Hello all,
I have come to the realization that I am not good at blogging. Please forgive my lack of updates that have been here during my time in the DR. But the good news is that I will be home soon, so I can tell you stories, share my heart, and show you pictures in person soon!
I have truly loved my life here in the Dominican
Republic, but am heading toward the 'next chapter' in my life. The job hunt. I have some really great connections in Cincinnati schools, and progress is actually being made, and have already planned to visit schools to meet and discuss my future career goals/ideas.
Living so far away, in an impoverished country where phone access and internet is not always available and/or consistent, makes it very difficult to communicate as necessary with schools in the states. I had a phone meeting once while I was sitting on top of the roof here at the orphanage, and in the midst of communicating where I was and to apologize if we got disconnected... we got disconnected. I really want to be intentional to pursue a teaching career, and to my knowledge there are not many teac
hing jobs available at the time as is, so in order to
persistently pursue a teaching job, I have decided to cut my time short here and to come back home.
I'll be coming home March 26th. This is only about 6 weeks earlier that I had originally committed. The decision to come home has been such a roller coaster ride, and I have made the decision through lots of prayer and seeking wisdom with
people I trust in my life both at home and here in the DR. While my initial instinct is to not want to come, after thinking it through I have concluded that that would be the wisest step for me to do. I want to be looking for a job persistently, and it is necessary to do that while living in the same country as where I want my job to be. The job hunt has added stress and some anxiety to the work that I am doing here at the orphanage and in Monte Cristi, so my attention a
nd heart has been divided. I am looking forward to focusing in on the job hunt as an exciting point in my life, and not as a stressful, emotionally draining point, as it has been here recently. I realize that being home will not necessarily guarantee
a job, but it will be easier and more natural to communicate as I need to.
As my departure grows nearer and nearer, my heart longs to be home more and more. I have been 'homesick' more this past month than I ever have in the six months that I have been here. It seems so close, yet so far away. It seems so appealing and exciting to be back with everyone I love so much at home, but absolutely breaks my heart to leave my Dominican 'family' and all the children who live here in my community. It is su
ch a bittersweet feeling.
A week and a half will come as it comes, and I want to as
k for prayer in these specific things as my Dominican life comes to a close:
- that I would not want the time to rush by, that it would go at a healthy pace
- to make the most of every moment I have here
- to let the job hunt rest for my last few days... it will still be there when I get home, and I don't think it's worth adding to the emotional stress of leaving this beautiful country
- to be intentional with my relationships I ha
ve built here. I was to continue investing in them, and I do not want to draw away from them, in fear of becoming 'too attached.'
- that my new outlooks and perspectives that have grown in me here would follow me home, so that I can apply what I've learned here to 'normal life' a
t home.
- we have spring break teams here for 6 weeks, and I have been team leading, which is exhausting! Prayers that I would continue se
eking God for my strength and resting in His presence
Thanks so much for reading this! Here are a few pictures of the sweet little faces I will miss so much:
Luz Maria
David
Yenny and Yessica
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