Jyll Schenault- Servant of God

Love letters

2011-06-02T10:47:00.000-04:00

Last week at WyldLife Club, the kids heard the message of the love of Jesus, how He died for them because He loves them, and how He wants them to love Him as well. Rachel, one of my co-leaders, did a great job giving this message, centered around the passage of Jesus asking Peter if he loved Him, that really spoke to the hearts of the kids. At the end of her talk, she passed out pieces of paper and asked the kids, if they wanted to, to write a small note to Jesus. I want to share with you some of those little love letters to Jesus that they wrote:

• I love you.

• We do so many sins and you keep on forgiving us. It’s just not fair that you had to die for our shame.

• K-I love too I want to feed your sheep I want to do it help me Jesus.

• YES, I love you. I love Jesus Thanks!

• I love U! I Love U! Jesus. –L

• I love Jesus back with all my heart, soul, and my mind.

• Lord I just want you to forgive me and love me back. I’ve always loved you and you know.

• I actually try very very hard to remember and follow God… But I absolutely do LOVE the LORD a lot! Also, I need help, for friends and relationships, I need HELP! Love:K

• Dear Jesus: I love you & I want to go in your way I want to be accepted like your daughter teach me how to go in your way. I love U! Amen. Thanks for everything!

• Dear Jesus I want to tell you I love U back. Thanks for dying for us. I just want to tell you that I really apreshiate that you gave me a life. Thanks for EVERY thing Att: C

• I love Jesus, and I want to be a better Christian in my actions and behavior. I love you and I will follow you. ~MTB girl
• C: Yes I will follow you I will try to do the correct things thanks for dying on the cross.

• Yes Jesus I love you back I know I’m not perfect and I fall some times but doesn’t matter what happens know that I love you.

• Jesus Thank you for blessing me and letting me be here tonight. RL

• Hi

• Jesus I am writing this to you to ask you for forgiving for all bad thing I have made.

• Dear Jesus, Yes, I do love you even though you haven’t answered all my prayers. I love you a lot I love how you love me knowing what I have done. –K

• Dear Jesus thank you so much for saving me, thank you for dying on the cross for me. I pray that you would guide me and help me through these next years.

• Dear Jesus, I love you, you died for me and for my sins. I’m sorry for not saying I love you. Sincerty, L

• Dear God, I’m going through some hard stuff in my life but I want you to know that I love you and thank you for watching over me. Love, S

• I will follow & I believe ur there 4 me.

• Yes I love you.

• I love you & you love me we are a happy family I LOVE YOU!

• Jesus, I love you and I want to follow you and want YOU to take control of my life.

A Easter leap into another culture

2011-04-24T20:56:00.000-04:00

Today, for Easter service, I decided to try a different church near my house instead of going to the one I have been attending. The Baptist church is just two blocks from my house. I had no idea what time it started, but since I know that a lot of the churches start at 10am, I thought perhaps this one did too. As I was walking there, I didn't see anyone walking toward the church. Well, perhaps it doesn't start at 10, I thought. When I got there, there were definitely people there. As I approached, I asked a man standing outside what time it started. He told me it started at 8am and ended at 12pm. Wow! Long service. As I entered I made a very big observation....

This was a Haitian church service!! Everyone in the church was Haitian and the service was done in a combination of French and Creole!!! Wow! The church was packed full. I entered and went to stand in the back, but a very nice gentleman gave me his seat. At times, I understood a few French words from my lessons (I have been taking French lessons now once/ week for about the past 2 months). At one point, they were introducing visitors (I know this because the man who gave me his seat told me this in Spanish). Then, someone went up front and said in English, "We have an American with us today. I don't know her name, but will she please stand up and introduce herself". Yikes!!! I do not know enough French yet to do a decent introduction, so I spoke in Spanish (which everyone there understood anyway- Haitians are very intelligent people- they know 2 or 3 or more languages!)

The service involved a lot of singing- songs I did not know but enjoyed. The sermon lasted only about 20 minutes and was centered around the passages of Isaiah 53 and Matthew 27. The service was very good.

What a strange experience. It has been a while since I stepped into a country where I was not able to understand the language. Here I was 2 blocks from my house and it felt like I was in a different country- surrounded by people from a different culture than what I have grown acustomed to and speaking languages that I don't understand. Yet, while I was there, I couldn't help marvel at the fact that even though these men and women are praying in a language that I don't understand, God understands them completely. He created these other languages. It doesn't matter which language you use- whether it is English, Spanish, French, Creole, or any other language- God created them all and He understands you!! How amazing is that!!!

Happy Easter!!! He is Risen!!!!!!

Jehovah's Witnesses

2011-01-26T19:38:00.001-04:00

Lately, I have been seeing quite a few Jehovah's Witnesses walking the streets of Jarabacoa, particularly American Jehovah's Witness "missionaries". These Americans have moved here in order to target the English-speaking population of Jarabacoa and bring them the information of the JWs. The funny part about this is that about 98% of the native English-speaking population here are Christian missionaries!

The JWs have started an English service at their hall and have been going around to find English-speaking people in town to invite to their services and share the literature. One of them in particular has latched on to me. I met C when she was driving through the neighborhood looking for houses that were for rent. She stopped to ask me about a house she thought she had seen for rent (turns out it was my house- apparently right before I moved in). We started talking and I found out she was a JW. Ever since then, she has made it a point to stop frequently here at the house to give me literature and talk to me about the "Bible" and the "truth".
Since her visits have become more frequent, I have started researching more about what the JWs actually believe and have discovered how much they truly are a cult. Let me outline just a few of the beliefs of the JWs that is in contradiction to Christianity.

They believe that there is only one God in one person- there is no Trinity.
They believe that Jesus was the first creation of God- that He was created, was the first angel, was named Michael, and that Michael (Jesus) helped in the creation of the rest of the universe.
They believe that Michael became Jesus when he was born on Earth, that he died on a torchure stake, and that he rose spiritually but not physically.
They believe that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force and not a member of the Trinity (no trinity).
They believe that a person must do good works in order to be in favor with Jehovah (God).
They believe that only 144,000 people will go to heaven. These specially chosen people will inherit immortal life and live in heaven with Jehovah (God).
They believe the rest of the JWs will inherit eternal life and will live on Earth paradise forever.
They participate in communion only one time per year and only those who have immortal life can partake.
Before a JW can be baptized, they must attend a certain number of classes to learn about the religion and answer questions before a panel of leaders. These classes are held every day and the JW is encouraged to attend class 5 days a week.
The JW bible has been wrongly translated- changed in order to fit the beliefs of the JWs.

While Jehovah's Witnesses may use the same vocabulary as Christians use, they are not talking about the same thing. They have been brainwashed by their constant studies to believe that only JWs will live forever. They have had extensive training on how to speak to non-JWs and how to defend their faith. Be careful if you encounter a JW. While they may talk about Jesus and God and the Bible, THEY ARE NOT CHRISTIANS!

End of 2010

2010-12-31T00:23:00.009-04:00

Wow, I cannot believe that 2010 has come to an end. What a year it has been. After moving to the Dominican Republic in January and spending most of the year working with Doulos Discovery School, I realize that God has plans bigger than any of us can ever imagine and that He truly is in control of all things.

The last month of school before break went well and very quickly. I then went back to Ohio to spend Christmas and New Years with my family. As usual, this time is going by very quickly and I will soon be heading back to the DR. I am looking forward to seeing Petra (she stayed in the DR with a family who remained there for Christmas). There is also much to do in this next semester. I am sure that God will be keeping me full of His work throughout the next 6 months.

I hope 2010 was a good year for you and that you embrace all that God will bring before you in 2011!

Thanksgiving Dinner

2010-11-28T20:00:00.000-04:00

Thanksgiving is a holiday that is spent with family. However, my family is very far away this year. I was blessed to be able to spend Thanksgiving with my Doulos family at a giant Thanksgiving Dinner. Over 100 people- teachers, staff, and their families- went to the school for dinner.

We had the traditional turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and even a green bean casserole. We also had a non-traditional roasted pig. Everyone had to bring a dish with them (side dish or dessert). The Dominicans brought typical Dominican food- rice, beans, yuca, etc.

With such a variety of choices besides what I am used to for Thanksgiving and being separated away from my family, it didn't feel like Thanksgiving to me. So, I decided to cook my own traditional Thanksgiving Dinner the next day- the same as I would have had if I was in my house in Ohio.

Since turkey is very expensive here and impossible to find in town (you have to drive into the city to buy it), I decided to make chicken instead. Besides, I like chicken better than turkey anyway! I made homemade stuffing just like we make at home. My little chicken came out very good.

Now it was time to make the side dishes. Mashed potatoes and corn are easy. Sweet potatoes, however, are a little harder. I went to the veggie market and bought a few sweet potatoes, or the closest thing they have to sweet potatoes. When I bought them they were caked with dirt. After I scrubbed them off, I discovered that the skins were bright purple!

When I cut them up, they were white on the inside. Now, I know for most people- especially here- that wouldn't be a problem. But for me, SWEET POTATOES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ORANGE!! So, I cut them up and boiled them like mashed potatoes, but while they were boiling, I added red and yellow food coloring and turned them orange!

After it was all cooked, I was able to enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner- Ohio style! (Notice the orange sweet potatoes on the right side- covered with marshmellows!)

Some things that have happened since the last time I posted...

2010-11-16T21:38:00.001-04:00

I know, I am a horrible blogger. I do not blog very often. The reason for this is that most of what I want to say gets said in an weekly email that I mail out to everyone who has requested frequent updates about my ministry here in the Dominican Republic. If you would like to receive these emails, please leave me a message here or at my email, include your email address and I will add you to the list.

A lot has happened since the last time I updated my blog. I am going to attempt to tell some of it with pictures...

Every other Friday at Doulos, the school has an event called Revolution. The students get out of class 40 minutes early and get to attend a fun assembly full of games, contests, music, dancing, and sometimes a Biblical life lesson. As you can see, the staff get involved with Revolution just as much as the students do!

Every time it rains moderately or more, we lose water at our house. The water is turned off by the city to keep the debris from the river from clogging the water filtration system. When the water comes on, depending on how long it was off, our water can often be various colors of yellow or brown with a sometimes nasty smell. This was our water one day- yellow brown and smelling like rotten eggs! No, we do not drink this, but we do pour this into our water filter to drink. We also have to wash our dishes, do laundry, and shower in this water. Yuck!!

Our neighbor had gotten a new little puppy that quickly became a good friend of Petra's. His name was Rocky. While he doesn't look it in the picture, he was much smaller than Petra. Unfortunately, he got out of his front gate and was hit by a car and died. Even though Petra only knew him for about 3 weeks, I think she misses him.

Here in Jarabacoa, the cemetery does not bury people; they have above ground vault tombs that are stacked on top of each other. When a person dies, the family "rents" the tomb for a certain period of time. When that time is over, the dead person is removed or "evicted" and a new dead person is put there. This coffin looks old, like the person died a long time ago. However, they were still evicted from their "final" resting place and their coffin placed in the trash (the body was removed... I think!)

One of the major recent changes in my life here was the purchase of a vehicle- a 1999 Chevy Blazer. This was a gift from God. I had been needing a vehicle in order to do some of the ministry work I have been trying to do, and God provided this for me. What a blessing it is to be able to get to places that I have not been able to get to independently. I am now a part time taxi driver (pro bono) for various missionaries and have also put the vehicle to work in the various ministries I am working in. God is Good!

Packages from home are always a welcome treat, especially when it includes homemade cookies from Mom! Mail comes every other Wednesday for us. It is always a lot of fun to get letters, cards, and packages. As you can see, cookies can travel amazingly well!

Since I now have my car, I have begun working at Centro Especial Genesis. This is the only Special Education school in this area. While it is a special education school, they unfortunately do not have anyone working there who has actually been trained in special ed. I will be working with some of the teachers, helping train them in how to best teach children with special needs. I am also evaluating some of the students so that the teachers can know their strengths and weaknesses and know how best to teach them.

A part of WyldLife is a small group Bible study called Campaigners that meets every 2 weeks to dive deeper into the Bible and learn more about Jesus and how God wants us to live. Rachel, my co-leader and I decided to have a fun get-together with our Campaigners group for dinner and tie dying in preparation for one of our WyldLife Club meetings. The kids had a blast- most of them had never tie dyed before! Even petra had a blast having new people around and amazingly she did not get tie dyed!!

This past week was a milestone in Petra's life. She lost her first baby tooth. Her new tooth is already starting to come in, but here is Petra showing off her new hole where a tooth used to be!

Every now and then, a group of people like to get out of town and head into the city for a little taste of home. This past weekend, a group of 11 of us drove into Santiago to go to T.G.I.Fridays. It was wonderful having a little American food from a real American restaurant. The food titles on the menu were even in English!

After dinner at Friday's, we headed over to the bowling alley for a game of bowling. Bowling is the same here as it is in the States, except for the occasional 3rd turn in a frame that you get when the lane doesn't reset!

This is about all for right now. I will try to post more, but I cannot make any promises. If you want weekly updates, sign up for the weekly "Picture of the Week" email. You will not be disappointed!

