missionaryMAC

Every year after the regional conference, it always seems like forever until the entire region will be together again. As I’ve been absorbed more and more into the planning committee in the past six years, though, visions of late-night heart-to-hearts and pillowy king beds have begun dancing in my head earlier and earlier. We started meeting in the spring, so it tracks that by now I'm ankle-deep in lists of things to do, buy, print, and bring alongside the heavy hitters who are up to their knees or waists. Last weekend, I even got to accompany my friend and conference queen herself, Tirzah, on a site visit.  Our #1 goal was to meet with our resort representative (he has the best last name: Espíritusanto ["Holyspirit"]). You better believe there were ~lists~ of things to ask/confirm on both sides. It might seem silly to drive 10 hours roundtrip for a ~90 min. meeting + a few misc. tasks, but when you're herding 112 humans, a face-to-face conversation with the boots on

The Our Redeemer, Wichita Falls team was raring to get back at it in Licey after a rest day that was both salty (lunch on the beach) and sweet (touring a fair trade chocolate operation) - purposefully in that order so our chocolate didn't melt! I interpreted for our tour guide, Francia, part of Chocolala's 2nd generation.  Photo op for one of THREE married couples among the group, Ernie & Theresa.  One of two annual cacao harvests had just  happened (the 2nd will be in December), but we found a few baby mazorcas .  I arrived at Iglesia Luterana Cordero de Dios well before the team Tuesday morning due to an honest mistake on the bus driver's part, and much to my delight, found 47 people waiting! We set up the sanctuary - registration and eye testing with Dra. Camacho - and two classrooms - reading and distance glasses, respectively - like a well-oiled machine and began cycling patients through.  As they had in Palmar, team members always jumped at chances to bond with ne

(Unless it's to get soaked on purpose and splash around like a bunch of kids...or they are  a bunch of kids...) Beryl is upon us. I'm hoping to find a window to go walking at the garden this afternoon, but until then, let it be known that the title is an undeniable statement of fact. They're convinced your grandma was right when she said you can catch a cold by being exposed to the elements with wet hair, and, on a much more practical note, many people get around either on foot or on motos. Umbrellas - or plastic bags - can only do so much in a downpour.  A rainy day certainly factored into a disappointing start for the first eyeglass team I've coordinated in the DR (alongside 12 volunteers from Our Redeemer in Wichita Falls, TX), but American Airlines (AA) set the tone first. I'm not sure who was happier to see whom after an uncomfortable night at MIA.  Knowing I couldn't count on the team to do anything Friday other than rest and recuperate, day 1 of the clini

I love events like this that drive home the DR team's family ideal - and not just because the picadera  that followed gave me a chance to try a new cookie recipe .  Missionary wife Becca Krey stays busy by, among MANY other things, teaching music and music theory to seminarians, seminary wives & kids, missionary kids (MKs), and church members, all of which figured into an evening of celebrating their achievements last week (evidently there was a concierto de primavera [spring concert], too, but I must have been hosting volunteers, out of the country, or otherwise indisposed because I most certainly was not there). Here's a sampling of the set list:  Alondra Cepeda Tatis (church member - Buen Pastor) | La banda del medio tiempo, N. & R. Faber Azariah Krey (MK) | King of the Land, N. & R. Faber Esther Krey (MK) | Gigue from the Sonata in D. Minor, F. M. Veracini Edith Chiri Coronado (seminary wife - Bolivia) | Primavera, A. Vivaldi  ,Matthias (MK), Leandro (seminary k

In addition to solving the piddliest of debates by asking ChatGPT , another thread that emerged throughout my week with LuHi was "spirit questions."  Perhaps you've heard of spirit animals, but one of the chaperones took it a step further, asking students their spirit _______ each day: Disney character, candy, cereal, vacation destination, Bible character (yes, Noah asked ChatGPT for a list of ideas on one occasion). The point is not to pick your favorite item in each category, but one which best embodies your personality - all in good fun, Native American animistic roots notwithstanding. My spirit candy, for example, might be Nerds, for obvious reasons. The ensuing discussions made for a mostly lighthearted way to make our many guagua  rides go by more quickly.  Monday's spirit question, on the way to the airport, was students' spirit moment from the trip . Answers spanned from seemingly insignificant but poignant moments, to mountaintop highlights that elicited