Week 2 in the D.R.

Week Two in the DR

March 17, Sunday - We left at 8:00 am and traveled about one hour with the Haws to visit the Nizao Ward. We attended all of the meetings and then returned home for lunch. We then drove one and one half hours into the interior to visit the Babana Grande de Voya Branch. Sister Haws made a presentation on food projects and after her presentation, Presidente Duran’s wife bore her testimony about how the church had taken her family out of poverty. We then drove to the Monte Plata Branch and meet with the new branch president. We drove home arriving about 7:00 pm.

Joy in front of Monte Plata Branch

 

March 19, Tuesday - We had dinner at Adriane’s Tropicana Restaurant and then came home and checked on the Storehouse. We met a volunteer in the storehouse from Canada by the name of, Tom Bourne, that is recent convert to the church. He saw the 60 minute program on Romney and the Mormon’s. The program caught his interest and he looked up the missionaries and after taking the missionary lessons he was baptized. He is spending the winter in the Caribbean and is interested in the church's humanitarian efforts. 

March 20, Wednesday - We spent the day talking to the Wegeners, also new senior missionaries, about the Perpetual Education Fund and the effect it has had the lives of the people in the Dominican Republic. Since the fund was started in 2001, the fund has helped over 1000 people in the DR obtain their education.

 

Jim walking to the office

 

March 21, Thursday-  We spent the morning in the Employment Center and then toured the Escuela Laboral (a technical college) that is located near us. In the afternoon, we tried to return to our office but we got lost and ended up in a getto without any streets. The people helped us back out our car and then we proceeded to drive to our office. As we approached the road that takes us the last two blocks to our office, we found the road torn up. We parked the car and walked through the construction to our office.  We returned in the evening and helped out in the Bishop’s Storehouse handing out food.

March 22, Friday - In the afternoon, we had an appointment to tour the facilities for disabled people in Santo Domingo with two other senior missionaries, the Haws and the Wegeners. The tour was very informative. They had an art display done by handicapped children. Of course, Joy had to purchase one of their pictures.  The center helps both children and adults with disabilities. One of their projects is to manufacture wheelchairs. The church has partnered with them to make 1000 wheelchairs for distribution throughout the DR.

 

 

Joy looking at the children's art work

 

March23, Saturday- We finally made it to the beach. We went with the Ruckers to Juan Donlio Beach. We had lunch at the restaurant across from the beach and returned home. We have had an exciting week.

Joy and her Inca Cola