforts to help us adjust and to help us be effective, and we appreciate those partnerships very much.

Sincerely,

Kurt

Harbor Shores

Wow! Our second group of the summer has come & gone. The week went quickly, but it was still awesome :) I got to know some cool, new people & spend a lot of time speaking English. I remember last year when the Harbor Shores group came to visit. It was a busy week, but not in the same way. We did a lot of driving because they stayed at a ministry hotel called Score. In addition, we didn't get to be with them every night or hang out for supper. However, this year, we lived life together. I was able to cook for them 2 nights, hang out after meetings playing games (charades), and ride with them in the truck for 2 hours a day. These differences allowed us to build relationships with them & actually get to know them. Thanks Harbor Shores for taking yet another summer to come & see us!

I'm an Aunt (again)!

Hurray! Lara & Mike had their firstborn on July 28th. Vienna Elise Collett weighed in at 2 lbs 14 ounce. Due to threats of preeclampsia, Lara was induced 9 weeks early. Both the baby & mother are doing well. Vienna is growing steady & strong. Lara was able to hold her for 2 hours last Thursday. We thank God for a quick delivery & healthy baby girl!

God is Working in Me

On June 11, we started teaching in a new batey, Campina. Our teaching covers a 10 week period & begins with Creation. Yesterday was the start of week 5 & the teaching of the 10 Commandments. Unfortunately, we were never able to teach that lesson. The kids entered the church & made such a ruckus. It was unbelievably loud in there with people yelling, whistling, and randomly playing the church's instruments. I walked in & was immediately taken aback. It kind of bristled my feathers to hear all the noise because I just knew they were going to be difficult.

It went exactly as I expected, the kids continued to be loud & disrespectful. They wouldn't stop talking, & they barely made it through the singing. When Jason went up to the front to start the teaching, less than half were actually listening. He only made it a few words into his lesson before he had to stop. Meanwhile, I'm trying hard to get kids to be quite without adding to the noise. I did several index-finger motions to my lips, almost too many to count. It took a lot not to show my frustration. Eventually, we had to make the decision to leave without giving the lesson.

It was as we were to picking up that church that I couldn't hold it in any longer. I let my frustration with the kids get to me. It had all been building up inside... the disrespect, the blatant disinterest, the inability to see that we care, and the list goes on. I snapped & told some kid that they weren't listening, & I didn't understand why. Why were they being so difficult?

Thankfully, I have people in my life that care enough about me to show me my weaknesses. They helped me to see that my response was wrong, that perfect love doesn't react that way. I know I'm not perfect, but I am striving to be like Christ. I look back at the day & realize that it's a start of growth for me. I have a compassion for these kids & desire for them to have the love of Christ in their lives. I want them to understand more than they have the capacity for, at this time.

So, I'm asking you to pray with me. If you have a moment now, please take it. Ask that the kids from Campina might see a glimpse of the big picture, that their hearts might be changed, & we, Freedom, can continue to teach them God's word. Also, pray for me as I deal with all the frustrations. I believe my heart is in the right place. I really do care about all of them, but it seems like, too often, I allow my aggravation to control my actions. Being so honest is hard for me, but your prayers are more important than my wanting to hide my imperfections!

Katie

Aletheia

Last week, we had a group from our home church, Aletheia, here. It was a great time being with friends & showing them our ministry. I spent as much time with them as possible (so did Kurt)! There were lots of laughs & good memories made :)  So many funny, crazy things happened... I have over a dozen stories I could tell. Caroline, unfortunately, got peed on by a little baby, Isabel. Cody gave a piggy back ride to several "not so clothed" little kids. Seth was called "Toro" by the kids in Pinones (which means bull). It turned out to be a fantastic week!! It reminded me that I miss our church family in Ohio, but I am also SO happy to be here in the DR. My heart is connected to the lives of these kids, & what the ministry is doing to disciple them & impact their future. Thanks Aletheia for coming to the Dominican Republic & taking home a perspective of Freedom that not many people have! 

Change A Life

Take a moment to look back on your life. Think about those people who helped you along the way and the opportunities that were open to you. Now, take a moment to look at the pictures of all the preschool kids Freedom is going to teach next year. (Click here.) These little Dominicans need YOU to be that person & provide them that opportunity. Fabiola, Fernancia, Diadon, Estefan, and 15 other 3 & 4 year-olds still need sponsors. This is your chance to Change A Life!

We're Back

The last three weeks were amazing! We had such a great time being with friends & family. Kurt & I both felt we spent the right amount of time at each location. Although we always wish we had a little more :) Looking back, it seems like we'd be exhausted with all the places we went, but it was actually rejuvenating. We can't thank everyone enough for the kindness & generosity that was shown to us! There were so many people that helped us through the past 3 weeks. We enjoyed every minute of it & created a lot of new memories. We love you all & miss you already!!

