A day trip to the D.R. today...

Just returned from Santiago; drove my niece, Emily and a short term missionary, Carol Groves, to the airport today and then did supply shopping. Over an hour to enter the D.R. - Customs agents didn't like my D.R. auto insurance paperwork. Then thankfully the flight was scheduled one hour later than the gals thought. We discovered this AFTER we hustled and I actually had to emphasize to the guards and agents that there was a plane to catch. The guards didn't care. I must say though, one of the guards pleased me as he took it upon himself to run up the street to where I purchased the insurance last Spring and get the correct card completed and then had it laminated!!! AND didn't ask for any money - just handed it to me and walked away! That was the best surprise…besides the flight actually being an hour later than we originally thought.
After dropping off the gals (which was emotional saying farewell to Emily, my niece, who I think of as a daughter) I proceeded to make the first supply stop. The shop was closed for their two hour lunch. All the businesses were closed in a two block radius. I can't help but think Americans would be less stressed if they had such a custom.
Spent over an hour at Ochoa (the equivalent of Lowe's) trying to exchange something. Upon finishing all my errands (yes, Hannah and Mom I do errands even here!!) I drove as quick as possible to make it to the border before it closed and was happy that I ended up having enough time to stop at the Monte Cristi market for real cheese - extra sharp cheddar! I love cheese and I haven't yet found it in Ouanaminthe; I've only found Laughing Cow which isn't real cheese in case you didn't know! As I drove across this beautiful island I couldn't stop thinking how beautiful it is and how blessed I am to be here. One thing I learned from Emily this week, among many things I learned from her, is to be grateful and thankful for how beautiful the earth is. She said more than once: when looking at the clouds or looking at the mountains or the sunrise or the moon, "The earth is so beautiful". Thank you Emily for helping me to stop and realize that from now on. 
I couldn't get back across to Haiti without paying a guard "a little something" so he could buy a coca cola. am just Glad to be on this side of the border. I wonder if I will ever return from the D.R. and not feel "glad to be home". I hope not because they may mean I'm taking it for granted.



We have a full group here this week doing construction (re-plumbing the girls bathroom, re-tiling, putting in new toilets and sinks) so we eat with them every night they've been here and hearing about the progress they've made is very encouraging. There are Haitian men working alongside them - Haitians learning new skills! Yeah!
As well, there is an architect on this team who has been having a class to teach students what architecture is and what an architect does. The class made amazing replicas of the U-Tech (Vo-tech) building. I'm excited to hear the students mental horizons are expanding.
It's time to head to dinner. Farewell for now.