This week is hard to describe. Because I know I am leaving in a few days, everything seems to have so much more meaning and significance. Every day has been filled with small blessings, like one of my favorite little boys who runs up to me each day and waits with his arms open wide and his lips pursed until I bend down so he can kiss me on the cheek. Or his sister, who came to church on Wednesday and asked me to close my eyes, and then presented me with a gift, which was a bunch of flowers in wrapping paper, complete with a red bow. Or the trip to my sponsor child's house to give gifts to his family. Or the special time of prayer I got to have with his mother, as we prayed for healing for her breast cancer. Or having a sleepover last night with the staff and three of our favorite Dominicans, Alex, Emmanuel, and Carlos. There are so many incredible stories from this week, so I will only highlight a few...

On Wednesday, the staff usually leaves the work site a few hours early to go back and get showered, because we come back to Cielo and cook dinner for the group before we the group joins us to go to church at night. This week, instead of going back into Santo Domingo to the hotel, I stayed in Cielo at my friends Lalo and Seneda's house, and got to have special time catching up with Seneda, and their new adopted daughter Dihara. I have called Lalo my padre Dominicano (Dominican dad) since my first trip here in 2003. I helped build their house when I was on Summer Staff in 2004, and have had many special times with their family. I spent the afternoon catching up with his wife, looking at pictures of their family, looking at old pictures of us together from all of those trips before, and playing games with their daughter. It was really a special time just to relax with Seneda, hear what has been going on in their lives, and get to know their new daughter. She is three years old, but I only met her this summer when I arrived. I continue to be amazed and touched by the hospitality of the Dominican culture, and felt so honored when Lalo asked if I would spend the day with them. There were no major events that took place during that time...just fellowship and the gift of hospitality that mean so much to me. Every time I come back here, I am reminded of what an extraordinary gift it is to welcome someone into your home, and I know I always want to be someone whose door is open to neighbors and friends.

A story that really blew us away this week is about a girl who is hearing impaired and was recently brought to our clinic for help. When she was first brought to us, the group from Orlando was here, and their mission director was visiting as well. She made a commitment to go back to Orlando and try her best to find a source of funding for hearing aids for this girl. The family was so excited at the hope of this gift, and have been coming to Jack each day to find out any updates. But there weren't any, so Jack was getting really discouraged and struggling to face this mother every day who wants so badly to help her little girl. The group this week came from Wisconsin and Michigan, and as usual, they brought many suitcases full of donations. Most of the time, we have no idea what is in these bags, so we just start unloading and putting things in piles. Several suitcases were taken down to the clinic for Dr. Maria to unload and add to her collection of medicine. As she started digging and unloading, she found a box in the bottom of a suitcase containing two brand-new hearing aids by Miracle Ear (cheesy, I know, but wow!) No mention or request had been made to this group for the hearing aids, so they had no idea what need they might be meeting when these got tossed in with the donations. Dr. Maria came running out of the clinic with the box to tell Jack the good news. Not only were these hearing aids for the girl, but they were the exact kind she needed for her specific type of hearing loss. As we all heard this story and got to meet this little girl and her mother, we were reminded of God's amazing provision. As Jack started to get discouraged, God was already working and solving the problem in spite of us and our efforts. Amazing! I wish you all could see the look on this mother's face as she clutches the box with the hearing aids in it...an answer to prayer, and a major change for this little girl's life. Gloria a Dios!

Last but not least, I want to make sure to mention that in these six weeks, we have completed SIX houses! That means that six families have had their lives changed forever. They have been moved from homes that are impossible to even imagine living in, and have been given brand new homes, complete with beautiful furniture, and new ovens and refrigerators. I can't really describe how powerful it is to be a part of the dedication of one of these homes....to listen to Dominicans and Americans spread throughout the house, praying simultaneously outloud for the room they are standing in, asking God to bless each word, each meal, each guest, and each prayer that will take place in this new home. It makes any sweat, exhaustion, injury, and bruise worthwhile. So thanks to all of you who have supported me through prayer or through financial support. You have played a part in changing the lives of those six families, and I am forever thankful for that. God is doing great things in Cielo and Nazaret, of that you can be sure!