Pizza Party!
Our leaders wisely suggested that we take the orphans to the local pizza parlor. That’s kind of funny…. Pizza in the DR!
So the bus was loaded with our youth and the orphans. Some of us rode in the back of the truck. That is where we saw Manuel as we left the neighborhood. It is so fun to just look around us at the traffic in the main boulevard. The thousands of taxi-cycles, driven by a driver with a yellow vest meaning that they are licensed by the government. Everyone but us foreignors seem to know that the yellow lines are suggestions, that the motorcycles can pass trucks and cars to get to the front of traffic at the light, and that why can’t you carry a clothes washer or 3 weeks of shopping on the back of a motorcycle? I do not remember seeing but maybe a handful of SUVs. Like India, families of 5 travel by Moped but without the cows inhabiting the roads. I digress again ……
The bus was a site. Kids piled on laps. Kids playing with iPhones. They are so amazingly smart, watching someone fiddle with their iPhone then messing with it like our own 10-yr-olds.
Everyone piled out of the bus and into the pizza parlor into the party room. Youth, orphans, our hosts filled the tables. It was such a treat to watch the kids eat the pizza. They gobbled it down. There was no “Eat you pizza or you won’t get ice cream.” Seconds were plenty, and mouths were stuffed. Bottles of Coke and Fanta were gulped. We left bottles of drinks on the tables, and the resourceful and careful orphans went around pouring the leftover drink into their bottles to take home and savor. They ended up with a light brownish concoction, not that different from what our 5-yr-ol d Elllie does at Moe’s. I felt like I was watching TV, as the kids played, hugged youth, saw Brad’s family on the video monitor. One of the girls who is Haitian, about 6 yrs old, lives with Antonio’s family in the little pink house. Her brother lives in the orphanage. She is one of the 10 people living in the 10x15 foot space, divided by tapestries and sheets of plywood. One of the youth noticed that she ate, got more pizza, then folded it up. She then placed it on a plate with a plate over, making a doggy bag to take home. She took it to Antonio’s wife. She is thinking about the next meal as she finishes this. No dash to Moe’s for her.
It was so special to share a meal with our entire group. I think about the time when Jesus was on earth. They did not have huge refrigerators or pantries filled. Food was gathered then eaten, and sometimes in low supply. Sharing one’s food is sacrificial giving oftentimes. And there is something spiritual about breaking bread together.
Some of us sat with our dear hosts, Soto, Mario, David, and Franky. It was a joy to share a meal with them. Conversation flowed. Sweet communion of the saints.
That morning the leaders took up a love offering for our hosts. Franky, Mario, and David were presented an offering from the group. They each shared what a special time we have had together. Harry encouraged Mario, that as he returns to Turks and Caicos that God will use him in mighty ways to reach others for Him. How Mario will do mighty things for Jesus. And how Davy has been an encouragement to the men he disciples and leads, with his humble spirit as a new creation in Christ. He is really such a gentle man. As he and I watched the desperate faces as the clothing items ran out that morning at the orphange, and people felt angry, frustrated, disappointed, he said how he would have felt the exact same way and more before Jesus changed his heart and made him a new man. He looked on with a gentle, understanding empathy; not judgement but simple compassion. And Franky, Harry’s housemate, has ministered to us and the men we were with this week. He and 10 yr old Sammy share a room. I had to snicker as Harry told me that sometimes Sammy can be a pest to Franky, as he is like a 10 yr old little brother, but they have such a sweet love between them!
Sammy, Pastor Evelyn and Pastor Johnny’s son, spent the day with us. It was so sweet to see the friendship between Kevin and Sammy. Sammy may have been on earth for 10 years, but he is 18 years old in his heart. He does play like a child, but he also preaches the Gospel and actually preached in church a few weeks ago. He and Kevin share the gift of music as Sammy is a gifted drummer, and Kevin just has it running though his heart.
Then Soto was presented his gift from us. Soto has a radio show Sunday mornings at 11am EST, where he teaches, preaches, and leads callers to Jesus. He is called to do this, as he has ministered to many here, and has a compelling, raw testimony of God’s mercy and grace. He has been earnestly praying for support to continue this ministry, and Harry has been praying for him as well. Our group has been given the gift to be able to support Soto’s radio time for the next couple of months; and a couple from our group has been called by God to support him through the end of the year. I wept as Soto was presented this gift and wept. He began to speak his appreciation and depth of feeling, but was overcome. I will always remember hi m weeping silently, overcome with emotion; then Tricia hugged him in the sweetest display of comfort.
Harry was given the gift of two toilets for the Haitian villages, insurance for the truck, and support of his local ministry. He said he has been praying for these things specifically, and what a joy that Jesus has answered this prayer. I did not know this, but the truck actually belongs to Harry. And the story of how Harry came to know dale, GWI, Brad is amazing in the details. Harry hosted a group from Canada. At the end of the trip their love offering to him was $1000 or $1500, I can’t remember. God told him he was to give it to an orphanage. He asked local pastors about orphanages, and he visited several. He found Casa del Tosorio de Dios, and it has been unstoppable relationship ever since.
Brad and his family will be able to enjoy air conditioning. It gets really hot on top of the orphanage. Dave and Kevin can attest to that. Interestingly, the afternoon after returning from baseball, we went up on the roof as the sun was travelling down toward the horizon and I felt a small chill. (John can attest to the fact that my ambient temperature is 80F, so he graciously sweats in the summer in our home). But the wind blowing is truly refreshing during the day. That is, unless you are painting, laying concrete cinder blocks, connecting PVC pipes, climbing the “ladder”, or up there during the day as Brad’s family will be as the kids are home-schooled by Brooke.
