September, not Fall

Good morning from Omaha! I was supposed to fly out this morning, but the best alternative after severe weather in Chicago wreaked havoc on my travel plans was to keep the same itinerary but push it back a day. I'm thankful for a wonderful host home and that I don't have to be back for anything, and struck by the irony of regularly flying all over the region and not being able to get home from the Midwest! 

Having just wrapped up FORO #2 for the month, here's a look at FORO #1, the DRLM September FORO. I'm trying to be better about referring to FOROs by month and not Fall/Spring since, as one of my esteemed colleagues so keenly pointed out, seasons aren't universal when your work spans hemispheres. And let's be honest: there's no such thing as fall in the Dominican. 

Sometimes, I feel like Friday's cultural excursion is just a backdrop for the meaningful and enjoyable conversations that happen on the bus, while waiting for people in the bathroom, during lunch, etc.!

Nonetheless, numerous people commented on how much they enjoyed our visit to the Casa Museo Hermanas Mirabal. I have Jacqui, the cultural director of our in-house language institute, to thank for the idea. She came along to share the Mirabals' tragic yet inspiring story on the way. Speaking of which, we drove through Villa Dura and Moca to get there; my church is doing intentional evangelism with an eye toward planting churches in both locations. It's almost like it was planned!

More conversation...and maybe a cigar...at the park across from the Mirabal sisters' birth home. It started sprinkling right about when we needed to leave for lunch. 

My Saturday presentation on short-term teams. 

Everyone who thought they were hiding in the back of the room :) 

There were about 40 of us in all!

On Sunday, we celebrated Yban Navarro's ordination into the Holy Ministry as the 3rd Dominican national pastor (more here) and came together for an asado at the Krey home in the evening. 

Monday's business meeting was held at Pueblo Nuevo's new location because a) why not?; and b) it negated the need to do dedicated church visits since we met in Palmar on Saturday and worshipped at Cordero de Dios on Sunday. 

All in all, I'm convinced it was the best DRLM FORO I've been a part of. That's only three, but it's enough history to see that we refine and improve things each time to make the experience richer for the dedicated pastors and lay people who make sacrifices to come to Santiago and see what God is doing here. 

I'm off to a rodeo (when in Omaha...!?!) that my hosts' niece is in. Until next time, blessings!