Ending on a High Note

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 new friends. 

We wisely decided to begin earlier than advertised on our second and final day. I beat the team there again but just barely, yet somehow there was an even longer list of pre-registrants. 

I found myself at the registration table much of the day. 

The English teacher at the public school that rents the church's classroom space, Meigan, declined my offer to serve as an interpreter...then wound up interpreting for much of the 2 days!

One of our last few patients!

After the travel nightmare that was getting to the DR for the team and then having to talk ourselves out of considering the first clinic site a total letdown, we ended on a high note. 

I guess the team enjoyed the charcuterie I'd made them for dinner on rest day, because they requested it AGAIN as their "last supper" before a crack of dawn wakeup call to catch their 6:40 am flight. In the intervening week, which has flown by for me, one thought has become cemented in my head: after hosting ORLC FIVE times now (Jamaica, Peru, Peru again, Panama, and now the DR), I've all but decided I'll be making my way to Wichita Falls on my next home service ;)

Until next time, blessings in Christ!