Our Last Week and a Bit.

Last week Amy, Opa and I painted the Lighthouse. It now looks like a Barbie house. It is pink with white trim! Painting was a lot of fun. Opa, Amy and I had lots of laughs and good talks. It was hot, though, so we took several water breaks during the day.

The Lighthouse is the newest house here. The inside was just redone at the beginning of our time here (the house that I sewed curtains for the first week). The inside is very bright... with yellow walls, and red and orange accessories. The bathroom has bright green accessories… and now the outside is pink and white. Santi was joking about how if he spends to much time in that house he starts to walk all girly… his gestures were priceless!

Amy and I also learned how to make burritos this week. Miss Jaunita gave Amy and I the recipe and told us the little tricks for how to kneed properly and stuff. It was fun. There is so much stuff that I want to cook when I get home! My Mom is going to love that :)

Last week Ren Siebinga, the principal from Toronto District Christian High School came to begin the evaluation process. He began by talking to the students and getting their perspective and their take on the program. He talked to Mr. Kamphuis and Opa, he talked to Kathy, Santi and Lilliana, as well as the host families and placement over seers. He was supposed to talk to Amy and I as well, but he didn’t end up getting much of an opportunity to do that. We might be evaluated more when we get home. On Friday night Ren’s friend, Mr. Mersaw took us out for diner. Mr. Mersaw came with Ren because he is a supporter of Kings Children’s home (the orphanage) so he wanted to go there and see how things were going, and to offer his services as best as possible. We went out for Pizza to this nice pizza place. The building was nice and clean, the food was good and the manager came out and was talking to us. He was so friendly!

The DTS students came last Sunday. The students are all in their mid twenties. They are doing the outreach part of their DTS program. It was so good to have them here! We had a lot of things to get prepared for this past weekend’s conference. I have had a chance to get to know them just a little bit. They are really nice, I like them a lot. Some other ladies also came. The one lady was a friend of Kathy’s and she brought two other friends. They also helped to prepare things for the conference, and they helped to run the conference. They also prepared food for the upcoming banquet. God is faithful in sending people right when they are needed the most.

Tonight we are having an appreciation banquet for all of the host families and placements people. All of the students and us leaders will also be getting a certificate of thanks for three months of service. I hope that through this the students will realize just how blessed they have been to be a part of this program.

Tomorrow is our last day here. On Wednesday morning we will be leaving for home. We will start off with a twelve hour busride to Cancun where we will be spending a night in a hotel and then the TD students who are going to prom will be leaving on the Thursday and the rest of us will stay in Cancun and go to the beach, or shopping, or just chilling at the hotel. On Friday morning the rest of us will board a plane and head on our way home. We are expected in Buffalo at 8:00 PM home time.

Thank you again for all of your prayers. They have been appreciated. This trip has been difficult, but it has been so worth it. God is faithful.