We have been pretty busy here in DomRep. Yesterday we sailed away pretty early yesterday morning. Breakfast was early and so was our ride to shore. We set up at the VA Hospital med site and started our set at about 10…We got through 2 sets and took a lunch break. We walked over to a lovely Dominican style lunch café. The line was nearly out the door so we had to wait of course just to place our order…then it took even longer to get our food. After nearly 45 minutes, we got our stewed chicken and rice with beans…and it was AMAZING! I won’t say that it was worth the wait, but it was very enjoyable. Shortly after we started eating, we looked out the window and it was POURING! It looked like a hurricane was coming through. Luckily some folks stayed back at the site because they were able to pull as much gear under the tent as they could. We ate quickly and made our way back to the site, and as we were on our way, the sky started to clear a bit. The BQ ended up playing a bit more, but we decided to strike our stuff because some of the power cables got wet and posed a safety hazard…We arrived back at the ship sort of early so I worked out and before dinner, Aaron and I went down to the “Comfort Inn” again and played for the patients awaiting surgery. I went to dinner, bible study and drifted off to sleep at about 10.

Today I got to sleep in a little bit. I got up at 6 instead of 4:30. YESS! Our boat ride this morning was very calm but pretty stinky again…bleh…We arrived at the BLZ (boat-landing-zone) at about 9 or so and set out for our performance location which was the Parque(park) Mirador. This was a community relations site and there were some folks from the ship there doing some clean up and painting the slides and jungle gyms around the park. There was also a BBQ so we got to have BBQ’d hot dogs, chips and drink…though the drinks were good old fashioned…water…oh and there was pasta salad available but there were no spoons…so no salad for meL We started our performance around 12 and played for only about an hour…but we were ROCKIN’ the whole time! And keeping with the DomRep tradition, we got rained on! But we kept playing…under the tent…The spectators loved it and we loved them for loving us! We had to quit a bit earlier than we had initially planned because there were some other activities going on. There was a children’s environmental education event going on after we played. They wrapped up their session with a good old fashioned relay race. There were about 50 plastic bottles in a huge pile…two lines of kids…and a garbage bag. The kids had to run to the end, grab a bottle, put it into the bag and run back to tag the next kid to go. It was complete chaos and it was amazing! I took a bunch of pics to retain the memories. After the kid-os finished, there was a closing ceremony that took place. Many of the kids said little speeches about what they’d learned about environmental awareness…and while I didn’t understand everything each child, I could tell by the presence in their little voices that they were proud of what they’d done. Woo hoo niños y niñas!

We got back to the ship sort of late…not too late but it was dinner time…so I cleaned up and headed to dinner. Aaron and I didn’t go to the hotel because we needed to eat and be at the 1900 brief. After the brief, I went to choir practice and we went over our song for Sunday. After our song run through, the Chaplain said that we’d be going to the “Comfort Inn” to sing for the patients. WHOA! While Aaron and I couldn’t make it, things worked out. I didn’t sing in my ‘normal’ group, but I was able to sing…and I’m glad I could. Once again, we made people smile…if only for a moment…One gentleman busted out in a solo, in Spanish of course…and his song was so powerful to him, that his eyes welled up in tears. I didn’t understand every single word, but what I did catch was that he knows the name of Jesus and knows that he can call on him. Also, when he is sick or when he doesn’t have money, he is thankful that he can call on him.

Through all of the long days, and the unknowns about this mission…I too can say that I am thankful.

Thankful to be here. Thankful to be able to serve people.

Thankful for you for stopping by,
Keisha