Baptisms and Activities

I get a little farther behind as we go here in the Caribbean. We had an opportunity to go to an activity at one of the wards over by Duarte and Avenido Mexico, one of the Elders serving in this ward is Elder Michael Farnsworth invited us. As a small boy he and his family were our neighbors in the Greenwood Village ward. We watched a Shell project as they have been called. The Whitakers from Kanosh, Utah, work in the Santo Domingo East mission. They Laminate pictures and build frames for pictures. They also go out and harvest hundreds of pounds of sea shell and then the members of the wards and friends come and make pictures to hang in their homes. The activities are well attended and anticipated. About 50 were there the night we came.

A week latter we went back with our friends the McDermids to a baptism for three new members of the ward there. One was a 16 year old young man, one was a 14 year old young man, and then about 35-40 year old mother of 2-3 children. It was sweet and nicely prepared by the local members and the young missionaries. (The shell project had nothing to do with the baptisms, they both just happened to be occurring in the same week.)

We are loving it here. Sometimes it is frustrating but most of the time it is good and there is a feeling of purpose and humility that combines to make something very sweet. The learning and being outside of your comfort zone brings not only excitement but confidence in ones ability to cope with anything that comes your way. It is hard to explain. Being with people who have so little when it comes to worldly wealth and yet their eyes are filled with love and happiness. It is all very humbling. Knowing the Lord is aware of all it is hard to forget when you are out on his errand.

Dominica's Orphanage

In February we have had some interesting times. George and Kathy Berkley have been in contact and providing some supplies for an orphanage over the last year. A couple, who were here from the states, the Chatterleys, had both served missions here and wanted to deliver goods to needy so we were able to travel with them and a few other missionaries to Dominica's Orphanage. Dominica is great. She too had been raised in an orphanage. Over the years, she has built a beautiful, clean place where children learn and grow to be good students and good friends. She has developed a choir of talented, confident children. She has also built a school across the street from the orphanage where they are educated. All of this sets in an area that is surrounded by poverty and hopelessness. They are amazing children, very loving, not only to us as strangers but to each other. The teenage boys and girls were so sweet to the younger children. The work being done at the orphanage is impressive. She has had groups come in from the states to paint and provide for many of the needs. It was a sweet experience to be a small part of it.