Wednesday, June 4, 2008

April and May were very fulfilling months!

In April we hosted two teams, one was a fellow missionary couple's home church and the second was our first ever Men's Conference (Men's Adventure Weekend) and the theme was "Wild at Heart". They had over 130 men in attendance!

I prepared to head back to the states in May to share what God is doing here in Hispaniola, but not before working at the Kentucky Derby. I am happy to announce that with over 80 volunteers this year, our ministry raised $30,000 for Kingdom work, by simply selling the official Derby souvenirs! The money we raised will further the Kingdom work through G.O. Ministries in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mongolia, Colombia, Cuba, and in the Inner-City of Louisville, KY.



I helped represent G.O. at the Exponential Church Planting Conference in April and I also visited a new church in TN, Hamilton Life Church and was fortunate to speak during their Sunday service and spend time with my good friends Ben and Laura! This church has already begun to support me and are already beginning to talk about a Spring 2009 mission trip to the D.R. After TN, I visited a church in San Francisco, Central Peninsula Church, where my good friend Rob pastors there. They too are prayerfully considering a partnership and a 2009 trip as well. Please keep these two churches in prayer. My time ended in the states with a visit to Las Vegas. I was able to be there for mother's day, my dad's birthday, and my stepdad's 50th birthday! I was also able to share at Soulstice Church who faithfully supports me.

Two very special things happened when I returned to the D.R. on May 21st... My godson, Jansel, was born to my friend Fior two days after I left for the U.S., and so when I returned I visited him on his 1 month birthday.


Also, I turned 26 on May 29th! I was able to share my birthday with William and Alexandra Decena, tons of beautiful children in the Bateys along with a fellow missionary Cherry, and our Intern, Jana. We spent one day (my birthday) with this special community celebrating "La Semana de Damas." (Women's Week) They had a service each night of the week at the church and the Women's Ministry sang, read scripture and celebrated the special place we women have in the Kingdom. They made a special birthday tea for me out of Canalia (a type of leaf) and tostones (fried smashed plantains)... It was a birthday I won't forget... I am so grateful for my friends here and for the people God has placed in my life here and in the U.S.






One (of several) new roles I find myself in is the Director of Internships and two of our summer interns have arrived. This has been a fun role for me as I enjoy teaching and working with people who desire to learn and serve. We have such an amazing opportunity to work with gifted men and women after God's heart from all of the WORLD! One intern is coming all the way from Poland! We have 9 interns total this summer! Each one will be serving for a minimum of one month in various capacities from Children's Ministry, Team Facilitating, teaching English, and Medical. Please pray for them and their time here in the D.R. to be productive, encouraging, that God would open their hearts to his Kingdom plan: Jana, Megan, Melissa, Matt & Emily, Adam, Yvonne, Elaine, and Karolina.




If you are interested in finding out more about G.O. Ministries or leading a trip please visit our website at http://www.go-ministries.org/ or leave me a comment and I will contact you with more information!

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Growing in Knowledge and Grace... the marks of our growth. I was asked the question "What does it mean to grow 'up' in the LORD?" and was directed to 2 Peter 3:18 for the answer. There I read "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the honor and glory both now and forever. Amen."
What struck me by this was just how much I lacked in these areas. March has been a month of self examination. We are marked as not just a believer but a disciple by our knowledge and grace in Jesus. I have found myself in a challenging place spiritually, physically, mentally... and the thing I desire most is not to be a good missionary, or a good person, but to be a true disciple of our LORD, that he may be glorified in and through me. This is however, an easy thing to desire, and less easily attained. It is not something ruled by emotions, but rather a discipline. To worship Jesus in spirit and truth- there is little to be said about our "feelings." We must learn the discipline to put on the armor of God every day, in order that, when (not if) we are at war, we are like trained soldiers both in our knowledge of the LORD, holding deep in our hearts the promises he has laid out for us in his word, and in the abundance of grace we must extend to others. Not because we are good people, but because he first extended that to us, commanding us to do the same.
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
Psalm 73: 25-26
"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God... Thanks be to God for his indiscribable gift!"
2 Corinthians 9:11-12, 15
In March we hosted four teams who came to the Dominican Republic to serve. Each of these teams helped build the future site our of new Hub in Hato del Yaque. Each one of our ministry hubs serves as a dormitory to host short-term teams. There is a local church, nutrition center, and we to have a medical clinic in each of these locations. We currently have two hubs open in Santiago, D.R. and one in the Southwest part of the country in Batey Nueve (a rural sugar-cane farming community). We are excited to announce that through the hard work of short-term teams we will be finishing the bottom floor of our third hub (dormitory and nutrition center) in time for teams to stay there for the summer.

