Anse-a-Pitre

Hey friends and family,

Just returned from a trip out to the southern Haitian border for a week of work in Anse-a-Pitre. I was feeling pretty sick before I went, and ended up having to stick around the capital for an extra couple days instead of going out when I was planning to with the group of missionaries who came to work. But I eventually made it out there, and it was quite an experience.

While in Haiti, we spent our time working on a church for Pastor Andres' congregation, who pastors a church in Anse-a-Pitre and is a pretty amazing man of faith and leader in his community. During the time the group was there, the stucco was finished and the floor was poured. The church also doubles as a school house for over 50 children during the week, so having a cement floor will be a huge blessing.

We also did a medical clinic while in Haiti with Dominican and Haitian doctors who volunteered their time to take care of patients. It was moving to see people recieve basic medicines and hygiene kits to take home. It was also sobering to see the severity of their ailments. A lot of parasites, infections, and skin rashes. The water in Anse-a-Pitre runs in a cement canal through the community. It comes from a river in the mountains 24km away, and passes through several communities before it reaches them. This water is used for washing, bathing, cooking, and drinking as well, which explains many of the health issues. One of the projects that the FFP is working on is installing a water purification system next to the church. The building is finished, and we are in the process of getting a well drilled to have a source of good water to purify.

The Haitians continue to amaze me. Their capacity to hope in the face of a devestatingly brutal way of life is astounding. Thier culture is fascinating, and their language (which I was able to learn just a tiny bit of while I was their) is incredible as well. They truly are a beautiful people.



Pastor Andres

Don't know if you all have been following the news, but a tropical storm has just swept over the DR and Haiti. The rains have caused devastating flooding in many of our communities, and although the house here in Santo Domingo is dry, we know that many of our brothers and sisters are wet, and some of their homes have been destroyed. The FFP is beginning to pool resources and plan for relief efforts, but in the meantime I ask for your prayers. Anse-a-Pitre was hit especially hard. The rains flooded the town, and homes, possessions, livestock, and crops were all swept into the sea. Pastor Andres called us this morning to let us know that 500 people took refuge on the floor of the church last night. May the Lord see their suffering and respond. On a related note, the storm is headed for Florida, so let's pray for mercy in that as well.

My time here is coming to a close, so this might be one of my last updates. Thanks for your continued prayers for health, and for joining me in praying for those who have been affected by the storm. I hope this email finds you all well wherever you may be.

Peace and Blessings,

Nick

Batey Algodon

Hello everybody! Hold on, because I think this will be a pretty long post. . . bear with me, and I'll thow some pics in along the way.

Well, I just returned from another ten day trip out to Barahona, where I was working with a youth group from National Presbyterian Church in DC, in a community called Batey Algodon. "Batey" is the word that folks here have to describe the small communities of sugar-cane workers here in the DR, who are mostly illegal Haitian immigrants. The majority of Bateys are rather small, with folks living in a state of desperate poverty. Sugar cane work is seasonal, only providing work for six months a year and to a small percentage of the community. It is back-breaking labor and pays 151 dominican pesos a day, which is equivalent to about $4.44 USD. That amount of money is barely enough to survive during those six months, and not enough to feed a large family. During the off season, there is virtually no work, and folks often go hungry. Many years ago, the sugar cane companies would bring over workers from Haiti to settle in these communities and work in the fields. The situation is convenient for the sugar cane companies, who have a neverending source of cheap labor (and hope to keep things the way that they are). To top it off, racial tensions between Dominicans and Haitians result in persecution of the Haitian immigrants. For folks who live in these communities, life is very difficult.

That being said, the folks in Batey Algodon are some of the most incredible folks I've met. Pastor Jacki has been through hell and back, growing up in a very tough home situation in Haiti, and eventually leaving to the DR. He taught himself to read with a Bible, and followed the Lord's calling to serve in Batey Algodon. He gives me such hope for his community. Not only is he an amazing spiritual leader; he also is an advocate for their community before the sugar cane company, non-profit foundations, and the Dominican government. One day we drove by the community early in the morning and there were about 50 young people with brooms and buckets sweeping up and collecting trash. I asked him about it later and he told me that every Friday he's organized the community to clean up the streets and the property around the church. Keep in mind that this is happening in a culture that typically has no sense of caring for the environmental. The Lord really has worked wonders through Jacki's ministry. I love that guy.

The Foundation has been working in Batey algodon for several years, and since we have come, we've installed a water purification system, and built 28 latrines in the community (before folks were doing their business in the sugar cane). Unfortunately, that system was robbed by some folks from outside the community, so the Foundation is in the process of looking for the money to replace the needed parts to get it up and running. This is a priority, as the people in the Batey are again drinking water that is unpurified (which means that they all have parasites). During the last ten days, the group from National Presbyterian Church helped to build 8 more latrines, which are greatly needed in the community. We only had two maestros (construction workers), but enough volunteers for many work groups, so one of the maestros taught me how to build walls and I ended up laying block and leading a couple of the work groups. They got a kick out of a white american kid with a bandana laying block, but even they admitted I was a fast learner. We'll see if the latrines I helped build are still standing the next time I visit : )

During the week, with the help of the community and a vanfull of Dominican doctors who volunteer to come out from the capital, we held a one day medical clinic, where everyone in the community was taken care of and recieved medication. Think about what it would be like to have a baby with a high fever, and not have the resources to buy children's tylenol. This is the reality for these mothers, and although a one-day medical clinic won't solve the situation immediately, it really is a blessing for these folks to recieve some basic medicine. We're hoping in the future to build a clinic in the community that would be staffed twice a week by dominican volunteers.

