2015 DR Discipleship Trip Day: 11

Location: Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, La Vega, Dominican Republic, Rivendell, Dominican Republic

Because I’d stayed up late with the girls two nights in a row, they told me not to get up for the sunrise and just to sleep late. *growl* But I was good and obeyed. I got up and packed around 9:30am. Josh and Emily had made breakfast of eggs and bell peppers, onions, cheese, and sausage. They also made fried apples with cinnamon. It was perfect for starting the day.

We packed lunches and made cards for our host. It was tons of fun doodling and writing for our host. It reminded us to be grateful and joyful.

As soon as Bronco arrived, we packed up the trailer. Then, ta-da, we hit the road! We stopped in La Vega to look around at the mission where Mr. R was born and raised. We met a group who was also from America; that was neat. We looked at the plants on the mission and then went into the cafeteria and drank lots of cold water…then we went to the bathroom. Typical.

When we all gathered up again, we piled back into the van and headed to Rivendell. It was a really good drive until a few of us started to get carsick. Once back at our “home” in Rivendell, there was major hugs and kisses all around. Vecina made us her epic café.

Once again, all of the girls were in the same room. We really enjoyed that. After we had moved in, we ran around the property like kids and explored every corner. I even found a baby snake. I failed to catch it, it was just too small for the stick to pin down fast enough. (Don’t worry Mommy, there are no poisonous snakes on the island.)

After supper we had a I Thessalonians Study where we caught Amburioux up on our progress both in the study and our lives.

It was so good to finally be back in “Rohan/Rivendell”.

Love,
Jessie Bear

Psalms 40:17

“As for me, I am poor and needy,

but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

do not delay, I my God!”

2015 DR Discipleship Trip Day: 10

Location: Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic

The sunrise was gorgeous. This place has some of the loveliest sunrises that I’ve ever seen. While enjoying the morning warmth I caught up on my outline book.

I got a handy dandy notebook to take snippets of the day down so that when I would get to write these blog posts I could use the notebook as a sort of outline for it. So I caught up on that small book. Bronco had left his mobile wifi device for us to use at the house, so I tried to figure it out. I was at once both successful in figuring out the device yet unable to make it function properly. I was able to receive notifications of emails, IG stuffs, and even notifications telling me that I had timed out on all my “Words with Friends” games (sorry Mommy…we can play when I fly back to the States).

After giving up on the wifi, I made a plan to blog in the middle of the day and began to think about the girl’s studies. I was trying to figure out if it was just me that was pushing for them or if the girls as individuals were enjoying them. So, I determined to ask them for their thoughts and thus wrote out a short proposal about it.

When we’d finished lunch all the girls gathered in our room where we talked about our studies, and before I could give my proposal Jenn asked if we could add prayer to our times together. This was enthusiastically adopted into our schedule. Then we discovered that when 5 girls get together to pray for each other, our families, our discipleship trip, those we impact on the trip, and that we’d all grow on the trip and after, that we can pray for quite a long time.

In the middle of our prayer we heard a thump. I thought that maybe a bird had flown into the window. Then again, another thump, then another, then several, finally they became almost rhythmic in their repetition. After a few minutes this stopped, we did our best not to be distracted and continued with our prayers. A bit before we finished praying we heard singing coming from the downstairs areas. When we went to investigate everything became clear.

The boys were holding hands in a circle singing Kumbaya hoping to get our attention. They’d been throwing pairs of socks up at our windows. We quickly informed them that the technic of throwing pebbles at the girls window isn’t the best idea and also that singing in a ritualistic fashion is a great way to get us to preach the gospel to them but maybe not the best way to interrupt our prayers. Overall, it was a hilarious way to get told that it was time for another I Thessalonians study!

After the study, we made lunch. A team also sorted all the music on the trip. It was alphabetized and put into the folder A-F on the left, G-Z on the right. It’s so much fun having so many organizational people on the trip. We came up with plans for making next year more efficient. (It’s a secret…sorry.) All the while we were jamming to 70s rock music while the kitchen crew made dinner for us.

After dinner we had a Biblical Thinking Study. When we’d finished that, we starting singing more songs. This was the moment we realized several things. We have a great vocal group this year, a nice balance of tones and harmonies. We all know the songs well enough that it sounds very smooth. The room has epic acoustics. This year we have a member who does music recording. There are several phones with mics good enough to be used for music recording on the fly. All of those combined made for a recorded jam session.

When we made supper, Connor mixed the recordings so that we’d have a really cool recording. We had a central mic and a mic hung on the second story of the house. So it made for a really cool sound.

I can’t forget to mention my favorite part about making dinner. Patrick attempted to teach me to dance the tango. It was hilarious. He’s so full of movement and rhythm that sometimes he can’t help but just dance.

