Joshua 2013

Joshua team 2013  Julian Rios,  Jonathan Judge, Alyssa Green, Hannah Pettey, Micaela De La Rosa

        Everything that we had heard about the "Joshua Teams" came true and was even better than described, young adults growing their relationship with Christ. We were so blessed to have 5 of the team at our site. Here are their words of their experiences. 

How does one go about explaining an experience that is still being processed…I know not how to directly tell you what I have  seen or felt from the good Lord above, yet I will do my best to communicate what has transpired these past days. 

Allysa and Mic pulling vines in the yard at the new site.

Mic in the hall while the youngest class waits for the bathroom

OK, so we didn't work all the time I guess. Alyssa caught a live snake.

 

I truly had no expectations when I found out I was assigned to work at Genesis, I was unsure what the experience would be like. The only thing I knew is God would make His majesty and splendor evident, as He always does.  One thing that is shown so loudly here, not only in Genesis but in the people as well, is the love they give.  Being able to see the genuine care and appreciation the kids, and teachers exude is ever so humbling. The children have this ability to love you selflessly, without reservation and expectation, the smiles that light up their faces and the hugs. It is just a beautiful thing to see and receive.  They love you not because of what you have to offer, as I feel is the case so often with people, but they love you because you are there, because you play with them and because you talk to them. Though there is a language barrier and many times I find myself blundering over the words, the communication is there, mostly in smiles, laughs and just joy.  Yes this communication is limited, but at the same time relationships are formed, that are true and deep. 

Working with the teachers has been a wonderful learning experience, seeing the patience they have, the compassion, and how God permeates everything they do is…well it makes my heart happy. I love to see God use his people, his people here are being used in so many ways. Every day after lunch we all gather in a circle and sing songs. The teachers do a lovely job of incorporating all the children, and making sure the children have a good time as well. Each child has an instrument, and you can only imagine the clamor that comes with it, but even with all this going on the teachers maintain order, and guide the kids so well. They are able to direct their energy and enthusiasm in such an elegant way it is just  awe inspiring to watch. Not only are they able to maintain order and routine outside while the kids are having fun, but they do even in the classroom.  Oh it just makes me ever so happy to see God working in evident ways, that are visible on the daily.

-Julian A. Rios

The Joshua team loved the Bible Story time every afternoon.

In front of one of their trash piles at the new site.

Dinner in the Community at one of our teachers house, Angie Rodriguez 

Honestly, even thinking about the fact that the reason I’m writing a blog for Génesis is because our time here is coming to a close make me extremely emotional. I’m already prepping for saying goodbye because I know I’ll be fighting back tears the whole entire time. The impact Mike, Karen, the teachers, and children have had on our lives is enormous. For me specifically, though, I can tell you all a little bit about why I know that I’m going to walk away from this school completely changed. I didn’t walk into these two weeks with any expectations because I didn’t have any predisposed ideas as to what I would be doing. I don’t really even recall placing Special Education high up there on my options of sites on the Student’s International website. Apparently I did, though, and I sincerely think it was a God thing.

Our site is about a mile and half away from the base enclosed with an abundance of greenery. It’s incredibly beautiful and my first thoughts were, “I’m going to get to hang out here for two weeks?” I didn’t realize that I hadn’t even seen beautiful yet. Beautiful is the smile on these kids’ faces, seeing them running around playing without inhibition, freely giving kisses and hugs, and having the benefit of joining them in all of that. My only regret is not getting to stay and be a part of their lives for a longer amount of time. They’re in wonderful hands with the teachers here at Génesis where they’re taught about the meaning of life. They’re constantly reading, singing, or learning about Jesus and being filled up with the overflow of love that’s coming from the Christian adults in their lives. Two of these adults whom I have come to know and love these past couple of weeks go by the names of Mike and Karen Unternahrer. Readers, you may have heard of them… or been blessed by knowing them… but sincerely, they are some of the greatest people I’ve ever known. I’m not fooled into thinking their strength comes from anywhere but God Himself because I know as humans we are not capable of such generosity, humility, and selflessness. I’ll stop because I don’t want to embarrass them but you have to grasp an idea of how much I appreciate their openness with us and allowing deep relationships to form over such a short amount of time.

            I know that I’m going to be learning from this experience far into the future and looking back on the memories that we created fondly always secretly hoping I’ll be able to come back one day and see the progress that has occurred. I’m excited for the school and the opportunity they have to move on to a new and different location. I’ll be praying that they continue to grow and bring more children and families to Christ through their example in their lives. I’m so thankful for this opportunity and blessed by the kindness of all the people in the Dominican Republic that I’ve met. I’ve fallen in love with this country and will carry a piece of it in my heart wherever I go next. 