The Hub in Hato del Yaque is special to me because on my first short-term trip to the Dominican Republic we laid the perimiter block for this project and now 4 years later, what once was simply a grassy field will serve as house of worship for the LORD. 100's of kids will recieve a hot meal. A special thank you to Eastview, Lincoln Christian College, Crosspoint Church, and Discovery Church for serving the LORD through constructing the Hub in Hato del Yaque.
Last month I posted a few pictures of my friend Mary Luz, who is the wife of Bienvo (a very skilled maestro on our construction team), who was going to have baby Wilson any day. She had a healthy baby boy and I was able to visit her in the hospital.

I am at the hospital with Baby Wilson and Mary Luz

Sweet Baby Wilson just 1 day old!


In just three weeks I will be leaving my home in the D.R. to visit the United States. In four weeks I will visit Louisville, KY, Chatanooga, TN, San Francisco, CA and Las Vegas, NV. I would love to see you while I am in town and if you would like me to come and speak at your Bible Study, small group, children's ministry class... etc. please email me soon, as I am finalizing my travel schedule and speaking dates. You can find my tentative travel dates at the top left side bar of my blog!
Thank you for each one of you who continue to support my work through prayer and finances. May God bless your generous sacrifices!

In grace,

Jackie

Monday, March 10, 2008

February has been quite a full month!


We were blessed by several teams who came to the Dominican Republic to serve our brothers and sisters through constructing churches, nutrition centers, VBS, feeding kids, and a celebrate recovery conference for the pastors and leaders of the local churches G.O. supports. John, a fellow missionary arranged for us to take 50 kids from "The Hole" (a landfill housing over 600 families) to get ice cream at Helado Bon, the local ice cream shop. As we drove to Bon, the kids, filled with excitement sang silly songs and once we arrived they spent the first 40 minutes going down the giant slide and then getting back in line... it was a never ending circle from the bottom of the slide to the line at the stairs. We asked Jenni, the pastor's wife, if this was something they get often (ice cream), and she immediantly answered "no." What a joy it is to be able to bring joy to a child's life praising God together for the things he gives us and the ways he blesses us... through ice cream.
I have made several trips to the Bateys this year and look forward to yet another trip next week when my mom and friend arrive to the Dominican Republic from Las Vegas. South Hills' trip has been postponed until July, but thankfully my mom and Zoraida will still be able to visit for a week, and work with another team that will be serving here in Santiago.



Please continue to pray for South Hills and their team that they are currently putting together to serve here in the D.R. this summer.


One special way I am learning about Christ's love for me and through his people here on the island of Hispaniola is through encouragment. I have been reading different verses in the Bible that all speak of encouragement, even that it is a spiritual gift. Which is not something I would have guessed before this study. Even a simple smile or a hug can bring joy to someone's day including mine. The simple act of visiting someone or letting someone know you were thinking of them can change someone's perspective. Take time to hold a child. Bring flowers to someone. Share your food. The Dominicans and Haitians here are daily teaching me what it means to be a servant.


Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to work in this country and be shaped and molded by those around me and by our precious LORD Jesus. I know, that many hearts are being strengthened, as it is found in scripture, by Jesus, because of the ways you sacrifice for God's Kingdom to expand.


We look forward to the Spring which will bring 7 teams here to bless the work of the Nationals serving here. Please pray for a fruitful season of ministry. Pray for new partnerships to grow, for new believers in Christ, for the chains that keep us from living a life full in Christ to be broken. I ask that you pray for humility and a brokeness amongst our staff and in my own life and that we would remain humble before our LORD.


