In this world, you will have trouble

Dear friends,

John 16:33 says, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have overcome the world."

We don't have to look far to see trouble in our world. It is all around us whether in our personal experiences or seen on Facebook or the evening news. Here, tonight, there is an eight-year-old boy from ANIJA being cared for by nuns and sleeping in an unfamiliar bed while his mom is in jail for child abuse.  He has a splint on his finger and x-rays on his arm revealed a history of broken bones caused by physical abuse. He told Paul that he would rather go to a Kids Alive children's home than go back to live with his mom because she hurt him too many times. No wonder he had trouble behaving in my library class. Would you pray for this little boy tonight? Pray that he will sleep well and that the government would allow him to be placed in a Kids Alive home in the near future. And pray that his life and his mom's would be changed by the Lord who has overcome the world. Our hope is in Him.

Thank you!

Marcie Cooper

Update (February 3, 2016):
Prayers answered! We arrived back from Christmas holidays to find that this little boy had been placed in the care of our school's Social Services director. On Friday, he was moved to one of our Kids Alive children's homes--just in time to experience a Quinceañera, a huge birthday party for three girls turning fifteen. He will likely need some extra sponsors to help cover his 24-7 care. Please let us know if you're interested!

Meet Our Newest Students

Hello from the Dominican Republic!

School has been in session for over a month now and we have the cutest new pre-school students. I probably think that every year. I love the little ones! Will you pray for them, their classmates, and their teachers as they get used to being at ANIJA? Thank you! Here is a sneak peek at some of their school photos:

Over the next several months they should be entered into the system for sponsorship. Stay tuned!

Marcie Cooper

Working in the Library

Hello again!

This fall has brought a lot of changes for me since I've gone back to school with the kids to teach in the library. It's been fun but busy and challenging!

Flag lowering at the end of the day

We've been having a contest in the library to see which class can read silently for the longest amount of time. It is not an easy task since they are very loud by nature and love to talk to each other. Here are the winners! They were the first class to make it to the goal of reading silently for twenty minutes. Now they're listening to books on tape, reading with buddies, and improving their writing. 

Third grade students with new book donations 

It's been encouraging to see kids having fun reading especially since many of them come from homes where parents are illiterate or have very low levels of education. Even ones who told me that reading was boring are finding books that they can enjoy.

They love reading!

This group is actually reading!

Loud fourth Graders caught reading quietly

In a few weeks, a teacher will return from maternity leave and I'll have less responsibilities in the library. I still plan to help out though. I just love seeing kids learning to love to read!

Happy reading and Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who are celebrating it this week!

Marcie Cooper

Photo Day: A Sneak Peak at Cute Kids

Hello!

When picture day comes around every year at ANIJA, students are given a "día de colores"or "colour day" where they can leave their uniforms behind and wear whatever they like. They come dressed in their best. In many cases, the pictures we take are the only ones they have to hang in their humble homes. Here is a sneak peak at some of our cuties. Can't you see glints of mischief some of those eyes?

 

 

        

I'm sure that I've mentioned it before, but we always have children that need sponsors. Please contact the Kids Alive Canadian office or US office if you're interested.

Thanks for praying for us as we work with kids like these!

Marcie Cooper

Back to School

Hello!

It's hard to believe that we're back to school already. Even this little guy is going!

He didn't like the snack the first day (rice pudding) and the second day said, "I never want to go to school ever again!" On Friday he was thrilled with the crackers and juice. Hopefully he won't complain about going back on Monday. He's been really stubborn about learning Spanish so doesn't understand or speak very much. Hopefully four hours a day will change that quickly.

The report from the first day of grade 1 was, "Only one boy hit" and on the second day, "No kids hit." Yes, we work with at-risk kids. Please pray for their discipline and self-control.

Grade 5 with a male teacher seems to be a success. We get glowing reports daily. Thanks for your prayers as we've been starting another school year with Kids Alive here in the Dominican Republic!