My generous neighbor

2010-10-24T20:40:00.000-04:00

One of my neighbors is a cute older lady named Blanquita. She cooks lunch every Saturday and Sunday for her family, which sends wonderful aromas into our yard. Today, I mentioned how wonderful her food smelled, and so she told me she was going to give me a little bit so I could try it, asking if I like traditional Domincan cooking. Traditional Dominican food often contains rice, beans, and chicken. I told her I do like it and that it is very gracious of her to offer to allow me to try her cooking. A little while later, her house helper came over with a huge tray of chicken, rice, plantains, and salad. My roommate Katie and I both had lunch and there is enough left over for 1 or both of us to have another meal! How generous she was to give us so much of her wonderful food.

Recent Pictures

2010-10-08T14:17:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pictures that I have taken over the past couple of weeks. Enjoy!

This is our first family portrait. Katie, Petra, and I. Rossy, our other roommate, moved out a few weeks ago, so we have an extra bedroom in the house that we are hoping to fill. For now, it is just the 2 1/2 of us!

Here is Petra (taken about a week ago). She keeps growing despite the fact that I have told her to stop. She is a little rascal. She loves playing and she is facinated by people.

Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to tour the factory that makes the water filters that we use here. This is the factory. I was expected more of an American style factory. This factory is located at the dead end of a dirt road behind a neighborhood in the middle of nowhere. Everything is done either with simple machines or by hand.

These are some of the kids hanging out by the pond at recess time. The building to the left is our cafeteria and upstairs on that building is one of our teacher lounges. Behind the pond is the basketball court. Behind the cafeteria is the amphitheatre.

The 6th and 7th graders as they prayed before leaving for their camping trip. They had an awesome trip!

Petra Update

2010-09-20T15:19:00.000-04:00

I have had a few people ask me for updates about Petra.

We I first got her, she was so small. She is still small, but she has been growing. Her little legs are getting longer, yet her body size hasn't changed much in the nearly 3 weeks that she has been living with me.

Since she was a street dog, I am trying to keep her away from all human food and get her accustomed to dog food. At first, she ate it but I don't think she liked it very much (since she wouldn't eat very much). Now, she eats well. I am hoping she will gain a little weight since she is so skinny.

Housebreaking... Petra has actually been doing well with housebreaking. When I am home, I leave the back door open and she is able to go out whenever she wants- and she does. She very rarely has an accident in the house when I am home. When I am not home, she is left in the laundry room, but there are not usually any problems there either. She has also made it overnight with no accidents for the past 2 nights, although she usually wakes me up at least one time in the middle of the night.

I have also discovered that she is a little thief. She likes to steal- shoes, clothes, rugs, books, whatever she can find! She also loves to chew and will chew on whatever she steals!

I took a video of her playing with one of her toys. Click here to see it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYssWBhMqfk

The newest addition to my family...

2010-09-08T14:38:00.001-04:00

Meet Petra!

She is an adorable little puppy that has found her way into my life. Petra was a puppy of a street dog, living on the street. My roommate Katie and I were talk about how we have been seeing a couple of street puppies on our way to work in the morning, so we decided to go see where they were living. When we found Petra, she was sitting in a garbage pile, trying to find something to eat. She is young, probably born during the first week of August (according to the vet), with scars on her head from some cuts she got a while back. We brought her home, cleaned her up, took her to the vet to get her first vaccine and de-worming, and gave her a new life. At first she was scared and tried to leave, but once she realized she was in a safe place, she became comfortable and now is happily living as a house dog. My roommates and I marveled at the similarities we saw between Petra’s life and our lives. Before becoming Christians, we lived out in the world, filling up our lives with garbage and thinking we are happy. Then Someone (Jesus) came along and rescued us from our life, cleaned us up, and took us to be with Him. Sometimes, we try to get away and go back to our old life, but once we realize that we are safe and in a good place, we can take joy that we were rescued and life a truly happy life!

WyldLife- the beginning of something BIG!

2010-09-07T10:11:00.001-04:00

I want to tell you a little about a new ministry that I have just recently joined to impact the lives of children here in Jarabacoa.

Young Life is a ministry that was founded in Texas as an outreach program to reach the kids who do not go to church and/or have no desire to go to church. The idea was to reach the kids where they were and get them to know Jesus. Adult leaders develop relationships with teenagers, get to know them and about them, have conversations with them, and really come to love them as a person created in the image of God. The teens are invited to go to a Club meeting, which is a youth group meeting held at someone’s house. The club time consists of songs, games, skits, and activities that allow them to have fun, laugh, and enjoy themselves. There is also a brief talk about Jesus, lasting for 10-15 minutes. Besides club meetings, the adult leaders are able to mentor and disciple some teens who truly have a desire to go deeper with their relationship with Christ.

Young Life works with high school students and has a division called Wyld Life that works with middle school students. This is the new ministry that I have signed up with.

I will be working with a small team of adults to reach into the lives of the middle school students in Jarabacoa. I am super excited about this ministry and the opportunities that God is going to give me to impact these kids for the Kingdom!

Now, if you are excited about this ministry like I am, you may be wondering how you can help. Well, there are a few ways that God can use you to help with this ministry.
One way you can help is through your prayers. Pray for the middle school students who will be coming to the meetings. Pray for those who are not sure if they should go. Pray for the parents and for their permission to let their children attend. Pray for our leadership team (Tim, Laura, Rachel, Jessica, Natalie, and I) as we prepare all the activities and events for Club meetings and for our contact with the kids outside of the meeting times. Pray against the spiritual warfare that will try to combat the Work that God is doing here with middle schoolers.

Another way you can help is through donations of items that we need for club meetings. Each club meeting (every other Tuesday), will have a different theme. We need items that can go with these themes to help bring the students in and allow them to enjoy themselves while learning about Jesus.

The themes for this first half of the year are:

• Beach Party
• Banana Night
• Movie Night
• 70s Night/ Tie Dye
• Outer Space Night
• Christmas Party

We need items to go with the various themes, including silly hats and costumes, facepaint, and anything else that can be used to create the theme. There are a few items I know for sure that we need:

• Beach Party- Beach balls, leis (enough for 50 kids plus adults), beach accessories, grass skirts
• 70s Night/ Tie Dye- Tie dye materials (actual dye), White t-shirts for middle school students (adult sizes- all sizes, must be new and still in packaging or still have tags on), 70s hairdo wig, disco ball
• Outer Space Night- Facepaint (especially green), Alien costumes- facemasks, hats, gloves, etc.
• Christmas Club- Any type of Christmas items, decorations, candy, etc.

In addition, each week there will be a raffle as door prizes for students. Any donations of small/ medium items that can be used as door prizes are also greatly appreciated, especially if they are related to the theme of the Club.

All donation items can be sent to the following address:

Jyll Schenault
Doulos Discovery School
Unit 3017 - DDSDR
3170 Airmans Drive
Ft. Pierce, FL 34946

I would ask that you could please include $3.00 per pound for shipping from Florida to the Dominican Republic.

I want to thank you in advance for your help with this new and exciting ministry opportunity that God has brought my way. It is such a blessing to be used by God in new ways to reach his children and bring them into a relationship with Jesus.

Hurricane Earl

2010-09-03T13:09:00.001-04:00

Hurricane Earl was a Category 3 storm when he pounded Puerto Rico and was heading toward our island. God protected us by turning the hurricane away, leaving us with some thick clouds and some light-moderate rainfall.

Of course, this was the closest I have ever been to a hurricane- and I was excited. Strange, I know... but if you know me, then you understand what I am saying. I have always loved studying weather. When I was younger, I had a desire to study meteorology and specialize in hurricane studies. However, that education path was not possible for me (and God had other plans).

Growing up in Ohio, I did not get to experience a hurricane, so I have been paying close attention to the tropics during this hurricane season, since I am now living there. So far it has been an active tropical season, but nothing has headed this way.

Quick update- Work and Home

2010-09-03T12:59:00.000-04:00

School has been in session now for 3 weeks. Things are going well. My schedule still has not been set- so I continue to jump from class to class, trying to work with a variety of kids in preschool, 1st grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, and 8th grade. I am also working at the school across the street, helping them get their special ed program started. I have also been evaluating students again. As you can see, my "not so set" schedule is pretty busy.

The house is doing well. We have not had any recent ant attacks. The bait powder seems to have worked. We (my roommates and I) are starting to get settled in and the house is starting to feel like home.

I would love for you to leave me a message or send me an email letting me know how things are going in your area of the world.

Ant Attack update

2010-08-23T08:27:00.000-04:00

Plan A seems to have worked. I have not seen ants in my bathroom since I laid down the bait powder. However, they have decided to move on to other parts of the house. On Saturday, they were seen coming out of an electrical outlet in my roommate's bedroom. When we took the cover plate off, we found they had made a next inside the outlet box. They were also coming out from behind the tile in the kitchen and marching up the sidewalk outside of the house like a massive army.

Any suggestions on how to completely eliminate these pests would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Killer Ants part 2- The Invasion Continues

2010-08-18T09:36:00.000-04:00

On the way home from work yesterday, I decided to pick up a few items for these pesky invaders of my bathroom- namely Ant bait killer and Raid! And it is a good thing I did!

I arrived home to find that they were not just climbing out of the new hole they managed to find, but they were covering my entire bathtub, on the walls, climbing out of the bathtub, down the wall, across the floor, and out into my bedroom!! I decided that this was war- and the hour of attack had come. These ants chose the wrong person to mess with.

I began by fumigating the entire area of with Raid. I had to wait for a while for the air to clear before going back in to clean up the mini- carcasses and spraying anyone who survived the nuclear blast.

After cleaning up the little bodies (more like washing them down the drain), and scrubbing the entire bathroom down yet again (I just did that Saturday and Monday), I laid this ant bait powder in the main areas I’ve been seeing them come out or congregating. Now, I wait….. wait to see if they take the bait!

If this doesn’t work, then we will try plan B. What is plan B? I have no idea.

Killer Ants!!!

2010-08-17T16:46:00.002-04:00

My bathroom, especially around the shower, is infected with killer ants. When I was cleaning out my bathroom on Saturday, I discovered 2 holes at the top of the shower with ants crawling out of them. When I put a wet cloth over them to clean them up, hundreds of ants came pouring out of the holes. As I tried to clean up the ants, more and more came out of the holes. While cleaning them up, one of them got on my hand and bit me. I swear it had piranha teeth! The more I tried to clean them up, the more I was getting bit. The landlord filled the holes with cement and this sufficed for the day. However, they have since found another hole to come out of... and they are hungry. I am now exploring other alternatives on how to get rid of these pesky invaders.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

House Hunters International- Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic

2010-08-17T16:13:00.005-04:00

House Hunters International. If you haven't seen this show on the Home and Garden Network, you should check it out. They follow a person, couple, or family on their journey to find a new home, whether in the United States (House Hunters) or in a different country (HH International). The people searching for the new house are showing 3 different houses, have a chance to talk about what they liked and didn't like about each house, and then choose where they want to live. Last week, I felt like I was on one of the episodes.

Since arriving in the country just over a week ago, I began searching for a new place to live. I checked out several houses, thinking through the positives and comparing it with the negatives of each house. I finally decided on a house on Saturday morning.

Rossy, my new roommate, and I signed the contract on Saturday morning. We then cleaned the house from top to bottom all day Saturday. We were moved in by Saturday night. I spent the rest of the weekend organizing and unpacking.

While there is still a lot to do and a lot we still need to get (like a refridgerator!), I thought you might like to see what the house looks like. Here are some pics....

The front of my new house.

Living Room

My bedroom. I was given the master bedroom- with its private bathroom!

My bathroom.

Dining Room

Kitchen

We also have a laundry room, which will soon be the home to a washing machine and the refridgerator (no, they didn't leave any space in the kitchen for a fridge!). We also have a small yard in the back and a front porch. It is a nice house in a nice neighborhood- a little noiser than I would have liked, but I will get used to it.

If you want to see more, feel free to stop by for a visit!

A new look for a new year

2010-08-15T19:07:00.002-04:00

Since it is the start of a new school year, I thought I would create a fresh start with my blog. So, it now has a new look. Hopefully, I will be able to keep up with it more so than I have in the past. Remind me if I start to get lazy and bug me as much as you need to so I will update it!

I have failed!!

2010-08-14T10:49:00.004-04:00

I have failed you! I am such a bad blogger!!

Well, summer has come and gone and now I am back in Jarabacoa. However, since it has been ages since I have last blogged, allow me to give you a picture review of my summer...

Watching my nephew, Collin, play baseball.

Visiting my friend in Oklahoma while presenting in churches about my ministry.

I presented in several churches in Ohio and Oklahoma this summer.

Hanging out with my family in the swimming pool.

Playing with Roni, the family dog.

Taking my nephew hiking and exploring.

Celebrating my birthday (a little late- since I was away on the actual day) with my family.

It was a very full summer, full of work and some fun. Time passed very quickly. I am now back in Jarabacoa and looking forward to an exciting school year!

Math Madness

2010-05-24T10:52:00.005-04:00

Last week, Doulos went crazy. It was Math Madness week. Students in grades 6-12 competed in contests, races, and a math bee (similar to a spelling bee, but with math problems instead- and air horns as buzzers!) to see who would be the winner. The students in the younger grades were each paired up with a team to cheer them on and each team was assigned a color. Throughout the week, you could see team spirit everywhere, from chalk writings on the sidewalk, to colorful posters on the walls, and even costumes and accessories on the kids! The activities concluded with a giant water balloon fight between the winning team and the staff.