"The poor will see and be glad- you who seek God, may your hearts live." Psalm 69:32


Here are a few pics from this past month in ministry:


Dave Stone's Bible study team mix concrete and pour the floor for the Dormitory/ Nutrition Center/ Church building in Hato del Yaque



Girls from the team stop working to pose with some of the neighborhood kids who brought joy to the worksite in the form of flowers


Montan, a church elder, and pillar of the church visits the worksite with some of the neighborhood youth



50 Kids from El Hoyo "The Hole," eat ice cream at Helado Bon... son buenos!! Can you find Jackie?

Kids anxiously wait in line for a scoop of blue "chicklet" flavored ice cream


kids enjoy their ice cream!


I am visiting with my friend, Mary Luz, who is expecting baby Wilson this Thursday!

Friday, February 1, 2008

Happy February!

G.O. Ministries has been working in the bateys for many years now. The struggles many Haitians face day in and day out are inconceivable to most of us. I had the chance opportunity to spend 48 hours in the Bateys last weekend.
This particular trip was different than most. We were not there with a team... We were there on our own mission.

On the day we arrived we were able to bear witness to three bateys coming together to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 14 people were baptized all together in the ocean and it was very special time.



Pastors from the bateys baptize 14







Congregations come together to celebrate... can you see me busy video taping the service??
After the baptisms we were able to visit a church we work with in the large town known as Tamayo (pop. approx. 20,000 people)

Our mission on this particular visit was to interview and collect data from several different bateys where we will begin work on churches and nutrition centers. John and I met with 3 different Pastors who have been called by God to reach the lost , and bring hope and peace to their communities.

One Batey we visited seemed so desperate to me. It was twice the size of most bateys. I saw one girl lying on the floor of her front porch under a blanket shivering from sickness. I met a woman with 7 kids- her husband abandoned her... her "house" torn apart from the tropical storms last year... and she is rebuilding- alone. Kids without clothes. Two women we spoke to whose hearts were hardened to the Gospel. I listened intently as the pastor and another missionary from G.O. shared with one woman about Jesus and she wanted nothing to do with him. Despair. I left that place with a heaviness on my heart.


a sick child

bath time

prayer at the future site of a church building


The town
In another Batey and in Tamayo we visited the houses of two women who were sick. One woman had been bed-ridden for 6 months. I had the opportunity to pray for both of these women in their homes.

I know Christ is already there at work in the bateys. He is always ahead of us, preparing the way.

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in the bateys. Pray for healing in their hearts. Pray for openess to the Gospel. Pray for physical health as well as spiritual health- there is much sickness there. Many people are still repairing and even unable to repair the damage caused by the tropical storms last year. Pray for resources, help, aid for these people. Pray for G.O. Ministries and our relationships with these pastors to grow- that we will see the efforts of these men bear much fruit!

Please continue to pray for the G.O. Ministries Staff in Kentucky, here in the Dominican Republic, and our partners working in 5 other countries... pray for endurance- peace- & unity.


"May the God who gives you endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 15:5-6




Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Happy New Year!

Hi friends!

I am here in the Dominican Republic! I arrived safely back to the place I call home on December 31st and was able to spend New Years Eve with my fellow missionary workers and close Dominican friends. We had a great time at the Gabriel household eating good food, playing dominoes, and in my case- trying to keep my eyes open to enter into the New Year!
There was a beautiful array of fireworks we were able to watch from the balcony, and of course they continued until the early hours of the following morning!

We had about a week to settle back into our houses (you wouldn't imagine how much cleaning there is to do when you have gone for two months), and visit friends and catch up on the last two months.

Just yesterday, our first official team of 2008 arrived here from California! Real Life Church is here working alongside Pastor Felix, helping to build the church and nutrition center in The Hole. All of our staff was anxious to receive our first team and get back to work on the field!

We are so excited for a new year, new teams, new people coming to Christ, new buildings being finished, new communities being partnered with, new mouths being fed, new, new, new!
Please continue to pray for G.O. Ministries- for a strong and healthy staff to lead on the field, for new Americans to partner with our Dominican and Haitian brothers and sisters, for new opportunities to grow in ministry, for God's leading and provision.

