Pictures of the first day in the new cafeteria/kitchen and the new pre-school class

Progress in Caraballo

I recently spent a few days doing some work at the school that we have in Caraballo (this is the school focused mainly on dealing with Haitian immigrants that aren't allowed to go to public school, thus won't be educated if we don't do it). Thanks to some generous donations, construction was recently completed on a new cafeteria/kitchen. This new building allows for the opening of a new classroom for new kids because the kitchen had been temporarily placed in a classroom. This might seem like a happy, yet small accomplishment, to finish this building project, but the ramifications are HUGE. Like I mentioned, if we don't put these kids in school, they don't go to school, they continue living a life mostly dependent on others to provide for them and have little if any chance to escape from the cycle of poverty they've grown up in. So, we were able open a new classroom, bringing in about 25 new pre-schoolers, providing hope to 25 little lives that had none before.
While the day was happy and festive, it was also sad. As the new kids came, there were numerous mothers with their children that wanted to enter the school as well, there was space for 25, but there are many more in that age group that live in the area. Turning these kids away is no small task. We know, and their parents know, that if they don't get into the school within a few years, it will be too late, they simply won't go to school. They won't learn to read or do math, they will be almost unemployable for the rest of their lives, except for basic manual labor jobs that don't pay enough to feed one person, much less an entire family.
The situation in this area is dire, it's depressing, but there's joy to be found. 25 kids are now able to say that they are in school, 25 more mouths will receive a free lunch, 25 more lives have been given a chance.

I will add some pictures of the first day in the new cafeteria--see above.

Edward update

From Jan, the director of the school that Edward attends,

"Thank you so much for your prayers! Edward the little 9 year old boy that I sent a prayer alert out for accepted the Lord on Wednesday. He was in church Wednesday night and Sunday! He came to the Center for prayer even when there were no classes. He has a light step and look on his face!

To make a long story short on Wednesday we talked to him and he shared that the "parajo malo" (bad bird - a name for the devil) told him to kill people around him and not to come to the Center because "it is a bad place." Now he tells people that "God took the devil/Bad bird out of me and Jesus died for us and He is in my heart." It is wonderful to see the change in him - please keep him in your prayers as I know the enemy is not pleased by it. The Lord is bringing good out of it - we had the opportunity to pray with his parents and they are open to a pastor and group of people coming in and praying for them and their home."

Pictures of Edward-the one on the left

Edward

This message is from the director of the school where I teach sports class.

"Especially pray for 9 year old Edward who is dealing with deep anger and hurt. He can be the sweetest little boy and turn to violence and hate without a moments warning. He comes from an abusive family and the only way he knows how to respond when upset is with violence. Many times his fights begin from defending his mother and sister from people's comments. This week he turned against his little sister - over a necklace supposedly of his mother's that she brought from home and another child took saying it was his aunts. Edward told his sister he was going to kill her two times and proceeded to choke her until her face turned red - and as Marian (sub - Director) said, "He had her so tight it looked like her eyes were going to pop out of her head." When she intervened she said Edward's whole countenance changed to the point it was scary. He said, "The devil is going to take me away and you and Jan too and bring a bulldozer in and knock this building over and kill everyone in here". To make a long story short - when Marian brought him to the office we confronted him about his comments and asked him who he wanted to live for God or the devil. He said he wanted to live for God and so we prayed with him. Please pray for Edward that the chains of darkness in his life will be broken as he experiences Christ's love! Also pray for wisdom on the steps we should take in reaching out to him and discipline measures."

I have Edward in class and he has been the most angry child I've ever spent time with, the anger is written all over his face. He's a man living in a child's body. He curses and fights one second, then sucks his thumb the next. Please keep this boy in your prayers. I will attach a picture.

my last email update

If you don't get these email updates, but you'd like to, let me know. My email is JColeman@alumni.cedarville.edu.

Hello everyone,
It’s time for a quick update on what’s going on in my life here in the DR. I feel like the last few months have really flown by. I was in the US in August, doing some speaking at my home church, visiting the Kids Alive home office, and spending time with family and friends. Since my return, I’ve been working hard to catch up on all the work that got pushed aside during my time in the US, as well as throughout the busy summer schedule in the months before. I’m still not entirely where I need to be on some different projects, it’s November now, so you can see how far behind I actually was, but I’m making progress every day. Maybe by Christmas I’ll finally have my head above water (that was meant to be an exaggeration, but the more I think about it, it actually seems quite accurate).

I have resumed my sports classes for grades kindergarten-4th grade at our school in Palo Blanco, with renewed vigor to train the kids to respect my authority, listen to what I say, and keep from cursing and/or fighting every few minutes. While these ideas seem pretty basic, this particular area is known for its violence, poverty, and immorality, so most of the children don’t have a great concept of this, or at least they didn’t before entering our school. They’re learning though, and for that I am thankful.

We had an exciting time a few weeks ago as three new children moved into the Ark. This is the first time since I have arrived that new kids have been brought in. The children all have the same mom, but from two different dads, and all three are involved in selling and using drugs. All three parents also have AIDS. The situation was such that judge decided to remove the children from the home (for this to happen in the DR, it had to be really bad.) The kids are still in the process of adjusting to life with us. Some changes are easy, having their own bed, never going hungry, etc., but some are much more difficult, such as living a life where rules actually exist and are enforced. In their former life, these kids roamed the streets as they pleased, watched their parents use and sell drugs, saw and experienced more in their few years than I have in my 23, so the adjustment process will take time, but it will be a happy one. They are safe now, they are loved now. If you’d like, you can pray for them, their names are Marlenis, Yeraudy, and Destiny.

I have attached a picture of the 3 kids onto my blog, which is at this website:

http://dominicanjon.blogspot.com/

The blog has been dead for a while, for that I apologize, but I plan on trying to stay on top of keeping it updated for a while. Check it out for more regular updates.

Some of you might have heard that I was sick last week, I was, but I’m much better now, thanks for your prayers.

I will be in the US for Christmas, so hopefully I will be able to see many of you then. Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, and support. I will be praying that God bless your life and that you will learn to serve him with all that you are, as I am striving to learn myself.

With love,
Jonathan

Yeraudy, Marlenis, Destiny