The Mitcheners

They're Coming!! We have another family joining the ground team on May 21st. Scott & Angela Mitchener just purchased their one-way tickets to the Dominican Republic. We are looking forward to having them here. It's been a long time coming for them, but God has provided, & it's exciting to see the day has arrived. 

Also, please include this family in your prayers as they make the Big move. They're going to be doing a lot of packing, preparing, & even saying good-bye to loved ones. It's a transition that can be difficult (especially since they have 2 little ones). But, I know they're excited & so are we!

FIRST CHILD SPONSORED!!!

Nika Bonita

Read her story at Uprooted And Undone by Mariam Green

Just a Few Things...

VISITORS: Over the last couple of weeks, we've had visitors. It started with a visit from the Halderman family. They joined us for a week to learn about our ministry & share life with us. We had a great time getting to know them! Next, we had a visit from the Green's. Nathan & Mariam spent this past Wednesday to Saturday with Freedom. We had fun including them the ministry & bringing them into our homes. I can't say enough how great it is to have people here!

CHILD SPONSORS: We have officially begun the process of child sponsorship for the next school year. Currently, there are 20 children on Freedom's sponsorship page that need sponsors. Your sponsorship will go to providing a bilingual, Christian education for these kids. Their cute little faces are asking for your help!!

FURLOUGH: As many of you probably know, Kurt & I will be home for 3 weeks at the end of May. Our flight arrives in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, May 16th. We'll be spending the first few days in SC with Kurt's family. Then, we'll travel to Indiana & Ohio for the rest of our trip. We are both so excited to see everyone. :) We want to spend as much time as we can with friends & family! So, if you want to hang out, email us: kurtcline@itisforfreedom.com or katiecline@itisforfreedom.com.

I think that's all for my updates... looking forward to catching up with everyone in May!!

Dixon Update

To start, there was an error in communication with the mother. We originally thought the baby's name was Nixon, but as we learned later, it was actually Dixon.

Now to give you the much needed update. Baby Dixon has been doing about the same for the last week. He's still alive & feeding, but not improving like he should be. Jason has taken him to the hospital in Ramon Santana twice now, and the doctors say he's fine. Fortunately, a team of doctors, from La Romana, visited Lima yesterday. They were able to see Dixon & recognize his need for a feeding tube. Even though he can feed, he's using too much energy to do it & not gaining the necessary weight. So, Dixon & his mom went to La Romana with the doctors. I haven't heard anything more, but I'll give another update when I do. (Hopefully I can get a new picture too.)

Thanks everyone for your prayers on behalf of this precious little one!!

This pictures reminds me how much I love the kids here in the DR. Three of these four kids are in our preschool on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday. They are Abigael (far left), Marcia, & Abel (far right). Since I've had the opportunity to get to know them better, I want to claim them as my own. After the first month, it felt like I added 21 kids to our family. I have such a great love for them, and I'd say it's unexplainable, but I know it comes from God. He put a desire in my heart to love others, just as He loves me. I know my face lights up each time I think about those kids! I picture each one of them doing something funny or showing affection through BIG hugs, and I can't stop smiling. Don't get me wrong, they are little stinkers, but adorable at the same time. I am blessed to be here & be able to build relationships with these kids.

4 Years of Life Together!

Kurt & I celebrated 4 years of marriage on March 8th. I know it's not a long time to be married, but I feel like we've aged :) I've learned a lot about being a wife, especially these last couple of months. (There's a lot more to it than I remember in the beginning!) God has stretched me & my understanding of how to be a godly wife. And, no matter how many times I fail, I wouldn't trade married life for anything.

Seat Buckle

We had been in the country a month & already made several trips to the capital. This trip was no different until… We reached the tollbooth, & Kurt unbuckled his seat belt to reach for change to pay the toll. As we pulled up to the drop, I noticed a police officer standing on the other side watching. I wasn’t concerned until I saw him wave his hand. He called us over & started talking rapidly in Spanish (which we barely knew). He was saying something about Kurt’s seat belt, & then he wanted our licenses, registration, & insurance. Obviously, we didn’t understand half those words & were fumbling around for what we thought he wanted. He said a few more things & then motioned us to move to the side of the road. I started to get worried because he was talking about giving us a ticket. Of course, a ticket here is not like a ticket in the states. Anything is possible. He finally came back, still acting like we’d get a ticket, but calmed down after he saw I was about to break down! We ended up leaving without a ticket, but it was our first of several experiences with the police. Not a dull moment on the road here in the DR.

Stories

 Over the next few weeks, I'm going to post some random stories of things that we've experience since we've moved to the Dominican Republic. I wanted to write these stories down, so that I could remember them years from now :)

Baby Nixon

Last Friday, after preschool in Lima, Pam was asked to remove stitches from a mother who recently had a C-section. It seemed like it would be a routine medical situation, but what she found was disturbing. The baby was premature & dehydrated. It could barely feed & needed medical attention. However, the mother couldn’t afford to go to the hospital. As a team, we were worried for the safety of the child. We decided to return to San Pedro & seek wisdom from a local doctor. The baby was 3 weeks old & although it looked terrible, we realized it would survive another day.