Thanks again for your prayers and allowing me this opportunity to serve God here in the D.R.

Peace,
Jackie

"May the LORD continually bless you with heaven's blessings as well as with human joys."
Psalm 128:5 tlb

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Dear friends,
I write this and ask yo to please pray for the Island of Hispaniola, who last night was pounded by Hurricane Olga. Still recovering from TS Noel which hit the Island Oct. 28-Nov. 2, they were hit yet again December 10th.
In the latest reports from DR1 News, Santiago (where our main ministry hub is located and where I live) has been hit the hardest by TS Olga, and the President was supposed to be visiting this afternoon.
As you go about your evening and next few days, please pray for our brothers and sisters, and for those who have lost loved ones. An estimated 10 have already died.
Here are a few pictures of what Santiago looks like and a video as well. (to watch the video, you may have to let it all download and then play)
We spoke to a friend in the Dominican and his words were "people are on top of their houses and in trees trying to survive."
We will keep you updated as we are updated. Thanks so much for your prayers.







Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Merry Christmas!!!

This is a picture taken in November of our G.O. Staff and Board Members

As we close 2007 and move full speed ahead into 2008, I wanted to extend a great big thank you to everyone who supported me and G.O. Ministries this year prayerfully and financially. It has been an incredible journey watching the LORD bless every step of the way.

I am currently in Las Vegas continuing my fundraising and recruiting short-term teams for 2008. I had a great privledge of sharing with the 2008 team from South Hills church on Sunday December 2nd.

After sharing about the ministry in all three Sunday services I was able to share with 16 people, interested in the 2008 trip about the Bateys, the history of G.O., what my role is, and how they can make a difference on their trip next year.

I am thankful for South Hills in so many ways... They have been instrumental in me not only becoming a Christian, but a misisonary too!

Here are some reasons why I am thankful for them during this Christmas season:

  • I had never attended church before South Hills. In 2002 I attended South Hills for the first time and gave my life to Christ after just 6 months.
  • South Hills offered me a job working in Student Ministries and Children Ministry and both Rob and Missy took an active role in discipling me (and they also lead me to Christ)
  • I participated in my first mission trip ever in 2004 (to the Dominican Republic with G.O. Ministries)

  • When they planted their first church, Soulstice, they commissioned me and the Lead Pastor of Soulstice and his family to plant the church, where I served as the Financial Admin. and the Children's Ministry Director.

  • South Hills quickly agreed to begin supporting me when I made the decision to join G.O. Ministries.

  • They have consistently sent a team down to the Dominican Republic since 2004, making this next trip their 5th trip down.

  • Their a church passionate about reaching not just Las Vegas, but the world too

So, this holiday, I want to extend a special thanks to Bret Johnson, Lead Pastor of South Hills, and all of their staff for the ways they seek to bring people closer to Jesus, disciple and train them in the ways of the LORD, and send us out into the world, sharing Christ with others.

I would ask that as you pray for G.O. and myself, that you would remember the team South Hills is sending and pray for them as well.

Thank you again for your generous partnership!



FELIZ NAVIDAD

JWAYE NWEL

-Jackie Douglas



Monday, October 29, 2007

Well friends I am in the final hours of my time in the Dominican Republic. I have had the opportunity to see God heal and change and move about the lives of his people in a land he has NOT forgotten. I wanted to introduce you to Eva.

Eva lives in Batey Nueve. The Bateys are communities setup around the sugarcane fields, inhabitied by Haitians. Many years ago, Haitians were brought to the Dominican Republic to work these fields and were promised a better life, better pay- what they received paled in comparison. The work is tedious and dangerous. They field owners could pay companies to harvest the cane, but it is much cheaper to hire slaves...

Eva lives in this community called Batey Nueve. She has two sisters a mother and a father. I have spent four different weeks in the Bateys over the course of the last 5 months and I remembered her from each visit. Quiet, reserved Eva. She didn't talk much and what I remembered most was that she never smiled. Her eyes almost haunting.