After all the craziness Emily, Josh, and I made hot chocolate. Yummy…except we didn’t have cloves, so it wasn’t the best we’ve made, BUT it was epic and perfect for the evening.

We settled down for another Biblical Thinking Study. Then talked about our game plan for heading to Rivendell tomorrow. All of us girls would be in charge of making a sandwich lunch for the trip.

In the time between all of this and bedtime, Andrew went outside and started hopping down the stairs. He’d slide his hands down the railing then swing his legs out in front of himself and fly down the stairs. Andrew was able to do it in 3 hops, and Emily and Patrick was able to get it down to 4 hops. It was really neat to watch.

Emily and I also raced up the hill, it is the steepest grade I’ve ever walked on, let alone attempted to “run” up. It was crazy and fun and made us totally breathless. Everyone went to take showers then go to bed. But a few of us girls stayed up talking about important things in our lives: such valuable conversations.

What are you learning in life right now?
What will you do with that?

Love,
Jessie Bear

I Peter 4:19

“Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”

2015 Discipleship Trip Day: 9

Location: Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic

Jenn and I got up for the sunrise: it was lovely! Then I went down to make coffee. Mhm, I seriously love getting to have coffee again. I make it for the group every time I can. Well, once today’s pot of coffee was finished I headed back to bed for a while. I’ll admit that a few of us girls were up a bit late talking about important things of our souls.

When I finally crawled out of bed Josh had just made breakfast for the group. But even better, He was making eggs for the person as they woke up, so that they were both Hot and Immediate.

We did a I Thessalonians Study. Where we covered I Thessalonians 2:1-12, which was the most we’ve ever covered in a single study in the DR. It was incredible.

After this study ended at 2:15pm we needed sustenance. Yet we didn’t have anything to make a lunch with, just odds and ends of foods. But this would never impede a DR trip team. I made a fruit salad, a group made guacamole, a group made salsa, and Josh and Rogers made a sandwich pie thing.

All of us girls hung out and chilled. It was epic! I love this team of girls, we all fit together as such a great unit. This year’s entire team fits together more flawlessly than any year.

We took showers and headed down for the next study of Biblical Thinking. You may have noticed that we take showers in the MIDDLE of the day instead of in the morning or at night.

In Biblical Thinking we went over Subjective and Objective Reality.

Section of my notes on this:
Objective Reality – is what IS.
Subjective Reality – MY personal opinion of Reality, that becomes “my” reality. “MY” reality is not Reality.

Our study was interrupted because our host had spit roasted a pig for us. So when it arrived we immediately broke for dinner. Yuca and Plantain and Pig…yummy. Once we had stuffed ourselves.

Once the study was over, we played psychologist. That was so way too much fun.

Janie’s round of psychologist was the funniest game I’ve ever been involved in. The trick was finding the difference between people with shorts and pants. “Shorts” were avoiding telling the answers, they could even lie about the answers. “Pants” gave short and straight answers. After a while Janie thought she had it down, her prediction was that several of us were Liberals, a few Conservatives, a few Libertarians, and that Andrew…was a Valley Girl. We all about died laughing at that last one.

Then Mr. R came in to sit us down for a 5 minute preparation talk for the next day’s study.

For Mr.R’s round of psychologist we did some hard stuff. We split it into three groups.
Group 1 – 18 yr olds would behave extremely mature.
Group 2 – 19 yr olds would behave like moody college kids.
Group 3 – 20+ would behave like little children.

It was super crazy fun. Connor sat with me because I constantly was trying to find chocolate, throw pillows at other “kids”, and poke people. Finally Connor started a quiet game with all of the “kids”. It was the loudest, craziest, most epic game of psychologist. After probably an hour Mr. R figured out a basic outline but not the why of the groups, so we told him.

Then it was pretty much time to go to bed. Josh, Janie, Patrick, and I ended up on the porch talking about relationships and how they can and should work and how to start a relationship. It was a really good talk. But it made us go to bed super late. Janie and I ended up talking more, and went to bed at almost 3:00am. Crazy, I know. But it was a super great talk.

Here are a few questions:
- Who should the guy talk to first: the girl or the Dad? …why?
- What qualifications should he have already?
- What are minimum standards and what are ideals?
- Have you been applying grace to your relationships?

Love,
Jessie Bear

Hebrews 1:1-4

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of is nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

2015 DR Discipleship Trip Day: 8

Location: Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic

Amid a cold night air I was smacked awake as Janie passed my bed tossing me a, "Wake up lazy bones."

Okay, it wasn't so blunt like that, but it was hilarious. She woke me up for the sunrise. It's always gorgeous. The only disruption to our precious quiet morning was the screaming sick noises of a retarded rooster.