On Saturday, Jason & Kurt returned to Lima to take the mother & her child to the hospital here in San Pedro. (Side note: The mother recently moved to Lima from Haiti & only spoke Creole. She has no family here.) Pam, the mother, & her baby spend several hours at the hospital getting nothing accomplished. They were told that the doctor was out eating supper with his family & there was nothing the nurses could do besides take the baby’s blood & have them stay overnight for the doctor’s return in the morning. The mother absolutely would not stay in the hospital. She said she had to return to Lima that night. (Reason being: She had spent 18 days in the hospital after the baby’s birth. During that time, she was not given any food or water. The baby was being medically taken care of, but the mother was left to fend for herself. At public hospitals here in the Dominican Republic, family is required to bring you food & water. This mother has no family to help her.)

On the way back to Lima that evening, Kurt & Jason continued to ask the mother what they could do because the baby was in the same shape as when they left Lima that afternoon. She finally agreed to stop at the hospital in Ramon Santana (half way between San Pedro & Lima). At the hospital in Ramon Santana, the nurses were able to give the baby sugar water. They even gave the mother extra packets for the following day, with the knowledge that the mother would return on Monday with the sick child to see a Pediatrician. Also, before returning to Lima, Jason purchased rice, beans, and fresh juice for the mother so she could have the nutrition to feed the baby.

As of today, the mother & baby returned to hospital to meet with the Pediatrician. Once I have more details, I’ll be sure to share them. Thanks to everyone who is praying for this little one!

Around Freedom in 60 Seconds

Approximately every 3 weeks, Kurt & I create a video for freedom called Around Freedom in 60 Seconds. This past week, Jason actually took over & did a video on Kurt & I :) If you're interested, you can watch it by clicking the following link... Kurt & Katie Cline

Beach Day

Last Saturday, we were able to take a hand full of our friends from the bateyes to the beach. We had a great time & enjoyed the water!! The day was beautiful, as always, & very sunny. Most of us Americans got a little burnt :)

8 Months

I hear about people taking 2 or 3 months to visit another country or do missions, but here we are coming up on 8 months! It's almost hard to believe. Kurt & I are pretty well settled into life here in the DR. We're used to the way things are, even if we still get frustrated :) Fixing the car can take a few days, or going to the grocery store can be a pain, but it's part of daily living. We've celebrated both of our birthdays now. (Unfortunately, Kurt happened to be sick on his! There's nothing like experiencing a little Dumb & Dumber toilet trauma 2 days before your birthday.) We've had Kurt's parents visit & my sister. We've learned to speak a little Spanish. And we've developed genuine relationships with the people here. Through it all, we're doing what we believe God wants us to do... use our gifts and abilities to help a ministry organization disciple to those most unlikely to be reached. It's amazing what can happen in a little over half a year. Can't wait to see what God has in store!

What's New, you say?

Freedom has it's very own apartment!! We were blessed by a monthly donation toward the purchase of an apartment here in San Pedro. The apartment is set up to house groups, families, and couples. It is open to anyone who wants to learn more about Freedom. You can join us out in the bateyes during the day, share life with us in the evening, and gain a better understanding of what God is doing here in the Dominican through Freedom. We welcome visitors at anytime! The apartment is ready and waiting for YOU! 

Pre-School

Last week was our first week for Pre-school with the four-year-olds in Lima & Pinones. Monday was a big step for us as we introduced letters, numbers, colors, & shapes in both English & Spanish. We've also included craft time, a game, snack, a Bible story, and memory verse. The first day everyone was shy & unsure of what to expect, but after one week, they're back to their normal busy little selves. It's hard to keep their attention, but we're trying! I'm in charge of helping them learn their numbers in English and creating a craft for each day. Kurt is taking care of the game & helping the kids learn their colors and shapes. It's a lot of repetition, but I'm really enjoying it. Kurt says he gets tired of always having to be excited & energetic :) It's good for us both & is a step towards a school for the ministry. Now, all we need is some land to be able to move all these adorable kids into Kindergarten next year!

Bible Story Time

Our Little Kiddos

Bringing in the New Year

Man, it was a blast & so unexpected, but exciting! You never know what's going to happen when you're invited to an event here in the DR :) We enjoyed bringing in the New Year in batey Lima. It was eventful... full of LOUD music, lots of singing, some fun skits/dramas, and even a little bit of food for all to enjoy!! Kurt & I stayed up until 2:30am, at which point, we made the drive back home to San Pedro. It was all worth it & different than anything we've experienced before, but yet so much fun. We love what we do & the friends we've made!!

... with style

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!!