Construction - woohoo

We went to construction in Sanches, about 40 minutes away as the crooked road winds. There were 8 of us (3 Martinezes, Paula, Jeanette, Janet, Jenny & I). We got there a little before 8 and sat in for a 1/2 hour while the construction group had there Watchtower study.

The first picture is the way the windows get gramed in. People don't have window paynes but use screens and a type of wooden blind on the windows.

The first assignment that 4 of us were given was to wash two vehicles. Not really all that bad of an assignment since for me it involved a hose and somehow I ended up all wet. Well I just get into my work or rather my work gets all over me.

We later were moving the concrete blocks from the street to the inside of the quickly forming hall. Very heavy blocks! We then went to filling the holes of the block that had rebar in them with concrete. We tried many ways to keep cool as you can see from the masked creature. There actually were many masked creatures roaming about.

They thanked us for coming and were impressed with our strength and said we can come any day! We had a wonderful lunch of rice and black beans that were green. (?) Pork chops and delicious strawberry icecream and, oh year, salad. Everything is done the Bethel way including the passing of the dishes starting from the head of the table and going to the left. The brother was very specific to instruct us no passing to the right or across. After the meal instantly the dominos came out. They take their dominos very seriously, slapping them on the table and speeding through a game.

5 of us lasted till after the noon meal and then headed back. The effects of our hike and ride had a large toil on a few of us. We came back to LT and went for a swim.

Not quite sure what the rest of the days hold in store. We are talking about doing some drving along the coast in both directions and seeing what we can see.

Well that's all for now! Missing you all and hoping that things are well for everyone. philea, lj

Wow!

Hey, I know some of the pictures are on their side and one looks upside down but I didn't think about turning the camera around to make it upright and I wanted to get a picture of her feet and the feet of my guide. Well we went on our wild adventure by horseback and donkeyback through the mountains and to The Limon waterfalls. The first leg was a simple road and then we crossed a stream and then the country got rugged. At first I was disappointed to get a donkey instead of a horse but after seeing the terrain, I was thankful for the sure footed donkey! My donkey's name was Maria Louisa. Adam had Lucifer, Rosie had Estrella, Bronco, Groucho, Gringero were some of the others.

Our guides were young bucks who fell in love with our beautiful young sisters. There was talk by the "mama" who runs the business of marriage as some of the boys are her sons. Steve kept trying to dissuade one young man by mentioning he had just gotten out of prison.

There are two sets of falls and the young men showed their bravery by jumping off from the top of the first fall. Then again they showed their bravery in jumping off the second but not from the top.

Ashley was being called "Princess" by the young cabelleros and was even carried across a stream when we were on the second part of the trip which included a hike down the hill to get to the falls.

We got to play in the water. Very cool and refreshing. In the ocean here it is very easy to float as it is very salty. The pool was another story. We sunk like rocks. And so it was natural to just jump in from rocky overhangs like a rock.

The hike out was a test of our physicality. Several points I felt like the donkey as one of the guides proded us along. Thankfully they were nicer to us and didn't hit us on the bum, at least not until the end of the ride...


One of the guides went and got us some "El Presidente" beer and we enjoyed grilled hotdogs. Friday we have been invited back to go to some caves and for a Dominican lunch. We look forward to seeing them again. Different ones got to witness to the woman and one of the guides (an older man who seemed to be the trailboss).

We got back right in time for our first daytime thunder/rain storm. It came down in buckets! Some of the group were at the beach when it hit.

Here are some of the pics I got and will load more as I get them. Tomorrow 5-6 of us are going to construction in Sanchez. TTFN!!

First night here

5 days in country

We are all here! Scotts had some difficulties with a plane delay and then after leaving the airport realized they had forgotten a bag and had to go back. They arrived late with the Rhoades Friday night.

Saturday Adam and Jeanette went out in service and their transportation to the territory was a flat bed truck as you see above. They had great tales to tell of their morning. We went for a swim and then got ready for the meeting at 5. Adam gave the talk to about 50-60 persons. He was very kind and when he turned to a scripture he said it both in Spanish and English. Many of us got to comment in Spanish. Very friendly congo, many are need greaters from various parts of the world - Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Canada, the Congo and one from Washington State.

Today, Sunday, we (Adam, Nathan, Shirley, Paula, Rosie and I) went out in service. We overwhelmed them a little as we were so many and not many of us speak Spanish well. So off we went to territory but this time we were on foot and climbed the highway of death which was nearly the death of us gringos!