Sweet times such as this do come to a close, so the orphans piled into the back of the tru
Our leaders wisely suggested that we take the orphans to the local pizza parlor. That’s kind of funny…. Pizza in the DR!
So the bus was loaded with our youth and the orphans. Some of us rode in the back of the truck. That is where we saw Manuel as we left the neighborhood. It is so fun to just look around us at the traffic in the main boulevard. The thousands of taxi-cycles, driven by a driver with a yellow vest meaning that they are licensed by the government. Everyone but us foreignors seem to know that the yellow lines are suggestions, that the motorcycles can pass trucks and cars to get to the front of traffic at the light, and that why can’t you carry a clothes washer or 3 weeks of shopping on the back of a motorcycle? I do not remember seeing but maybe a handful of SUVs. Like India, families of 5 travel by Moped but without the cows inhabiting the roads. I digress again ……
The bus was a site. Kids piled on laps. Kids playing with iPhones. They are so amazingly smart, watching someone fiddle with their iPhone then messing with it like our own 10-yr-olds.
Everyone piled out of the bus and into the pizza parlor into the party room. Youth, orphans, our hosts filled the tables. It was such a treat to watch the kids eat the pizza. They gobbled it down. There was no “Eat you pizza or you won’t get ice cream.” Seconds were plenty, and mouths were stuffed. Bottles of Coke and Fanta were gulped. We left bottles of drinks on the tables, and the resourceful and careful orphans went around pouring the leftover drink into their bottles to take home and savor. They ended up with a light brownish concoction, not that different from what our 5-yr-ol d Elllie does at Moe’s. I felt like I was watching TV, as the kids played, hugged youth, saw Brad’s family on the video monitor. One of the girls who is Haitian, about 6 yrs old, lives with Antonio’s family in the little pink house. Her brother lives in the orphanage. She is one of the 10 people living in the 10x15 foot space, divided by tapestries and sheets of plywood. One of the youth noticed that she ate, got more pizza, then folded it up. She then placed it on a plate with a plate over, making a doggy bag to take home. She took it to Antonio’s wife. She is thinking about the next meal as she finishes this. No dash to Moe’s for her.
It was so special to share a meal with our entire group. I think about the time when Jesus was on earth. They did not have huge refrigerators or pantries filled. Food was gathered then eaten, and sometimes in low supply. Sharing one’s food is sacrificial giving oftentimes. And there is something spiritual about breaking bread together.
Some of us sat with our dear hosts, Soto, Mario, David, and Franky. It was a joy to share a meal with them. Conversation flowed. Sweet communion of the saints.
That morning the leaders took up a love offering for our hosts. Franky, Mario, and David were presented an offering from the group. They each shared what a special time we have had together. Harry encouraged Mario, that as he returns to Turks and Caicos that God will use him in mighty ways to reach others for Him. How Mario will do mighty things for Jesus. And how Davy has been an encouragement to the men he disciples and leads, with his humble spirit as a new creation in Christ. He is really such a gentle man. As he and I watched the desperate faces as the clothing items ran out that morning at the orphange, and people felt angry, frustrated, disappointed, he said how he would have felt the exact same way and more before Jesus changed his heart and made him a new man. He looked on with a gentle, understanding empathy; not judgement but simple compassion. And Franky, Harry’s housemate, has ministered to us and the men we were with this week. He and 10 yr old Sammy share a room. I had to snicker as Harry told me that sometimes Sammy can be a pest to Franky, as he is like a 10 yr old little brother, but they have such a sweet love between them!
Sammy, Pastor Evelyn and Pastor Johnny’s son, spent the day with us. It was so sweet to see the friendship between Kevin and Sammy. Sammy may have been on earth for 10 years, but he is 18 years old in his heart. He does play like a child, but he also preaches the Gospel and actually preached in church a few weeks ago. He and Kevin share the gift of music as Sammy is a gifted drummer, and Kevin just has it running though his heart.
Then Soto was presented his gift from us. Soto has a radio show Sunday mornings at 11am EST, where he teaches, preaches, and leads callers to Jesus. He is called to do this, as he has ministered to many here, and has a compelling, raw testimony of God’s mercy and grace. He has been earnestly praying for support to continue this ministry, and Harry has been praying for him as well. Our group has been given the gift to be able to support Soto’s radio time for the next couple of months; and a couple from our group has been called by God to support him through the end of the year. I wept as Soto was presented this gift and wept. He began to speak his appreciation and depth of feeling, but was overcome. I will always remember hi m weeping silently, overcome with emotion; then Tricia hugged him in the sweetest display of comfort.
Harry was given the gift of two toilets for the Haitian villages, insurance for the truck, and support of his local ministry. He said he has been praying for these things specifically, and what a joy that Jesus has answered this prayer. I did not know this, but the truck actually belongs to Harry. And the story of how Harry came to know dale, GWI, Brad is amazing in the details. Harry hosted a group from Canada. At the end of the trip their love offering to him was $1000 or $1500, I can’t remember. God told him he was to give it to an orphanage. He asked local pastors about orphanages, and he visited several. He found Casa del Tosorio de Dios, and it has been unstoppable relationship ever since.
Brad and his family will be able to enjoy air conditioning. It gets really hot on top of the orphanage. Dave and Kevin can attest to that. Interestingly, the afternoon after returning from baseball, we went up on the roof as the sun was travelling down toward the horizon and I felt a small chill. (John can attest to the fact that my ambient temperature is 80F, so he graciously sweats in the summer in our home). But the wind blowing is truly refreshing during the day. That is, unless you are painting, laying concrete cinder blocks, connecting PVC pipes, climbing the “ladder”, or up there during the day as Brad’s family will be as the kids are home-schooled by Brooke.
Sweet times such as this do come to a close, so the orphans piled into the back of the tru
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