Here are some of pictures of this week's madness!

Our MCs for the week- Mr. Plus and Mr. Minus

A wheelbarrow race to solve the math problem.

Every morning, there was an estimation station for the students to make their estimates on specific problems. This day, they were to estimate how many eggs the paper would hold before breaking and sending the eggs on some members of the school administration!

Second graders showing their purple spirit.
The teams are lined up, ready for the competition to begin.
The Math bee, held in the library.
First graders showing their green spirit.
A combination of Kindergarteners and 10th graders cheering for Orange.
Although a little hard to see due to water spots, the end of the week ended in a massive water balloon fight.

Mailing difficulties

2010-05-11T18:30:00.002-04:00

Lately, there have been some difficulties with our mailing system. We use a company here called MFI (Missionary Flights International). This company is based in Florida and is the reason I have been able to receive mail all of this time here in the DR. They deliver mail to the airport near here every other Tuesday.

Two weeks ago, when they brought the mail, they were greeting by governmental agents saying they could not deliver their mail. Apparently there was a change in government regulation and they were no longer authorized to bring mail into the country. After keeping our mail "hostage" for 2 days, paperwork, fees, and fines were taken care of and our mail was released. However, things are still not good.

I was just informed that we will not be getting our mail this week at all. The next mailing is TENTATIVELY scheduled for May 25 (and this is a big maybe). Anything that is in the process of arriving will be held in the warehouse in Florida until it can be delivered, hopefully on May 25.

So, for now, I need to ask you not to send anything to me. Hopefully everything will work out so that the missionaries here in the DR can continue to be blessed by the services of MFI, but until then, please continue to bless me through your prayers and financial gifts, but not through letters and packages mailed to Florida.

I will be returning to Ohio in mid-June (with a trip to Oklahoma in late June or early July). I hope to be able to meet with as many people as possible, sharing all the experiences and blessings that God has given me during these last several months here in the DR!

Expedition Night

2010-04-23T14:13:00.004-04:00

Last night was Expedition Night. This is the evening that the students have to present all that they have been doing and learning throughout the last 2 months during their expedition. Each grade had a different topic of study. While I was not able to see all of the presentations (they occurred simultaneously), I was able to catch a few.

Kindergarten presenting a skit about insects

5th graders presenting about immigration

3rd graders reincarnated from the Egyptian tombs

8th graders decorated the library to show all they learned about Freshwater Ecosystems

High Schoolers doing a skit about protecting yourself from germs

Animals in the 2nd grade Australian zoo

They worked so hard this week. Now it is time to rest!

Mission trip to Sosua with the 5th graders

2010-04-19T19:55:00.006-04:00

Last week Friday and Saturday, I went on a mini- mission trip with the 5th grade class. They have been studying immigration, so we traveled to Sosua, about 3 hours away, to go visit and work with a community of Haitian immigrants.

The visit started out by helping to clean up a preschool for Haitian children. The rain didn't stop us from helping clean up the walls of the buildings!

We then went on a tour of a batey, a poor village made up of primarily Haitian immigrants who were promised work by the Dominican government but then did not receive enough work to make ends meet.

After the tour, the students had time to interact with the children living in the batey by playing with them. Soccer, volleyball, basketball, jumprope, and frisbee were big hits!

That night, we had a time of worship and small group devotions. During this time, one of the girls accepted Christ as her Savior!!

On Saturday, the students went to a Jewish holocaust museum to study about Jewish immigrants to the DR and then went to visit another batey. Once again, the sports were a very popular way for them to see that Haitian children are just like them.

Since we were near the coast, the trip did include lunch on the beach (with a little swim time). Overall, it was a very good trip and a positive experience for all of the students. Here a few extra photos from the trip. Enjoy!

Open the floodgates of Heaven....

2010-04-14T20:14:00.004-04:00

Let it rain! Rainy season has begun. It has been raining a lot lately. Today, the weather couldn't decide if it was going to rain or not, so it did both. Every time I needed to go from my office to the other building, it was not raining. Right after I stepped outside, it would start to rain.

Let me give you an example of this...

When I was going to lunch today, I looked out the window. Not raining. Good. By the time I walked downstairs and to the door, it was pouring. Walked back upstairs to get the umbrella. Went back down and out the door- barely raining. By the time I got to the cafeteria (50 feet away, if that), no rain. Figures.

The kids do not seem to mind the rain. Gym classes continue outdoors. Recess continues outdoors. I pray I can keep up the same enthusiasm that the kids have when I have to walk to work and spend the day all wet!

A trip to "Walmart"

2010-03-29T11:02:00.003-04:00

I am not sure if you are aware of this, but outside of the United States, it is difficult to find a store like Walmart or Target- where you can go to one place and find just about anything. Well, yesterday, we went to the closest thing to Walmart that I have seen outside of the USA. It is called La Sirena.

Located about an hour away by car in Santiago, it was well worth the drive there. Imagine if you will a 2-story super Walmart. The top floor is all household items, clothing, shoes, hardward, sports, etc. The bottom floor is a giant grocery store (minus the frozen food section- just not available here).

While they still don't have everything you can get at Walmart or at a grocery store in the United States, it was fun finding a few things not available in Jarabacoa.

You might be wondering, if there are 2 floors, how do you get your shopping cart up to the second floor? Easy... take the escalator ramp! The shopping cart wheels lock into the ramp and the escalator part takes you up!

Having an all-day shopping experience? Getting hungry? Stop at the food court located inside the store! There is even a play area for the kids!

How to cool down on a hot day...

2010-03-28T18:57:00.005-04:00

Hot day. Water is out in the city. No showers. No AC. No swimming pools. What do you do?? Well, this is what we did...

My roomies and I went hiking down to one of the waterfalls in the area. We hiked for about 20 minutes or so before arriving at the falls, where we entered the river and dove into the refreshingly cool water. What a wonderful way to cool down on a hot day!

My roomies goofing off on the trail.

When you live on an island in the Caribbean...

2010-03-20T22:32:00.003-04:00

You have to take a trip to the beach every now and then! A group from Doulos headed to the beach last weekend. It is about a 2 and a half hour drive through the winding mountain roads to get to the beach- not a good trip for someone like me who gets carsick in the mountains! Besides getting sick on the way there, the trip was wonderful!

Welcome to Ellis Island!

2010-03-16T19:28:00.006-04:00

Last week, we had a work team in from Mosaic Church in Monroe Falls, Ohio. This work team did some work up in the mountains and at a coffee plantation, then spent some time on campus at Doulos. One of the many things they did while on campus was to help in creating a simulation for the 5th graders, who are studying immigration.

The members of the work team posed as different people and stations that would have made up Ellis Island. The students then went through the entire immigration process.

First, the students boarded the boat (entered the small storage closet) were they traveled to the new world. It was a tight fit, but they managed. With the help of their Captain and First Mate, they had to fill out their paperwork on the boat and get their passports.

Upon arriving at Ellis Island, they had to go through the first of 2 registrations. The first registration checked IDs, checked passport documentation, and gave some of the kids a new "American" name.

The next registration person was checking them for general physical defects. This registration officer had them walking, jumping, balancing, etc. Some of the kids had recieved letters on their backs, meaning there was something wrong with them (E= eye problems, A= arm problmes, etc)

After the registration areas, the kids were sent to the nurses' station, where they were given a "health check". They had their heads checked for lice, their eyes and ears checked, etc. Anyone with a letter on their back was checked for specific problems and had that taken care of.

After the nurses' station, the kids went to baggage inspection. The students were told to pack the 5 most important things to them in their backpacks to bring on the trip. Two inspection officers checks their bags for items that were illegal to bring to America (or things they just wanted to confiscate for fun).

After baggage inspection, they went to currency exchange where some kids got lots of money for their currency and some got very little. So is life when exchanging money.

They then had to go to the waiting room and fill out even more paperwork. They also had to wait, and wait, and wait.

When their family name was called, they had to go to the Legal inspector. This person was someone who looked and sounded different (different culture, different language). They had a translator to translate what the inspector said. This was the final person to decide if they were allowed to enter the United States.

Throughout this whole process, some of the students failed to have their passports signed by certain inspectors or station officers. (This was done on purpose). When they were missing a signature, they were sent to the back of the line to try to get the signature of the appropriate person. Also, not all of the students made it to America. One student didn't make it past the nurses' station. He was "diseased" and had to be sent back to his homeland. He had to spend the rest of the time during the simulation in the boat. Another student was caught trying to steal money (since she didn't feel like she got enough with the exchange) and tried to smuggle the diseased immigrant into the country. She was detained and sent back to the boat. Two other students were denied entrance by the legal inspector and were sent back as well.

At one time, one of the girls had missed getting a signature on her passport. She was walking around from station to station, holding out her passport, and looking around aimlessly as she tried to figure out where she was supposed to go. This reminded me of when I enter a country for the first time; as I walk around, trying to figure out where I am supposed to go and who I am supposed to see in order to get into the country. It can be a confusing process to enter a new country, and these kids got a little taste of that for themselves as they entered the United States through Ellis Island.

Laundry- a regular part of life

2010-03-10T19:42:00.007-04:00

This past weekend was cold and rainy. Now, I know what those of you in the USA, especially those in Ohio, are thinking. You are thinking... "It's not cold there! There is no snow there!" Well, cold is definitely relative. We had been in the mid-upper 80s or lower 90s for several weeks, so a weekend with temperatures hovering around 60 and rain is cold here.

The cold isn't too bad, but the problem is the rain. More so, the problem lies in the fact that I tend to do laundry on the weekends. Laundry is washed in our "American" style washing machine, and then hung out on the line to dry. However, laundry doesn't dry too well in the rain.

Meredith, one of my roommates, tried washing laundry before the rain started on Saturday. However, the rain kept her clothes from drying all day. On Sunday, she moved all of her wet clothes into her room and used fans to try to dry them. Rachel (another roommate) and I both washed a few things on Sunday that we needed for work and followed Meredith's example of hanging up in the bedrooms with fans.

I guess sometimes you do what you have to do.

Oh, allow me to show you how our washer works. When we bought our washer, we opted for the American-style washer. This one is fully automatic. With a Dominican-style washer, you need to fill the water up in the washer with the hose or a bucket at the beginning of the wash cycle, then open the valve to drain it, then fill it back up for the rinse, then drain it again before transferring the clothes to the spinner to have the water spun out of them. Since my washer is automatic, I don't have to worry about that. Here are the steps of my washer:

Turn the washing machine on

Set the desired load size

Put in clothes and soap

Make sure the water hose is on

Set the cycle to fuzzy- Yep, I said fuzzy! That is our normal cycle.

Turn on the air turbo, if desired

and Push start!

When the washer is finished washing (usually about an hour later), it plays music- nursery rhyme style music!

Dios, Patria, Libertad!

2010-02-28T11:13:00.003-04:00

God, Fatherland, Liberty. This is the motto of the Dominican Republic. This was heard by the children of Doulos on Friday as they celebrated Independence Day. The Dominican Republic received independence from Haiti on February 27, 1844. To celebrate this, the children of Doulos performed dramas, gave speeches, danced and celebrated. Here are some pics to show this...

Inquiring Minds Want To Know...

2010-02-26T15:08:00.015-04:00

Many people want to know what it is like to live in the Dominican Republic. Sometimes, it is hard to describe it to someone who has never been here before. I want to help you get a glimpse into what it is like to live here.

This blog post is dedicated to the students at Chelsea High School. Thank you for sending me some great questions about life in the DR!

Food:

There are many different types of food here. Dominicans eat a lot of rice, beans, and chicken.

A popular dish here is called Pastelón. This is a lasagna- type dish made with either plantains, yucca, or (in the case of this picture) eggplant.

Another common dish is called Sancocho. This is a type of soup where just about everything is thrown into the pot- plantains, potatoes, yucca, chicken, beef, etc.

Transportation:

Here in Jarabacoa, most things are close enough to walk to. However, people do use vehicles to get around. The most common form of transportation is motorcycle.

If you do not have a motorcycle or a car, then you might need to take a concho. A concho is a motorcycle taxi. You can find conchos waiting just about anywhere in the heart of town. If there are too many of you to take a concho, you can take a guagua, which is a taxi mini-bus.

Nature on the island:

Yes, I am living on an island, however the nearest beach is over 2 hours away. I am living in the mountains. There are 2 rivers running through this area, forming beautiful waterfalls throughout the region.

Creepy Crawlers:

Since the DR is in the tropics, we have your typical tropical creepy crawlers. Cockroaches, ants, lizards, geckos, spiders, etc. I have only seen 1 tarantula since arriving here (thankful it has only been one) and one 3-inch spider that was crawling around my closet.

I hope this helps you get a little glimpse as to what it is like to live here. I will try to post more pictures in the future.

From the comfort of my own house...

2010-02-24T21:36:00.002-04:00

I am writing this blog entry while sitting on the couch from the comfort of my own house. Yes, that means that I have internet at home. What a wonderful feeling to know that I can continue to talk to other people, check email, and update my blog without having to do it before leaving the school. Now, perhaps I can update my blog more often. (Please make sure I do!)

The Test has arrived!!