The people are very willing to talk and listen. My companion and I (really just my companion) talked with a young girl, about 10 years old. She has very intelligent and knew much about the Bible. When asked a question she would comment and say this is what most think but then tell us what she thinks. She quoted all of Psalm 23.

We did a few more houses and then our group changed. My partner became a young brother that is from Switzerland. He has been in country 3 weeks and did not know Spanish before coming. He understand much but speaks little. I can speak much but understand little. We managed to place two magazines and a book in the two places we visted.

Adam placed 4 books today and yesterday did 3 houses in two hours. There are Catholic and Evagelical primarily here. We headed on home and had seven persons in our Mitsubishi Lancer!

It was time to do laundry and then head for the beach again. Scubing is awesome and there are many places to lounge and order a margarita and a morsel. What a life! Then there are also places that you can get wi-fi which Rosie said the above picture is Adam epitomized!

The other picture is of a man who is a Bible student in the Creole congo. The Martinezes noticed that this man had a song book. They decided to pull off and investigate. He was sitting on the beach trying to learn the kingdom songs so that he could be able to sing better at the kingdom hall! What appreciation!

Tomorrow we off to Alemon Falls on donkeys and horses followed with a hike and swmim. Woohoo! Tuesday a group of us go to construction and another on Thursday.

Also, there is the best beer here! Even Cindy and I like it! It's called EL Presidente! The coffee is another story. Tell the Arabs to move over as they have competition from the Dominicans! Oi! But great pastries!

Well TTFN!

a few pics

5:48 PM Friday Las Terrenas

Well we arrived without delays on our flights. We did have a bit of delay with the rental car for the modes. The drive from Santo Domingo to Las Terrenas is 2-3 hours depending on traffic on the last leg of the journey.

The road from Sanchez to Las Terrenas is known as the 2nd deadliest in the country and is deserving of its reputation. The day we arrived there was an accident that a brother and his daughter were involved in. They were on a moto and a car hit them. Please include the family in your prayers as the young daughter died and the father had to be taken into Santo Domingo for several surgeries for two broken legs and a broken arm.

We spent the evening in the pool to get cooled off, as you can see from the blog page the weather here has been pretty warm. Thursday we headed back to Santo Domingo to pick up the Martinez Family. We made record time from Las Terrenas to Santa Domingo. (Ok, so yes, I was driving!)

The trip home we took a detour as the "facilities" were needed after about 2 hours of driving. We turned off to Sanchez and stopped at a place. There aren't really signs for "public restrooms" of rest areas.

The establishments bathroom was not functioning but Adam asked if she knew where the new Kingdom Hall was being built. She directed us up the street where we came into paradise, spiritually. Our brothers were there working hard in the heavy heat of the day but with smiles on their faces.

Paula was the first to recognize a brother and his wife and we stayed for about a 1/2 hour promising that we would be back to help. They do have equipment here and it is actually machinery and not the sisters! Truly impressive!

There were not many working, it looked like just the "group" which is the Bethel group that travels the country and helps the brothers. Like in Bolivia. It is the same style of construction as in Bolivia.

We are excited to join them Tuesday. They work 5 days on construction and takes about 2 months.

Yesterday when we arrived in L.T. we unpacked the Martinezes and headed for the beach! OI! WONDERFUL! Clear water and refreshing (a little cooler than the pool). We enjoyed ourselves tremendously. (Adam, Ashley, Jenny, Kerri and I).

Today we spent most of the day at the beach again after some running around checking out some different possible places to stay as we will be 14 in 5 rooms. This time brought fins and snorkel. Again...OI! The reefs are teaming with life and we are excited to see it. Even got Rosie into the ocean and snorkeling and now she is hooked! (For those of you who didn't know she was a bit afraid of the ocean.)

We are still awaiting the arrival of the Scotts and Rhoades. Kerri and Paula went to get them and their flight came in at 3.

Tomorrow is service in the morning and a 5 pm meeting in which Adam is giving the talk. Nathan is going to do Bible highlights, IN SPANISH, and Steve may give the talk the following Saturday.

Well, that is our story todate! OH WAIT! There are frogs!!!! Big ol toads and cute little tree frog that Jenny played with in the pool.

