A Story to be Told

It started 31 years ago! My husband and I,, along with our son Jake, were working in a church in Rumford, Maine, when a new family joined us! They were a sweet family with three young girls. The youngest, Sarah, was Jake's age and they soon became fast friends. They went to the same school together for kindergarten. After one year in the public school both Sarah's parents and us decided that we wanted our children in a Christian school, but our church didn't have one. So we did the only thing we could… we started one. I taught elementary, so I taught both Jake and Sarah! Those were awesome years. We had many meals, laughs, and much fellowship with this family. Sarah became a part of our family! Our children grew side by side into teenagers. As life often does, years separated us. Sarah and her family moved to Baltimore, Maryland and then on to Pennsylvania. We stayed in Maine. Our son Jake passed into heaven at a young age of 24. We thought of our many friends from his childhood and we missed them. Five years later God blessed us with another son. During my pregnancy, I was very sick. One day, I got a call from Sarah and her mom. They were coming through Maine and wanted to see us. I was just too sick, so it didn't work. My heart was heavy. I wanted to reconnect with this family. They were dear to my heart. More years passed and we moved to Baltimore and, from there, God called us to Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Many times in Baltimore I thought, I must be near Sarah, but our paths never crossed. Meanwhile, I started using Facebook. It was a great way to stay in contact with my family and friends when we moved. As I was looking around on Facebook one day, I found Sarah! I asked her to be my friend, and we began to reconnect. It was sweet and though she was much older, I still saw the young girl that sat in my classroom and played at my house so often. It was bittersweet as she is the same age that Jake would be if he was still here, but memories are precious and she provided many! As I chatted with Sarah, I came to know of a dear friend of hers named, Jen Rineholt. Jen and her family had just moved to the Dominican Republic. Knowing how tough a move like that could be, I contacted Jen on Facebook. I told her I was an old friend of Sarah's and wanted to pray for and encourage her family, and we started to converse on Facebook as well.

This brings us to today and what I want to share with you. The Rineholt family just spent the weekend with us! Thank you Sarah and Facebook for connecting us with this amazing family.

Last October, Shawn, his wife Jen, and their 5 children, sold their business, rented their house, packed a few belongings and boarded a plane, destination, Dominican Republic! There they rented a house in a rather rough area. Their house is surrounded by barbed wire to keep thieves out. They also have dogs to add to the safety. They do not leave their house after dark. They have electricity MAYBE 4 hours a day, and the time is not consistent. They cannot drink the water, brush their teeth with the water, or for that matter, open their mouths in the shower. There is trash every where. When asked how they dispose of their trash, they told us everyone burns it. Jen misses the smell of burning trash. All veggies must be bleached before eating. Their small yard is dirt and full of local children. They come in all stages of dress or undress. Jen says she has sent home many children to get clothes on. Many people in the village have warned them don't let this one or that one in your house. They are bad. Jen's words to me were, "they might be bad, but if we don't love them who will?" Across the street is a building that will house their radio station. It will reach all of the DR and some of Haiti, with Christian music and teaching. They are learning Spanish by complete immersion! Shawn has 4 or 5 young men that he is discipling. They have found the people to be uneducated in may ways. They have a vision for a school and an orphanage!

As they headed back to the states to raise more support, they stopped in Puerto Rico for a visit. It was so sweet to meet them in person and no longer just be "Facebook" friends! You might think that they are relieved to be going home for a bit to rest and be with friends, enjoy electricity, good food, and long showers, but it was quite the opposite! The DR has become their home. They shed tears as they showed us pictures. Even the children were sad to be leaving. The comforts of home can not replace the precious people in the DR or the call on this family's lives!

So 31 years ago a friendship developed that grew to a larger friendship encompassing this family and the DR! We are blessed and anxious to visit their mission when they return. Please visit their blog, missiondrhaiti.blogspot.com!