2010-02-17T09:02:00.003-04:00

Have you ever been excited about a test? Yesterday, I was extremely excited about a test. The test that we ordered- the test I will use to help determine disabilities- arrived in the mail. I am very excited about this. I have been waiting for it to arrive- and it finally has.

It arrived in 5 separate packages. The entire test, administrator manuals, etc. are all in Spanish. It is going to take me a little while to read through it all and figure out exactly what I need to do to give this test and get accurate results.

I thought I was busy before, but now the hard work begins!

Got talent?

2010-02-16T13:19:00.002-04:00

On Friday night, the 8th graders at Doulos had a talent show. The money raised from this talent show went to support Haiti. They had people audition for the show in advance and then charged people for admission to the show. Many children and staff from Doulos participated. The show ended with a performance from the worship team of one of the local churches.

Many of the 5th grade class that I have been working with decided to participate. They sang the song "God of Wonders" and I taught them some sign language to go with the chorus of the song. They did a good job, despite the difficulties they had in practice.

Below are some pictures and videos from the show. Overall, the talent show raised over 10,000 pesos (over $270) for Haiti.

This is the 5th graders singing "God of Wonders".

This is R, another 5th grader, who decided to sing solo.

Bible Excitement

2010-02-10T09:51:00.002-04:00

This week, along with all of the duties I have with designing the special education program, putting together all of the program documents in both English and Spanish, observing children in grades K-12, giving diagnostic evaluations and grading them, I am also teaching 5th grade. The teacher had to make an unexpected trip to the U.S. this week, so I am teaching the classes, at least partly. The school’s substitute teacher has other classes that she has been teaching for teachers who are out, so she is only able to come in to 5th grade for part of the Math class, science, and geography. That leaves me to cover Bible/Devotions, Math, and English (with the help of the ESL teacher.)

I knew I would be teaching Math and English this week and had discussed plans with Ciara, the 5th grade teacher, last week. However, I found out that I would be teaching Bible 2 minutes before class on Monday. Surprise! As I was heading to class with the kids, I was praying that I would know what to teach. When we got to class, we sang a song first. Then, I got the Bible out and turned to Romans. Romans 10:9-10. The students copied those verses from their Bibles into their notebooks. That was going to be the verse of the week.

Today, I had the kids get together with a partner. Each partner pair received an envelope with the verse in it- both in English and Spanish- cut up word by word and mixed together. Their assignment was to put the pieces together as a puzzle to form the verses in both languages. They were really excited about this.

As they put their puzzle together, they kept repeating the verse over and over again- trying to get it in order. As time came for the class to end, they were still working. Their Spanish teacher arrived for Spanish class, and they actually kicked her out of the room. They wanted to keep working- to get their verses finished. They worked an extra 10 minutes before we finally had to stop (most groups had finished their puzzles).

What a joy to see the kids so excited to learn verses of the Bible!

Dominican-style driving

2010-02-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

Here in the D.R., people drive semi-“normal”. They drive on the right side of the road. They stop at stop signs and red lights, when they are there. They even use turn signals- sometimes. The motorcycles, which outnumber the cars at least 5 to 1, usually weave in and out of the cars, pulling in front of them or alongside of them in tight spots.

The thought of actually driving here can be a scary thought. However, on Monday, I did just that.

One of my new roommates was having a small birthday party at our house for a friend of hers. She was running late and there were a few things she needed at the store. She asked me if I would run up to the store and get them. Sure, I wasn’t busy. I could go. She then handed me the keys to her car. I thought I would be walking, but nope, I was going to be driving. Wow. My first time driving in the D.R. and actually my first time driving in Latin America!

I was nervous just pulling out of the tight space in our driveway and out onto the narrow street with motorcycles passing behind the car. Once I got onto the main road, I felt more comfortable. I made it to the store and back with no problems.

When I got back, she told me that if I ever need to borrow her car, I can. It could be fun getting out and driving around- going places too far to walk.

Finally getting settled

2010-02-04T15:46:00.001-04:00

This week has been a productive week. I have started to finally get settled into life here in the DR. Two major things to help with this process took place this week.

I got a Dominican cell phone. Yes, I finally got a Dominican cell phone. I have been here almost a month and have not been able to get to the cell phone store to get one. The few times I had a chance and tried going, the store was closed. Anyway, I now have a way of communicating with my new colleagues, so I feel more connected with people here.
I have finally moved into my new house. This is a major adjustment and a major advancement in getting settled here. I no longer have to live out of my suitcase and jump around from one person’s house to another. I am living with 3 women. Two of them work with me at Doulos and one works with Students International. We seem to be getting along very well so far.

Pictures coming soon. Keep checking back!

Revolution

2010-01-29T15:14:00.003-04:00

Every couple of Fridays, at the end of the day, all of the staff and students of Doulos are invited to go to the amphitheater for an event they call Revolution. This is a student-led event where they sing, play games, and do silly or crazy things. I have posted some pictures for you to see what it looks like.

On the move...

2010-01-27T20:54:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, I stayed with a friend from the school. The family I have been staying with was out of town, so Ciara offered to let me stay with her. It was nice to get out of the house I have been in a see a little different setting.

Today, I am on the move again. Only this time, it's a move towards the more permanent. I will be moving in with 3 girls- sharing a house not too far from school. However, this house doesn't have any furniture in it. The other girls are getting most of the big stuff, so I will need to buy very little. Until everything is ready, I am staying with 2 other girls from the school. Amanda and Melanie have graciously opened up their house for me for the next few nights.

It gives me a feeling of comfort to know that I am one step closer to finally getting settled in my new home, finally getting acquainted with my new town, and finally getting to know some more people a little deeper.

Mail me!

2010-01-22T21:44:00.005-04:00

Here in the DR, I am actually able to receive mail. We get mail delivered here from the US every 2 weeks. A missions organization called Missionary Flights International delivers mail here from their base in Florida. Any mail sent to me would be sent to Florida and then delivered by plane to the DR.

I would love to hear from you. Letters and cards only require a regular, first class, US stamp. Packages can be sent to Florida via the post office, FedEx, UPS, etc. However, I would like to ask anyone sending packages to include $1.50 per pound (personal check is preferred) to help cover the costs to send it from Florida to the DR (which I have to pay in order to receive it). (Please remove items from their boxes or packages before shipping.)

The address is:

Jyll Schenault
Doulos Discovery School
Unit 3017 - DDSDR
3170 Airmans Drive
Ft. Pierce, FL 34946

I hope to hear from you soon!!

Some pics of Doulos

2010-01-22T21:13:00.004-04:00

I know I haven't been posting any pics from the DR. Sorry about that. Here are a few pics from the school and a pic of the cemetery in town. They don't bury people underground and people are only buried for a short time. They have to rent the space for so many years and then vacate it for someone else to rent. I believe the bodies are then cremated.

Anyway, I will try to post more pics as I take them. You can also sign up to recieve my picture of the week email, which will have pics that are not posted on this blog. If you would like to sign up, just send me an email at jyllschenault@yahoo.com or jyll@schenault.com or leave me a message here.

This is the 5th grade class that I have been working with. Sometimes they are sweethearts and sometimes they are little devils, but I like them!

Things I've learned...

2010-01-21T11:17:00.002-04:00

I have been in the DR for over 2 weeks now. There are several things I have learned during these two weeks.

The electricity is not very stable. Frequently, the power goes out for no reason whatsoever and stays off for 5 minutes or 5 hours. The water does the same thing.
Holidays are movable. A holiday that falls on a day in the middle of the week has a good chance of being moved to a Monday or a Friday in order to have a long weekend.
A man named Duarte was the one who liberated the country and is considered the national hero. He is bigger here than Washington is in the USA. Lots of things are named after him. His holiday, Duarte Day, is January 26. This year, it was moved to January 25 so that there could be a long weekend.
The primary mode of transportation here is motorcycle. There are more motos here than cars. They even use motos as taxis. After motos, the primary way to get from place to place is walking.
Gas is expensive here. It is currently about $5 per gallon.
Many things here are measured in English measurements- pounds, gallons, etc. However, some things are measured in the metric system- kilometers, etc. Good luck figuring out what is measured with which.
Prices of items in a grocery store are similar to prices in the USA and some things are cheaper. Imported items from the USA tend to be more, but they are still WAY CHEAPER than prices in Venezuela.
There is a prejudice in the DR against Haitians. Many Dominicans do not like Haitians and consider them to be a lower class of people. However, since the earthquake, many Dominicans have shown a desire to help Haiti with needed supplies and materials.
The Spanish here is slightly different than the Spanish I learned. Some basic words (vocabulary) are different. For example, passion fruit in Venezuela is called parchita and in the DR is called chinola. At times, I struggle to understand Dominican Spanish.

First hugs

2010-01-15T13:17:00.002-04:00

I officially began working on Tuesday, starting with the 5th grade class. When I started there, the kids were a little nervous (I think). The teacher, Ciara, said they were really well-behaved on Tuesday and Wednesday- more so than usual. Well, yesterday and today, they have begun showing their true colors. They are now used to me. They are also starting to like me.

Yesterday, I got my first hugs from the kids. Many of the girls (and a few of the boys) came up to give me hugs yesterday and today. I really like to see that they are no longer nervous with me being there and are responding to me in the same way they respond to Ciara and other teachers that they have.

Today, I also met the mom of one of the students and she has invited me to come out to her house. I told her I am not sure when I can (since I am still not living in town- but up in the mountains), but that I would love to go to her house for a visit. I will keep you updated when this actually happens.

Because I'm just so sweet...

2010-01-15T13:15:00.002-04:00

AAAHHHHH!!! I am so itchy. The mosquitos here love me. My feet and legs are all bitten up. It doesn't matter if I am wearing long pants- they bite right through. My feet are the worse. There are several bites on each foot. Why do they like me so much?? I guess it's just because I'm so sweet!

Earthquake in Haiti

2010-01-13T15:53:00.004-04:00

As you probably already know, there was a major earthquake in Haiti yesterday- just outside the capital city of Port au Prince- which registered at a 7.0 in magnitude. Here in the Dominican Republic, we were able to feel the earthquake. I was out to dinner with my host family when the quake struck. The ground began shaking slowly, then picked up in intensity. We immediately got out from under the wooden structure, out into the open, where we watched the ceiling fans and lights sway back and forth. The shaking lasted for about a minute. There was no damage in our area and everyone here (including me) is safe, but the devistation in Haiti is enormous. Please keep them in your prayers.

Let the work begin!

2010-01-13T15:47:00.002-04:00

I have officially begun working! I have been observing and working with the students in the 5th grade classroom. Of the 18 students in this class, I am monitoring 7 of them for various thing- ADD, ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Language difficulties, and even one possible Asperger's Syndrome.

The kids seem to like me so far and Ciara, the 5th grade teacher, loves having me in her classroom.

I now also have a desk in the Administrative Office of the school. I have been told that I am not a full time teacher, but a part time teacher and part time administrator. Not only will I be in the classroom working with the children, but I will also be developing the entire program and getting everything in writing for the ACSI Accreditation process.

There is a lot to do. I have only been working now for 2 days and I already feel behind in my work.

Orientation

2010-01-13T15:46:00.000-04:00

On Monday, I had my official orientation as a new staff member of Doulos Discovery School. This orientation lasted all day and thoroughly discussed every aspect of the school and everything I needed to know before working. I also got a campus tour and even a little insight on some of the future development of the school. I still have not yet seen where I will be located on campus (they aren’t exactly sure yet), but I should be able to get into the classroom tomorrow. I will begin with observations and working with the 5th grade class. Ciara, the 5th grade teacher, is excited that I will be working with her class first. I was also asked by the first grade teacher if I could check on a student of hers, who seems to be behind the rest of the students in her class.

Besides working with the students, I will be developing the special education program with proper documentation for the accreditation process that the school is working on.
I haven’t officially started working yet, and I already have quite a bit of work to do.

Iglesia Comunidad La Vid

2010-01-13T15:45:00.002-04:00

Here in the DR, if you are Christian that is not Catholic, then you are considered Evangelico. And if you attend a church that is not Catholic, then it is most likely charismatic in nature. There are varying degrees or levels of charismatic behavior in the churches. Iglesia La Vid is not overly charismatic, but it still has that level of energy that allows you to know that you are definitely in Latin America.

It is a small church- less than 100 people. Services are outside, on a covered patio. The children (there were quite a few) remained in the service through the worship time and then left to go to their classes just before preaching began. Everything was in Spanish, but the sermon was translated into English due to several people in attendance not knowing Spanish. Service lasted for about 2 hours, but it did not feel very long. Overall, it was a wonderful time of worship and hearing from the Word with my new neighbors.

Saturday Night Bingo

2010-01-13T15:42:00.002-04:00

Saturday evening, I accompanied my host family on a visit to their neighbor’s house. These neighbors live in the capital city of Santo Domingo and have a vacation home here in Jarabacoa. They come out for the weekends.

At this home were the 2 gentlemen who own it, along with several members of their family, all older- mostly women. We were given some hot tea that they were brewing and after sitting to talk for a while, we were invited to play Bingo with them. When we sat down to play, we were informed that they were playing for money. One of the men paid our poker chips- 10 pesos per chip, 10 chips total.

