Not much

So, I haven't posted much lately. Due to our "extended weekend" (Thursday and Friday were holidays because of the election) I enjoyed extra time with Daniel and Jer. I haven't had anything interesting to write about, and I've been having fun playing with Jeremiah, playing with/training the dog, and working outside (watering plants, getting our garden ready to plant, etc.) It's been hot weather and I'm thankful that our house is much cooler than the previous one. Hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures of Jeremiah later on (as I know that is what everyone really wants to see). ;)

And the winner is...

As predicted, Leonel Fernandez has won his third victory as president. His first and second term were not consecutive, so this is only his second "consecutive" term, as serving three consecutive terms is currently unconstitutional (though I have read he wants to change the constitution to get rid of term limits).
It was very interesting to follow the elections last night. I followed via Dr1.com which had an election forum. It was helpful and I learned way more about Dominican politics in one day than I had learned from my 3 years here previously. It is sad to see how corrupt the elections and politics are here, though not surprising. I heard numerous accounts of buying votes (on both sides) and buying cedulas (government ID cards used in voting) so people could vote numerous times for one candidate.
So, is this good or bad? I have no idea. From what I read, many people (As in the 60% that didn't vote for him) are just glad that the PRD (white party) isn't ruling the country. The PRD was at one time the main party in the country, and the economy went downhill during one PRD president's time in office, though I won't pretend to know the cause. However, from what I hear, there are still many skeptical about Leonel (presidents here are called by their first name). Anyway, there's still a lot I don't understand. But it was fascinating to see it all at work.
Now just to figure out the U.S. elections... ;)

Election Day!

Today's the day! Which means we're just around the house not doing too much (except lots of making of food that we don't really need like cherry crisps, cinnamon rolls, etc.).
Dr1.com has dedicated their news articles today to information on the election. The winner needs 50%+1 vote to win. If there is no winner, then there is a second round with the top two candidates later. Based on polls, the current president is predicted to win. There has also been talk of changing the constitution so that a president can run 3 terms (the majority of the legislature is PLD, same as the current president). It will be interesting to watch how things unfold...

Mommy Freak-out Momment

I just had a mommy freak-out momment. My heart is still beating quickly. I look over at my 9 month old, playing with the doggy leash (who left that out?...oops) and see something black in his mouth. I immediatly assume that it's part of the black binding on the (cheap) leash that is coming off. I jump up to pull it out of his mouth and discover that...
It was a big juicy millipede. Maybe dead? Maybe mostly dead? Either way, it did not belong in my child's mouth! Thankfully, it was still whole. I know, I know... it will only get worse. But I just can't quite get over the fact that my son almost ate a millipede!

Elections!

No, I am not talking about the heated primaries or upcoming November elections. As important as they are, right now (as in, at this current moment), other elections are more directly impacting Daniel and me.

This Friday is the presidential election for the Dominican Republic. In many ways, this has a bigger effect on the D.R. than the U.S. elections have on the U.S. Why? Well...



1) Campaigning


Ok, so presidents in the States campaign. A lot. It's the same here. But, the campaigning is VERY different. Each party has a color. You see the parties' colors everywhere. I don't even know the names of the parties. I know them as: the white party, the purple party, and the red party. Currently, the national government is purple. Our local government is red. Everyone here is passionate about their party. There are few swing votes. Politics is brutal. (In the States, some may see crumpling up a picture of the opposition, throwing it on the ground and trampling on it a little over the top, at least for a presidential candidate). They have politial rallies that stop traffic, as lines of cars and pickups drive through packed to the max with people. Colored trucks with huge speakers drive around regularly blasting the "theme song" for that particular candidate for all to hear. Daniel and I are very glad we moved; our last house was above a purple party office and in the center of town where more of these trucks frequent. They also do things like give away free gas. Which of course blocks more traffic as there are long lines for free gas.

2) No school

Everyone goes to their hometown to vote. Because so many people are traveling, we have no school on Friday. Or Thursday (for more traveling, and in case of riots).

3) Traveling

Once again, everyone must go to their home town to vote, so lots of traveling.

4) Strikes and Riots

Yes, riots can occur in the States. But, they are not usually "scheduled." Scheduled "strikes" are legal here, and illegal riots are common too (luckily, not as common here in Jarabacoa). Strikes/Riots include fun things like burning tires in the road, nails in the road, road blockades, etc.

