Did you bring your umbrella?

Hello from the office (because I still don't have WiFi at my house - #firstworldproblems). Other than that, it's coming together. This afternoon's project: the spare bedroom that doubles as my home office. 

I mentioned that I got the keys in the middle of Symposium week. Don't get me wrong: it's a wonderful week of worship and fellowship with missionaries and church leaders from around the region that have become friends. Nineteen countries were represented this year. For those of us behind the scenes, though, it's an all-hands-on-deck undertaking that requires months of planning despite which unforeseen eventualities always arise. Once I had wrangled the bus situation that had me in a tizzy Tuesday morning under control, it was time to go public with my handy-dandy spreadsheet of how everyone was getting to the airport, to allow a couple days for questions and changes. I fielded many from my phone while out-and-about doing new house things, but not even the added hassle of that could keep me away too long. When I was in Palmar, I'd find a spot - like the library - to camp out and do computer work in between problem solving and disbursing cash for bus fares, taxis, and airport meals. Friday, I was joined by several members of the graduation processional in full academic regalia looking for a cool spot to await their cue. 

I wouldn't say the Dominican has a rainy season, per se, but May tends to be wet, and putting the tent up is practically begging for a downpour. Everyone was monitoring the skies come Friday. Sure enough, it started to cloud up in the late afternoon, and within minutes, it was so windy we thought the tent would collapse and a few brave souls soaked themselves to the bone rescuing diplomas, audio equipment, instruments, flowers, and the like. 

My answer to the title question is no, so I huddled in my relatively dry seat until Rev. Ted Krey made the call that the ceremony would move inside; I had no choice but to ford an ankle-deep river to get to the doorway. 

I love love love it when the seminary choir sings. 

Seminary director Rev. Joel Fritsche's sermon reminded the future graduates and everyone present that Jesus prayed for us (c.f. John 17). Following came the rite of graduation for 10 men, greetings from sister seminaries, and a moving despedida for the Fritsche family, repatriating to the US on June 12. 

Abel García (Venezuela), who traveled to the Dominican with his wife Maruja on their 46th wedding anniversary 😍

Héctor Paneque (Cuba)

The seminary gifted Joel, Clarion, and their 3 sons a wooden plaque engraved with a family photo. 

L to R: Berkis, her husband graduate Carlos (Venezuela), and I. 

I went to maybe an hour's worth of an afterparty at seminarian Demetrio and his wife Nuria's apartment, then bowed out with the excuse of an early morning flight to Minnesota for another graduation (my sister-in-law's, from Bethel University's Nurse-Midwifery program). I set my alarm for 3 am...or so I thought...