A full and amazing summer

First a construction update: 

Many windows will provide natural ventilation

It is now mid-August, and the project construction has made great progress this summer. After laying almost 70,000 block, we now have walls at least 9' high. 

Plumbing vent pipes

Workers are now in the process of installing plumbing pipes that will run under the floors and inside walls. We will also be forming and pouring concrete for about 90 columns, this will be followed by structural beams that span doors and windows. 

looking north

So we are finally at the "rough-in" stage, a time requiring final decisions of where electrical and plumbing devices will be located. It really is becoming a building!

the perimeter security wall that has been
 built by volunteer teams this year

The construction teams have built 200 meters of wall so far this year, and it is almost to the southeast corner of the property. We will now have two sides of the property defined with these walls which will provide good security.  



This month is a slow one at the Guest House because it is a time to recharge from the many vbs/construction teams that were here in June and July and get ready for a very full schedule in the fall. 

I am looking forward to teams returning in September so they can continue this valuable work.

a 180 degree view of the perimeter wall built by our wonderful volunteer teams looking from SE to NW - the walls are behind the yuca and plantains!

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Stacy's sunflowers

And Second ... Its been an amazing summer  

This has been such a wonderful summer for Stacy and me for many reasons:

- The project has made great progress as discussed above - it is great to see meaningful progress and now be working with a great construction team. I want our time here in the DR to be efficient and well spent, so seeing walls arise has been very rewarding.

- We celebrated many birthdays ... mine, Stacy's, our son Tim's and even his new wife's (more on that later!),a mom turning 80 and a dad turning 85!

- We celebrated our 30th anniversary! My how time flies by, its been a great 30 years spent with my best friend. 

- July marked 20 years since waking up one morning with a serious heart issue. There aren't many days that I don't stop and appreciate the many days since that summer.

God's coloring book - water off of the Keys

- We enjoyed a fun family get together to celebrate my parent's 60th anniversary gathering near where we spent many days on the water off of the Florida Keys back in the 70's. 

Uh oh, time to head for the dock!

Proud parents with a new daughter!

- And we gained a wonderful second daughter with the marriage of our son Tim to Ruby! 





God is good, and we are extremely fortunate and blessed for so many reasons.  


Living here in the DR we definitely have a clear understanding and appreciation for the abundance and comforts of a life in the United States.  There are so many things that we all take for granted living in the US or even here in the DR, and this is simply a fact and result of being raised in such an amazingly comfortable and abundant society. It is what we know and have always known.  

But it is good to be reminded of that abundance and appreciate it, recognize it and not take it for granted. Our egos have an amazing capacity to generate expectations that can then lead us to finding something wrong even among the most beautiful and comfortable of situations. We should strive to overcome those expectations and appreciate all that is available, every day. 

Give thanks to God and think of those who are not in your place of comfort, those struggling for food, clothing or shelter.

Serve Others. 

Thanks for you continued prayers 

and financial support!

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10