These ladies were very serious about this game. They wanted to make sure that everyone paid for their games and the chips were carefully counted at the start of each game. They also wanted to make sure that nobody was cheating. Every number had to be checked when someone called Bingo.

In the middle of the game, we lost power for about 5 minutes, but this did not stop them from playing. They just brought out candles and kept going.

We played with them for about an hour and a half before calling it a night and heading back home. What an interesting neighborhood visit we had.

First trip around town

2010-01-11T16:02:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, we went into town to go grocery shopping. We left the car in front of the grocery store and walked around town to go to the fruit market, then the vegetable market, then returned to the grocery store before stopping at the meat market. A lot can be learned about a culture and a society by visiting the local markets.

On our way to the fruit market, we stopped and got some ice cream. 2 cups of ice cream and 1 large slushy cost a total of $ 100 (100 pesos- yes, they use the $ to indicate pesos, but RD$ 36 = US$ 1) making our ice cream stop less than 3 dollars for all three of us. Not too bad.

In the vegetable market, we were not allowed to choose our own produce. We told the worker what we wanted and he got it for us. After carrying all of our fruits and veggies back to the car, we went to the grocery store.

The store was small, but had a lot of products. Many products were items typically found in the United States. I had a lot of fun looking at the prices. Prices were a lot cheaper than they were in Venezuela. I was able to find things like Macaroni & Cheese (US $1), pancake mix (less than US $2 for a box), and even lactose free milk (less than US $2). While I have not yet had to go shopping on my own, this helped me a lot to figure out how I can go shopping and how much it will cost when I do begin.

Accreditation committees

2010-01-08T17:54:00.004-04:00

Today was an in-service workshop for all staff members. Classes do not begin until Monday. Part of the workshop today was the formation of committees for the development of the plan for getting the school accredited with the Association of Christian Schools International. This is going to be a long process. I am on the committee that involves student services- particularly for those with special needs. This is going to be a long process. If anyone has any experience working with obtaining accreditation, please let me know!

Staff Mini-Retreat

2010-01-08T09:45:00.000-04:00

Today (Thursday) we had a mini-retreat for all the staff that is in town. A few people are still returning from the United States, but most of the staff came. This was my first opportunity to meet the people with whom I will be working over the next several months. It was a bit overwhelming trying to meet and remember names of so many people.
The retreat took place at the house where I am staying. Everyone arrived at the same time in 2 taxi vans. We began with a time of worship and hearing a message from The Word. We then had a time of personal reflection and time alone with God. Everyone was instructed to go outside and walk through the steps of this reflection in the stillness and silence of the hills and mountains around the house. Thankfully, the rain subsided in time for this and then began again right after lunch.
After lunch, we had a time of fellowship and games. This was a great time to get to know some people. I will hopefully meet the rest of the staff tomorrow.

Can't see the mountains...

2010-01-08T09:44:00.003-04:00

I woke up today to a blanket of dense fog covering the mountains and the valley. I can only see about 100 feet out in either direction. It gives the feel of a mystery novel- not quite knowing what is out there. I love it.

Evenings in Jarabacoa

2010-01-08T09:43:00.000-04:00

Evenings and early mornings can get a little chilly. The temperature got down to about 50ºF last night. Now I know what those of you in the heart of winter are thinking…. I WISH we had 50ºF right now. The thing with it getting to 50º is that if it is 50 outside, it is also 50º inside. There is actually one room of the house that an outside room- it has bars but no screens or windows. This room is connected directly to the house with no way of closing it off. So, whatever the temperature is like outside, it is like that inside as well. Who would have thought that my sweatshirt would become a necessity in the tropics???

First look at Doulos

2010-01-08T09:36:00.002-04:00

I had my first look at Doulos Discovery School. It was amazing seeing the buildings and school grounds in person- the ones I had only seen in pictures before. I did not get to see the whole school yet- just a glimpse. However, I am looking forward to seeing the rest, meeting the staff, and seeing the kids.

Picture of the Week

2010-01-08T09:35:00.000-04:00

For all of you who want to get an even better look as to what I am seeing while here in the DR, I will be starting a Picture of the Week emailing. Every week, I will email out a picture taken that week and an explanation or the story behind that picture, as well as an update about what is happening here in Jarabacoa. These pictures WILL NOT APPEAR ON THIS BLOG. They will be exclusively for those on the mailing list. If you would like to receive the Picture of the Week each week, please leave me a message with your email address or email me at jyll@schenault.com or jyllschenault@yahoo.com.

Travel and arrival

2010-01-08T09:30:00.002-04:00

The long wait is finally over. I have arrived in the Dominican Republic. My travelling went very well. All flights were on time, except for the last one, which was delayed due to a broken headlight. During my time in the airport, God teamed me up with a new friend. Her name is Kathy.

Kathy is from Ohio. She was on the flight from Cleveland before my flight, traveling to Chicago just like me. I met her while boarding the plane in Chicago. She is a full time missionary in Bolivia. We spent the layover in Miami talking and getting to know each other.

She is from Ohio and is supported by Parkside Church. She knows several people from Hudson Community Chapel. She also knows a few people who are teaching at Doulos- the school I’m working with here in the DR. She has been in Bolivia for the past 8 years in the same location that some friends of mine in Oklahoma go to a few times each year.

What are the “chances” that this was just “coincidence”? Highly unlikely. God is great! He put us together for a reason. I plan on keeping in touch with her and we hope to get together again in Ohio this summer.

I arrived in the DR and was picked up by Krista- the director of Doulos Discovery School. I am staying with her and her family until my housing situation is arranged. She has a beautiful house. She lives away from town in a very secluded area. It is quiet and peaceful here. Mango trees and citrus trees are dotted around the property. Palm trees rustling in the breeze. What a place to live!

A funny thing happened on the way to the airport…

2010-01-08T09:29:00.000-04:00

Well, it was time to go to the airport. The massive amounts of snow were not going to stop me. My sister and Dad drove me to the airport. God gave us a break from the snow overnight, so the roads were not too bad. However, a rain/sleet/snow mixture was falling in the morning. We scraped the ice off the car windows, went slow, and made it just fine. Almost.

On the way there, the driver’s side windshield wiper picked up some ice and was not cleaning the windshield. Not a good thing when driving 50mph on the freeway. My sister rolled down her window to try to knock the ice off the wiper. She grabbed the wiper in mid wipe and all of a sudden, the wiper flew off the car, out of her hand, and went bouncing down the highway! She just stared in shock. We couldn’t believe that just happened. What do we do now? Dirty window. No wiper. On the highway.

We got off the highway and pulled into a parking lot, where she took off the passenger wiper and tried to attach it to the driver’s side wiper. No luck. However, we were only a few exits from the airport. After cleaning off the windshield with a glove, we were back in the car and back on the highway. It started to get bad again just as we arrived at the airport.

We arrived at the airport on time. Actually, with time to spare- since there were no crowds there. There was no line to check in and only a few people in line for security. Where were all the people? I’m not sure. Checking in took 1 minute and security screening took 3 minutes. After more goodbyes to my family, I am off on another adventure with Christ!

Attempting to Escape

2010-01-04T17:43:00.004-04:00

Well, the time has finally come. I leave tomorrow for the DR. Maybe.

We have had intense snowfall for the past several days. The roads are treacherous- highways are as bad as side streets. The snow just keeps coming- with no signs of stopping.

It will be really nice to escape the snow and head to the Caribbean. However, I have to be able to make it to the airport and fly out of Cleveland. I trust that God will keep me safe and that I will arrive in the DR in his perfect timing.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T06:01:00.002-04:00

Merry Christmas!! What a wonderful time to spend with my family before leaving again. As I am writing this, my whole family is asleep. If you see the time of this post... yes, it is only 5am. I am wide awake. I was working on a special Christmas gift for my parents in the middle of the night, and am now wide awake. But, that's ok. I love being with my family this Christmas.

I attended Christmas Eve services at church with my parents, sister, and her boyfriend. I love seeing them all in church. I pray that they will have the desire to continue going to church on a regular basis- not just Christmas and Easter. I ask that you also will pray with me for my family- that they will come back to God and experience a true relationship with him.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas, filled with joy and happiness, surrounded by loved ones, and in celebration of the birth of a baby born over 2000 years ago.

Getting Ready

2009-12-21T22:41:00.002-04:00

Christmas is coming. Just a few short days away. I have been preparing for Christmas for the past few weeks. I am excited about Christmas this year. Last year, I was not home for Christmas; I was in Venezuela. While I loved experiencing a Venezuelan Christmas, I was really really homesick. I spent several hours of Christmas Day on the phone with my family, attempting to share Christmas with them even though I was 3000 miles away. What a blessing God has given me to allow me to spend Christmas with my family this year.

I am also preparing for the next big adventure that God has given me. I leave in just 2 weeks. It is so close away, and yet, it still feels so far. I think it will "sink in" more once Christmas is over, that I will be gone soon. There is so much to do over the next 2 weeks. It will pass so quickly. Before I know it, I will be heading to the Caribbean and jumping into the work that God has already prepared for me!

Here we go again...

2009-12-08T23:34:00.002-04:00

Over the past 10 months, I have been patiently waiting for God to guide me on my next path. When I heard about Doulos Discovery School, I began praying and asking God if this was where He wanted me to go. He confirmed it to me in May, and I began the road of support raising and preparing to go serve Him in the Dominican Republic.

It has been a long, hard journey. Support raising has not been easy. I began to wonder about God's plan for me and if I really was on the right journey. I continued to pray and seek His Guidance, but things became more and more difficult. Trials and tribulations have come with increasing intensity over the past several months, not just for me, but for my family as well- culminating in the last couple of weeks. Several times, I asked God if He really wanted me to go or if He rather I stayed here, serving Him in my own home and church. While I wasn't always sure what He wanted me to do, I trusted Him to guide me and trusted that He would show me and give me direction on where He wanted me to be. And He did!

This week, I was finally given approval to proceed. Today, I purchased my flight tickets. I will be leaving on January 5- traveling to Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. I am excited to finally be able to go serve Him in the DR.

I ask that you please continue to keep me in your prayers as I prepare to leave. Pray that God will continue to guide me as I work with the other missionaries and teachers of Doulos, working with the children of Jarabacoa, and reaching the people with the truth of Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving with my family

2009-11-26T18:39:00.002-04:00

Happy Thanksgiving.

Last year, I was away for Thanksgiving- spending it with my very good friends in Venezuela. This year, I am back with my family. It has been an enjoyable day of sharing with my family, talking, reminiscing about old times, eating great food, and having a good time.

It has been hard waiting for the time when God will be sending me to the DR, but in the meantime, it is good to be with my family and be able to spend these precious holidays with them.

MIA

2009-11-07T23:08:00.002-04:00

I know, I know. It's been a long time since I have been on my blog. I am sorry. I have not been motivated to write and have not really had anything to write about. I admit, I have been a bit discouraged. However, I am trying to get over that.

Last weekend, I visited a church in Bucyrus, Ohio- a 2 hour drive away. I "accidentally" found this church's website when I was looking for something else. I became intrigued when I saw that this church (in Ohio) has a hispanic ministry.

Both the English and Spanish services were very good. The Spanish service lasted 3.5 hours and was quite charismatic. Everything in Spanish was translated into English, which made it difficult to understand at times because of 2 languages happening at the same time.

After the service, I spoke with the pastor, who was thrilled to find out that I (1) speak Spanish and (2) am a missionary in Latin America. He gave me his email address and wants to keep in touch with me. Perhaps God is providing a divine connection with this church.

Anyway, I am just trying to trust Him with everything. I know there is a reason He has delayed me in going to the DR. I just have to trust in Him and His perfect timing.

The book of Job

2009-09-29T23:57:00.001-04:00

Tonight I was reading from the book of Job. In the life of Job, there was a Spiritual battle that took place in Heaven. Satan was actually given permission to strike everything in the life of Job and to strike him physically, but he was not allowed to kill him. Satan believed that Job had been faithful to God all his life because of his good life and that once everything was taken away- his family, his wealth, and his health- that he would then curse God. Job, however, did the opposite. He humbled himself before God.

As I was reading, I noticed that Job was hard pressed. He was depressed. He tired of the troubles he was facing. He asked God several times to take his life and let him die. He wished he had never been born. He asked God why all the problems were happening to him. However, in all of that, he never cursed God; he never blamed God for the problems he was having. He blamed himself and his sin. His advisors could not understand why he would continue to lift up God in the midst of his sorrows, but he was still able to respond, “I know that my redeemer lives”.

Another point that I noticed in Job was how the prayers and speeches of Job point directly to Jesus. Job asked questions about life and death and if people will rise from the dead. He also prayed for and wished for someone to intercede between him and God. These prayers and questions were answered in Jesus. Jesus died for our sins and was then raised from the dead. He is now in Heaven as our intercessor between us and the Father God.

I would not have wanted to live during the time of Job. He had many questions and many uncertainties and had no way to answer them. I am thankful that I have God’s Word to turn to for answers to my questions and comfort for my sorrows. I am thankful that I live in the time where I can turn to Jesus and trust Him for my Salvaltion.

A regular part of any missionary's life...

2009-08-19T00:34:00.002-04:00

Saying goodbye.

It's hard saying goodbye. The people who you work with, live with, fellowship with, worship with- they become like your second family. You don't want to have to say goodbye- but it is part of being a missionary. It seems like you are always saying goodbye.

