Hurricane Day

Hello!

We just had our first day of school on Tuesday but we are already staying home for our first "Hurricane Day." Tropical storm Isaac is giving us a lot of rain but we are far enough up in the mountains that we are not in any real danger. The government wants to be fair so if it cancels classes for one area it cancels classes across the whole country. Can you imagine if schools in all of Canada closed every time there was a snowstorm somewhere? Of course, the Dominican Republic is a much smaller country. It could probably fit into Canada 200 times!

Children usually walk or are driven to school on motorcycles so it is harder for them to get there if it is raining hard. Dominicans also think that they will get sick if they go out in the rain so prefer to stay inside. We are enjoying a relaxing day indoors too. It wouldn't be complete without a fort!

We may have to add some homeschool and baking too. What do you like to do on a rainy day? We can always use more ideas during hurricane season!

Have a great day!

Marcie Cooper

First Day of School

Hello!

It feels like the middle of summer here but today was the first day of school. For one little boy in our house it was the first day of school ever. He couldn't wait!

His big sister was more nervous about her new class than he was but, at the same time, she has been wishing and wishing for this day to come.

He came home saying, "I did a lot at school today!" and she told us, "My teacher is perfect!" Both are excited to go back tomorrow. 

Maybe I'll be able to catch up on some summer pictures...

Have a great day!

Marcie Cooper

Praying Parents: 1 Samuel 12:23

Hello!

Yesterday I found a stack of cards with Bible verses on them thrown all over the floor. The chewed off corners of the package led me to believe that it was the work of my teething almost two-year-old.

Constantly biting on fingers--those teeth must hurt!

At first I was frustrated by having to clean up another one of his messes but, as I started looking at the cards, I was reminded of the excellent parenting Bible Study they came from and of my favourite verse from the series, 1 Samuel 12:23.

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way (NASB).

The Israelites has asked for a king and God allowed them to anoint Saul. Samuel confronted their sin and warned them to serve the Lord with all their hearts. He pledged to pray for them and instruct them in what was right.

As a parent, I also have the responsibility to pray for and guide my children. The question was asked in my Entrusted with a Child's Heart  study, "If you're not praying for your children, who is?" It is not just a task for today, Sunday, but every day. 

How about you? Who are you praying for? Do you find it hard to pray every day?

I hope that you will be encouraged today to pray for your children, family members, and those, like Samuel, who you are instructing in the Lord.

Have a great Sunday!

Marcie Cooper

Summer Kids

Hello!

As promised, here are some cute kid pictures instead of museums and ruins. The summer has flown by but we have had lots of fun!

I hope that you've been enjoying your summer too!

Have a great day!

Marcie Cooper

Santo Domingo Tour: Museums and Ruins

Hello!

A one day trip to Santo Domingo is taking me almost three weeks to write about! Let me quickly show you a few last sites so we can more on to another topic.

After the National Pantheon, two-thirds of the group opted to go shopping and the rest of us continued on to tour the home of Diego Columbus. He was Christopher Columbus' son who became governor of the island in 1509.

 One remaining wing of Diego Columbus' palace

After that tour, more left to go shopping but a few of us continued on to learn see some more of the country's history. 

We walked through the Royal Houses Museum where I took my favourite picture of the whole trip.

Gate to the courtyard of the Royal Houses Museum

Then we saw the ruins of a monastery and a hospital built in the 1500's.

Ruins of The Monastery of San Francisco

Ruins of chapels in the monastery

 

We wondered what it would have been like to be 

a patient in the first hospital in the New World

There were more churches that we rushed past on our way to meet up with the group but by then I think we were all toured out anyways.

Here are the three of us who made it through the entire tour: Johanna, a summer intern; me; and Vic, our Island Director.

Thanks for tagging along. I promise you'll see cute kids instead old ruins next time :)

Marcie Cooper

Santo Domingo Tour: Flag & National Pantheon

Hello!

 If you have been following our tour, we last saw Fort Ozama, a fortress built on the Ozama River where it meets the Caribbean Sea. I loved how the Dominican Flag looked at the top of the tower.

Look closely at the centre of the flag. Can you see the Bible? 

Did you know that the Dominican Republic is the only country in the world with a Bible on it's flag?

So why are we missionaries here?

I had a glimpse into the answer while looking at the ceiling of the National Pantheon, just down the street from Fort Ozama.

Our tour guide explained that the painting shows what happens at the end of this life. If you are good enough, you go up where good people are. If you are bad, you go down to that place where the bad people go. Sadly, this is a common view of what happens after death. Even after working for a year with a group of Grade 2 children in AWANA, almost all of them answered that they could get to heaven by being good. I wish that I would have spoken up and asked the tour guide why Jesus had to die if we could enter heaven by our own good works. We can never be perfect like Jesus. Only by believing in Him can we go heaven, a perfect place, to be with a perfect God.

Do you believe? 

Please pray that the Dominican children we work with will truly understand why Jesus died on the cross. Pray also for their education which is one of the poorest in Latin America and for our school that is trying to help. Pray for families which are often broken and for their daily needs to be met. And please pray for us as we work with them and try to show God's love to them.

Thank you!

Marcie Cooper

Santo Domingo Trip: The Fort

Hello!

My kids made it to the fort in Santo Domingo before I did--two of them anyways! I had just had a baby so did not go on the trip.

 Fort Ozama built in 1505 to protect from pirates and conquerors

There are lots of these protected watching/shooting spots.

 Strategically situated where the Ozama River meets the Carribean Sea

I had seen pictures and had driven by on the other side on the river but had never toured it myself. Finally, I took my own pictures!

 The Tower

 The cannons seen from the tower

The group in the top of the tower

I left the kids at home and joined our group of summer interns to experience the historical sites in the capital. They have been helping out with our summer program and Rachel, on the far left, has been staying with us. I can only hope that my kids will be as nice and as helpful as she is when they are teenagers!

For more history on the tower go to www.colonialzone-dr.com. Or come and visit. I'd be happy to take the tour again!

Have a great day!

Marcie Cooper

P.S. If you missed the beginning of the tour, we saw Columbus Park and the Primate Cathedral of the Americas as well as a pro-life monument. More still to come!