SHANNON’S CORNER
March 2017
Very excited to introduce you to a new KAI family here in the DR. Eric, Kindsey, Makenna, and Gentry Schneider arrived at the beginning of March. They are staying with me temporarily until their house at the Ark is move-in ready for them. It has been great having them and getting to know the whole Schneider family. Eric will be helping to host teams in Jarabacoa and do maintenance at the Ark as well. Kindsey will be helping out with sponsorship at the Ark and tutoring the kids. There have been a few snags along the way but God is good and soon the Schneider family will be settling into their new home. It has been fun showing them around Jarabacoa area, introducing them to many people and helping them with the house, along with playing with Makenna (22 months) and Gentry (2 months).
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| Sewing Class |
At the Palo Blanco School, our sewing teacher received a very short VISA to go to Costa Rica where her husband lives. She left, Katie Allen who over sees the sewing class asked if I would be able to help fill in and teach the class. Katie explained to me about the classes of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade girls and the pillowcase project that she wanted them to make as their next project. Katie has the class set up that the first time the girl makes the pillowcase that the girl is helped throughout the whole process. The next time the girl is doing a good portion of the process to make the pillowcase until she is able to do it all on her own without any help. Altogether, I had four days, two hour classes with the girls. Two of the days I had a team of 15 people from the US come to help with the pillowcase project. Interesting
and challenging because I did not have anyone on the team who knew how to sew and only two could speak a little of Spanish. I had them help to cut out the material, pin the material together, and watch as the girls sewed the seam. I would explain to each girl when they were ready to sew explicit instructions in what to do. I said that if they did not do a good job that they would have to rip it out and do it again. Needless to say I had many who ended up having to rip out the seam that they sewed. This brought back memories of when my Mom was teaching me how to sew and how mad I would get at her when she made me rip out a seam. It was neat to see a few of the girls excel and finished their pillowcases.
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| ANIJA family |
I had my first official “drive” in Santo Domingo as Loida, Karen, and I went to Miancerg School to start the sponsored kids’ new project. The evening before it rained all night and it rained our whole drive to Santo Domingo. We were praying that God would not have it rain around where our school is located so that there would be children at the school when we arrived. Many times when it is raining, the kids do not go to school. There were kids at the school when we arrived. The project the kids were doing is a report on how they are doing this year, plus either a thank you letter or a drawing, and a new picture of them. Some of the answers that we had were very endearing. “I want my sponsor to know that I am a princess.” “I want my sponsor to know that I am praying they
will come visit me.” “When I grow up I want to be an intelligence officer in the air force.” “I want my sponsors to know I help my mom to clean the house.” “I am thankful for living at the Ark because they take care of me.” I also got to help Loida, Karen, and Kindsey with the same project at the Ark-Jarabacoa one Saturday morning. I was also thankful to meet Apollo for the first time and Nancy again at the site and Carolina (Dominican) who is also going to be helping us with sponsorship in Monte Plata.
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| City of Jarabacoa |
Christina, our nurse, asked me if I would go to Santo Domingo with her and our teenage boy who has Type I diabetes. This was her first time to drive in the city and I was her relief if needed and support. We went to the diabetic hospital that Christina found out about through attending another little boy with diabetes at our site in Monte Plata. This diabetic hospital has a free program for Type I diabetics (insulin dependent) with health checks, nutrition counseling, free medicine and supplies and if needed free hospitalization that may be a complication caused by the diabetes. What a great program in helping us financially since buying insulin is expensive. Plus the hospital will give support to our young diabetic as well as his house parents and the home directors in the case that we do not always have a nurse at the home. It was a neat experience for me as this is my first hospital visit here in the DR. It is a lot like many other hospitals I have visited in other countries. By the way, Christina did a fabulous job driving.
I am excited to share with you about Barnabas International and the possibility
of them partnering with KAI DR in providing our missionaries with an outside resource in member care. Recently, we had a couple from Barnabas International, Dave and Kathy Vandenbergh come for a week to the DR to get to know our missionaries as well as get to visit and see our various ministry sites on the island. The hope is that Dave and Kathy will come yearly to the DR to visit face-to-face with our missionaries but also throughout the year to be in regular contact with them.
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| Cutting out material |
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| Schneider Home |
This month the house where I am staying has turned into a hospitality house. A number of different people have come to stay during their time here in the DR. It has been an encouragement and a blessing to me. I have a roommate that just arrived to the house, Christina who I met last summer when she interned with us. She’ll be staying for a little while. If you are interested in having your home be a hospitality home for a missionary and/or missionary families passing through the area please check out two Christian Hospitality sites at http://www.acandle.wildapricot.org or http://www.servantcare.com.
As a discussion…what does a good transition into a new job or a new home/community look like? What does finishing well mean to you? Would love
to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and comments.
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| Boys helping Eric to move things |
“Whenever the cloud lifted from the Tent, the Israelites set out; whenever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp…At the LORD’s command they encamped, and at the LORD’s command they set out.” Numbers 9:17-23
As I read this passage of Scripture in my devotion it reminds me of Jesus our Good Shepherd. He knows when we need to rest, how long we need to rest, and when it is time to continue the journey. He provides all our needs, not one is left in want. Are you resting when the Lord says its time to rest? Or are you trying to run ahead? I challenge you to take time this week, this month to rest in the Lord’s presence. Be still before the Lord. Allow Him to renew your mind, refresh your spirit, and strengthen you for the journey ahead.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Praise the Lord the Schneider Family has arrived!!!
Praise
the Lord protection in driving in Santo Domingo!
Praise the Lord for Dave and Kathy Vandenbergh coming and
serving our missionaries!!
Pray for a MK/TCK pastor for our kids, teenagers
and their parents.
Pray for a bilingual couple to help in doing
member care with our intercultural families.
Pray for planning for our summer program and
summer interns.
Pray for Cherry Run Camp. I’ll be the missionary speaker this summer.
Pray for Peru as there is much flooding,
mudslides, with food & water shortage in Lima and the coast.
Pray for spending time with God each day. Listening to His voice.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Shannon Eaton
Address: 829 Kocher Drive
Grove City, PA 16127
Phone: 724-967-7205
Skype: Shannon.renee.eaton
Facebook: Shannon R. Eaton
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