Alyssa Green

The Children at Génesis are all kind, joyful, and friendly. Until I started working here, I didn’t think I was good with kids. But I feel like I did all right. I had a lot of fun talking and playing with them, even when I didn’t understand them. The teachers are also great. They were always happy and never tired. They also seemed to appreciate us very much. These two weeks seemed to have passed faster than almost all others I have seen.

-Jonathan Judge

These past two weeks at the Dominican Republic has been amazing. First off, the Dominican is probably the most beautiful country ever, it is filled with beautiful trees, rivers, waterfalls, and people. On Wednesday Mike took us to a waterfall here and it was the most beautiful creation that I have ever seen. I love this country and the creations that God has placed here.

Working at Genesis, being with these precious children and the amazing staff has made me realize how much I have by just being an American. These weeks were definitely a time in my life where I will always look back and remember with great affection. Seeing the joy on these kids’ faces has been the highlight of my time here. They have so little, and they still have the joy of Jesus in their lives. Mike took us to two different houses, one of a former student and one of a present student, two different afternoons, it was an extremely humbling experience. When we went to Juan Carlos’ house they gave us soda out of a tiny plastic cup and gave us saltine crackers, and I didn’t even want to take it because they have so little but they are so willing to give us literally whatever they have to make us feel comfortable.

The impact that the teachers, the students and Mike and Karen have had on my life these past two weeks is unexplainable. I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to be here and see what God is doing in the Dominican Republic

~Micaela

So living in the Dominican is kind of awesome. And working at Genesis makes it that much better. It has been an incredible two weeks were I learned a lot about God, my Joshua siblings, and myself. Something God has been teaching me here is that I really can’t do it myself. No matter what I do or think or say, I really can’t. I’m the kind of person who reaches out to others who need help, but when it comes to offering me help I won’t accept it. Not with a happy heart anyway. But being here at Genesis and seeing these kids who daily rely on someone else to help them walk, eat, and even go to the bathroom, it made me realize that I need to rely on someone too. God. I’m afraid to give Him my burdens. I want to carry them myself. There is one kid here who absolutely loves going down the slide, but he can’t walk. So I carry him up the plank and send him down, then run back down to do it again. Let me tell you, it’s exhausting! However, that’s exactly what God does. He carries you and when you fall, He picks you right back up and does it again because of His unfailing love for us. I’m ready to start accepting help from people, and to being more ready to give up my burdens. This has probably been one of the most eye opening experiences ever and I can feel God calling me to working with special education kids in my future. I don’t know what that will look like exactly but I can’t wait to see what God has for me!

~Hannah Pettey

 Thanks again for a great two weeks. Your help in the classroom, on the playground, raking leaves, cleaning the yard at the new site, cleaning the floors at the new site, and everything in between was appreciated,

Jan 8 -19 Outreach FORGE

Katy Draper, Jonathan, Lambach, Meagan Moore

    Our first outreach was a great way to start out 2013. They were part of the FORGE team from Tyler Texas. 

As some mosquito bites are getting smaller and more are appearing on my legs like night sky constellations, we are finishing our time in the Dominican Republic and at Centro Especial Génesis.  It has been a joy coming to work at the Center and glimpsing a bit into what life is like here.  I expected to enjoy seeing the work here, and I haven’t been disappointed.

Site Orientation on the first day at  the site.

Our first half-week was filled with paint splattered on my legs and shoes while we prepared for the kids to come back from Christmas break.  The Dominican culture is definitely different than the American culture I’ve been in recently, but I am reminded of the warm Latin culture similar to my upbringing in Brazil.  Relationships are priority, which can be hard for a task-driven person like myself, but it is good to be reminded of my need to integrate tasks with relationships.  The teachers are dedicated to their kids, and it’s really cool to see how they care for the children here.  Even though there are other jobs they could be working, they choose to work here with the kids and work to develop themselves to be more effective with the children.  I’m encouraged with what I see!

The second week was back to normal, so we got to help with some math exercises and catch back up some from the month away from school.  I loved playing around with the kids on the playground, engaging with them, and speaking Spanish to them.  (My Spanish is really just my Portuguese in a Spanish accent with some different vocab words thrown in.  But, I’ve loved just trying to speak and letting communication happen.)  The kids smile when they arrive and see us for the first time each day.  It warms my heart, and I’m so grateful for the chance to be in their lives for even just a small amount.  Enmanuel was the first one I met.  His persistence in teaching me Spanish words correctly has been awesome, and the greeting of “Ola amigo” each morning is wonderful.  The children I’ve met remember me, and I’m amazed at their willingness and excitement to play with me.

 Jonathan Lambach – Forge student 2013

Katy with Vanesa

No expectations. That’s what I wanted to have coming into our trip to the DR. Never having been on a trip outside of the US besides one vacation to the Bahamas, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. But even in trying not to expect anything, this week has far exceeded what I thought it could be.

This year, I am participating in a program called the Forge based out of Tyler, TX. This trip was a part of our program. It was supposed to be a kind of mission trip that would allow us to work in an area we were passionate about. My major is special education, so I was incredibly excited about the opportunity to work with Genesis. I’m still not sure if I want to pursue a career working with disabled kids, but this week taught me a lot.

