Back in America

My life has drastically changed over the past three days. As some of you have probably heard, I am currently living in the states, not the Dominican Republic.

When I arrived at the orphanage in Monte Cristi, my right eye was looking pretty red. Thinking it was from the stress of traveling and lack of sleep, I brushed it off as nothing. A week went by, where it was getting worse, so I went to the clinic to see a doctor in town. He gave me medication which made my eye feel and look a little better at the time. Within the next couple of weeks, my eye was still not looking the greatest, and I then began to have blurred vision in my eye. I went to Santiago, to the best hospital around the area, to see an eye specialist, and was given two new medications to use. I used those, and my eye still was not healing back to normal. A new pain came in my eye on Monday, and after having a month without clear vision, I decided to call my doctor at home. I was advised to come home as soon as possible to get it checked out, especially since the problems I was having was with my eye, which has the potential to be serious. I wanted to wait to fly back because my boyfriend was supposed to visit the DR the following week, and I of course wanted to be there while he was. It sounded pretty urgent to figure out my eye problems, so I decided to pack my book bag and go.

I got a one-way plane ticket on Monday, and flew home to arrive in Cinci Tuesday night. Wednesday morning I had an appointment with an opthalmologist. I told him what I was doing, and how I was hoping to be able to fly out Saturday. After checking out my eye and doing a few tests, he came to the conclusion that I have something called iritis. He explained that iritis is a non-infectious problem internally of the eye. I'm glad I decided to fly home because he told me that iritis can potentially lead to blindness. He also told me that I needed to be on 'close watch' and that he would not allow me to leave the country again until my eye has healed, so I can be under proper treatment. The doctor said that I am to stay here for a month at least, and maybe two months. He gave me new eye drops to use, and I will be going back Friday morning for another appointment.

What I know about iritis: it is not an infection, it is an inflammation within the eye. It is not contagious, so I did not "catch it" while I was traveling. It was just coincidence that it showed through on my day of travel. Iritis will always be in my body, meaning it may arise later on in life again. The good news is that I now know the symptoms of it, so I can go to a doctor right away if I am to ever get it again. It will not spread to my other eye. The doctor compared it to arthritis in the sense that it is an internal problem, and that it does not spread. Tomorrow morning, at my appointment, he will do some tests to try and find out the cause of the iritis.

So, here I am, in the states, with lots of mixed emotions. I'm glad that I came back and that I caught it in time to keep my vision. I've jumped into life in America so abruptly, without time to really process or even think about what life here is going to look like the next couple months. I had just gotten to the point in the DR of really feeling settled in, really knowing the girls I live with there, the music program continuing off of a good start, growing in relationships with the kids at the orphanage, and having the perspective of "This is where I live now, my home is here in the DR for a long time." To arrive at all these points was so great, only to leave them with a big question mark of what's next.

I know so clearly that God called me to the Dominican Republic. I worked so hard to create the curriculum I was using, and to raise an abundance of funds to provide for more than what I needed to be there. I'm at this point where I'm questioning my purpose and wondering why in the world He would remove me from where He so specifically called me. For now, I'm applying to school districts to be a substitute teacher for the time that I am home.

Amidst all these mixed emotions, I know these things to be true:

- God called me to the Dominican Republic on September 4, so I went in obedience.

- God does have a plan and purpose, which is specific and perfect for my life, even when I can't see it and even when I don't have answers to my questions.

- This timing is no surprise to God, and He will not give me anything I cannot handle.

- It's possible that I may not ever see the purpose as to why God has me here, but I trust there is a purpose, and that He is going to teach me things and build my character, and for whatever reason, He needs me in the U.S. to teach me.

- Blessings are coming from being here! I've been able to spend time with friends and family. I will also probably be able to attend a reunion with all of my college housemates (I was going to be the only one missing out of the eight of us!)

So, that's what's going on. The rumors are true, I'm back for a while. If you're around Cincinnati, and want to get together, let me know... I've got nothing else to do as of now, so I've got plenty free time!

Continued prayers would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! :)

This week was the first week of classes at the English Institute! The English Institute is a school that Orphanage Outreach opened and supports. Our long term goal is to have every student in Monte Cristi speaking English by graduation, so that they are able to get better jobs, and can further provide for their family. A Dominican who speaks even a little English has a better chance at getting a job than a Dominican who does not speak English at all.

My main position here is working in a local school in Monte Cristi, called John F. Kennedy, where I go around to each kindergarten to sixth grade class, working with another teacher to teach music. However, on Thursdays, I am teaching at the English Institute in the library. The students are able to take out a book, and we have games, songs, and activities that are centered around the English words they are currently learning in their English classes at the Institute.

Pictured here is my classroom, the library of the English Institute. I had so much fun decorating it while listening to music a few weeks ago! The teachers pictured are Kelly, Shauna, Karen and I.

We had an activity day with the kids who live at the orphanage, and my group did dress up and a photo shoot for our activity. Pictured here is Luz Maria, one of the youngest girls who lives here at the orphanage.

Here is Shauna and I. Shauna came two weeks after I got here, and will be here until May with me! What a blessing it is to have someone consistent to be my roommate, friend, and someone to walk through life with during my entire time here! : )

During free time, I am working with Yessica, one of the older girls who lives here, and teaching her guitar. She's been learning very quickly, and I love getting to know her more and more, and sharing a common love of music with her.

Thank you for reading, and please let me know how you all are doing and how I can be praying for you!