Marcie Cooper

Director's Retreat

Hello!

When Paul took on the role of Director of ANIJA, he wondered how hard it could be. He would oversee directors of academics, administration, sponsorship and spiritual life. People were already in place running the bakery, AWANA, a homework program, and a youth club. No problem, right?

An ANIJA student at work

In reality, Paul is a school principal and more. Most of our three hundred plus students come from difficult backgrounds and living situations. Some of them really know how to cause trouble! The school is still growing and, the year after next, we'll have two classes per grade up to Grade 8. Paul has put a whole manual of policies and procedures into place and is still working on improving practices. With the help of the other directors, he manages over fifty staff. He also has to prepare for teams that come to help with construction and other projects. There's always something going on! It's a great ministry to be part of but it's also nice to take a break.

Last week-end, we went on a retreat for Kids Alive directors of schools, care centres, and children's homes here in the Dominican Republic. A few of them were missionaries like us but most were Dominicans. It was a great group of people!  

I was having camera trouble but managed to get a few pictures during free time. The slackline was my boys' favourite!

Now we're wrapping up the school year with just two more weeks of classes and then exams. Even Grade 1 students write exams! New sponsor students have been chosen for the fall and teachers will soon need to be placed. There are always challenges for directors! Please pray for Paul as he leads ANIJA and for our other site directors around the island. They have big jobs but also big rewards as we see children's lives changed.

Thank you!

Marcie Cooper

School Photos

Hello!

I just have to show you some pictures of the kids from our school.

Every year Paul sets up our camera in the school office to take pictures of all of the students. They have "Dia de Colores" or "Colour day" where they can wear whatever they like instead of their regular uniforms. They come dressed in their very best! 

 

I love looking through them and choosing the best picture of each child. I label them by name, sort them by classes, and send them off to be printed so the kids have copies to take them home to their families. Next, they'll go to our sponsorship people who will use them for projects that go to sponsors in the United States and Canada. 

(If you'd like become a child sponsor click here for Canada or here for the United States. 
We also have gift catalogues for Christmas: Canadian and American.)

It is often challenging, but we love working with these kids!

Marcie Cooper

Summer Update

Hello!

Since it's been a while since I've written, I thought I'd give you an update on our family and ministry here in the Dominican Republic.

1) Paul has kept busy as Director of ANIJA with hiring, scheduling and planning for the fall. We've also attended a couple more graduations.

First Grade Graduation

High School Graduation

Our school only goes through Grade 8 but students can continue to be sponsored through high school if they get good grades, are part of our high school club, and continue to attend church. 

2) I am relieved to be done planning Bible curriculum and doing training sessions for our summer program. I have been on antibiotics for two weeks for a painful cyst in my nose and haven't had a lot of energy. Prayers are appreciated!

3) Our three kids have probably been watching too many movies but have also been enjoying the summer.

Our bookworm has opted to attend the summer
program every morning at ANIJA. They're studying Oceania
and learning about Daniel and Esther.

Our little climber is still at it!

We build with blocks and trains EVERY day with this boy!

4) We have been quite discouraged by the Chinese adoption process. We haven't had any news from China for a couple months since, apparently, they've had some bugs in their new computer system. Please pray for us as we update our homestudy in Ontario again this summer. We just applied for International Police checks today so our paperwork has begun once again!

THANK YOU to those of you who are praying for us and supporting us financially. We cannot adequately express how much we appreciate you!

Marcie Cooper

Neighbours

Hello!

In the three and a half years that we have lived in our house here in the D.R., we have had a lot of different neighbours. The house next door has especially seemed to go through a lot of tenants. We enjoyed having single missionary girls in it for a while and have had some nice chats with the Seventh Day Adventists who recently moved into the lower level. For a while though, the upstairs apartment had a stream of residents whose behaviours were questionable. The last set of guys really made me nervous. I probably wouldn't even recognize them because of the wierd schedule they kept but I felt uncomfortable and started to pray that they would move. Within a couple of days they were gone and a "For Rent" sign was up.

