Well, it’s been ten days now and I feel like I’m settling in- at least on some level. My Spanish has expanded considerably even during this short time. Being so immersed in the language has allowed for rapid growth.

This Sunday was one of my favorite days so far. In the morning I attended a Haitian Church in the community of Soto. Hector (the pastor and also a part of the TEARS team) and his family live in a house joined to the back of the church. For those of you who have been, you can testify that it is a very energetic atmosphere.

They sang with passion, praising the Lord with liberated hearts. At one point in the service the entire congregation fell to their knees and began crying out in prayer. I looked nervously around at the people next to me, feeling quite like a gringo at this point, and decided I would kneel as well. Hector gave the message amid many hallelujahs and amens, and at the end we all embraced each other in brotherly love.

During the afternoon I went for an adventure with my friends Aneudi and Giovanni. We walked up a vast hillside and through another barrio called Guaigui. A few hitch-hikes later we arrived at a beautiful river. I enjoyed a good solid hour of peace, soaking in the cold, refreshing water. On the way back we picked guavas off the trees, munching on the peels, the seeds- everything. Natural and delicious.

On Monday I helped a team from Minnesota build a path behind Rod’s place. The heat was incredible; I really felt like heading over to the salon and just getting a buzz cut. It was good work though, and I enjoyed the opportunity to connect with the team.

Starting work has stirred up a lot of excitement and anticipation. I have already taken about 250 photos, and we hope to use many more as we work on updating the TEARS website. Our objectives for the summer are to get all the news, text, photos etc. updated, as well as research Child Sponsorship programs and start a TEARS School blog. My job will chiefly involve journalism and computer work.

My health has been good so far, and I feel at home with my family. Praise the Lord that he has been at my side helping me along and teaching me what it means to humble myself and to serve.

P.S.-Questions? Comments? Things you would like to see posted?
Send me a message. derek.sproule@gmail.com