email update
This is the latest email update I sent out:
Hi everyone,
I've heard from a few folks (mainly my mom) that I'm overdue for an update on what's been going on in my life and with my work here in the DR, so this is my attempt to fulfill this request. I have been enjoying the cooler winter months here in the mountains of the DR. When it’s not raining, the temperature peaks at 75-80 degrees. Couple those temperatures with crystal clear, blue skies, a cool breeze, and constant views of the mountains surrounding our little valley and it makes for a very pleasant place to spend the winter.
Several significant events have passed since I’ve last written. Personally, I made a big change in moving out of the Ark, which is the orphanage we operate just outside of the town, and into a house with a Dominican friend of mine. The main reason for the move is because I was looking to gain a more realistic view of Dominican life, to experience first hand how the average folks live every day, to take part in a community. While the Ark provided an amazing family atmosphere, it’s structured, controlled environment is far from a “normal” Dominican lifestyle. The house I moved into is far from spectacular, which is exactly what I was looking for. It’s located in a barrio (poor neighborhood) called Cristo Rey, or Christ King. Living with a Dominican, I’ve improved in my cooking of local favorites as well as furthered my appreciation of the Merengue, Bachata, and Reggaeton (latin rap) music that is being played 24/7. The thousands of mosquitoes, which easily find there way inside due to the lack of screens and constantly open doors have been a little harder to get used to, as has the lack of running water—we do everything, washing dishes, flushing toilets, and taking showers by carrying water in from the cistern on the back porch area of the house, but all in all, it has thus far been a positive experience. I also seem to have become a free entertainment source for the neighbor kids. They like to follow me around in the house, just to see what I'm up to and how I do things. Apparantly I'm very interesting.
As for ministry work, things have been on the upswing. In January, for the first time since I began working in the DR, we had someone in place in every ministry site to handle the day-to-day sponsorship activities. This development allowed me more time to do what I was originally brought in to do, which is overseeing the program as a whole in the country and making improvements as necessary. Instead, I was spending most of my time filling holes where there was no one to do the work. Unfortunately, our run in the glory of having a fully staffed sponsorship program lasted only about a month and a half, so I’m back in the business of filling holes, but it was a profitable time while it lasted.
We’ve have several exciting moments within different ministry sites. At the Ark, the orphanage where I used to live, 4 new kids have arrived. That’s 4 little lives that will have a chance to grow and thrive in the loving environment that we’re able to provide for them. It’s a BIG deal. Also, the new cafeteria opened at the school in Caraballo, which allowed us to open up a new classroom, because the cafeteria had been temporarily housed in one of the existing classrooms. With the new space, 25 new preschoolers were brought in to begin in the program. This is also a very big deal. Many of these kids wouldn’t be able to go to school if we didn’t provide it to them. This school is their only chance of education, of breaking the life of living in poverty, which is the only life they know.
This is just a brief scratch in the surface of all that has happened over the past few months. God's kingdom is growing in amazing ways in this country and I consider myself incredible priviledged to be living here, watching it take place.
Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and support. I miss and love you all.
Jonathan Coleman
ps. My weblog has some pictures and stories, but I havn't added anything new in a while. Here is a link to the site, I hope to get some new info up soon.
http://dominicanjon.blogspot.com/
Hi everyone,
I've heard from a few folks (mainly my mom) that I'm overdue for an update on what's been going on in my life and with my work here in the DR, so this is my attempt to fulfill this request. I have been enjoying the cooler winter months here in the mountains of the DR. When it’s not raining, the temperature peaks at 75-80 degrees. Couple those temperatures with crystal clear, blue skies, a cool breeze, and constant views of the mountains surrounding our little valley and it makes for a very pleasant place to spend the winter.
Several significant events have passed since I’ve last written. Personally, I made a big change in moving out of the Ark, which is the orphanage we operate just outside of the town, and into a house with a Dominican friend of mine. The main reason for the move is because I was looking to gain a more realistic view of Dominican life, to experience first hand how the average folks live every day, to take part in a community. While the Ark provided an amazing family atmosphere, it’s structured, controlled environment is far from a “normal” Dominican lifestyle. The house I moved into is far from spectacular, which is exactly what I was looking for. It’s located in a barrio (poor neighborhood) called Cristo Rey, or Christ King. Living with a Dominican, I’ve improved in my cooking of local favorites as well as furthered my appreciation of the Merengue, Bachata, and Reggaeton (latin rap) music that is being played 24/7. The thousands of mosquitoes, which easily find there way inside due to the lack of screens and constantly open doors have been a little harder to get used to, as has the lack of running water—we do everything, washing dishes, flushing toilets, and taking showers by carrying water in from the cistern on the back porch area of the house, but all in all, it has thus far been a positive experience. I also seem to have become a free entertainment source for the neighbor kids. They like to follow me around in the house, just to see what I'm up to and how I do things. Apparantly I'm very interesting.
As for ministry work, things have been on the upswing. In January, for the first time since I began working in the DR, we had someone in place in every ministry site to handle the day-to-day sponsorship activities. This development allowed me more time to do what I was originally brought in to do, which is overseeing the program as a whole in the country and making improvements as necessary. Instead, I was spending most of my time filling holes where there was no one to do the work. Unfortunately, our run in the glory of having a fully staffed sponsorship program lasted only about a month and a half, so I’m back in the business of filling holes, but it was a profitable time while it lasted.
We’ve have several exciting moments within different ministry sites. At the Ark, the orphanage where I used to live, 4 new kids have arrived. That’s 4 little lives that will have a chance to grow and thrive in the loving environment that we’re able to provide for them. It’s a BIG deal. Also, the new cafeteria opened at the school in Caraballo, which allowed us to open up a new classroom, because the cafeteria had been temporarily housed in one of the existing classrooms. With the new space, 25 new preschoolers were brought in to begin in the program. This is also a very big deal. Many of these kids wouldn’t be able to go to school if we didn’t provide it to them. This school is their only chance of education, of breaking the life of living in poverty, which is the only life they know.
This is just a brief scratch in the surface of all that has happened over the past few months. God's kingdom is growing in amazing ways in this country and I consider myself incredible priviledged to be living here, watching it take place.
Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and support. I miss and love you all.
Jonathan Coleman
ps. My weblog has some pictures and stories, but I havn't added anything new in a while. Here is a link to the site, I hope to get some new info up soon.
http://dominicanjon.blogspot.com/
posted by Jonathan Coleman at 7:09 AM
1 Comments:
way to go, Jon. It's so great to read all this. I feel every single word as if I was right there with you. How great that you found someone you feel comfortable enough with to move out. I'm excited about the new experiences that are waiting for you. I regard it as a great honour to know you and I feel like I found a brother in Jesus. You rock and roll! daniel
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