Friends,
Today has been a day of preparation and getting settled in. We started the day with prayer, breakfast, and sending a group out to the city to change money and buy a few necesities (i.e., coffee) at the local supermarket. Then at 10:00 a.m. nine team members headed to the beach at Juan Dolio, about 30 minutes to the west of San Pedro. God has gifted this island with incredible beauty and a wonderful ocean and all the team members who went to the beach had a wonderful time enjoying the sun, playing in the waves, and seeing a little more of the surrounding countryside of the Dominican Republic.
Once we returned to the Centro Obispo Kellogg a number of people worked on getting crafts ready to go for VBS, as well as planning games and other VBS activities. At 4:00 pm we met with Fr. Sandino to see the school where we will be teaching VBS, and to envision how we can divide up the students. We also took a tour of the Clinic and Church which we will be painting. Paint only lasts about two years here due to the heat, humidity, and salt air. We will be painting a massive set of two buildings which easily dwarf the size of St. John´s campus. To beat the heat we will start at 8:30 a.m. and keep working until we can´t bear the heat any more.
At 5:00 p.m. we met with about 15 Dominicans who will be teaching with us. We divided into four different groups, planned our schedule, talked about crafts and games, and got to know each other just a little bit.
Pray for us as VBS starts next Monday at 2:00 p.m. The St. John´s team will be leading crafts, games, and music in rotating groups. Besides meeting our fellow VBS leaders, many of whom we knew from previous trips (who were happy and excited to see us and sad also not to see old team members), we also reunited with Michael and Anita Dohn. Michael and Anita are medical missionaries which St. John´s has had a LONG connection with. It was a joy to reconnect with them and with the Dominican VBS teachers.
Thank you for your continued prayers. Our hope is that we are able to use these days of preparation to be ready for all the work we will be doing int he days to come.
Peace in Christ,
Today has been a day of preparation and getting settled in. We started the day with prayer, breakfast, and sending a group out to the city to change money and buy a few necesities (i.e., coffee) at the local supermarket. Then at 10:00 a.m. nine team members headed to the beach at Juan Dolio, about 30 minutes to the west of San Pedro. God has gifted this island with incredible beauty and a wonderful ocean and all the team members who went to the beach had a wonderful time enjoying the sun, playing in the waves, and seeing a little more of the surrounding countryside of the Dominican Republic.
Once we returned to the Centro Obispo Kellogg a number of people worked on getting crafts ready to go for VBS, as well as planning games and other VBS activities. At 4:00 pm we met with Fr. Sandino to see the school where we will be teaching VBS, and to envision how we can divide up the students. We also took a tour of the Clinic and Church which we will be painting. Paint only lasts about two years here due to the heat, humidity, and salt air. We will be painting a massive set of two buildings which easily dwarf the size of St. John´s campus. To beat the heat we will start at 8:30 a.m. and keep working until we can´t bear the heat any more.
At 5:00 p.m. we met with about 15 Dominicans who will be teaching with us. We divided into four different groups, planned our schedule, talked about crafts and games, and got to know each other just a little bit.
Pray for us as VBS starts next Monday at 2:00 p.m. The St. John´s team will be leading crafts, games, and music in rotating groups. Besides meeting our fellow VBS leaders, many of whom we knew from previous trips (who were happy and excited to see us and sad also not to see old team members), we also reunited with Michael and Anita Dohn. Michael and Anita are medical missionaries which St. John´s has had a LONG connection with. It was a joy to reconnect with them and with the Dominican VBS teachers.
Thank you for your continued prayers. Our hope is that we are able to use these days of preparation to be ready for all the work we will be doing int he days to come.
Peace in Christ,
The Very Rev. Peter Swarr
Associate Rector, St. John's, Plymouth
www.stjohnsplymouth.org
Dean, Trinity Deanery
