Mark's Blog

We arrived without a hitch.  Everything went incredibly smoothly.  Almost miraculously smoothly.

We got to the McMillen’s about 5:00.  Other than eating some dinner we spent the rest of the time seeing old and new acquaintances.  Connie seems to know everyone.  She is so personable that everyone she met on her last visit remembers her.  I’m very proud.

So here I am in this third world village, posting to the Internet via the local wireless connection.  The world has changed since I was here last, that’s for sure.

I’m looking forward to working on whatever they have me working on tomorrow.  Paul says the network is at the top of his priorities so I guess that will be it.

It will be a tremendous blessing if the things I’ve learned over the years can help get things fixed up.

I ha d a dream last night that I took the excess stuff we have to take down to the DR and can’t fit in our bags over to Roger and Virginia’s (I will be doing that later today).  When I got there Roger asked, “Now what about that game?”  He was referring to a pinball machine that the gun club was getting rid of, and he wanted me to go with him to the club, bring the machine home, and then figure out how to disassemble it and get it into our suitcases.  I bit my tongue for a moment and then said, “You on your own on that one Roger.”

This is just a reflection of the things going on.. trying to figure out how to get all of this stuff into our bags and what to take over to Roger and Ginny’s.

Our Sunday School class has donated lots of stuff to take down to the McMillians and we have some of our own stuff that we are taking for the work we’ll be involved in, so its a lot to get into our four suitcases and four carry on bags – weighing each one to stay under the 50lb. limit.  American Airlines will probably black list us after this trip.

For some reason its more stressful than it should be.

Please pray that we’ll have cool heads and deal with whatever issues come up in calm way.

The last time I was in Juan Tomas, (1999 I think), I spent the week cutting, painting and welding steel for the new goat barn (I’m anxious to see that ol’ barn now).  This time I will be working with the local people much more.  I’m probably better at working with steel than people, and I’m not great with steel.  So this new aspect is a little scary but I’m looking forward to it all the same.  I know the people are very nice and gracious and we’re all working for the same thing (or I should say working for the same God).

Please pray that I will show the love of Christ and not be my typical crusty self.

I heard from Roger on Thursday, and he has decided that he can go. Hurrah!  See previous post for background on this.

The sponsors of the water project (a project to provide clean water for the village of Juan Tomas) of which I am one, met last evening and reviewed the proposal for the work that is to be done.  We have some questions about it and I was elected to meet with officials from Esperanza who is doing the work, to clarify things.  So that’s another to-do on my list.

Today I decided I do not want to take may regular laptop (really the disk drive) because it contains so much vital and confidential information that I really don’t want to risk loosing it.  So I’m modifying an existing Linux disk I have that will provide e-mail (both personal and IBM) and I’ll take that machine.  So this is some added work for this weekend and I really hope I don’t get down there and find that I’ve missed copying something over to this new drive/machine that I need.

Roger Clay called me this weekend and told me he and Virginia could not go to the DR.  I’ll surely miss having them there.  I was really looking forward to working with Roger.

Not only that, but now there will be double to work to do.  Bathroom remodeling by day, and computer work by night.

Or maybe something completely different will be going on.  Be flexible!

I’m not big on setting goals even though I understand the importance of them, but I do from time to time have a list of things I want to accomplish (I guess that is setting goals, huh?).

The last time I went to the DR, my desire to accomplish a list of things caused real consternation.  Things don’t always move as quickly or as expediently in the DR as they do here in the States.  By about mid-week, I had a real God encounter when God impressed on me that I went to the DR with a list of things I  wanted to accomplish rather than just going to be a servant of the Most High God and doing what He wanted to accomplish.  Once God got that through my head, it was a much better experience.

So on this trip, I’m resisting setting goals, or making a to-do list.  The only goal I’ve set is to come away with some decent documentation on the computer system that is in place there.  That seems like a pretty modest goal, but I have to say that setting even that modest objective makes me nervous.  I hope I can go with the attitude that I will be a servant of the Most High God, and do whatever it is He calls me to do.

Prayer request:  That I will have a serving attitude.

In case you’re wondering where is Juan Tomas? Its here:

Google Maps – Juan Tomas

This map is really great as it has links to photos all around the compound where we’ll be. As I talk about things in the blog, you can come back to this map and understand visually what I’m describing.

Prayer Request:  Please pray for us as we live there day to day, that we will be examples of Christ.

I’m so proud of my wife Connie.  She started taking Spanish classes last fall in anticipation of her return trip to the DR (she went last July and has been looking forward to going back ever since.)  She has worked really hard on learning Spanish and has formed a friendship with her Spanish teacher Virginia.

I’m really looking forward to seeing her in action speaking Spanish.  That will be a thrill for me.. to see all of her hard work pay off.

I told my grandson Matthew that I know a lot of Spanish words, taco, nachos, burrito, tamale….   That’s about the size of my Spanish lexicon.

Prayer request:  That I will be able to converse effectively with people there.