And of course, we played with the kids : ) How can you not, right? The kids in the Batey are often left completely unsupervised by parents who are out working in the fields or simply can't take care of their children. As a result of this, they haven't learned appropriate ways to interact socially. For example, they don't know how to resolve conflicts without fighting, because nobody's there to tell them that it's not OK to hit or throw rocks at each other. All that being said, any sort of organized interaction with the children is helpful in that it teaches the kids how to get along. We had two VBS type of activities and some organized sports as well. There is a school in the community run by Ninos de las Naciones, which is immensely helpful in educating and teaching the kids good behavior and life skills as well. I actually even met some folks from SPU who are interning for Ninos de las Naciones all summer long. Amazing where you find SPU students, isn't it?

So that was pretty long it turns out. Our time in Batey Algodon was of great blessing. I'm reminded to not lose hope by the Haitians, who have been abused for centuries, and still find a way to smile and carry on. They are a beautiful people and have taught me a lot, and I hope to spend more time there in the future.

Also, there's been an addition to the FFP staff at the house in Santo Domingo in the area of Security. I fell in love with a little puppy in Batey Algodon, and the owner was kind enough to give her to me and Kristin (one of the full time missionaries I work with). I named her Luna, which means "moon" in Spanish. We've been in the process of de-fleaing her here in the capital, and are trying desperately to train her (which is way tougher than I thought!). I know she doesn't look that ferocious yet, but she'll be huge and terrifying soon enough : )

My health has been much better lately (thanks for your prayers!), and I hope I'll be back to normal soonish. I decided to change my flight back to Seattle for the 26th to give myself a little more time to rest and recover before school starts back up. Please keep praying for health, patience with lots of work, and strength to do all of the things that the Lord has set before me. I miss you all and hope that this finds you well wherever you may be.

Peace and Blessings,

Nick

Amoebas

Hello everybody!

It's been a while since my last post; sorry about that! I'm still very much alive and well. I returned a few days ago from leading a trip out to San Pedro de Macoris. It was a ton of work, and unfortunately, the day before the group got here, I found out that the reason I had been feeling so bad lately was that I had amoebas (again!). For those of you who followed my emails last summer, I was sick a good deal of the time with these little buggers. They give you diarrhea, stomach pain, make you lose weight, throw up, and straight up exhaust you like nobody's business. The Dominicans have quite a bit of experience with these bugs, and they all make these ridiculous "remedios", which taste nasty, but apparently cure amoebas. I don't really have much confidence in them, but I always try to accept them just because it's really kind that they offer them. I tried one in San Pedro that had crazy amounts of garlic and carrot, and it straight made me throw up. I guess maybe the amoeba's are supposed to get intimidated? : )

Anyhow, after a few days on the oral parasite meds, and some failed "remedios" I wasn't feeling any better, so I ended up having to make a trip back to the capital to recieve some intraveneous meds. Fortunately, one of the other missionaries named Daniel here was able to come out for a couple of days to take care of the group while I loaded up on metronidazol and other sweet amoeba-killing drugs. After about a day and a half in the capital, I went back out to San Pedro to finish out the week.

The group experience was tough for me. . . there are a lot of things to take care of when you bring a big group of folks from the U.S. to the developing world, and I think I'm more used to being independent and self-sufficient when I'm travelling. It was trying for me to have to shift my focus from my own needs and my service to the Dominicans to the needs of the missionaries and my service to them. However, it was humbling to see how the Lord used the experience (despite my impatience and sickness) to bless the Dominicans and the missionaries on the trip as well.

While staying in San Pedro, we worked on the second story of a school which is located alongside of a church in Barrio Mexico, which is a pretty standard San Pedro neighborhood. The second story will essentially double the amount of students that can recieve an education there, so it was exciting to think about that while the group worked to build the walls of those classrooms.

Here's a sweet story about a guy I met at the church in San Pedro. His name is Victor, and he spent all week volunteering with us to work on the school. He walks with a huge limp, and I started to ask him about it, and he told me this story: He said that when he used to "be of the world", he did bad things, and he was a criminal. He drank too much, did drugs, fought, and stole things. One day, he got caught by a police officer. Criminals here don't really have any rights, and oftentimes will just be killed for their crimes right on the spot. The police officer had shot him in the leg as he ran away, and came up to him to finish the job. Right before the police officer pulled the trigger, a pastor came up and stood in between the gun and Victor, and asked the police officer to spare his life. And the police officer left. Victor now lives for the Lord, and even though he has a tough life (it's not easy for a crippled man to survive here), you can see the joy and hope in his eyes. I just wanted to share this story because I think we forget how the radical grace and mercy of the Lord can change lives. Victor doesn't even know the pastor he owes his life to, but the love of God shown to him through the actions of that pastor has changed his life.

