Motorcycles

Hello!

I am always amazed at the things that we see on motorcycles here in the Dominican Republic. I'm too scared to drive one, let alone carry the things they do. Take a look!

Lawn mower

Bread box

Bread box with bread

Ends for brooms???

Grocery delivery

Pizza Delivery

Small stove

Dominican washing machine

And we have seen so many other things that we haven't been able to catch with a camera. I've started a new tab with an A-Z list. Have fun checking it out!

Marcie Cooper

Spoiled

Hello!

There are some days when it's difficult to live in another country. It can be tough to work in a different language and culture, not to find what we're looking for at the grocery store, and to answer questions like "Why can't we see snow?" and "When can we go to Grandma and Grandpa's house?"

But there are lots of times when we feel spoiled. We live in a beautiful place and get to work with wonderful people. And, within a few hours, we can drive to a beautiful beach like this one where we went over the holidays. Its name, Playa Bonita, actually means "beautiful beach."

It was gorgeous!

And fun for the kids. I'm not sure what they enjoyed more--swimming in the ocean…

…or digging in the sand.

This little guy was amazed at a tree growing out of the rocks.

And this one's highlight was standing up on the surfboard!

Although we were eaten alive by mosquitoes, it was a trip that we won't soon forget!

We are blessed!

Marcie Cooper

Rice

Happy New Year!

How many times do you think you will eat rice this year? A few? A lot? Three hundred and sixty-five? I think that people around here will eat rice almost every day--if not twice a day! I have been on school field trips where almost every kid had a container of cold rice packed for lunch. They offered to share but I was happy with my sandwich!

Over New Year's we had a chance to travel to the east part of the island where we had never been before. On our way, we drove through field after field of rice. I had always wondered where it was grown! In many places, men were hunched over planting it by hand. What a lot of work!

People all around the country live off of this staple food, including the staff and students at our school. Our cooks prepare so much rice that they have to stir it with a giant paddle. We appreciate their hard work!

When they occasionally make pasta or hot dogs, the kids wonder where the rice is. They just don't seem to get tired of it! Our kids don't either. Our little one doesn't even really like potatoes. It must be because he was born here!

Whether you're eating rice or potatoes or whatever your staple food might be, I hope that you have a wonderful year!

Marcie Cooper

Click here to read more about how Dominicans cook their rice.

Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas!

It hasn't been the most typical Christmas day for us but was relaxing and fun. One little boy was in tears last week when he realized that we wouldn't get snow here but didn't mention it today. He was probably distracted by the presents…and waffles, new movies to watch, a couple of visitors for dinner, and family on Skype from Canada.

The view from our new apartment

Happy birthday Jesus!

We're so glad you came!

We hope you enjoyed your day as much as we did! Goodnight!

Marcie Cooper

Baby Alive

Hello!

I just sent this picture to my mother-in-law because she wanted to share the story that goes with it to a group of kids at her church.

It's one of those stories that I thought about writing but never got around to. It's worth going back to though even if it's a few months old.

Ali, on the right, is my daughter's best friend. Her cousin, in the middle, lives with her most of the time. Another missionary had a team bring them each a Baby Alive doll and they absolutely loved them! All the other girls around wanted one too, including Heidi, on the left.

This summer, when we were back in Canada for several weeks, Ali and her dad, Chucho, came to visit us. Ali told Heidi, "If I go to Canada, I'll bring you back a Baby Alive doll." Heidi's mom shared with me that Heidi had been praying and asking for a Baby Alive doll for a long time but they just couldn't afford one. Toys like that are very expensive here, especially when people do not earn as much money as they do in Canada or the United States.

We looked at the price of Baby Alive dolls at Wal-Mart. Chucho didn't want to spend that much on a doll either. He bought some souvenirs for people at the dollar store and loved going to yard sales. Then, at another yard sale just a couple days before leaving, Ali came across a Baby Alive doll. It came with a bed, blanket, and clothes. When they asked how much it was they were told, "Twenty-five cents." Only a quarter? They bought it! When they brought it home and put new batteries in it, it worked! It walked and talked and did everything it was supposed to. Heidi was thrilled and her mom was so grateful. She told me that Heidi plays with it, sleeps with it and takes it everywhere she goes. It's just a little doll, but it was a huge answer to prayer!

What are you praying for? I'm still hoping for a real baby from China. It's nice to be reminded that God cares and can provide for us in ways beyond what we can ask or imagine!

Marcie Cooper

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. - Eph. 3:20-21

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

Running Water

Hello!

We went less than twenty-four hours without running water in our house. I misunderstood the man fixing our water tank and did not realize that we were only using the water in our tinaco (a plastic tank on our roof that uses gravity to give us water when there is no electricity.) I kept doing laundry and completely drained it.

We had jugs of drinking water which I used to wash dishes. Our cistern was full so we carried buckets of water from the backyard into the house to flush toilets and take baths. I even heated it on the stove so it wouldn't be cold. Still, I was frustrated!

Then I started thinking about all of the people in this country and around the world that do not have running water in their homes. At all! Not just for less than a day! People bathe in the river all the time. They do their laundry there. They carry buckets up hills and into their homes. And we complain when we're inconvenienced for a short time.

I'm thankful for the reminder of how blessed we are...and especially for running water that is now working again in my house!

Marcie Cooper