How the DR Changed Me

Well, it has just about been one month since I have returned from the Dominican Republic. It seems like so much longer. Did it really happen? It wasn't just a dream? In my heart and in my mind, I cannot forget that I was ever there. I may not be there anymore, but the time I spent there is still changing me and making me different. God has used the DR in so many ways in my life, even still today.

*Little things do not bother me as much as they used to. Well, little things to me anyways. For instance, when my mom and I first moved into our new house only one week after I came home, there was no hot water turned on yet. As many people would freak out and avoid the shower at all costs. I was determined, however, and jumped right in (:D). After all, cold showers are all the rage in the DR, why not here? No problem.

*Just last week we encountered an emergency in which the plumbing system at our new house was plugged with roots and the fix appeared to be no less than 10,000 dollars (not going to happen) Everything we flushed in the house went out to the yard (yeah, not pretty). My simple solution? Well then, we will flush the littlest possible. If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down. Please, no flushing down the paper. If you drop it in, fish it out :D. Thankfully, we didn't have to do that because God sent help. BUT, I was not stressed by a situation in which before, I probably would have been.

* My organizational skills and ability to throw out things that will not get use has improved (thanks to countless times of cleaning out the almacen). I have thrown out things I don't need, also realizing that I lived without so much in the DR and was perfectly happy.

*When planning for teaching, or for anything really, instead of stressing when I don't have all the supplies I need, I use my creative juices and get by with what I have.

* On a more serious note, one thing the DR taught me was how quickly things can change. At one moment I was playing with a boy, the next moment he was gone. And then new ones came in at the drop of a hat. Events were canceled, time was flexible, people came and went. I hate change and always have. But when I was in the DR, something happened. I learned to live with it. I learned to enjoy the moment (this is it, why wait?), and not hold back-- because tomorrow it might be different. Don't put off until tomorrow what you can get done today. And with that, don't worry about tomorrow, because today may be all you have and you can't control tomorrow anyway. I have been constantly reminding myself of this and it makes changes so much easier to deal with. Just go with it, enjoy it, embrace it, you never know when it might change again. And change is not the end of the world, just a new opportunity and a new adventure.

*Some of my biggest fears in life are losing loved ones and having to go through natural disasters. I imagine I would never be able to handle it. But when I think about my brothers in the orphanage who have been through so much(losing parents, being abandoned, living on the streets, living through an earthquake and seeing your country be in shambles...) and the joy and peace they had...I know I will be ok if I ever have to live through what they did.

*Back to a humorous one...those dang mosquitoes can't touch me now! A few nights ago my mom and I were standing outside and she was complaining about all the mosquitoes biting her. I felt nothing and had no reaction to any of them. (Take that nasty blood-sucking bugs!)

*I learned how to play. This may sound strange to you, but I have never been one to get dirty or to wrestle or to play hard. But living with 25+ boys changed that. They taught me to have fun without worrying about getting dirty or hurt (although I successfully avoided getting injured). I even held a snake in my hand...I learned how to "play fight" and carry numerous people on my back. I also learned to throw a baseball (although after Jonel (age 5) hit me in the forehead with a ball, I was a little more scared the next time). But I did it anyway. The fear was not going to stop me from playing with my brothers. Hmmm...what else. I climbed a swingset, sweated like crazy playing tag and didn't get horribly upset when bubbles were spilled all over me or dirt accumulated on my clothing. After all, there is nothing a little soap and water can't take care of!

*I stepped out of my comfort zone so many times and stepped into a leadership role with an ability I didn't know I had. Now I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Now, I could probably go on forever and maybe I will write more when it comes to me. But for now, that will do (I know, it's a lot). BUT, before I sign off today I have to tell you a HUGE way that the DR has blessed me. It's a long story, but I think you will like it. Here it is...

