Philip Fibranz – DR, January 2010

My picture of the week is painting with Gatchu. I brought him into the room that my team was painting; I picked up a brush and handed it to Gatchu, who was clinging to me like Velcro. I remembered when I was a child, I always wanted to help my father paint, so I thought that he might enjoy it and I was right, he did. Every time he would get close to crossing the border that divides the two colors of the wall, I would reach out and guide him back. As I replay this event in my head, it made me think of how at times in my head, it made me think of how at times in my life, some distant and some recent, I have come close to cross a line that shouldn’t be cross, but God has always been there pulling me back to him. It is amazing how my intent was to serve and help these children by coming here, but I feel as if I am coming away from this trip with more than I left behind.

Roberta Tepper – DR, January 2010

Before this trip began, I came across a portion of scripture in the book of Revelations, which jumped out off the page at me. I believe the Lord was speaking to my heart when John wrote the letter to the church at Philadelphia. In it, he said the doors the Lord opens would stay open! The doors he shuts will stay shut. As I walked into the first school on our first night in the Dominican Republic, I melted inside – knowing this was a door the Lord was opening for me.

My greatest picture will be from the last day, as I sat beside Kaele bedazzling her jeans. Just 2 days prior, Rosa had asked me to pray for her because she was sick and on this day (Friday), she was shy, but smiling and we enjoyed each other’s company as only a mother and child can do. Within an hour’s time, she worked the bedazzler on her own for the other girls at Sanisi and I assisted her. I painted her fingernails, carefully and lovingly and I asked God to rescue her from HIV. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to walk through a door I know was opened to me.