I went downstairs and made coffee. Then went on the deck to enjoy the lizards soaking up the morning sunshine. Then went to sit on the couch and play with the guitar (quietly since I was the only one awake). But by this time I was starting to wonder why I was the only one downstairs, when Mr. R comes in to say that Tomás, Josh, and Connor aren't feeling well.

Breakfast was plantains, cheese, and eggs. Yum. Then we start our I Thessalonians Study time. After this was over, Mr. R and Tomás left Andrew in charge while they went to pick up Terri and Jenn from the airport.

With Andrew in charge the fun began rapidly growing. He instigated a picnic hike. Sandwiches, bananas, and water bottles were packed for us. We headed out on our hike with a back pack full of water and a towel for the picnic, a back pack full of sandwiches, and a guitar. When we reached the bridge over the river it was flooded with about an inch of water over it. A few started to cross, and I began, then Janie behind me when suddenly she fell and got pretty scrapped up. It was sad, but since she's a trooper we kept on our marching. We went up a huge hill, then down the other side into the woods to the bottom where we found the river. I stacked some rocks and that was really fun, I'll post pictures when we have better internet. I had the guitar, and it was kind of scary but really epic to hike through a river with a guitar on my back. When we hiked back up the river (we came full circle to the bridge and headed back up the hill) and Rogers found a stable with a horse in it. So we hung out there for a while! Then we kept hiking a while longer till finally we found a sort of park/pool area on the river and we rested and ate our lunch. Then we headed back to the house.

Janie took a shower to clean up her scrapes. I spoke with Rogers (she's in school to be a nurse) about what we might try to do for her cuts and wrist (she couldn't really move it much) then I went and talked with Josh (who is considering becoming a Dr.) and Connor (who brought essential oils from home). I ended up going upstairs with a handful of supplies from all of us. Janie came out of the shower at the perfect time.

In the end we used:
Ice pack,
Bandana,
Tweezers,
Needle,
Tea Tree oil,
Bandaids,

Then it was my turn to take a shower, then I made another round of coffee for our Fearless Leader's Minions. Janie saved some of the coffee for a cake she wanted to make for the team. Then Connor started a game of Movie soundtracks. He would play a theme from a movie and we'd have to guess what it was, person with the most points wins.

Rogers and I chilled on the porch waiting for Jenn to arrive, and I see that one of the trees in our yard has fruit on it. I ran over and climbed the hill (these are seriously steep hills) and gathered 3 of the fruit. Patrick and Emanuel said they were guava. It was very interesting.

Just as I pull of the THIRD batch of coffee of the day, we get a call that they are almost home. Jenn, Terri, Tomás, and Mr. R arrived home with groceries and were a bit disappointed that they hadn't called earlier to tell me to start coffee for them to have, I let them know that coffee was ready, they all perked up. It was cute.

As groceries were put away, dishes were done, and Tomás made dinner. We all chilled on the lawn and climbed a hill to sing and dance. Jenn joins us and just not even 2 hours after joining us she's bitten by a couple dozen ants. BUT, in typical Jenn fashion she stays with the group to take a Slow Mo jump video. She is allergic to the ants, so thus began another medical intervention of the day. She rushes to the shower, takes allergy medication, we all prayed for her, and we applied Tea Tree oil on all the bites, and she laid down till dinner.

We had a I Thessalonians Study. Then all of us went to bed, the girls had a great talk, before we crawled into bed. Josh stayed up late playing guitar and we loved falling asleep to it.


love,
Jessie Bear

John 12:46

"I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. "

2015 DR Discipleship Trip Day: 7b

Location: Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic

So, we all climbed into Bronco's van and headed out...right, that is about where I left off?

*pause*

Okay, good. Alright, we made it down the road for about 30 minutes before I started to get a little car sick, bummer, but by the time I decided that it would be a great idea to try sleeping it off, we pulled into Típico Bonao. We all jump out in anticipation of epic Dominican food. Of course we had to go look at the 3-D map of the island before we could settle down to sit for our food. I ordered Chinola Ca...I know...shock.

Now, it is important to mention at this point that the DR trips have been rained on at Típico FIVE, yes 5, years in a row.

Back to our program. I ordered a sort of fish that had basically been drowned in a whole head of garlic. It was wonderful. *happy sigh*

After lunch we headed to our new house. It was a different spot than the house we'd used in previous trips. While driving around this gorgeous country we often sing songs of praise to glorify the Creator of such beauty. But sometimes things get a bit crazy. Josh gets the guitar and Patrick bangs on anything that could ever be a conceptual percussion instrument, and thus starts the madness. We ended up with songs like:

Strumming Like A Maniac - A tune where madness became brilliance.
I'm Missing My 6 String - The sorrowful tale of the lost love of the bass 6th string. Oh babe, come back...

