Mira la fuerza...

It’s been awhile, huh?

Sometimes I get wrapped up in the living of life and I forget to share pieces of what that means with others. I will try to do better. :)

Life has been full.  It’s been emotional. I have lacked the words to share what all has been happening in my life—both the good and the challenging.

The 1st of February found me moving to El Cercado.  It is gorgeous in the mountains. The town is tranquilo. I feel loved by my family there (with 13 of us, it can be quite lively).  Mama Zaida cooks like no other. I love it there. And I can almost say that the Ice Cold showers really aren’t so bad. ALMOST. I spend my days in the clinic or doing home visits, trying to learn more about the child nutrition program, get to know the families we serve, and figure out where all the various campos are located.  It can be intimidating at times trying to figure out how to best get involved here, but I do LOVE it. I am humbled by the kindness of those I meet. I know with certainty that God has brought me here. It is coming together. And I try to keep in mind- One Day at a Time. God is moving in this and I know that He is bringing together the pieces for good.

There’s been some back and forth to San Juan in these few weeks as well.  It’s been nice to have a mix of the new of El Cercado and then be back at the Guesthouse- getting to spend a little time with the awesome groups that have been down here, laughing and catching up with Nik, Dan & Kari and other friends, spending some time with the sponsors and their students, and out at the schools.

This weekend brought a brand new experience for me.  One of the children in the nutrition program has been very ill.  He is 8 years old and last weighed in at 33 pounds.  W has touched my heart since I first met him. He’s quite a kid. And everyone he meets, adores him. He spent the past week and a half at the clinic in San Juan and has just been diagnosed with diabetes.  It was decided that the best course of treatment and planning was for him to go to the children’s hospital in Santo Domingo to be seen by a pediatric endocrinologist.  So on Friday, I went to the capital to accompany W and his mother and advocate on their behalf at the hospital.

The experience was an interesting one to say the least- and provided much insight for me into healthcare within the country.  There is much to be thankful for in how things turned out, seeing and knowing how things could have gone.  The staff that was working upon our arrival were attentive and caring and quickly pushed through the paperwork for W to be admitted.  The staff in San Juan were praised for their thorough work and care of W.  Unfortunately, a bed was not quickly available which led to us waiting in the Emergency Room for a total of around 7-8 hours.  There was a change in staff during that time, which brought along challenges. However, I know we were being covered in prayer, as the decision to admit W was upheld and a bed finally opened for him at 7pm.  He was such a good sport and Mom was so gracious. How humbling it was for me to have their relatives that live in the capital bring me dinner and offer me a place to stay for the night if needed.

Saturday, I headed back to the hospital before returning to San Juan. It was a joy to see families and staff that I had met the day before. And there was W looking strong sitting in his hospital bed surrounded by his 10 roommates and their mothers. He had already been seen by the pediatric endocrinologist that morning and plans for his ongoing treatment were being put into place.  At one point W reached for my hand and squeezed it, and said something like “Mira, la fuerza.” “Look, the strength.”  And I saw him in a renewed way, as a little boy fighting. And I looked around the ward, and watched as mothers helped one another in learning the hospital system, watching out for one anothers’ children, sharing their water jugs and silverware with those who hadn’t packed them.  And I felt grateful. Grateful that W has been given a chance (and we will keep praying for his treatment and improvment). Grateful to witness people sharing with one another, supporting one another in their need.  And I knew that this was a glimpse into how we as Christians are called to do life together.

This weekend confirmed for me, yet again, why I am here. All the questions swirling in my mind about the Whys and the Hows have faded a bit. All God is calling me to do is be open to following His leading. And while I went to the capital a bit intimidated that my Spanish may not be strong enough to effectively advocate for the family, sufficient words were found. They might not have always come out so pretty. But they were found.  Bit by bit, I am remembering to trust God more and learning how to do this thing called life here….

And so upon leaving Santo Domingo, in true Dominican fashion, I pushed my way onto the 2pm bus bound for San Juan even though I had been forced to by a ticket for the 5:30pm bus having been told there was a lack of space on the early bus. As the bus pulled out of the station, I leaned back in my seat and smiled.