This is a story of God's power and uncanny ability to take care of his children in ways never thought of:
It all started back in February. At the Salem-Keizer Public Schools job fair, I went through countless interviews and tests and came out of it being told basically that I was guaranteed a bilingual teacher job by May. I was super excited because I had just signed up for my trip to the DR, so I knew I would be gone all summer when they would be most likely interviewing and hiring. Well, after they finally started to post teaching jobs (like in April...) I started applying for the few bilingual positions that came up and was not hearing anything from any of them. Pretty soon I was called by the HR department and they told me that I was not qualified to be a bilingual teacher and should stick with ESOL. This was a shock because of what they told me and I was mad. I went to school to be a BILINGUAL teacher, and that is what I was going to be. I was determined. Well, no interviews and no jobs and it was well past May. June came, and at the end of June when I left for the DR, still no news of any jobs. While I was down there, a few jobs were posted, and then closed and filled without me hearing from any of them. I was getting super disappointed and figured I would just end up being a sub again. People kept asking me what I was doing when I got home and I kept telling them that I was just trusting God for a job, because that is all I could do. I was far from home and had no job, but I knew that God wanted me in the DR. Well I did end up getting email,ed by a few in August, but the interviews were happening before I arrived back home. Well at the end of my time there, I heard from a friend who works at Auburn (the school I most I wanted to work at) that there was a possible job opening. But it wasn't posted and it wasn't posted and it wasn't posted. I was very frustrated.

When I arrived home, it was finally posted and after fighting with Edzapp for a few days, I had successfully applied. However, it wasn't long before I found out that the job at Auburn was canceled (go figure). Well shortly after applying for a few other bilingual jobs, I got called by HR and they were questioning why I was applying for bilingual jobs (at this point I had forgotten they had advised me not to). I told her I wanted to and then she started asking me questions in Spanish and I was answering her fluently (this was within a week after returning, so my Spanish was excellent!). After the phone questioning, she changed her mind about my ability and instantly called the directors and told them I was now qualified! (Going to the DR to work on my Spanish was definitely a factor in choosing that location, but it was definitely not what I expected to get out of it). God had a plan all along. Well as soon as she changed her mind, I got called for an interview for a bilingual job. I was excited (even though it wasn't a place I wanted to work). But then, within the hour, the principal called back to cancel the interview. (This was all in one day, and it is not over yet). Later that day I got called back by HR because they wanted me to go in to take a Spanish written/comprehension test. On the way there, I got called by the Sub Department to sub for a bilingual vacancy at Grant Elem. (which could potentially become a job). I accepted it, in wonder at God's provision. After I completed (and passed) the test at HR, I was informed that the Auburn job was, after all, not canceled but still available. And she said she was going to call the principal there to tell him I passed the tests. So confused and excited, I left the office.

I went home and contacted the sub department and asked if I could sub at Auburn's vacancy instead of at Grant, since that is where I really wanted to be hired at. After a huge ordeal (not going to go through details) with the sub department, me and Auburn, I was finally placed at Auburn to be a sub for a first grade bilingual vacant position. In hopes to be hired, I went all out setting up the classroom and greeting them the first days of school. After being there for awhile, and going through the interview process with them, I was hired!! Now I get to continue the rest of the year at the school of choice, in the grade of choice, in the language of choice, with people that I already love working with :D

This whole situation was just such a God thing. The job was basically handed to me because I didn't even really fight for it. God was fighting for me (along with some great friends :)). I was simply trusting God to be in control, and he worked out all the details. The job opened when I was home to go through the process, it happened to be at the right school and the right time. So many of you were praying for a job for me, and I was trying not to stress (because I was fine with being a sub again). But God knew what he was doing and had a plan all along. I cannot take the glory for any part of how this happened. There are better teachers out there than me, more experience, better Spanish speakers, more educated, you name it! But God didn't want them to have this job, he chose it for me. It was all him, and to Him I will give all the glory!!

Thank you for praying and for having a part in all the changes that have occurred in my life through the experience!