Well, this trip to Venezuela was a short one- only 3 1/2 weeks. But, I am still very close with the people here. After being away for 6 months, it did not take me long to get back into the flow of life in Maracaibo and feel like I was living here again- only I didn't have my apartment anymore. I felt more like I belong here than as if I were a tourist or a short-term missionary. This is home- at least one of my homes- and the people here are family- as least part of my family. I love being in Maracaibo and I am sad to leave.

As I am writing this (I should be in bed as I have to wake up in 2 hours to go to the airport for my flight), I am spending time with Guita. She will once again have to remain in Venezuela.

So, with tears in my eyes, I say goodbye. However, I can trade in these tears of sorrow for tears of joy. Why? Because I know that God is good. He works out all things for His glory. He wants to wipe away every tear. One day, I will be reunited again with my Venezuelan family- if not in Maracaibo, then in Heaven. I can also rejoice that I will be yet another step closer to my upcoming ministry in the DR. So, although tonight has tears, joy will soon be coming!

Free Day!!

2009-08-17T00:44:00.007-04:00

The Mission trip free day. This is a day- usually close to the end of a mission trip- that is free from mission trip duties. We do not usually have to work on this day; it is a day to enjoy ourselves and experience the local wonders of this great place we have been serving in all week.

Normally on the Venezuelan mission trips, our free day includes a trip to downtown Maracaibo, where the team has an opportunity to do some sightseeing in the older part of town and shopping at the Indian market. However, this year we had 3 kids on the team. I didn't think that they would like going to see old Catholic churches and wait around while the adults went shopping. So, before the trip started, Arturo (my co-coordinator) and I had been talking about the free day activities. I asked him to try to plan something different that the kids on the team would like. We did not discuss it too much more as he kept me in the dark (for the most part) about the plans he was developing for this special day for the mission team.

I did get a little information before the free day about the plans and was able to put 2 and 2 together to figure out what was happening for this special day. It was indeed a mission trip free day to remember- 2 actually.

The team actually went on a little trip. We boarded a private bus at 3:30am on Saturday morning and traveled for 7 hours before arriving at our posada in the town of Tucacas. Tucacas is the port city where you can take a boat to the islands of the Venezuelan keys.

When the bus arrived in Tucacas, the roads leading to our posada were too narrow for the bus to maneuver. So, we had to walk about 5 blocks. Not a problem as everyone was excited. We quickly put our belongings in our rooms and stepped through the back door of the posada which lead directly to the boats waiting to take us to the island. A 15 minute boat ride later, we arrived at our paradise destination.

We spend the next 6 hours on the island- playing in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea or walking along the sandy shores. My back pain had even eased up a bit in the water, allowing me to enjoy my time there. Until....

A few of us decided to take a walk to the other side of the island. About 5 minutes into the walk, my back muscles spasmed stronger than I have felt in a very long time. I was literally paralyzed. I could not continue. I sent the rest of the group on ahead while I went back. That 5 minute walk there took about 25 minutes to walk back. I literally could not move. This was the strongest pain I had felt in a very long time.

Fortunately, we only had about an hour or so left on the island. The difficult task, however, still remained, as I had to board the boat and return back to the posada. Once back at the posada, the pain increased. I actually got to a point where I could not sit up from a laying-down position. I literally could not move. I was in pain all night and by morning, needed the assistance of the wall to get up and to walk. I felt like I was 90 years old.

We packed up everything that next morning and headed back to the bus. Remember, the bus is 5 blocks away. I believe it took me about 30 agonizing minutes to walk those 5 blocks. Sitting in the bus for the next 7 hours was also not an easy task.

By the time we arrived back in Maracaibo, the pain medication had kicked in just enough to allow me to walk semi-upright and without extreme pain. We got back home and I wanted to just rest. However, we had to get ready for the closing of the VBS. While I was in a lot of pain still, I enjoyed the closing service and goodbye dinner that followed.

My back continued to hurt for the whole week, although not nearly intense as it did on the island. However, even in the midst of the pain that I was feeling, I really enjoyed the trip to the keys, and for 2 main reasons:

I love the beach, especially the Caribbean Sea. It has always been my ideal vacation destination- my paradise.

I didn't have to do any of the planning or leading of the trip.

Arturo had told me that he was taking control of everything for the trip- that I didn't have to worry about anything because he wanted me to enjoy the trip too. And he did- he took care of everything. I didn't have to do a single bit of planning, leading, not even a head count. I was just able to enjoy. That was probably the best gift anyone could have given me. Thank you Arturo!

So, despite the pain, the trip to the Venezuelan Keys was a wonderful trip. It was my 3rd time out there, and if given the opportunity, I would return again.

Disclaimer: This is not a normal mission trip free day. Please do not think that this takes place on all mission trips. It does not. Please do not be jealous either. :-P

El Expreso Bumerán- VBS 2009- part 3

2009-08-15T22:26:00.004-04:00

Day 5- Friday

The last day of VBS looked different than any other VBS I've ever seen. Today we took the kids on an all-day "field trip" to the granja (a part outside of the city). The children arrived to the church by 7am and got together with their small groups. We then got everyone onto the buses and headed out to the granja. We arrived there by about 9:15am. All the children received breakfast and then we started with our VBS day, as scheduled- but behind schedule (as expected).

We discovered that the music for the VBS would not play properly on the system we had. We could only get the music or the lyrics- not both. While we had the music for the song "El Expreso Bumerán" playing, and our sound guy trying to figure out how to get the lyrics to play too, we all of a sudden had lyrics. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that it wasnt the lyrics on the CD, but the kids who were singing along to the song!!!

Throughout the day, the kids still had their classes- Bible Stories, Discussion, Evangelism, Missions, Visual Arts, and Bible Verse time, but they also had times of recreation, ate lunch and snacks, and they also went swimming. I will admit that I was hesistant about the swimming part. I did not want to see anything happen to any kid while swimming at VBS. However, we did have 2 lifeguards on the scene, as well as many adults keeping an eye out on the kids in the pool.

The children really enjoyed their time in the granja, and didn't seem too disappointed that we had to return to the church about an hour early due to the storm that sprung up in the afternoon heat.

Saturday was our missionary free day. We will discuss that day on another post. However, Sunday night was the closing of the VBS. We had about a third to a half of the kids return that night and bring their parents with them. The church was full, with the exception of a few seats remaining in the balcony. The children performed their dances that they worked on during the week in Visual Arts class, the children's choir performed some of the songs of the week, and the children each received their certificate of participation in the VBS. It was a wonderfully close to an awesome VBS- one the kids will not soon forget!

Inflatable fun!

Recreation games

Lunch time

Time to cool off in the pool- shallow end only for the smaller kids!

A very quiet bus ride back to the church after a long day at the granja.

VBS closing performances

The secret is out

2009-08-14T23:38:00.003-04:00

After having a 24 hour flu, I am feeling better today. Enough so to spend the afternoon with my friend Emiro- a friend whom I have known for about 3 or 4 years, ever since he was my translator on my mission trips with GMF. After being here for 3 weeks, we were finally able to find time in our schedules to hang out. I also had the opportunity to meet his sisters and his adorable little puppy.

Emiro was telling me that his puppy's name is Kyra. She is only 2 months old. She likes to chew but that is because she is just a puppy still. She is very cute.... well, that is not exactly correct.

I believe the conversation went something like this....

Emiro- Yea, she is only 2 months old. Her name is Kyra. She is really my sister's dog, but she is sorta my dog too.

Jyll- Uh, Emiro, you do know this dog is not a girl, right?

Emiro- What?

Jyll- Uh, yea, this is a boy dog.

Emiro- Are you sure? How do you know?

Jyll- Trust me, this is a boy dog.

Emiro- Oh my goodness!!! Are you serious?? Oh my!!

This was then followed by about an hour of laughter as we broke the news to his 2 sisters. I then found out about the little pink hearts with the puppy's name on it that they purchased and the little purple collar. They then were like, "So, now what do we call her- uh, him?"

It was a very amusing time of letting the secret out of the bag- the girl dog is actually a boy dog- and nobody in the family knew. Poor puppy.

El Expreso Bumerán- VBS 2009- part 2

2009-08-13T15:15:00.004-04:00

Tuesday, day 2 of our VBS week, turned out to be much smoother than day 1. People understood what they were doing. We started fairly close to on-time. The rotations went well. The groups knew what to expect. I even got to sit down and eat lunch that day (didn't happen on day 1!!) While there were a few issues that still needed to be sorted out, all in all it worked out well. However, the big test would come on day 3.

Wednesday, day 3 of the VBS week- the missionaries had a team meeting in the morning and a lunch away from the church to follow. This means that the missionaries (me included) would not be there for the start of the VBS. The VBS workers were on their own. Those in charge knew that I would not be there, but that they could call me if they had any problems. I had trained and prepared another person to be the MC of the worship rally time and from what I heard, she did a great job! I was pleasantly surprised to get no phone calls as the start time for the VBS approached. When we arrived to the church at 2:30pm, everything was running smoothly. The kids were in their classes, the rotations were going well, and nobody was running around frantically. Overall, Filadelfia Church and the VBS workers did an outstanding job at their first test of VBS on their own. Congrats!!!

When Thursday came along, everyone was singing VBS songs all day long- they were stuck in everyone's head (actually, I think this started on Monday, but now people knew the words as well). Something else that came about on Thursday was the start of major back pain for me- the kind that keeps you from doing the motions to the Bumerang Express music and would keep you sidelined except for the fact that the kids expect to see you up front and visable. So, back pain and all, I was still there, cheering on the kids to follow Jesus, worship Him, confess Him, and serve Him and that there is no need to worry because in the end, it all comes back to Jesus!

Kangaroos praying together (12- 13 yrs old)

Worship rally song

Bible stories told in dramatic ways

Worship rally skits

What can I say... they love me!!

To be continued...

El Expreso Bumerán- VBS 2009

2009-08-12T19:52:00.005-04:00

Wow! What a week! How do I sum up a week of Vacation Bible school in 1 post?? Let me give you a general summary and then include some pictures....

The week before the VBS, I arrived in Venezuela to finish plans with the Vzlan team. I met with each area- missions, evangelism, snacks, recreation, drama, small group leaders, musicians, planning, administration, etc- about 12 meetings in all. Thats a lot of meetings in 1 week! But it was well worth it when I saw how much work and preparation the Vzlan team was putting in to making the first VBS a success.

The mission team arrived on Friday, July 31. On Saturday morning, we had our VBS training with the Vzlan team and the missionaries. We sang all the songs (with motions), went over the rotation schedule, what would occur in each class, the entire program, and then had each area leader explain in some details what lessons the kids would be learning in their particular class (7 classes- Bible Stories, Discussion, Evangelism, Missions, Visual Arts, Crafts, and Recreation- which only occurred on the last day of VBS). The training went well. Everyone was pumped and ready for VBS.

By this time, we had about 250 kids signed up for the VBS. When Sunday rolled around and the missionaries were introduced as being here to help with the VBS and more info about the VBS was presented, many more kids signed up. We ended up with about 320 kids on the roster.

Monday morning proved hectic as people, wanting to make sure they understood what was going on, turned to me with a zillion questions- all asking at the same time!!! However, everything became clear as the starting time for the VBS came.

Start time was 1:30pm (with kids arriving between 1:00pm and 1:30pm). Some kids arrived at 11:30am. Yikes! too early! Most arrived by 1:30, with the exception of the bus full of kids arriving from the Casa Escuelas. The Casa Escuelas are house churches designed for children. I am sure I've talked about them before. Most of these kids have never been in a church before. This is a wonderful outreach to these children. They arrived in buses- all 150 of them- between 1:45- 2:15pm. We got started on day 1 at 2:30pm- 1 hour late.

At first the children seemed hesitant. They didn't know what to make of this gringa standing on the stage, talking with a funny accent, and introducing them to strange words, like "No Worries!" and the names of their groups- Koalas, Lorikeets, Wombats, and Kangaroos (Yes, in English). They didn't know what to make of the songs with the motions. However, they quickly warmed to the idea and really started to love them.

The rotations and the schedule had to be adjusted because of our tardiness. Some groups finished all of their classes early. Some accidentally missed a class. I think one class went to snack time twice. However, things got worked out and the kids seemed to be enjoying themselves and learning that no matter what happens in life, it all comes back to Jesus- so... No Worries!

Ok, since this post is already a bit long, I will just include some pictures for you and continue tomorrow.

VBS training- adults learning the songs and motions

The kids on the first day... a little hesitant

Someone who never anticipated being the MC of the VBS!

The kids at the end of Day 1

To be continued....

A few photos....

2009-07-28T23:13:00.004-04:00

Hit Piña!!!! One for now, one for later!

Mamones... yummm

My host siblings- Samira, Diana, and Alberto

Guita- enjoying Nana's Italian cookies. Thanks Nana!

Sign-ups for the first VBS in Filadelfia Church

Out to lunch after church

Singing Gaita music after church

Hot, hot, and more hot

2009-07-27T23:29:00.003-04:00

Today, a few of us went downtown to the heart of the Maracucho marketplace, where small stands are selling fruits, vegetables, clothing, CDs (pirated, of course), trinkets, gadgets, and anything you can possibly imagine under the sun. It's hot... very hot. I believe it is at least 10 - 15 degrees hotter in the downtown market than it is anywhere else in this hot city, which would make it at least 110ºF (probably more) in the market, with a heat index higher yet, I'm sure.

