El Color Amarillo

Yesterday, Profe Lorena taught about the color yellow. And what is a better way to learn you colors than to dive right in a play with things that are that color? Lauren divided her class in to 2 parts and here’s what they did:

The  first group finger painted with the color yellow. They drew bananas, limons, chairs and other things.

Ariela painting

Nathaly, Antony and Ricardo

Rebecca

And the lovely yellow paint

The other half of the class was outside with Johan, coloring with yellow chalk on the sidewalk.

Davidson, Leury, Martin, Darling Frid and Escarlot

El Arca de Noé

Last week our kids got to experience Noah’s Ark. Most of them did quite well and listen attentively. There were a few who cried from fear (a strange man in weird clothes carrying a big stick shows up at your door and says to follow him? Yeah, I’d be scared too!) and one kid didn’t enter it at all! But other than that, it was great! They have been learning all about Noah, reading the story each day, and learning about God’s character.

Sadly both Ashley and Cristina were out sick for most of the week and so their classes will have to go to the Ark another time. Here are the pictures from Kim’s and Lauren’s classes:

Noah’s Ark

Noah (with his staff)

Leading the kids to the Ark

They were so excited (except 4 kids who cried)

Noah in the ark talking to the kids

Profe Lauren’s class with their animals

Profe Kim’s class

Profe Lauren’s class

The workers in their matching shirts

Literacy Camp Video!

Click on the link below to watch the video!!!

Finding myself with so much adorable & inspiring videos of our students during the 1st week of our Spanish Literacy Camp, I decided to make a little montage for all to enjoy.  Tomorrow we will begin our 3rd week of camp, learning the next group of letters in the alphabet.  Our kids are still doing great and are really enjoying the creative activities that our teachers created for them.  For example…for the letter K during week #2, Cristina’s activity was Karaoke!!!  They loved it and we even had Robin’s group come to watch them and learn to listen & applaud.  Good times.  So please keep the last 2 weeks of camp in your prayers as we continue to build these kids up to soon be able to read about Christ’s love for them.

Also, since this is my very first Makarios blog, I should probably introduce myself.  I began my full-time work here with Makarios on June 1st and I will be here serving for atleast 1 year, or as long as God wills.  He has provided me with such an amazing task & opportunity to pour into the lives of our students, as I will be creating and coordinating a new Bible Curriculum for the school.  I’ve been working through that this summer and Jesus has opened up my eyes to so many new things; especially rediscovering the basics of the Gospel through the eyes & faith of a child.  It is such a blessing just to be a part of this amazing work being done here!  In addition, I will also be the Short-Term Missions Liaison as soon as the school year begins.  I will be helping to set up and guide the ministry projects that each of our groups from the states will be doing during their week here with us in the DR.  So if you’re coming down anytime soon…get excited!  🙂  So, it’s nice to meet you!

Hope you enjoy the video.  Thank you for all your support and prayers.

Semana Santa hair styles

It’s Dominican tradition on the north shore to get your hair braided during Semana Santa (Holy Week, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. It’s their Spring Break). Our kids are no exception. Here are some of them:

Escarlet came back with normal hair. Isn’t she cute?

Franchesca also has normal hair

Marta’s hair is still growing out and so, though this is a wee bit strange, it’s better than when her head was shaved. She’s so cute, that Saco de Papas!

Marleini had almost normal hair, except the braids on just one side of her head. You’ll see all the beads…typical Semana Santa

Wildania got some fake hair put in. She generally has this, though, so it’s nothing shocking. Though the beads are a new addition.

And here’s Rebecca. She has kind of a mullet-braid thing going on. They only added hair to the bottom part of her head.

And then you get the really crazy (I call nasty) braids. This is Marileidi. They put red and yellow hair into her normaly dark brown hair. Ewww! But she was loving it and gave a few sassy posses to us.

I mean, come on, that’s not cute!

ropa rapido

we’re doing a unit on health and hygiene at the school.  each of the preschool classes have been talking about the necessity to wash their hands, bathe and drink clean water, brush their teeth, and wear clothes.  if you have ever come down to the DR with MAKARiOS in a group then you probably saw a little nudity.  so we’re trying to make sure the kids know why and how to wear clothes 🙂

here’s a few pictures of how the activity went.

jeson and wilcency

bernito and luis fernando

franchesca and marileiny

rebeka and regina (this one is my favorite!)

A December trip to the beach

It’s been awhile since I last did a blog. I took a break over Christmas, but now I’m back and have some updating to do.

On December 11th, the last day of class, we took our preschoolers to the beach. It was a Christmas present from Anne’s mom and the kids LOVED it! Here are some pictures from our trip:

It was a perfectly sunny day

and we piled the kids into a guagua (15 passenger van), headed for Long Beach in Puerto Plata.

Once we got there we sat all the kids down to explain the rules and do one last head count.

Then the clothes came off (except the underwear, of course!) and we headed for the beach!

There was much rolling in the sand…

and playing in the water!

After about an hour and a half we washed the kids off as best we could and brought them away from the shore for lunch. Thanks to the Westlake Bible Church’s men’s group, we had plenty of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They got an apple (a real treat here), a juice box, a sandwich, grapes (another treat) and some cookies.

The kids loved our trip to the beach and have been asking daily when we are going back! Thanks, Sherry!!

merry christmas!

here’s our christmas card photo – SO cute.  thanks to ashley for taking the pictures and shallan for making the letters!  (and I’m sure everyone else for getting the kids to cooperate!)