Graduation

Last Sunday, Yuleisy (one of our Dominican helpers), had her High School graduation ceremony. Katie was privileged to be invited to this special occasion. They treat graduation similar to how we treat prom. The girls wear fancy dresses and the boys suits. Each student is allowed to invite 7 people, and it costs them over 3,000 pesos to graduate ($79). Many students can't afford to graduate even though they've finished school. Some will continue to save until they have enough money to graduate years later. As you now know, graduation is a big deal for these people!

Christmas is Coming :)

It's hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner! Especially here with the weather in the low 80s. My brain is constantly adjusting to the idea of a Christmas without snow. Of course, people here are accustomed to the warmth :) They've been decorating since mid-October! Thanks to my wonderful in-laws, we've been able to join in the festivities. I've put up garland on the porch with red bulbs, lights, & gold ribbon. Also, I have a center-piece on my table :) Christmas is so much fun no matter where you are, and I hope everyone has a Very, Merry one!!

Family

This past week was a blast! We had our first visitors, Ken & Connie. It was so much fun showing them around San Pedro & sharing the ministry with them. I think it's great to know first-hand what's going on with Freedom. They can now look at photos & read updates and have a mental picture of what it looks like & where it's at. We enjoyed a professional Dominican baseball game, an afternoon at the beach, a few local restaurants, & of course, several days in the bateyes. I have pictures up on Shutterfly for everyone to enjoy :) FYI... We welcome guests ANYtime!

Baseball

The biggest sport in the Dominican Republic is BASEBALL! Everyone just loves the game, especially the people in the bateyes. Luckily, Freedom International Ministries has their very own pitcher :) Kurt graced the baseball field 3 Sundays ago & made it 3 innings. I was so proud!! 

Halloween 2011

As most of you probably know, Dominican's don't celebrate Halloween. However, that didn't stop us from having Trick o' Treaters!!

October

So far, the month of October has consisted of a variety of things. Kurt & I started a spanish class with a local Dominican named Julio. We have class from 6pm-9pm. Also, as many of you know, I went back to the states at the beginning of the month because my grandfather passed away. It was nice to be with my family & fun to see a lot of good friends as well. I was even able to visit the church Kurt & I attended in Celina on Sunday. It reminded me how much I miss everyone there! Kurt was definitely jealous :)

Also for this month, we have reduced the number of times we visit the villages. We are going out every Tuesday & Friday to continue our relationships and hang out with the kids. Kurt teaches English to the 3 young adults both days & goes to the school on Friday to teach English to the students. We've also started ministering to another batey, Batey Cabeza de Toro. We're learning new names, meeting new people, & building new relationships there. It is fun to see the process from the beginning after having been through it once before. I'm still struggling with names, but eventually I'll get them. :)

So... for the month of October, our routine has changed. However, starting in November, we will be teaching Creation to Christ in Cabeza de Torro three days a week, & the other two days teaching Ephesians in Lima & Pinones. Things will pick back up & our routine will change again. Sometimes, it feels like we really don't have a routine, but we're learning to adjust. Please continue to pray for the ministry and the constant changes Kurt & I are experiencing as a couple here in the DR. We need a full dose of patience :)

Thanks so much to every one! It means a lot to us (and helps us cope) when we receive emails, letters, and notes telling us that people are staying updated on our ministry & what we're doing here in the DR!

We have so many great friends and family. Love you all, Katie