Temperatures extremely high. Thousands of people all crowding together in the tight alleyways of the market. Loud noise- people talking, people yelling their "advertisements" of what they are selling, music playing, babies crying, my friend Samuel making wierd noises everywhere we went.

While it was a crazy time- attempting to find the things we needed to purchase for the VBS, it was also a lot of fun. I didn't even mind getting a little sunburnt. I am enjoying being back in my second home town.

Reunited, and it feels so good!

2009-07-27T23:27:00.003-04:00

Hugs, hugs, and more hugs

2009-07-26T23:30:00.002-04:00

Today, I had the blessing of returning to Filadelfia Church- my home church in Venezuela. I believe I also had the blessing of receiving more hugs today than I have in the past 6 months in Ohio.

It was so nice to see everyone again. I loved worshiping with them, listening to the message from Pr. Raúl, talking with my friends whom I have only been able to talk to online, and even went out afterwards for lunch and hanging out, singing Gaita music. If you recall from previous blog entries, Gaita music is the typical music of Maracaibo.

So, a beautiful, extremely hot (as usual here in Maracaibo), wonderful Sunday praising God and spending time with my Venezuelan family in Christ. :-)

A fresh change of clothing

2009-07-26T00:16:00.002-04:00

Praise God! The suitcases arrived today. My friends took me to the airport tonight to see if my luggage was arriving on this flight. We had to wait until everyone else got their luggage before I was allowed past security to the baggage claim area. Sure enough, both suitcases arrived!

I finally can have a fresh set of clothing to wear. I really was not looking forward to wearing that same blue t-shirt and jeans to church tomorrow. Now, I don't have to!! Thank you God!!!

God uses fuel

2009-07-25T10:10:00.003-04:00

Well, I have arrived back in Maracaibo. I was never happier to see the familiar Maracaibo airport terminal than I was last night. Allow me to explain how God used fuel to His glory and allowed me to get to Venezuela.

My flight itinerary yesterday took me from Cleveland to Chicago to Miami to Maracaibo. This is a very typical itinerary as there are no direct flights from Cleveland to Miami and only flights to Maracaibo from Miami. My flight from Cleveland to Chicago was without incident and even landed a little early in Chicago. I then had about 30 minutes or so before boarding for my next flight.

We boarded the plane and then sat there for a while. After about 15 minutes of waiting, the captain announced that we had a slight maintenance issue and were waiting for maintenance to come check it out.

After another 30 minutes or so, the captain announced that the problem was with the fuel pump- it was not pumping fuel properly- and was going to need to be fixed. If it couldn't be fixed, he was looking for another plane for us. We would be delayed at least another 45 minutes, so if anyone had any connecting flights, they were free to deplane and talk with a ticket agent. I decided to get off and find out what is going to happen with my flight. While doing this, I realized that I might not make my flight to Maracaibo. I was praying that God would somehow allow me to arrive in Miami in time or delay the flight leaving Miami- but not my will but His Will be done.

A little side info for you- There is only 1 flight per day from Miami to Maracaibo- leaving each day at 4:55pm. If you miss that flight, you have to wait 24 hours for the next one.

While standing in a line 100 people thick to find out about my flight, they finally announced that the plane was ok and that we would be reboarding- hoping to leave by 12:30pm and arriving at 4:30pm in Miami. My flight to Maracaibo was boarding at 3:55pm and leaving at 4:55pm. If the gate is close, I might have a chance. However, we did not leave by 12:30, but at 12:50. At this point, I was now praying that God would provide to delay the other flight.

We landed in Miami at 4:45pm. Of course, my gate was no where close to where we arrived- other side of the airport to be exact. I was not sure what time they would be closing the gate or if I even had a chance to make it to the plane, but I decided to give it everything I had and trust that if God wanted me on the plane, it would still be there and if it was not there, then I trust God to take care of me for the 24 hours that I would have to wait until the next plane.

As soon as I got off the plane, I started running. This is not an easy task in an airport- pulling a carry on bag on wheels and carrying a heavy laptop around your neck. Winded. Shin-splints killing. I kept going. Every hall I turned down- hoping to find the gate- but it was not there. Further. Further I kept running. Up the escalator? Why did I have to go up? The plane is not upstairs! Up the escalator to the train to take you to the terminal that is not connected to the airport. Wait for the train (and catch my breath). Get off the train and run again- down one hallway, then another, then another. Finally I can see the gate- and there is nobody there but one man sitting in a chair off to the side. I ran to the gate and practically collapsed as I asked the man if the flight had left. He asked me my name- if it was Schenault. I said yes. He said come. The flight had not yet left.

Praise God!

I got on the plane, sweating, winded, exhausted, but on. Of course everyone was looking at me- wondering if I was the reason they hadn't left yet.

We sat for a few minutes before the captain announced his appologies for the delay. They were holding the plane for one more passanger (Me!) and that they were also waiting to refuel. Apparently the first tank of fuel they had put in the plane had gotten water in it when it rained earlier that day and they had to drain that out and refuel- which was causing us a bit of a delay.

God used fuel to delay me in Chicago and to delay the flight in Miami. He used fuel to teach me that He really does have everything under control and that all I need to do is trust Him.

So, here I am, in Maracaibo. The suitcases decided to spend an extra day in Miami, but that's ok. I am here, ready to be used by God in whatever way He desires.

All packed and ready to go

2009-07-23T23:24:00.002-04:00

I leave for Venezuela tomorrow. I am all packed and ready to go. It is exciting to be able to go back home, see my Venezuelan family, and prepare for Filadelfia's first Vacation Bible School.

I will try to post pictures during my time there. Please be praying for me and the team who will be on the front lines of battle- fighting the forces of evil so that the name of Jesus will be exalted and glorified! To God be the Glory!!!

So much time and so little to do!

2009-07-22T10:03:00.003-04:00

Strike that, reverse it!

To borrow the quote from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is the only way to describe what is going on right now. 2 days. Just 2 little days until I travel to Venezuela for the mission trip. I have so much to do and really no time to do it. I really need another couple of weeks to finish everything I need to do before going. However I just have 2 days.

Don't get me wrong- I am excited to be going to Venezuela. However, I haven't allowed my mind to sink in and dwell on that just yet. I know that when I do, I will really not get anything done. Even now, I should be working on my to-do list. However, I need to keep you updated on what is going on. Either that or I am procrastinating. Anyway, here I am. Preparing to go. Preparing to serve. Preparing to be used in anyway that God desires to use me while I am in Venezuela or wherever I am!

Praise Report for the mission team...

2009-07-18T17:09:00.002-04:00

Today, our final 3 team members received their passports. We now have passports for everyone on the Venezuela team! Praise God! The passports were not supposed to come in til next Friday at the earliest- which was just a week before the scheduled departure to Venezuela. By God's grace they arrived EARLY!! We are now all set to go and looking forward to what God is going to do in Venezuela.

Slow work week

2009-07-17T23:46:00.003-04:00

This week has been a slow week at work. Because of this, I have not worked very many hours. Since I have had some extra time off this week, I have been able to work more on preparing for the Vacation Bible School in Venezuela and work on my support raising for the Dominican Republic.

I leave in 1 week for Maracaibo. I will arrive a week before the missions team to help with the final preparations for the VBS. I will have about 11 meetings in this one week- meeting with the people working in each area of the VBS.

While it will be a stressful week, I am looking forward to going "home" for a little while, spending time with the people who were my family for a year, and getting to see my little Guita again. :-)

I have also been working on raising support in order to go to the Dominican Republic. At this point, I have about 25 % of my monthly support raised, but have received about 90% of my initial moving costs- which is great. While I know God's timing is perfect, it is hard to know that I will not be going to the DR for the start of the school year- I must wait until my support comes in. However, I trust that God will provide for all my needs, according to His riches.

I ask for your prayers for the VBS and for my ministry in the DR. Also, if you feel God may be leading you to financially support me, please contact me at my email address. Thank you so much.

He is...

2009-07-10T10:45:00.003-04:00

He is the First and Last, The Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all! He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times. He always was, He always is, and He always will be ...unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!

He was bruised and brought healing!

He was pierced and eased pain!

He was persecuted and brought freedom!

He was dead and brought life!

He is risen and brings power!

He reigns and brings Peace!

The world can't understand him, The armies can't defeat Him, The schools can't explain Him, and The leaders can't ignore Him.

Herod couldn't kill Him, The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and The people couldn't hold Him!

Nero couldn't crush Him, Hitler couldn't silence Him, The New Age can't replace Him, and "Oprah" can't explain Him away!

He is light, love, longevity, and Lord. He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God. He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.

His ways are right, His word is eternal, His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me. He is my Savior, He is my guide, and He is my peace! He is my Joy, He is my comfort, He is my Lord, and He rules my life!

I serve Him because His bond is love, His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise, the power of the powerful, the ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, the leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and is to come. And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size...

His goal is a relationship with ME!

He will never leave me, never forsake me, never mislead me, never forget me, never overlook me and never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!

When I fall, He lifts me up!

When I fail, He forgives!

When I am weak, He is strong!

When I am lost, He is the way!

When I am afraid, He is my courage!

When I stumble, He steadies me!

When I am hurt, He heals me!

When I am broken, He mends me!

When I am blind, He leads me!

When I am hungry, He feeds me!

When I face trials, He is with me!

When I face persecution, He shields me!

When I face problems, He comforts me!

When I face loss, He provides for me!

When I face Death, He carries me Home!

He is everything for everybody everywhere, every time, and every way.
He is God, He is faithful. I am His, and He is mine!

My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world. So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this...

He said it and that settles it. God is in control, I am on His side, and that means all is well with my soul.

Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!

I love the Lord and thank Him for all that He has done in my life.

(This was sent to me in an email. It was too good not to post.)

An evening together

2009-07-07T22:51:00.004-04:00

Tonight, I spent an evening with my family. It started out with Collin, my nephew, asking me if I wanted to play cornhole with him. My entire family got into the action and we ended up playing probably close to 10 games- turning it into a competition of teams. After our competition, we all went out for ice cream.

Being a missionary, I am often away from my family. I do not get much time to spend with them. So, when evenings like this come along, I treasure them. What a blessing it is to be able to spend time with those who love you the most.

Birthday surprise

2009-07-03T01:30:00.002-04:00

It's not my birthday. My birthday was last month. I did not do anything for my birthday. I do not like birthdays and really don't want to be reminded that I am getting older each June 3. But it's not June 3, its July 2. It's not my birthday.

I didn't think anything about it tonight when my friends wanted to go out to eat... didn't think anything about it when my friend, Tony said he left his wallet in the car tonight at the Mexican restaurant and had to go get it. Remember, it's not my birthday. However, my friends decided to surpirse me (or embarrass me) at the restaurant by telling them it was my birthday. When Tony left to "get his wallet", he was actually talking to our server and told him that because I was out of town last month, they did not get to celebrate my birthday and wanted to do it tonight.

During dinner, the server snuck up behind me and stuck a big Mexican sombrero on my head while many other servers started singing. I was shocked... very shocked.

It's nice knowing that my friends care about me, even if it is just to embarrass me in a restaurant when it's not my birthday.

Death with a purpose

2009-06-30T20:56:00.002-04:00

Tonight, I attended the calling hours of my uncle Eddie. He passed away last Thursday and is currently talking with my other uncle and my gramma in Heaven.

Funerals are a time for families to get reacquainted. My extended family is horrible about keeping up-to-date, often seeing each other only at funerals. Such is the case with me and my cousins. I saw cousins tonight that I haven't seen since my Gramma's funeral a year and a half ago. I spent most of the night talking with my cousin Shelly.

Shelly told me about what has been going on in her life. About her family. About her work. And about her church. Yes, her church. Shelly accepted Christ as her Savior about a year and a half ago, and she told me about it tonight.

It all started on December 15, 2007. The day my Gramma died. She said when Gramma died, she started thinking about how Gramma was now in Heaven. She didn't understand that and she needed to know more about it. She started seeking and not too long later, she found Jesus.

She found Jesus because of the death of our Gramma. Gramma's death had a purpose. God's timing was perfect and allowed her (Gramma) to continue to impact people, even after her death.

Death is always hard, but knowing that God has purpose for death makes it a little easier. I love that my Gramma helped bring my cousin to Christ and that I will someday be in Heaven with both of them.

Rest in peace Uncle Eddie- and may your death have purpose in the Kingdom of God!

Road Trip

2009-06-28T21:04:00.005-04:00

Recently, I took a road trip, driving for 15 hours. I left Ohio and drove southwest... through Indiana, through Illinois, down to Saint Louis, across Missouri, and into Oklahoma, not too far from Tulsa. Why would I drive 15 hours, one-way, to go to Oklahoma?? Well, for one thing, one of my best friends lives there and it was a great chance to visit with her (for the little time I got to spend with her), but besides that, the trip had a few main purposes.

A huge cross on the side of the highway in Illinois.

The Gateway Arch in Saint Louis, Missouri.

A large Indian statue just off the highway in Oklahoma.