Well, that's about all that I have to share for now. I head tomorrow to Barahona, where I will be working for ten days with a youth group from DC that will work in a very poor Haitian sugar-cane community called Batey Algodon. I spent a good deal of time there last summer, and I'm excited to see my friends again. We will be building latrines so that people have a sanitary place to go to the bathroom, instead of having to use a bucket in their house or squat in the sugar cane fields. Please pray for health and strength to continue work here even in the midst of sickness.

Peace and Blessings,

Nick

Casas de Carton

Just returned from ten days working in El Brisal. We made quite a bit of progress on the early childhood education center, which now has a roof, concrete floor, and interior stucco. It will be completed by the dominican construction workers before September so that classes and activities can start for this next calendar year.

I have come to love El Brisal and the people in it, especially the children. Although the poverty is heartbreaking, somehow kids still find a way to smile and love (not to say that they always get along. . .). They have brought me much joy over the past ten days, and I hope to be able to visit them throughout the summer. I'm quite the phenomenon as a white guy who speaks fluent spanish (albeit with a Mexican accent) and has shoulder length hair, so it didn't take long for all the kids to get to know me. Wherever I walk through the community, I have flocks of kids running up to me, yelling "Nico!", just to get a smile and a hug out of me. No matter how much I work in these communities, I always feel like I'm the one on the recieving end of things.









In addition to the construction work, we were able to patch up some of the holes in the roofs of the homes of people in the community, which was an awesome way to catch a glimpse of people's home lives and see how they live. Dominicans are among the most hospitible people I've ever been amongst, always offering the little they have, even if it's just a bit of coffee or some bread.

The next group will arrive on Tuesday night, and until then I will be making arrangements for their time in country. Please pray that all the little pieces would fall into place for the coming weeks and that the trip would be a blessing for Dominicans and Americans alike. Peace and Blessings,

Nick

El Brisal

Hey everyone,

For the last five or so days I´ve been with a group of folks (mostly from New Jersey), staying at an orphanage in San Pedro and doing construction work in a community of squatters called El Brisal about half a mile outside of the city. We are building a community center for early childhood development, so that the children of the community can learn some basic skills early, instead of running around on the streets, which is really all they have to do now. The poverty is devestating, and it is heartbreaking to see kids who are neglected and hungry because their parents can´t take care of them or are working in the city.

Construction work in this weather is nuts. On average I think I drink maybe four or five gallons a day, and I might not take a pee all day (maybe you didn´t want that much info, but then again you are choosing to read this. . . ). The work is hard, but we find a way to stay motivated somehow. I love working with the Dominican construction workers. They think it´s hilarious that I know how to mix cement and lay cinder block. They call me maestro now, which is what you called skilled workers here, so that´s kind of fun.

Please pray that the Lord would bless me with strength on a day to day basis. Taking care of logistics for 26 people is just flat out exhausting. This time I´m doing it with 2 other missionaries, but the next group that comes, I will be the only staff member with them. . . It´s an understatement to say I´m feeling a bit nervous. Also, please pray for continued health. It´s a miracle that my stomach is still feeling steady here considering my experiences last summer, and it would really be amazing to not have to spend any time in the clinic this year.

Hope that this finds you well. Peace and blessings to you in the name of Jesus,

Nick

por fin llegue : )

Well, I finally made it into Santo Domingo this afternoon, and crashed in the 110 degree, very humid weather immeditely upon arriving at the FFP's house in the capitol. It's a blessing to have arrived safely. I am exhausted, but will get a full night of sleep and hopefully have a restful day tomorrow before diving into work on Monday. Greg (the projects coordinator here, and my boss) already has some work around the house all ready for me. A little bit of concrete work, even, which I enjoy : ) I forgot just how ridiculously hot and humid it is here. . . I'll post some more a bit later this week, when I have at least a good story or some pictures. . . something. Peace and blessings,

Nick

JFK

Well, after a friend's wedding last night, I took a greyhound from Portland into Seattle, arriving at about 3:30AM this morning. Thanks to my good friend Corbin, I was able to crash on a couch until 9:30, and then headed to SEATAC to catch a plane to the east coast. Arrived in New York at about 9:30PM.

So, I'm writing this post from JFK airport, where I will be moving from terminal to terminal for the next 10 hours until my flight leaves for the DR. Unfortunately, Delta didn't check my bag through to Santo Domingo, so I had to go through security, and now am stuck outside of all of the good places to sleep, and can't check in until 2 hours before my flight. This effectively ruins my original gameplan, which involved crashing on a bench at my gate until tomorrow morning. . . airports and I have a love-hate relationship. You just never know what to expect, do you?

If all goes well, I will take a plane from here to Santo Domingo tomorrow morning, arriving at about 1:00PM. Finally : ) Prayers that I would get some rest over the next couple of days before the summer's work really begins, and for some minor health issues, would be greatly appreciated. Peace and blessings to you all,

Nick