Will try to upload some pics, but I gots to go eat! xoxo,lj

June 23, 2009

7:55 AM PST Well after much preparation the day has finally arrived! There are the last minute decisions on one bag or two to check, can I live without this, I really want to take my own pillow & blanky, do I really want to carry this? Will the plane be on time? Will my luggage arrive when I do? Why are we flying at night? What adventures await us in just 24 hours? And the most important question on my mind..."Will there be frogs!!" Woohooo!!!

12-24-15

Recently I was told that in order to release traumatic feelings that plague you they must be faced head on.  So in the spirt of that advice I have written this blurb.  Fear not, it is not a "touchy-feely" book. :) 
This is the life and times of....an ordinary person?!

Chinese Bathrooms - Oi!  If you have done any traveling to less developed areas, and by that I mean places that don't have the standard porcelin throne, the bowl, the can, the loo, the head, the john...the toilet but rather has a hole in the ground, sometimes a metal pan like basin in the floor. 
While no issue for a man having to go number 1, quite a different story for the female population not trained in the ways of going number 1 while standing nor in the art of being able to aim the streams direction. 

That mortifying experience that colors my cheeks and makes my eyes roll and wish for an eraser to remove the memory is connected with the above subject.


                                                     
The year - 2009, the place - Beijing China, the title "I gotta go pee!"  Our tour bus arrived as some fancy art/jewelry combo palace (marble, ornate glass doors, very fancy smancy).  I stood in line hoping that this bathroom would be a "western" style with with an actual toilet.  Much to my dismay it was pan in the floor.


Since I really, really had to go I dropped my pants and squatted down.  I completely missed the hole.  There was a river that was threatening to run right out the stall.  Fortunately in this stall there was toilet paper, not something that can be said of very place.  Sopping up the liquid with great effort, shame and humiliation at having to now exit the stall, hope no-one I knew was in line and exiting stage right after washing my hands as quickly and invisibily as possible for a nearly 6' female surrounded by a population of 5' people, yeah no sweat-NOT!

Honestly, I'm not sure I wasn't using it backwards!  How I wish that there was a "How to" brochure included in the travel packet.  Or "Here is a product you may wish to consider purchasing before you go to a country with holes in the ground for bathrooms" - ok that title is a little bit long. 

Recently I came across a product-a woman's salvation, a beacon in the night, a light at the end of the tunnel...what is it you want to know?  It is  a "portable female urinal"... .... ... I am allowing that long pause for effect, to let it sink in that this may be the SINGLE most important discovery to mankind, or rather womankind.  A portable, female, urinal.  Sheer genious!

While looking at pictures of these marvels of engineering I must admit that it seems to me that some of them appear to have been designed upside down.  Some shown are not the truly "portable" ones, and exactly how the mechanics of these would work is a bit lost on me and it seems that one would have to be a bit of a contortionist to use them.
  

The names for some of these creations are in themselves ingenious.  (Others are just a bit on the nose and could use with some marketing spin-after all "Female portable urinal", really?)  They should take a lesson from these names:  "TravelJane", "LittleJohn", "SheWee", "GoGirl" -this one is my favorite, name I mean since I have to admit I have only just ordered a couple of these products as it seems like a must have.)

  Again, some of the descriptions of the products give pause as to how exactly they work.  The "TravelJane" and its brother the "TravelJohn", which advertises being usable for the whole family (which begs to question why then would there be a need for a "TravelJane" if "TravelJohn" can take care of all your needs), claims to turn your #1 quickly and completely into an odorless, spill proof-gel that is non-toxic and waste disposal safe.  Hmmm.

I have gotten a bit off track from the original purpose of writing about this subject.  Do I feel better having written it?  Less embarassed about my China bathroom debacle???  I have to admit with researching some material and finding that I am not alone in having had a bad hole-in-the-floor experience and not making a hole-in-one that...NO!!!!I AM ORDERING A WAREHOUSE FULL OF THE PORTABLE FEMALE URINALS, SHEWEE, GOGIRL, LITTLEJANE OR JOHNS AND WILL NEVER HAVE TO FACE THIS ISSUE AND SHAME AGAIN!!!  And I may tell my shrink, who prefers to be called an "expander of minds" and not a shrink, of my story and that I posted it online for all the world to see (although I tucked it at the very beginning of my blog and if you by chance happened to find it - I hope it helped you to know you are not alone. :)