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It's our first strike or "huelga" of the school year. Public transportation leaders decided to take a few hours off to march to the capital and make more demands. It isn't an all day strike, but because of the time it comes, it will interfere with our students and staff's arrival at school. These strikes aren't always announced, so one may find oneself in the street, far from home, with a long walk ahead.
People here feel powerless against the mafia of public transportation. Frankly, public car drivers I've spoken with feel the same; they don't dare keep driving when they are told to strike. The public transportation sector shuts down the country any time it wants to, and usually that's once a month or more. The impact on the economy is devastating. These strikes assure that the country will remain in poverty for the foreseeable future.
I don't want to get political. But this is something that is constantly affecting our ability to minister here. A single leader, could turn the whole thing around, and empower the people. Where is that leader? Pray that the Lord will raise up a Dominican David who is willing to defy the Goliath of this mafia.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The students are trickling in...
and that is the way it usually happens here. Over about a three week period, the students will all show up. We won't know until that time who we can actually count on coming for sure.
This week two new students have signed up so far. One of them a 7 year old, is pretty wild; within an hour of his arrival he had already punched a couple of teachers! We are giving him a trial week. He seemed to be manageable today, although he will require a lot of supervision. Since we don't have TA's (teacher's aides) we have to be sure that one teacher alone can deal with him without neglecting the other students in her class. At this point, we are the only option he has for school.
The hurricane missed us, and we are thankful. We are in a season of stormy weather now. August is usually pretty hot, and the rains can bring welcome relief, although they make taking public transportation difficult for our students and staff.
We are having blackouts almost daily at school. They usually last an hour or two.
I'm very pleased to find that my students appear to have retained a lot of what they learned before summer break. I'm looking forward to a fruitful school year.
Please keep us in prayer. Especially ask for wisdom as we learn how to work with several new special needs students, and that the Lord will shine and show his love through us.
Blessings!
This week two new students have signed up so far. One of them a 7 year old, is pretty wild; within an hour of his arrival he had already punched a couple of teachers! We are giving him a trial week. He seemed to be manageable today, although he will require a lot of supervision. Since we don't have TA's (teacher's aides) we have to be sure that one teacher alone can deal with him without neglecting the other students in her class. At this point, we are the only option he has for school.
The hurricane missed us, and we are thankful. We are in a season of stormy weather now. August is usually pretty hot, and the rains can bring welcome relief, although they make taking public transportation difficult for our students and staff.
We are having blackouts almost daily at school. They usually last an hour or two.
I'm very pleased to find that my students appear to have retained a lot of what they learned before summer break. I'm looking forward to a fruitful school year.
Please keep us in prayer. Especially ask for wisdom as we learn how to work with several new special needs students, and that the Lord will shine and show his love through us.
Blessings!
Friday, August 17, 2007
Good news for us...
Hurricane Dean is blowing past to the south of us tomorrow, if it follows the projected path. The extreme west of the country, along the Haitian border, is in the path of Dean, however. Instead of a hurricane, we'll get a tropical storm here in the capital. That just means lots of wind and up to five inches of rain--flooding all over. But floods resolve quickly as a rule, and we get back to normal within a few days.
We accepted two new students today, and are expecting more to show up next week as school begins. We are very close to capacity now.
Yesterday we went to remind the government folks that we want our school to be recognized. The process stalled when the govt. worker who we first applied to, left the job and it was taken over by another. Our application letter got lost in the shuffle. The current worker assured us they will be sending someone to check us out soon. Please pray that all will go well in this process.
We accepted two new students today, and are expecting more to show up next week as school begins. We are very close to capacity now.
Yesterday we went to remind the government folks that we want our school to be recognized. The process stalled when the govt. worker who we first applied to, left the job and it was taken over by another. Our application letter got lost in the shuffle. The current worker assured us they will be sending someone to check us out soon. Please pray that all will go well in this process.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
If variety is the spice of life...
then my life is definitely spicey.
Some of the things I've done in the last week or so:
Some of the things I've done in the last week or so:
- Met a missionary at the Ferry, as he and a deaf-blind friend arrived from Puerto Rico for the Deaf camp here.
- Went shopping for books and some school supplies.
- Met with the head of Voice for the Deaf, to discuss current ministry plans.