This last particular visit I was sitting in church, our final night with our brothers and sisters in the Bateys. Eva sat in front of me. I had seen her all week- she had a 2 inch bruise across her face. Upon leaving church, guided only by the moonlight, as there was no electricity, I saw Eva standing in the middle of the dirt road. Tears streaming down her face. No one else was around. I picked her up and held her in my arms and and throughout the course of our conversation I learned that she was afraid to go home. Her dad was violent with her, her sisters, and her mom.

She knew Jesus, but felt he was powerless in stopping her dad's abuse. Her father is a victim of alcohol abuse and the harsh conditions of a harvester. This story is not uncommon in the Bateys. Alcohol consumption is rampant here with the primary drink of choice being rum, which is made from the sugar cane.

I had nothing to give Eva. There was nothing I could do for her. She had to go home. How I had wished I could take her away... but that is not realistic. We sang a song together and prayed and I sent her on her way home with a promise that we would pray for her and her family.

So I ask you as you are reading this, please stop and take a minute to pray for Eva and her family, pray for the many others struggling in the batey's with these same issues. Pray for healing and for Christ's power to reign here amongst the community of Batey Nueve. Pray for William and Alexandra, our national partners, who minister to these people everyday trying to meet both the spiritual and physical needs.

It is not about WHAT we do... It is about WHO we ARE in CHRIST. We connect to him through our prayer life and abiding in him. I am reminded all the more that prayer is the most important thing we as Christians can do. God is not as concerned with your sacrifices as he is with your obedience. Abide in him and he will abide in you!

I dream one day of the people of Batey Nueve being known for their love of Jesus... And I know the only person capable of making this happen is the LORD. Please join me in prayer...


"Every work of God can be traced back to some kneeling form" D.L. Moody


This is Eva





Friday, September 28, 2007

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

He will quiet you with his love... He will take great delight in you... He will rejoice over you with singing... The LORD will rejoice over you with singing...

What strikes me is what it follows: The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save...
I want to tell you a story of a woman with incredible strength. Her name is Patricia. For 11 years Patricia has been married to Puro. They have three kids: Patrick who is 8, Brian who is 6, and Ashley who I believe is 4 years old.

For 6 years Puro has been sick with Diabetes. I met Patricia when I first arrived to the Dominican Republic. She helps our ladies who cook in the kitchen prepare the meals for the teams. Patricia also does other odds and ends jobs to make ends meet as well.
Upon hearing of Puro's illness, I went to visit and meet the family. Carmen, Patricia's mom, also works with the ministry and lives in the house in front of Patricia, and helps take care of the three kids.
As I walked to their house, with the ladies from the kitchen (las chicas de la cocina, as we call them!), they pointed to a man sitting on the street corner- a frail looking man, hunched over on crutches, his pale skin hung from his body, pain and humility in his eyes... this was Puro. This was his "corner". he spent most of his days sitting on this corner. As I walked down the alley to Patricia and Carmen's houses, we were greeted by the kids- Patrick, sweet and humble, then Brian and Ashley- both shy and quiet. We sat talking, and Puro, very slowly, walked with the help of his crutches to where we sat: we prayed for him, and I was on my way.
That began a series of visits to Patricia's house, but with the busyness of teams I was not able to visit as much as I would have liked to. As the months of the summer progressed, I noticed Patricia worked less and less in the kitchen, and then not at all. I asked Carmen where she had been after not seeing her in a few weeks, and I was told Puro's condition had worsened. Patricia was now spending most of her time taking care of her sick husband and kids.
The ladies in the kitchen told me Puro was going to die... they had been saying this all summer... I started getting pedicures from Patricia every two weeks as a way to support her a little bit- 150 pesos, the equivalent of about $6. Patrick became my buddy, but Ashley and Brian remained shy.
The second week of September I learned that Puro had been hospitalized. I saw very little of Patricia or Carmen. Carmen was busy taking care of the kids, while everyday Patricia would go to the hospital to visit Puro. Visiting hours are Mon- Fri., 1pm-5pm and Sunday from 8am-8pm. I arranged to go with Patricia to the public hospital to see Puro. It was explained to me that Puro was hospitalized because his blood sugar levels had spiked to about 400! Normal range was 90-120. He was not aloud to eat anything. He had an IV in him and that was all.
No machines in his room
no TV
no bed that adjusted
no food
no water
no sheets
no curtain to give you privacy
no flowers
Everything must be purchased by the sick. Patricia brought in a backpack, and inside were clean sheets, a clean shirt, and drinking water. She then went downstairs to the "pharmacy," where she had to purchase blood glucose strips for monitoring his levels, and diapers.
When we returned to the room, Puro's sister had arrived as well. It was time for his shower. When Patricia lifted him out of his bed, I was not prepared for what I saw. They lifted him out of a pool of blood and urine. I almost lost my cool, but knew I could not because I was there to support and encourage them. We represent hope and life in Christ. Soon after it was 5pm and visiting hours were over. We prayed for Puro and the others hospitalized in the room as well.