Most of what I learned was not exactly about special education. This week, I got the chance to observe and work with some incredible people. Mike and Karen taught me about hospitality, sharing, and administration through their example. They let us in on their lives and what God has done in and through them. They eagerly shared everything they had- their family, their time, what they were learning, and their job. They were so encouraging! The teachers here were incredible. Their joy was contagious. Watching the way they were with the kids showed me how to love yet be firm. They were so patient with the students (and with my inability to speak Spanish… That meant a lot!). They were all so beautiful, inside and out. The kids showed how to be genuine, confident, and happy in their own skin.

This week also gave me a completely different view of the world. This culture is beautiful, and I love it! The US could use a few lessons from the DR. The relational nature of everyone here blew me away! Being a “get it done” kind of person, it’s kind of hard for me to stop working and build relationships. This taught me that it’s okay to slow down and spend time with people. I also really liked the siesta time. It’s genius! Spending time everyday to rest is such a gift, and it’s going to be hard to go back to US culture. There are so many other things that I am going to miss from here. I hope to return someday!

This trip has been incredible, and the time at Genesis has far exceeded any expectation I tried not to have. Genesis has an awesome mission, and I pray that it continues to affect lives in this community for Christ. My time here has been nothing but a blessing, and I am thankful that God allowed me to work here!

 -Katy Draper

Katy and Meagan "not working"

A few of the things that I have been extra grateful for this week:

1.)    These past 2 weeks I have had the tremendous blessing of working alongside Mike and Karen. They have been nothing short of a blessing and have so graciously welcomed us into their life and their family this week. I have also enjoyed all the time that I got to spend with their beautiful daughters Nina, Jenee, and Marcie.

2.)    One of the cool opportunities we have had is getting to tutoring the kids with their math homework- It’s been really cool to communicate with these kids despite the language barrier. We laughed at the few words with which we were able to share. These kids are smart and they try really hard.

3.)    My conversations in Spanish don’t go very much past “Hola. Como estas?” So, these last two weeks it has been really fun to practice my Spanish and get more familiar with the beautiful language. A lot of the vocabulary I learned back in high school has come back and I have been able to remember bits and pieces while getting to practice with the most patient of people.

4.)    One of the teachers here has a beautiful little baby who had her first birthday this week. Little Raquel is a blessing to each of the teachers here as well as the students. She always has a smile on her face and I have greatly enjoyed all the time I have gotten to hold her and play with her.

5.)    I have loved getting to run errands with Mike and seeing what life here looks like for him and his family. We went to the grocery store, the pharmacy, the meat market, and so many other places. It’s neat to be immersed into a different culture and to learn from the people here.

6.)    I have gotten to spend a lot of time with two of my teammates Katy and Jonathan while painting classrooms, writing out math problems, and whatever ever other projects we found ourselves doing. We had lots of great conversations and made lots of fun memories together.

7.)    The Dominican Republic is beautiful. We are so blessed to be working with Mike who wants to show us all the beautiful places in this country. He has taken us on drives through three beautiful mountains and to see two different (and oh so beautiful) waterfalls. He also took us to a river where we could jump in. I looked at the rushing water and the huge rocks and I was a chicken. However I wasn’t going to let an opportunity pass me by- so I jumped in, three times. And it was awesome and so much fun.

8.)    One of my favorite memories was dancing the Meringue with Yunior, one of the students here. He can’t walk well and has to use a walker, but he grabbed my hands and as I held him up he spun himself around and then spun me as well. We danced and danced for a long time and he was so happy, so joyful. It was really cool to see a boy who isn’t letting any disability limit him or take any of his joy. How often do I let my circumstances take away from my joy? Or how often do I think that because I can’t do something perfectly I won’t do it at all?

9.)    The kids here don’t love me based on anything that I do, but just because I am here. They eagerly grab my hand and reach for a hug without hardly even knowing me. Over the past few months I have learned that my love for others is based a lot on what people give me-how  I can benefit from them. The kids here have every reason to be selfish and full of self-pity yet they are so selfless and giving.

10.)  And lastly, I have absolutely loved feeling the warmth of the Sun this week. Back home it is 28 degrees (yikes!) As my face has gotten redder and my hair has gotten blonder, my heart has also been warmed by the kindhearted and generous people here. I am returning home feeling the warmth of the Sun in the sky, but also the love of the Son who has continually blessed me with abundant gifts of grace.

 

Meagan Moore, Forge Student 2013

  Like I said above, this was a great team. As we said our good byes tonight, all I could think of was I hope that the good byes wont be this hard for all the teams. But then again, I guess that just means that it was a great team and we didnt want them to leave. Thanks FORGE and Pine Grove Camp for sharing this team with us.  Mike and Karen.