Once the wildness cooled off a bit we started a list of songs for the trip. Maybe this list will be published later. But while we were working on that list we stopped at a gas station (pay attention because this is kind of amusing later) to meet the owner of the house and have him lead us up to it. It was here that our Ford Explorer's trany began to say goodbye. We made great use of the time though, we all crawled out of the van again and took tons of pictures then with the help of a few people's brilliance began to take slow-mo videos of ourselves jumping. (They will be posted once we get to a place with enough bandwidth to upload videos.)

We gathered up at the van to head out then realized that it was going to be a while since a handful of DRians were surrounding the engine of the Explorer. It was at this moment that the whole team made the discovery that Janie has a epic dance talent. Thus struck the dance party. House, Dubstep, Jazz, and even a Rap song and we jammed out. Then we pack into the van again and head up to the house. So we make more crazy songs and it was getting more and more crazy. Then we stopped for gas. (why didn't we just get gas at the other place???)

Connor started the quiet game. I won. It was epic.

When we got to the house, Josh made hot chocolate. There were FIFTY steps between the car and the house. It was intense.

After unloading we needed to decide which rooms where for what persons. There was a large room with it's own full size bathroom...but no AC. Then there was a smaller room with an AC but no bathroom. Usually the girls get the AC but we wanted the bathroom more, so I went to take a shower and discovered that our room actually DID have an AC! Praise God!

I went downstairs and went to the girls to say that we have good and bad news. The bad news is that we will have to keep our door shut all the time, but the good news is that we need to do that because we have an AC. They didn't seem to be inconvenienced much.

As the Emili and I were outside enjoying the breeze we heard shouting and tires spinning out. After a moment of thought we realized that it was Bronco trying to get over a hill and the boys were out there trying to help push it up the hill. Us ladies go inside, put on better shoes for the job, run through the pitch darkness of our hilly yard, and go to help the guys.

Dominicans are creative, not safety minded...

The van couldn't make it over the hill with the trailer attached...so we disconnected the trailer and pushed by hand the trailer up a steep, muddy, hill. It was scary and crazy and really hard work and we learned that we are committed to each other. We all realized that if any of us ditched pushing on the trailer then it'd too heavy and would roll backwards. But it never did, even when we were nervous about trying to hold it still while they reattached it to the van's hitch. BUT...the good news is everyone is fine, we ate a lot of food afterwards, and it was a bonding experience for the group. Thanks for sending all your babies to the DR, we're still all alive, so it's all good.

After this adventure we had a Biblical Thinking Study. Where we spent the whole time talking about a plastic deck chair and how it relates to our souls.

Patrick gave a Spanish word for me to figure out overnight. Cisped (grass)

Then we went to bed!!!! (my favorite)

love,
Jessie Bear

John 12:44

"And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me."

2015 DR Discipleship Trip Day: 7

Location: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Jara Bacoa, Dominican Republic

Praise God! Bronco's van has WiFi!!

This morning Andrew and Roger's made a breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese and ham, it was tasty and perfect to start the day. After breakfast we work on the plan to head out to Jara Bacoa. First a team would leave to go get groceries from Bravo Market and a team would stay to clean the house. I stayed to clean. Bronco was to arrive at 10:30am but it's the DR, so we began to place bets on when we'd end up leaving:

12:45pm - Connor
1:00pm - Emanuel
1:15pm - Josh
1:30pm - Knepps
1:45pm - Jessie
2:00pm - Rogers
2:15pm - Andrew
3:00pm - Janie
4:00pm - Patrick

After hearing the totals Josh and I said we'd put money on Janie's 3pm guess. But after a few minutes Mr. R came over to say that if we left after 12:30pm then we could not go to Típico Bonao. This spurred us into much action.

The shopping group left after they put their suit cases in the living room and we started cleaning right away. Sweeping, laundry, dishes, counters, sheets, packing, and all things cleaning an apartment. We finished cleaning by 11:45am. Bronco arrived at 10:30 on the dot, this shocked all of us!! Patrick went down to see him and invite him up. Turns out that the trailer didn't have a lock, so he couldn't leave it alone. So Patrick stayed with him for a while, and we sent down a quadruple decker sandwich for Bronco.

While we waited for the shopping team to get back Josh's uncle and cousin came over, that was fun. Then we drank some of the juice they gave us when we first arrived in the DR. When they left we went to the girls room and everyone laid down and played dead till the shoppers got back.

When they arrived we loaded up the food into Bronco's van and packed everyone in then headed out...at 12:25!!!!!! Típico Bonao here we come!! Then we stopped at Patrick's house for his guitar. Then we stopped at the Santana's house to give back a towel and pick up a foot pump for air beds. Then we got slightly turned around. Then finally headed out around 12:37, but it's okay because we're driving to Jara Bacoa!!!!!

love,
Jessie Bear

Hebrews 2:18

"For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."