Enter the Jehovah's Witnesses. I have to tell you that they are actually really nice people to have for neighbours. They are quiet, polite, and friendly. They don't cause trouble. They don't try to convert me because they know me and know that I won't accept their literature. They talk to me like a friend.  And I remember to pray for them.

One Jehovah's Witness told me they heard that there were a lot of people who spoke English in our town (although most are Christian missionaries) and decided to send English speakers and start an English service. I found out yesterday that two little girls from our school also have Jehovah's Witnesses for neighbours and have been going to church with them. When I told them they shouldn't one said, "I always wondered if they were real Christians. Any time I visit them they don't let me in."

Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." (Mark 9:37 NIV)

Those two little girls walk a long way to come visit us. I have to admit that I don't always feel like I want to welcome them in. But they are ten years old and no one is really looking after them. One is an orphan who was living with an aunt who then left her with someone else while she went to Haiti. The other lives in one room (total, not just one bedroom) with her entire family of six but her Mom is not always around. If we do not reach out to children like these, the wrong people will.

Thank you to those of you who are praying for us. Please pray for our relationships with our neighbours and that they may truly come to know Christ as their Saviour. And pray for God's love and energy for the children He has placed in our path.

Thank you!

Marcie

Worthwhile

Dear Friends,

I just finished sending out our latest prayer letter where we shared some of our ups and downs over the past couple months. There are always challenges. Discipline problems and tough relationships and financial needs. Seeing students and former students making poor choices and reaping the consequences. Lately though, we have had our share of accidents and deaths. One little boy in our daughter's class is still unable to walk or talk after being hit by a jeep. It's hard.

But there are joys too. We work with children who are at risk as a result of poverty, broken families, and lack of education. We feed them, educate them, and share Christ's love with them. And, for the third year in a row, we (actually my husband and staff but I'm the one who gets to write about it) get to take a group of Grade 8 students on a mission trip to a area where the children are poorer than they are. As part of the interview process, the students are asked to explain their faith. Paul has been clarifying that we cannot get to heaven by good works or going to church or attending a Christian school. Having a Christian family does not necessarily mean that you are a Christian. We each need to believe in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. In the past week, three students have decided to put their faith in Jesus. We pray that they will grow and serve Him on the short mission trip and beyond.

A few weeks ago, a friend who we have been praying for for over three years also made a profession of faith. She and her boyfriend, who we have worked with for almost 9 years, were just married. We are thrilled! This is what makes working here worthwhile. Thank you to all of you who pray for us and support us so we can be here. We appreciate you!

Marcie Cooper

Haitians

Hello!

As I was walking across the ANIJA campus today I passed a Haitian lady whose huge smile showed her perfectly white teeth. I don't know why she was smiling but thanked God for allowing us to work with Haitian children as part of our ministry.

When we first came here over eight years ago, there were no Haitians at our school. Kids Alive's mission is to work with kids at risk but as we looked around we thought, "The kids who are most at risk here are the Haitian kids." They are often poorer than Dominicans and have come here looking for a better life. They often encounter prejudice. We returned to Canada and when we came back here a few years later we were excited to see that a literacy program had been started with Haitian children. Now they are fully integrated with our oldest Haitian student in Grade 4 this year.

On the week-end we had a chance to visit a Haitian village (called a Batey) on another part of the Island. I could not imagine having to live in such conditions.

By far, one of the nicest houses in the Batey
ELEVEN boys sleep on the two sets of bunk beds

Haitian girls in front of a wooden house

Haitian boy and his stuffed animal

It's just a matter of time before
this house is washed away over the cliff

Please pray for our new friends who are seeking God's direction for their ministry in that area.

And praise God with us for the smiles that we see on our campus.

Marcie Cooper

P.S. If you'd like to sponsor one of our children go to www.kidsalive.ca (in Canada) or www.kidsalive.org (in the United States.) Cute kids are waiting!