- Visited a government official as part of the process for getting government recognition of the school.
- Interpreted a job interview for a deaf man.
- Printed up some books for the school.
- Discussed some of the communication options with parents of a very young deaf-blind child.
- Did some research on the internet.
- Signed up a new student.
- Met with the head of a local school about lending us some classroom space.
- Emailed & Blogged. :)
Upcoming events
Just two important events in the next seven days...first, there is a storm heading for us. Now it is looking like it will be a category one or two hurricane. This morning's paper said it would hit Sunday morning, if it followed the projected track. Tonight I'm reading on the internet that it is still heading this way, only the ETA is Saturday afternoon.
The second event? Well, school is supposed to start on Tuesday. Monday is a national holiday here. We are really looking forward to getting started again. I think this year is going to be very fruitful.
---
Not upcoming, but just over this past week, was the Assembly of God Deaf camp. I dropped by for about five hours on Saturday and saw lots of old friends, and made some new ones as well. They had a pretty good turnout; it is a much anticipated event all year long.
Currently if you are a deaf Christian living in Santo Domingo, chances are you go to the Assembly of God, if you go anyplace at all. None of the other denominations are doing much in deaf ministry these days. There is one very active cult, however. Most Deaf people do not have a Deaf church or Deaf ministry within a reasonable distance of their home. There are only a handful throughout the whole city.
The second event? Well, school is supposed to start on Tuesday. Monday is a national holiday here. We are really looking forward to getting started again. I think this year is going to be very fruitful.
---
Not upcoming, but just over this past week, was the Assembly of God Deaf camp. I dropped by for about five hours on Saturday and saw lots of old friends, and made some new ones as well. They had a pretty good turnout; it is a much anticipated event all year long.
Currently if you are a deaf Christian living in Santo Domingo, chances are you go to the Assembly of God, if you go anyplace at all. None of the other denominations are doing much in deaf ministry these days. There is one very active cult, however. Most Deaf people do not have a Deaf church or Deaf ministry within a reasonable distance of their home. There are only a handful throughout the whole city.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Surprise! School is starting!
And it is a surprise.
Today I read that the government insists that every school, public and private, begin on August 21st. This means the teachers must return next week, a week earlier than they had expected, and the children will come the following week.
We are flexible. We can do it. The way it usually happens here, anyway, is that the kids will drift in over the first two to three weeks. The first days of school usually have very few students attending. In a way it is good that we start early. That way, by the time we were planning to start, perhaps most of our students will have shown up!
Today I read that the government insists that every school, public and private, begin on August 21st. This means the teachers must return next week, a week earlier than they had expected, and the children will come the following week.
We are flexible. We can do it. The way it usually happens here, anyway, is that the kids will drift in over the first two to three weeks. The first days of school usually have very few students attending. In a way it is good that we start early. That way, by the time we were planning to start, perhaps most of our students will have shown up!
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
How are Dominican Schools Different?
Dominican public & most private schools are different in some very important ways, from schools in the US and Canada.
For one thing, student books are not provided by the school; parents must purchase them. Book prices typically begin at $6, and go up from there, depending on the book, so it can be a heavy burden for a parent, especially if the parent has several children.
In an effort to help families in this regard, the government recently announced that all current editions of school books will be good for four years. This means that any new editions must receive special permission. Books will be able to be recycled, and purchased used, which will be very helpful to poor familes.
Another unusual thing about schools here is that all schools have uniforms. The standard school uniform, which is what our students wear, is a blue shirt with khaki pants or skirt. Many students have only one uniform, and must wash it daily.
Most schools do not provide transportation for their students. Students either walk to school, or ride public transportation at their own expense.
Most schools are very small, and do not have facilities such as gyms, libraries, and computer labs.
Another thing that is quite different in Dominican schools is that the main method of teaching is the teacher writes a lesson on the board, and the students copy it down.
The school day is short. Children attend either a morning or afternoon session which lasts a mere four to four and a half hours a day.
Students do not eat lunch at school. The big meal of the day (rice and beans) is around 1 pm, and is eaten at home. Many workers have a two hour lunch break which makes this possible.
Electricity can and does go off, at any time of the day, so schools don't always have electricity available during school hours.
Running water is likewise not necessarily available.