5)Nation Wide curfew

Friday night there's a curfew of 6:00 to keep people off the streets.

6) Family Connections=danger

Anyone related to/involved in politics can be in danger. We have a student related to the current president, and they have armed gaurds around their house right now. We know someone who was kidnapped last election because she was distantly related to the president and was with his niece at the time.

7) Corruption

Yes, politics in the U.S. has it's share of corruption. However,

The D.R. was 99 out of 163 countries surveyed in a 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index. (The United States was 20, Haiti was 163). See here and here.



For more news on the Dominican election, see here.

For more information on the current president, see here.

For more info on Dominican gov/politocs, see here.

Two Special Announcements

The first announcement is that Daniel is finished with grad school! Yay! He just recently turned in his last assignment- a semester long project that his professor said was, "exemplary work." I'm very excited for him.



The second announcement is that Jeremiah is 9 months old (yesterday). So it may not sound like a big deal, but I can't believe how much he's growing. He's not a baby anymore. He just recently started eating finger foods. He's eaten O cereal, and whole-wheat banana pancakes (without the syrup, of course). He loves eating! He also enjoys crawling and standing. He'll even crawl over to me when I'm working in the kitchen and use my legs to pull himself up. Here a picture and video of the "big boy."

This is especially for the grandparents- just pretend he's crawling onto your lap. :)

Flower Tunnel (near La Romana, Dominican Republic)

A Higher Calling

Sorry this is so long, it has been stirring inside my heart for many weeks, and I want to share it. I hope that it will be an encouragement to some of you!

I greatly enjoyed teaching my first two years down here. I loved interacting with the students as well as the staff. And I felt like I was doing something worthwhile. The change to a full time mom (with some tutoring on the side) has been difficult. It means that I don’t see adults often. It means that I don’t go out often (we have no car, so it makes going far difficult). We are blessed to have a great small group and I walk with some other women 1-2 times a week, so God has provided me with fellowship throughout the week. However, I still sometimes have this nagging feeling that I’m missing something. After all, isn’t a missionary supposed to be out helping all the poor children, meeting all the neighbors, able to speak the language fluently, etc…?
And so I take care of Jeremiah, tutor some, and pray for opportunities to serve, , yet still these questions keep coming to my mind, “Am I doing enough? Am I enough?”

And then I realize that I’ve struggled with these questions all of my life. Even before I was a full-time mother. The problem is, we, as humans, are so quick to think that our identity- who we are- is found in what we do. I teach; therefore I’m a teacher. I work at a bank; therefore I’m a banker. I take care of my children; therefore I’m a mother. Of course, those things are true. But, they are not the foundation of who we are.
I’ve been reading the book Captivating. I’ve enjoyed reading it, but what has really been helpful is the guided journal I’ve been doing along side of it that forces me to take a hard look inside myself. Through it, God’s been teaching me:
-I am dearly loved by him.
-In Christ, I am enough!
-God has amply supplied me so I can make a difference.
-Everyone’s calling- the way we make a difference- is different.

So many times, we are guilted into thinking we should be doing more. We see someone who is being used in amazing ways by God, and we think that we are not doing enough. Or, we may feel convicted by God to do something, and become passionate about something, and then assume that everyone else should do it and be passionate about it. The important thing is that we fulfill the calling that God has called us to (not someone else’s calling). It may mean staying home full time with your children and home schooling them. Or it may mean teaching in a public school and sending your children there. Or going overseas to plant churches. Or working in a business. Instead of looking to what others are doing for direction, we need to look to Christ. This is not an excuse to decide that God has called you to sit at home and watch TV all day, every day. Rather, it is the freedom to do what He’s called you to do without feeling like you need to do more.

Learning this has freed me so much to take more joy in staying home. I love being home with Jeremiah, but the guilty feelings that would pop up frustrated me (not that they won’t still pop up from time to time, but now I know I don’t have to listen to them!).
Another thing that has freed me is the reminder that my identity is not in motherhood or as a housewife. Those are very high callings. But, they are not the highest calling. First and foremost, I am a daughter of God. I am His. He has bought me with his blood and I have given my life to Him And when I remember this, and realize that I can be who I am and don’t need to try to be someone else, I am freed to love my husband and son more deeply than if I tried to be a mother and wife first. Embrace the free love of Christ and don’t be afraid to be who He’s called you to be!
I'll end this with one of my favorite verses:

Eph 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."