EASTER

Well it is back to more reality here in Elias Pina as Holy Week is over.  We have been blessed with electricity almost all of the time - now that Holy Week is over that will not be the case.  I am writing quickly this morning before it goes out again.  We were unable to update yesterday because we didn't have electricity for most of the afternoon and evening.  We had a great Easter Sunday.  We began our day with a fun truck ride into the mountains for a campo Mass in a small chapel with some beautiful Domincan people.  We are amazed at the full participation of everyone in their Mass.  The music is lively and everyone sings and dances and claps - you can't help but join along.  The people were so hospitable in giving up their seats so we all had a place to sit in the chapel.  Just a great way to start Easter Sunday.  Then we made our way a little way out of town to help with the Easter party for the children in a neighborhood out there.  The 300 easter eggs that we brought were a huge hit along with the stickers, pencils, etc.  The children sang for us and we just had a great time and it made it feel more like Easter.  We spent some of the afternoon at Rafael and Gabriel's house - just sitting and talking and enjoying each other's company without cellphones, video games, and other distractions that keep us from really "communicating" back home.  Then we returned to the house where we had the Easter party and the parents of Dionis Montero (a Dominican who lives in DePere) treated us to an Easter dinner of rice, beans, platanos, yuka and spaghetti.  Then we were back to our homes for some well needed rest after a long day.  With Holy Week and Easter, the paint for painting the chapels hasn't arrived yet on Monday morning so we are going to plan "B" today and visiting the school, playing on the playground, working in the bakery and then spending the night with our families (since we didn't get to see them much on Easter). The students commented many times about what they missed at home about Easter so you were all in our thoughts and our prayers.  Everyone is healthy and seems to be happy!  It is so hard to believe that 1/2 of our time has gone by and we have only 5 days until we return.  We will make the most of those days.