This is the building that we recently purchased for use as the new Centro Cristiano.

Here is an older picture of the front of the new building. The side walk was added since that point.

It has almost twice the auditorium space we had in the old building that was falling apart.

The building comes with a large apartment upstairs, a “warehouse” area in back, and room to expand it if needed. At this point, the apartment will be used by Norm Currington, one of our fellow missionaries, until he completes his house. We were able to purchase the building thanks to a generous loan we were provided. We were able to get a great price on the property and it is in a great location. In fact, this is the exact property that was first looked at as the new Outreach Center over a year and a half ago (hence the older picture). God works things out in his own time.

We will soon launch a full blown campaign to raise the funds to repay the loan. While raising the funds, all those using the building will pay “rent” to pay the interest on the loan. We will spend the next few weeks getting the building completely ready and I hope to have the Christian Community Computer Center operational in September and classes starting before the end of the month. I will keep you posted.

Please pray that God will bless the plans for this place. Pray that the people who come in contact with this place will get to know God and/or develop a deeper relationship with him. Also pray that we are able to raise the funds to repay the loan quickly.

No, not that delicious red substance great on french fries… Its time I catch up everyone on what has been happening in our little corner of the world. So here goes

The interns have healed and returned home
I did, in fact, have Dengue Fever, I have the Dengue rash to prove it
I am no longer contagious, so if you see me no worries
The Fairfax adult/ family group is here and working their hearts out
I leave for the US tomorrow
The boys will be here, in the DR, doing their best to hold down the fort for 3 weeks
Lindsey leaves for Harding on August 20
Ethan begins school as soon as FXCC leaves

All in all August is turning out to be a busy month. If you live in Northern VA, Searcy or Kansas City I would love to see you while I travel. All others… well you will just have to catch me in the DR.

Those are the temperatures at the Manna Camp last week. Not outside, but of the interns. 5 out of the 6 interns have come down with Dengue Fever and it has kicked their booties. They slept the majority of the week away on my living room floor. Only stirring to use the restroom, get water or eat what little they could. They all seem to be on the road to recovery. The down side… I have picked up a mysterious illness and now I have a fever, odd rash and my hair hurts. Odd, I know. Hopefully I will recover before the Fairfax adults get here and before I travel to the US.

We are on a break right now between groups. Ethan leaves for the US tomorrow. He will spend time with friends and go to Camp WAMAVA. I completed our first newsletter. It only took me 6 months, 3 tries and many hours, but I am finally happy with the outcome. Follow the link to the right and view my wonderful creation. Tim says he will add my pictures later. On a side note… the pad to our porch is done. Next comes the roof. We are using the tin that was the original house roof. Tim says he’s doing it by himself. Hopefully the next pictures I post won’t be of Tim in a cast…or worse.

In the Dominican, most people sit around and visit with neighbors on their porch. Since our porch is on the back side of our house, that has been very difficult. We decided to remedy the situation and contracted JB to build us a porch on the other sid of our house. In their spare time the team from Mericamp/Ocala volunteered to move rocks to fill in the frame for our new porch. They had so much fun they insisted on helping JB pour the cement on Monday morning before they went to the beach. It was hard work, but they got it done with time to spare. JB is putting the finishing touches on it this week. It’s gonna be great to have a place where our neighbor will feel more comfortable to sit and visit. The porch will also be used as space for the teenagers Bible class on Sunday mornings.

Lindsey left for the US with the Fairfax group. I must say, things around here are very quiet without her. We miss her already. I definitely miss her being around to talk to. She is a good listener and she is funny. She was also my running errands companion. A trip into town is not the same, alone. If you see me looking a mess, well that’s because I don’t have Lindsey around to tell me I look ridiculous.

Lindsey is working in Manassas until she leaves for Harding. I will join her and we will have one last road trip together before she is totally out on her own. I am looking forward to the time together, but not to the goodbye that follows.

If you live in Virginia and see Lindsey, hug her neck for us and remind her that we love her!

Sorry for the blog silence. We have been busy hosting Fairfax Student Ministry. It was a really good week. We really enjoyed seeing familiar faces and friends. Ethan and Lindsey moved into the dorms for the week and spent as much time as possible with their friends. The week went by smoothly, except for some rain. The group painted houses, poured a cement floor for a family, taught local kids about David and Goliath, spent some time with the kids from the children’s home and lifted our spirits.

Everyone had a great time this week. It was nice to get news from “home” and catch up with friends. Thanks FSM, We miss everyone already.

We had a graduation party for Lindsey on Thursday night. It took weeks of sneaking around, but we finally pulled it off. We had to reschedule, due to Harrison Lamb’s birth on our original date. But I think the final party was even better. Tammie asked Lindsey to accompany the group to the airport on Thursday. While she was gone we went to the restaurant and set up. Tim made some horrible excuse about getting lost and drug Lindsey to the restaurant. She had no clue what was going on. I am totally not good at hiding things, but we did it!! Ethan hacked into Lindsey’s Facebook account and got e-mail addresses fir her friends. They sent her graduation greetings and pictures. Tammie and the interns made a cute video. Tim played a Graduation speech, titled, “wear sunscreen” and read “Oh the Places You Will Go”. We had great food thanks to the staff at Los Gringos. All in all it was a great party. Thanks to everyone who helped make it a great night.

Thanks to the generosity of our co-workers, Cory and Laura Beth, we spent 2 nights at a resort in Cabarete. It was a beautiful place. We hung out in AIR CONDITIONING, watched US TV, played in the pool and read at the beach. It was nice to get away, just the 4 of us. By the looks of the pictures the kids had a good time.

What do you do when the men folk have all left and taken the group up the mountain? Why, paint of course. Lindsey decided the wall in the study could use some personality. Mostly, I think she was just plain bored. She drug out every old can of paint she could find in our house. Some of them were left by the original residents. She proceeded to doodle all over the wall. Luckily it was a small wall by the stairs. It didn’t turn out half bad, although my study now looks like a teenagers bedroom…

A work in progress

Viola!! a masterpiece is born