Dominican Republic Day 6-Tuesday

Before going on to Tuesday, I need to tell you about Monday night. After 3 days in the village Roy and I came home and had the opportunity to tell our testimonies and stories to the GAP students. (There were 13 GAP  students age 18-25 who live overseas for 9 months. They take Spanish classes, Bible classes and work with the missionaries. Most of them have a heart for missions and are seeking what God would have them do.) We got to share about how we served singly on the fields of Ethiopia and Senegal. I really enjoyed watching how our stories complimented each other. 

After that we had our team devotions (yep, it felt like a really long night!). Jim shared devotions with our team and challenged us to be more intentional in seeking the Lord throughout the day. We decided to pray together as a team before leaving and to be more intentional in sharing spiritually with folks as we walked throughout the village. THEN we got to go to bed for a super-restful night. 

Tuesday morning we were up and ready for another day. We prayed together and headed out to another village, Los Montones. On the way out we stopped by an agricultural store and looked at some of the medicines that were available to the local people with their active ingredients, where they were made, etc. We purchased a some wound sprays and antibiotics to add to our drug inventory. It also helped us know what we could recommend to the local people. 

The farm store

A good medicinal find (antibiotic)

Vets get excited looking at all the medicines!

SCORE had worked in the village of Los Montones for over 10 years. It had been a dark village with a lot of voodoo. In a few years the village changed and the crime has lowered also. It was also the first school in the nation to get 100% children in attendance. Two of our translators, Kike and Felix grew up here and their father pastors the church. 

The church building at Los Montones

 We went door to door introducing ourselves, shared the reason why we were there and asked about their animal health needs in the area and invited them to bring animals that needed treated to the church. The first house we went to was Ridell's house. He preaches at the church often and was in a wheelchair. I got the privilege to pray together with him for the area.

Visiting with Ridell at his house. We treated all of his chickens before we left.

We were looking forward to the next house as it was supposed to have lots of goats there. We visited with the lady of the home. The goats had been sold for fear that they would be stolen. (Theft of animals is a real concern here.) Roy had the opportunity to pray for her and she asked that her son would get a job. (Seeing Roy minister was one of the biggest highlights of my trip!) Unfortunately I didn't get a photo at that house.

Amidst our house visits we stopped at a small little shop--support local!--and we got some sodas to drink.

As we continued to go door-to-door, 2 of the Dominican vet students we met on Friday joined us. Here is Julio helping to examine a dog. Later on in the day they got to help with some of the dog spay and neuter surgeries.

Bonnelyn and Julio examining a lady's dog and placing a flea collar.

 

After going door to door we had ham sandwiches and regrouped for the afternoon. Roy and I were tasked with finding kids to do a teaching. We went down to the local school. The teachers showed up late and gave us permission to take the kids down to the meadow outside of the church.

McNelly and Roy leading the kids

Jim just lassoed this young colt that hadn't been halter broke yet.

Jim (our pastor/hoof trimmer/horse trainer) did a neat lesson using a colt that had never been halter broken on how to work with horses in a friendly manner so that it learns gently and not fearfully. He shared on how God wants to be the children’s friend also and shared the gospel with the kids.

Jim with the relaxed colt and one of the kids.

Our translator, McNelly and I

Did I mention that Dominicans like baseball?

Roy found a tractor!

Dan and Roy--farmers admiring a plow

Yucca is one of the crops we learned about

Sugar cane is a big crop in DR. Workers in the field get paid $1.50 per week.

When we got back to the SCORE compound that night we met up for praise and worship with others who were staying there, including the GAP students and an American youth group of 50 kids. (We appreciated the 10:30 pm curfew because we are getting old and the youth have lots of midnight energy.)