I need Thee every hour...

The past two days have been ones of much needed tranquility. I woke up to rain...ahh, finally, the Earth had cooled off. The group of people I share life with down here are some of the most interesting and genuine people I have ever met and had the privilege of serving with. We are able to be vulnerable with each other and carry each others burdens. It's a sense of community I have craved and missed for a while now since I am away from my house church. We literally spent hours in prayer yesterday, but they felt like minutes. It was such a sweet time. This is the type of community we long for and what a blessing to get to experience it.

I went to Pancho Mateo with some girls yesterday as well. I love this place. It was so fun to get to see the little ones 6 months later. They've changed! Life goes on. I love hearing little kids yell "Laura! Laura!" with their little spanish accents. When I started walking out to catch a moto, the little girls followed me. Oh My, please don't tempt me, I would bring them all home in a split second. Check out the little girls holding onto barbed wire.

Angry baby before in November...

Angry baby now...

Super cutie before...
Super cutie now...

I am doing much better now, but last weekend as I sat in the house by myself taking care of twins, I worked myself into being slightly homesick. Thankfully, this was fixed as soon as I was able to hear my parents voice and see them on the computer screen. Who knew what a voice could do! You have to be here to understand, but nothing here is convienent. Travel, food, heat, communication, electricty...it all takes a lot of effort. Nothing is easy, it's not that it's hard, it's just not what you're used to. It starts to wear on you and then one child comes up, hugs you, grabs your hand and says your name. That's it. That's all you need. You see instanty why you are here when you could be somewhere else where you are comfortable. But I don't need comfort, I just need to know that I am doing what I am called to do. I just need to know that I am being obedient and recognizing that God is so much bigger than me and that he has a specific purpose for me while I am here. It's not to heal every kid and solve every medical problem. I can't do it. But I can show Jesus to these children and their families. I can use the skill that God has given me.

Kara, Cara, Robin and I decided to go to cabarete to get a room and go dancing. Little did we know that since today is the national election that the world stopped at midnight. We went to LAX and chatted for a while before making our way to Ohno's to dance. We were thinking the party was just getting started and danced for one song (Outkast's Hey Ya) when they turned on all the lights and said to go home. All day there has been no music or alcohol...not that I care about the alcohol, but it just makes me laugh that for 24 hrs you can't buy any. Needless to say, our girls night out turned into a going to bed earlier than expected night. We did have a sweet room though. The window was HUGE and faced the ocean with palm trees. The bed could have fit all of us, but there was another room with 2 twins and another table and chairs. Not to mention a bathroom and small kitchen...all for the price of $28 a person. Would have only been $15 if we didn't want air...we did and we all got the best sleep we've gotten in a while, and we woke up to the Ocean yet still in an air conditioned room. Kara is displaying the massive window, while Robin and Cara chat outside

On a sad note, last night while we were walking around waiting to go back to the room we spotted two OLD men with two YOUNG dominican women who were obviously prostitues. This is common in Sosua, but the first time I saw it in Cabarete. It made me so sad. The two men said "Good Luck!" to each other as they parted ways with the girls. I just wanted to grab these women and tell them, 'You are so much better than this! Your life could be so different! Let me tell you about what could be yours!' But I didn't. I'm kinda mad at myself for not making an effort. It took me by surprise and I didn't react quick enough. This only reminds me that I am always to be on guard,with sure footing, ready to react. I hope to see the girls again, not at night, but at some point where I could get to know them as a person.

On a random note, Kara and I on the guagua again sitting perfectly uncomfortable. It's quiet. It's crowded. Out of nowhere, this woman in the very back starts belting out a ballad for the whole van to hear. What in the world? Singing is so serious here. It would be like an RTA being double stuffed and then some woman singing as loud as she could "Wind Beneath My Wings". Weird.

And this made me laugh...