November Newsletter

Dear Prayer Partners,

November held a lot of hardships for our ministries here in the DR. But we have continued to see God's sovereignty in each situation and are continuing to pray that God would be near to those who are suffering and broken-hearted at this time. I am so thankful that our God is a God of comfort, and I am resting in knowing that we are held in his loving and capable hands.

ACSI Visit

During the last week of October, we had representatives from ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) visit Las Palmas. They observed classes, met with our school leadership, interviewed students and parents, and talked with teachers to evaluate our school. On November 3rd we had a meeting with all school personnel to hear the final report from ACSI about our school's reaccreditation. You could feel high tension in the room as we waited to hear the decision that our school has been working towards for the last few years. The team shared many complimentary comments about our school. They said students, parents, and staff see Las Palmas as a family. They told us that time and time again people described Las Palmas as a place where God is moving and lives are being changed. They assured us that our work is making an impact in this community and told us that they can see that God is doing something special through our ministry at the school. At the end, they announced their final decision. Our school will be reaccredited for 5 years! We praise God for the work He has done and will continue to do at our school.

Tropical Storm

On November 18th there was a tropical storm that hit the Dominican Republic. Typically, when a large storm is going to hit, we know ahead of time and can take measures to prepare. This storm was different. We were told there was going to be a little rain, but no one expected the storm that came through. There was terrible flooding all throughout the DR. On the street in front of my apartment you could see waves going down the street when cars drove by. Pictures were sent around of flooded grocery stores, houses that were filled with water, and flooding in Santo Domingo (the capital). In the capital there were cars being piled up and carried down the street by the flooding. There was a wall that collapsed from the pressure of the water and fell on top of cars killing 8 people. One of our missionaries was in the capital that day and saw the wall fall. People began sending messages in group chats of the church and the school about the flooding in their homes and looking for a place to stay. We started getting messages about the flooding at the school where there was water up to the knees in some areas. Offices, classrooms, and the computer lab were flooded.

What was encouraging to see was the way the body of Christ here responded during this time. Those who were able went out of their way to offer help to those in need. People worked together to help those whose houses were flooding, went to the school to help reduce the damage, offered a place to stay to those who needed it, and reached out to check on each member of our school team. It encouraged my heart to see the family of God in action, showing sacrificial love to one another.

Thankfully, my roommate and I live on the third floor of our apartment. We were safe during the storm and were not impacted by the flooding. On Sunday, church was cancelled. The president shut down the country as many worked to restore the damage done in schools, businesses, and homes. My roommate and I, along with a few others, went to the school that day to see the damage that had been done. The preschool and the high school areas flooded the most. Since we were not expecting the storm, there were some materials on the floors or in cabinets near the ground that got damaged during the storm. We swept water out of the classrooms and offices and began laying materials out to dry. On Monday school was cancelled and all the staff came to school to help with cleanup. We mopped classrooms that had been covered in mud, laid books and files in the sun to dry, and worked to get the school back in order. On Tuesday school was cancelled again as they found that the school's water pump was damaged from being submerged during the storm and there were some electrical issues at the school that needed repair. On Wednesday we were finally able to reopen the school. Now, the biggest concern is replacing materials and making repairs to items that were damaged. The school is currently raising money to cover these expenses. We are thankful that everyone at our school and church were able to stay safe during this storm and are continuing to pray for those who were greatly affected by the flooding.

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we had a get-together with all of the DR Vision missionaries. We had at least 50 people at the church celebrating Thanksgiving together. There was a mission team that was visiting from the States who helped decorate and set up for the Thanksgiving dinner. They were a blessing to us. As I looked around and saw all the people God has surrounded me with here in the DR, I was so grateful. We truly do have a wonderful team here full of servant-hearted leaders. We all serve in different ministries, but it is so special when we get to all come together and remember all God has done through each ministry represented. So thankful for this home and family God has given me away from home.

Prayer Requests

• Pray for those who were impacted by the flooding and for our school as we replace what was damaged.

• Pray for my Dominican teaching partner. Her name is Gabriela. She has been out on maternity leave since the end of last school year. She had to have an emergency C-section this week at 36 weeks. We just got word that her newborn baby has passed away. Gabriela has the flu and is in pain from the C-section and is now grieving the loss of her child. Please join me in praying that God would be near to her and comfort her and her family during this time.

• Pray for Semana de la Chispa (spirit week/spiritual emphasis week) that is coming up. Our school made the decision to move Semana de la Chispa back a week because of everything that happened with the flooding at the school. We will now be celebrating Semana de la Chispa the week of December 4th.

• Last week, I started discipling a former student. She is in third grade, and we are meeting once a week. Her parents are not believers. Please pray that I would have wisdom in what to share with her and that she would be able to grow in her relationship with Christ day by day.

Although my heart is heavy as I think of some of the trials and hurt many are suffering at this time, I am continuing to meditate on the goodness of God. My roommate shared 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 with me the other day and it has been an encouragement to me. It says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ." It is a great privilege to share in the sufferings and the comfort of Christ. Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement.

Blessings,

Natasha