3/25/11

Good morning from the Dominican Republic. We are still struggling to get used to the time change. We woke up at 7am (4am San Diego time) to loud children laughing and shouting and the basketball being bounced against the wall of our room. There is a school right beside our hotel and it would seem that the children are always at recess or that we are next to their recreation area.

Apparently I was able to sleep through the dogs barking all night and the rooster that Holly said crowed all night EXCEPT for when the sun came up. But I was awoken by the children. After shouting for a while they all started singing the Dominican National Anthem. It's interesting to me that no matter what country you're in the national anthems all sound the same. Loud bombastic orchestras with blairing trumpets. I kind of wish each country's anthem would be more culturally diverse. That would be neat to get a taste of their native sound with their anthem.

Then we could hear someone walking heavily on the roof above our head. Yesterday we ventured about the small hotel and went up the stairs thinking it was the restaurant but instead walked out on the rooftop where they had the hotel laundry drying in the sun. So I'm assuming the heavy walking (sounded like heels) was someone doing the laundry. Soon after that, we heard two fighter jets do a low fly-by. Who knows what that was about, but it means it's time for us to get up and start our day.


Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
Psalm 30:5

EVENING:

So, today we went to the Dominican National Aquarium. I think we've established that I am more patient and enjoy taking more time to enjoy nature. There was one fish tank that had sunlight filtering through in streams and casting light on the rocks and across the colorful fish. I could have sat there for an hour just watching the fish and rocks. There were a couple schools there for the day. Holly and Vicky acquired some teenage boys for tour guides who brushed up on their Inglés by talking with us.

Then we went to Los Tres Ojos. I really wish dad were here for this. I can't wait to have a cord to upload the photos. It was a beautiful cave with 3 lagoons. I could have just stayed there all day.

As beautiful as this was, I can't really help but want to get this mission trip started. Currently we are still in limbo waiting to see if we are going to get the green light to go into Haiti. If we aren't allowed then we will be doing some training of the Dominican COTN staff, but I know we are all anxious to get across the boarder. I just keep looking forward to when the rest of the team arrives on Sunday. Then we will be going to the COTN complex, Casa Bathesda in Barahona.