Schools have frequent breaks, due to rainy weather, and transportation strikes.
Another very great difference in education here: there are huge amounts of children who do not attend school at all. Most deaf children fall into this category.
There are a few schools that are more like North American schools. Those are the private schools that more well-to-do children attend.
For one thing, student books are not provided by the school; parents must purchase them. Book prices typically begin at $6, and go up from there, depending on the book, so it can be a heavy burden for a parent, especially if the parent has several children.
In an effort to help families in this regard, the government recently announced that all current editions of school books will be good for four years. This means that any new editions must receive special permission. Books will be able to be recycled, and purchased used, which will be very helpful to poor familes.
Another unusual thing about schools here is that all schools have uniforms. The standard school uniform, which is what our students wear, is a blue shirt with khaki pants or skirt. Many students have only one uniform, and must wash it daily.
Most schools do not provide transportation for their students. Students either walk to school, or ride public transportation at their own expense.
Most schools are very small, and do not have facilities such as gyms, libraries, and computer labs.
Another thing that is quite different in Dominican schools is that the main method of teaching is the teacher writes a lesson on the board, and the students copy it down.
The school day is short. Children attend either a morning or afternoon session which lasts a mere four to four and a half hours a day.
Students do not eat lunch at school. The big meal of the day (rice and beans) is around 1 pm, and is eaten at home. Many workers have a two hour lunch break which makes this possible.
Electricity can and does go off, at any time of the day, so schools don't always have electricity available during school hours.
Running water is likewise not necessarily available.
Schools have frequent breaks, due to rainy weather, and transportation strikes.
Another very great difference in education here: there are huge amounts of children who do not attend school at all. Most deaf children fall into this category.
There are a few schools that are more like North American schools. Those are the private schools that more well-to-do children attend.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Variety
On Friday, Svetlana taught her first Sign Language class. According to a visiting teacher of the deaf who sat in on the class, she did a great job. She enjoyed doing it, and wants to take it on as a weekly responsibility.
Mondays, we'll also be doing a special weekly Sign class with an audiologist who is a missionary here. Her 18 year old son who works alongside her at the audiology office will also attend.
We had to turn away a 16 year old boy this week. He had no formal language skills, and his father has never made the effort to get him into a school until now. I wish I could say this was unusual, but it isn't. Currently we don't have the staff or space for a special class to help these older learners. It is hard to close the door.
Yesterday we spent several hours at the audiologist's office. Four audiograms were done and explained, and we were on our way home.
We are hard at work getting materials together for the soon-coming school year.
Monday we are going for a follow-up to a letter we sent last year to the Dept. of Education. The person we gave the previous letter to has been replaced by someone else, and probably our letter was lost in the shuffle, as we have not heard from them after quite a long time. We are still in the process of getting the school recognized by the government. That is how it is done here. You start the school first, then you get it approved, rather than the reverse.
Sandwiched into my days, are meetings and appointments with a variety of people who need our help, or who are helping us. Time is running out to get all the odds and ends done before the intensity of back to school.
please pray for:
Mondays, we'll also be doing a special weekly Sign class with an audiologist who is a missionary here. Her 18 year old son who works alongside her at the audiology office will also attend.
We had to turn away a 16 year old boy this week. He had no formal language skills, and his father has never made the effort to get him into a school until now. I wish I could say this was unusual, but it isn't. Currently we don't have the staff or space for a special class to help these older learners. It is hard to close the door.
Yesterday we spent several hours at the audiologist's office. Four audiograms were done and explained, and we were on our way home.
We are hard at work getting materials together for the soon-coming school year.
Monday we are going for a follow-up to a letter we sent last year to the Dept. of Education. The person we gave the previous letter to has been replaced by someone else, and probably our letter was lost in the shuffle, as we have not heard from them after quite a long time. We are still in the process of getting the school recognized by the government. That is how it is done here. You start the school first, then you get it approved, rather than the reverse.
Sandwiched into my days, are meetings and appointments with a variety of people who need our help, or who are helping us. Time is running out to get all the odds and ends done before the intensity of back to school.
please pray for:
- wisdom in preparations for the new school year
- continued good relationships with parents and among teachers
- God's provision for our needs
- every child to come to a knowledge of the truth
- the school to be a channel of blessing to everyone involved
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