October brings us to the beautiful Dominican Republic! The DR shares the Island of Hispaniola with Haiti. While more prosperous than Haiti, the residents are no less in need of the transforming power of the gospel. Lets take a dive into the state of the church, culture, and people of the Dominican Republic!
How to get the most out of Planted seeds
1. Download and print the resource package 2. Display the info graphic and prayer points somewhere where the whole family can see (ours is by the dining table) 3. Pray for the nation of the month each day 4. Pick two or more activities from below. (You are welcome to do them all, but let's be real, sometimes the "extras" just ain't happenin'!)
Make cards to send to the missionary of the month, be sure to include exactly what you have been praying for them during this time. Print a kids engagement letter
Pickup some of the recommended books from the library, scatter them around the house, or intentionally select them for read alouds
Plan a night to eat like the Dominicans
Locate The Dominican Republic on a map
Watch the the recommended videos
The Dominican Republic was under an oppressive dictatorship until 1961, it is now a representative democracy.
Spotlight on a Missionary
You are encouraged to pray for a missionary from your own church to the Dominican Republic, but on the chance that your church is not currently supporting a missionary in this country, please consider joining us in praying for our featured missionary
Jon and Rachel Sawyer with Doulos Discovery School in the Dominican Republic
Jon and Rachel have been serving with Doulos in the Dominican republic since 2005. Doulos is a unique school within the DR which brings together the poorest and wealthiest families through a unique system of sponsorship with the goal of raising a new generation of Dominicans. A generation united in Christ, not divided by race or wealth. These kids are going to change their nation and we in the US have a unique opportunity to be part of that by sponsoring the kids who are not from wealthy families. Families seeking sponsorship are carefully chosen and must be willing to invest in the school through volunteering and maintaining good grades. I enjoyed hearing the stories of these parents in one of the videos below. Check out Rachel's blog to read more about their story. Rachel is a funny and authentic writer, and you will enjoy reading about life from her view point. Please don't miss this page on her story of yielding to God's call to the DR! It's from her old blog, but it is NOT to be missed. Seriously, go read it NOW! You won't be disappointed! The Sawyers have asked that we be in prayer in the following areas:
For people to step forward as sponsors for the many students who are seeking enrollment in the sponsorship program.
For grieving families at Doulos who have recently lost loved ones. That they would know and feel the presence of Jesus as they walk through sad and difficult times.
For the Sawyer family that their children's faith would grow and blossom and for more monthly supporters for their family as they serve in missions.
Check out their website here. Or send your letters of encouragement to:
Jon and Rachel Sawyer
3170 Airman's Drive #3017-DDSDR,
Fort Pierce, FL 34946.
If you would like to visit Doulos or volunteer in the ministry there. The Sawyer's have invited people to reach out and come visit in person! If you would like to organize a team check out the information here. If you or you family would like to visit independently, reach out to Rachel via e-mail at: Rachel.sawyer@doulosdiscovery.org
A Visual Tour of Doulos Discovery School
Hear from the parents of sponsored students. Doulos has a uniquely transforming school model that is revolutionary to the Dominican way of life. Half the students are self supported, and half the students are on scholarship. Creating a demographic seldom seen anywhere else on the Island where the wealthy and the poor learn Christian values together. Doulos is raising the next generation of Dominicans to influence their nation with the gospel! Listen to what parents have to say:
Recommended Reading
Islandborn, by Junot Diaz - Recommended Age 3-8
Lola can not remember the island home she left as an infant, but she's been asked to draw a picture of her first home. What follows is a fanciful recollection by her family and neighbors of the the beauty, glories, and troubles of the home they left.
A Gift of Gracias, by Julia Alvarez - Recommended age 3-12
Based on an old Dominican Republic legend, A Gift of Gracias tells the story of Maria's family, originally from Spain. Their farm is now struggling as they try fruitlessly to raise the olives they were accustomed to growing in Spain. One night, Maria sees the Lady Altagracia in a dream, who tells her to plant oranges. This change of crops saves the family farm, yields a beautiful harvest of sweet Valencia oranges, and teaches a lesson about gratitude.
Dominican Republic, by Rachel Ann Cantor - Recommended age 8-12
A non-fiction look at the people, history, and culture of the DR.
How Tia Lola came to stay, by Julia Alvarez - Recommended age 8-15
This is a chapter book in the Tia Lola series. Tia Lola is Miguel's quirky aunt who has come from the Dominican Republic to take care of him and his sister after his parents split. The Tia Lola series is a lively view into the experiences of growing up with a foot in two cultures.
Rachel Sawyer has some great recommendations for adults this time around. If you would like to understand the historical influences that have made the Dominican Republic what it is today, than you will want to read the following two titles. In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez - Recommended age 18 and older
In the Time of the Butterflies is a dramatic retelling of the lives of the four butterflies, young women who opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. Three of the sisters will go on to be martyred for the stand they take in these dark times. Note that this is the same author that gave us the Tia Lola books and A Gift of Gracias Why the Cocks Fight: Dominicans, Haitians, and the Struggle for Hispaniola, by Michelle Wucker - Recommended age 18 and older
There is a long running discord between the Dominicans and the Haitians, how the two sides of one Island became strangers and at times enemies can not be answered in brevity. Why Cock's Fight unwraps the history of this tale going all the way back to when Spain and France took it upon themselves to colonize Hispaniola. Having started my blog by featuring Haiti (See that post here) I'm personally very interested to dive into this title! Thanks for the recommendation Rachel!
Recommended viewing
More information from Doulos on the demographic statistics of Dominicans.
A more detailed video about Dulous for those wanting to know more about how this school is impacting their community and nation.
Drone footage of Santo Domingo. No voice over, but it's fun to take a visual tour of the oldest settlement in the new world. You can see the old and the new in combination.
The life of a three year old girl in countryside of the DR
Recipes
Considered the national dish, La Bandera is a traditional dish that imitates the colors of the national flag. This kid-friendly recipe comes from Compassion International.
This is another kid friendly recipe that involves making layered ice-pops in the pattern of various Latin American flags.
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