I left the hospital that day a changed person.

The following day we sent our G.O. Ministries doctor to the hospital to find out what was going on. He had a severe case of diabetes and he developed another strain due to the first. He was anemic, which was causing abnormal swelling in his feet, amidts a host of other problems. The good news was his blood sugar levels were dropping, which meant once they were under control then he could go home and we could get him proper medical attention.

Two days later, Puro was released from the hospital. A blood vessel in his brain burst and he was in a semi coma. As I walked down the street I knew so well, I was not prepared for what I was about to see. Puro was laying in a bed, cold compresses draped on his body. The occasional moan. As I sat at their house for 5 hours, many people came in and out, family, people from church, friends. They would walk in the house, kneel by Puro's side and pray, sing songs, comfort Patricia, who at one point crawled in a ball with her head on my lap. I was unsure of what I was to do, but I knew just being there was enough. That day was hard. Watching Puro suffer. Watching Patricia suffer. The kids would sporadically break into tears.

The following day I visited Patricia. I looked in on Puro's lifeless body. Patricia sat outside their house. No smile. No tears. Nothing. I stayed for 1 hour and then returned to my house to finish some work. 45 minutes had passed and I heard the familiar sound of my gate clicking, which meant someone was outside. It was David, the son of one of our cooks. He looked at me and in a quiet voice he said "el, se murio"... Puro was dead.
The funeral was held in the evening of the following day... Tuesday September 25. What followed can only be God's grace and power. I visited the family on Wednesday, and for the first time I saw Ashley, their daughter, playing, laughing, and dancing. For an hour, Patricia, Carmen, Patrick, Brian, Ashley, and myself sat on the floor in Carmen's kitchen, singing and playing games. The cloud had been lifted. The despair of the sickness that had held Puro captive for six years had been freed.
There are hard times to come for this family, raising children with no father. Will Ashley remember her father lying in bed, moaning and crying out? How will Patrick handle his new role as the man of the house? He is only 8. And Brian, he is oblivious to what has happened. Brian and Ashley ask for their papa everyday. They know he went to sleep and did not wake up and is now in heaven with God... but do they understand?
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
Please pray for Patricia, Carmen, Patrick, Brian, Ashley, and Puro's family.

The day following their father's death, was their first day at the G.O. Ministries school. The first day of the rest of their lives. Please pray that the LORD would be magnified in their lives. Pray for healing, grace, and comfort.
I want to say thank you to each and everyone of you who pray for the ministry here, pray for me, pray for the Dominicans and Haitians we work with. Thank you to each one of you who sacrifice financially so that I can answer God's call to work here on this Island. Thank you to each one of you who have taken time away from your families, friends, jobs to come here and empower those we work with, and encourage our brothers and sisters with your work here. Once you have been here- it is easy to see why the LORD has captured my heart for these people... His people. Everyday I am ministered to by the strength of those around me.

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has annointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide those who grieve in Zion-
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
Isaiah 61:1-3


Ashley posing for the camera!



Patricia helping Brian get dressed for school!

Abuela Carmen and Patrick getting ready for school




Patricia with her children: Patrick, Ashley, and Brian
First day of School at the Colegio for Patrick and Brian, September 26th, 2007