The main purpose of the trip was to do support raising. I actually was able to speak in 3 different churches, as well as with some other individual people and a women's small group. I was able to tell them all about the wonderful opportunity that God is giving me to serve Him in the Dominican Republic. I was able to make new relationships with people and had a wonderful time making new friends and developing my prayer and financial support teams.

Another purpose for going was that my friend's church, Friendly Foyil Baptist Church, was having their Vacation Bible School. The VBS they were doing is Lifeway's Boomerang Express. This is the same VBS that the mission team going to Venezuela in a month is also doing. I went there to get ideas for the planning and preparation for the mission trip. Since I was a visiting missionary, I was one of the focused missionaries of the week, speaking with the children during their missions class. During the week, the children were bringing in their loose change as their offerings for missions. The church decided to give that money to me to support me in my ministry. :-) After the VBS was over, the church donated many of their decorations, teacher guides, and craft items to our mission team to use in Venezuela. What a blessing they are!!

I was also able to observe this same VBS at another church. The people at this church were very friendly and wanted to help me out in any way they could with materials for the Venezuelan VBS. While I had to leave before the end of the week, they are seeing how they can be used by God to be a blessing for the church in Venezuela.

It is wonderful to see the family of God come together to help each other out when they are in need. Absolutely wonderful.

Deliquency

2009-06-27T23:21:00.002-04:00

Yes, I am alive! Although I have been very deliquent on updating my blog. I appologize. There are many things that have been happening. I have been keeping busy with many things. I hope to start updating you on what has been going on.

For now, I continue with the work I have been doing. Support raising, VBS planning, working. Today I took a bit of a rest (although I still worked on some things for the VBS). I am going to try to keep my blog more up-to-date. Drop me a message or two and let me know what has been going on with you out there (as I don't get to see many people very much anymore).

Ok, more updates to come....

Perspectives

2009-05-04T22:35:00.003-04:00

Tonight I finished a 16 week course offered at my church called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (http://www.perspectives.org/). This course is designed to give students a different perspective on World Missions and the nature of God. It also gets the students thinking of how God has called them into a part of His ultimate plan in the World.

Matthew 28:18-20- Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Jesus told his disciples to go into all the world- all the people groups in the world- and makes disciples. This is the Great Commission that Jesus gave to all Christians. We are commanded to tell others of the greatest gift ever given and of the great love that God has for us, that He gave His Son to take our place to pay the price for our sins.

The Bible even gives us a great promise...

Matthew 24:14- And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the
whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Once the Gospel has been preached in the whole world, the end will come. The Bible says that there will be people from every country, every people group, every ethnicity, every language praising Him in their own language and their own culture. How awesome that we have the privilege to be a part of this great plan for the nations.

Decisions

2009-04-28T09:28:00.002-04:00

Since returning to Ohio in February, I have been trying to get "settled" back in Ohio life and culture while trying to figure out where God wanted me to go next and when that would be. I have been praying. I have been talking with my missions pastor and mentor and others. I have been searching opportunities that God has brought my way through contacts with people and with The Finishers Project website, as well as others. I had gotten to a point where I had a good feeling about 3 different opportunities which could have taken me to about 7 different countries. This was too broad for me. So, what do you do when you feel God has put this many items before you? You take it to Him and ask Him to narrow it down to the ONE He wants. And that's what I did.

Last week, I decided to devote 2 days of prayer and fasting over this decision and asked God to give me the answer by the end of the 2 days. James 1: 5-6 says "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." I asked God for wisdom to know His will for my life- and I had no doubt that He was going to give it to me. I emailed as many people as I could, asking them to join me in prayer of this decision. By the end of Wednesday, I had my answer.

As hard as it is for me, I feel that, for right now, God does not want me in Venezuela full-time. He is calling me to another place. This does not mean I will never be returning. But for now, I will be going somewhere else.

Doulos Discovery School- Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. Doulos is a private, Christian school in the middle of the Dominican Republic. They work to get children out of the horrible public school conditions and into a Christian education where they can be educated in the values of Christianity and go on to lead the country with Christian values and beliefs. It is a private school, so the students have to pay tuition. However, most of the students are on some form of financial aid/tuition assistance. In order to do this, all of the teachers (missionaries) raise their own funds and salaries. Here is a video so you can see a little more about the school.
http://vimeo.com/1896385?pg=embed&sec=

The director of the school told me that they have been praying for a special education teacher and was excited when I told her I wanted to apply for the position. They have never had a special education teacher in the school and have no special education program in place. But they do have 2-3 children per grade with special needs (PreK-12). My job there would be to develop and implement a special education program based on the needs of the children while sharing with them the love of Jesus and His plan for Salvation. Of the 210 children in the school, about 200 of them are Dominican. The future leaders of the Dominican Republic will be sitting in my classroom, hearing how God loves them, and how they can share this with others around them.

I am excited to see how God is going to work through me in this opportunity He has brought my way. Provided I can get my funding by July, I will be in the DR by early August. Please pray with me for the children of Jarabacoa and the teachers at Doulos Discovery School and please pray that if it is God's will, that the finances I need will come in so I may begin this new adventure that God is calling me to.

Patience and guidance

2009-04-01T21:24:00.003-04:00

For the past nearly 2 months, I have been trying to get re-acclimated back into life in Ohio while searching for where God will send me next. I have been praying and looking through various ministry opportunites that have come my way. Some would have me out of Ohio by this August. Others would have me in Ohio for probably at least another year or two.

I signed up on a website called Finishers. This is an organization that helps team up missionaries with mission organizations. I put my profile on there and have been having organizations contact me, telling me that they think I would work out well with a need that they have. It has been really strange having organizations contacting me. Its like having several companies call you, all inviting you to work for them.

Right now, I have many different options that I could pursue. However, the thing I am pursuing the most right now is guidance from our Lord, and patience while I wait for His perfect timing.

God is watching over me

2009-03-24T12:27:00.000-04:00

I was on a short trip to Oklahoma during this past week to visit with a very good friend of mine, traveling back to Ohio yesterday. Flying does not make me nervous, as I have become a seasoned traveler. (If you haven’t heard about my first flight to Venezuela back in 2003, please ask. You will be amused.) When the plane is about to take off, I ALWAYS pray for God’s protection over the plane, pilots, crew, and passengers. I ask God to make sure that there is nothing wrong with the plane and that God will allow all parts of the plane to function the way they were designed to function. Yesterday, as we are on the runaway and just starting to take off, I was praying that prayer- that God will allow no problems with the plane. As I am praying this, I felt the plane accelerate for takeoff and then a few seconds later, the brakes were hit and the plane slowed down in the middle of the runway. The plane then taxied off the runway. The pilot came on and told us that as he was taking off, an engine warning light came on, causing him to abort take off. We returned to the gate and got off the plane. They then took the plane for maintenance and returned about 2 hours later, semi-confident that the plane would work.

I know that God was watching over me and had instantaneously answered my prayer. He allowed for the problem to be detected in His perfect timing.

God wants to be a part of our daily lives. We need to trust the everyday details of our life to Him, and He will take care of them in His perfect timing.

Blog Block

2009-03-15T01:03:00.002-04:00

I am sorry that it has been so long since I have written. I have things to update in my blog, and have wanted to update it. However, right now, I am having blog block. I cannot think of how I want to write up the updates. Hopefully, I will have an update soon. Keep checking back. God bless you!

15 years later

2009-02-22T23:17:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, I went to Panera to meet up with a group of people who I met online. This group of people meet once a week with the sole purpose of practicing Spanish. A group of 10-20 people of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of Spanish- from native speakers to beginners- meet every week to sit in Panera and chitchat in Spanish. It is a great time of practice for me. However this week (only my second week with this group) I didn't get much practice time.

Not 2 minutes after I arrived, I had someone tap me on my shoulder. When I turned around, there were 2 women standing there that I recognized (surprisingly) immediately- 2 girls from my graduating class in high school.

I haven't seen them since high school graduation 15 years ago (boy that makes me feel old!). I sat with them and we talked about what has gone on over the past several years. While we were not close friends in high school, it was nice to talk with them and see where God has taken them over the last 15 years.

God has different plans for each of us- nobody's plan is the same. He knows where we are going and how we are going to get there. He knew 15 years ago that I would be where I am now and He knows where I will be 15 years from now. I am glad He has the plan all figured out. As I try to discern where He wants me to go, I take comfort in knowing that He already has it all worked out for me. All I have to do is trust Him that He will take me down the path that He has already planned out.

Back in the USA

2009-02-11T22:21:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday, after many heartfelt goodbyes, I returned to the United States. Before leaving, many of my friends gave me a goodbye party. It was great to be able to spend time with the people who really helped me to survive and thrive in Maracaibo, and it was sad to say goodbye.

After traveling all day, I arrived in chilly Ohio. For the people in Ohio, it feels like a heat wave. For me, accustomed to the heat of Maracaibo, it feels frigid.

I spent a few days getting settled back in and seeing my family. It is strange being back in Ohio- back to the way of life I thought was "normal" for the first 30 years of my life.

What's next? Well, now I seek God's Will for my life in this next stage of life. I know He has the plan all figured out. I just have to wait until He let's me see the outline.

Goodbye Filadelfia

2009-02-02T00:36:00.004-04:00

Goodbyes are always hard, but it is a part of a missionary's life. Today was another day of goodbyes. Today was my last day in Filadelfia Church- at least until God brings me back to Venezuela.

I attended all 4 church services today (yes, I heard the sermon 4 times- and can probably say it back to you without missing anything). At the end of each service, the pastor called me up on stage to say goodbye and pray for me. I was given flowers and a gift- a book of the history of Maracaibo with pictures! I then had many many people from the church come up to give me a hug and wish me goodbye. Most of these people I do not know (although I have seen many of them throughout my time here). They all expressed their gratitude for the time I have spent to serve God in their church and wished me a good trip and a quick return.

During the last service, the pastor had Arturo, as missions coordinator, give me a goodbye greeting. He spoke about how I have developed over this past year. When I arrived in Venezuela last year, I did not understand much of what the people were saying. The culture was completely foreign to me. The people here are more outgoing and they talk quickly and loudly. I had asked him several times if the people were fighting- but no, they were just talking. He mentioned this today, not only to mention that my spanish is better but to show that I have grown more in understanding the people and culture that God has sent me to. I will truly miss everyone here.

Online Garage Sale

2009-01-26T10:55:00.002-04:00

In the process of moving back to the United States, I realized that I would not be able to take everything in my apartment with me. As much as I would like to, my dining room table and chairs just will not fit in the suitcase. So what do you do with a bunch of household items when you are moving out of the country? You have a garage sale. However, that is easier said than done in Venezuela.

Garage sales are not really done here. Everyone kept telling me to sell the items in my house, but nobody was really telling me how to do that. Finally, one of my friends gave me a great idea- a Facebook Sale.

I opened up a group in facebook and added pictures of everything I need to sell before leaving. I then invited into the group everyone I know living in Maracaibo.

And so commences the online garage sale.

New Sunday School Student?

2009-01-25T17:31:00.002-04:00

This morning, we had a new visitor to the 4-6 year old class...

Next steps: Trusting God

2009-01-19T01:11:00.003-04:00

As I approach my first Aniversary here in Venezuela, it is time for my church's missions committee to review the work from this year and see and plan what to do this year. My original contract was for one year, so either they need to renew it or plan something else. Last week, I spoke with my mentor from my home church in Ohio. She called me to tell me of the decision made by my church's missions committee. They have decided that I am moving back to Ohio in February, when my visa expires.

They looked over all of my reports and documents, accomplishments, goals, etc and feel that my time here was very successful and want to see me move forward in a career in Missions. But they feel I need to be in the USA to do that.

This news comes as a shock to me. I was not expecting it. There were days last week that were hard for me, spent mostly in tears. I trust God and know that if He is closing the door here, He is planning on opening up a bigger one somewhere down the road. Everything is in His control and I trust Him completely.

So, for now, I have less than 3 weeks to pack up everything I am bringing home, find homes for everything I am leaving behind -which might have to include my turtle :'-( - finish up my work, and spend as much time with all of my friends as I can before leaving, since I do not know when or if I will be returning.

Goodbyes will be difficult for me. I have made a lot of friends here and really have a family here. I have adapted to the language, culture, and way of life here in Venezuela. I do not really want to leave. However, if God does not want me here, then I do not want to be here. My blog title is "Jyll Schenault- Servant of God". If I am His servant, then He is my master, and I will do as He says. I may not understand why He wants me to do something, but I trust that He knows what He is doing.

Naked in church?

2009-01-07T22:48:00.002-04:00

Today at church, I walked into the children's ministry office and found clothes that looked like they had just had a person in them, sitting on the chair with a pair of shoes lying on the floor. They hadn't been there just minutes before and I had no idea who they belonged to. My first thought was to try to find the person who was naked in the church and find out why their clothes were in the office.

After just a few minutes, I found the owner of the clothes. The owner was actually not naked. The clothes belonged to one of the children's ministry teachers. He was doing a dramatic dance presentation for the children and had changed clothes in order to do it. It was a beautiful presentation to music portraying the crucifixion of Jesus. I wish I had had my camera to record it.

Sisters

2009-01-07T01:15:00.002-04:00

After 10 months of separation, they finally have their reunion. Hopefully they wont have to wait another 10 months to see each other again.