The Best Day Ever!
This morning we traveled to the school for a dedication ceremony, where all of the school children were brought out to their new playground for the first time. A handful of them had been able to see the construction and changes through the window or the locked fence -- but this was the first time they could come out and play.
After a prayer and some nice songs, the kids were "released" to try everything out, but first, they came up to all of us with thanks and hugs. (People hug a lot down here in the Dominican...) It felt so good to see these little ones smiling, and their genuine gratitude was humbling. But most incredible of all, was to see them go crazy trying out the new games and equipment!
There were screams and squeals of delight, as dozens of kids got to try the swings and the teeter totters for the first time. It was like someone set off a ten-megaton "joy bomb" and waves of delight washed over the yard. We couldn't help but feel good, REALLY GOOD, about helping to make all of this possible. Truly, our hearts were rejoicing and words simply can't describe how awesome it felt.
The kids piled on the teeter totter, with 3-4 kids on each side at various points, and they were loving it! Some of us jumped in and pushed a swing, or played with the kids. Others just stood back and thanked the Lord, quietly shedding tears of happiness.
The little guy above is playing "hop a rock", a last-minute game improvised with 12 extra boulders that were laying around the yard. The teachers could barely get him to get back in line, he was having so much fun.
After the revelry at the playground, we got on the bus for a day of fun and relaxation. We took a 1.5 hour drive to the northern coast of the island, where there is a nice beach and tourist area. It sprinkled a little bit, so we killed some time by touring a rum factory (Brugal), a family business established in 1988, the largest rum maker on the island. We joked that the motto of the gift shop was "drink rum, then buy rum!"
Our afternoon proceeded to a beach-side restaurant, where we ordered some food and drink. The conversation was lively and we were all happy to have a day off. We were also basking the "afterglow" of the morning, enjoying feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment.
We went swimming and enjoyed the ocean and the waves, which were pretty big! After some body surfing and laying around, we did some shopping and headed back home.
Always the "host with the most", Brian took us down back mountain roads on the way home, otherwise known as the scenic route. Another word for it, would be the "holy cow that's a lot of potholes" route! We still enjoyed the ride, regardless of the bumps, because the views were lush, green, and mountainous.
Thank you LORD for another amazing day in the Dominican Republic. Our journey is almost complete, as we leave the day after tomorrow.
God bless!
