Here's the article

Here is the article referred to in the previous post. I just found it in an English translation. Article

An interesing but sad article

The front page of El Día newspaper today declared that 57% of the Dominican people want to leave the island to live and work.

Here are a few more points in the study, which was done by an outside agency.

• "The limited development...is the result of a style of economic growth and institutional arrangements that creates wealth by reproducing misery."

• Having access to the Internet last year cost between 43% and 57% of the minimum wage, depending on the company.

• The average daily classes taught in public schools are [a total of] two hours and 36 minutes long, ie 65% of the scheduled time. In Santo Domingo is where less class time is issued: 2 hours and 22 minutes.

___________

One of our students just underwent a quite unnecessary surgery. His mom had the strange idea, that repairing a small crack in his skull, which he has had since he was 10 months old, would restore his hearing. It had nothing to do with his hearing, and was not recommended by most doctors she consulted, as he had no symptoms, but she continued to shop around till she found someone who would do the expensive procedure.

School continues. There is so much more to teach, and so little time left! We are looking forward to an American team of 8 coming for the last week of school. The team includes both deaf and hearing signers, so they can communicate directly with the kids. It is especially nice to have them here the last week of school, since that is a week that parents often opt to keep their children home. We can be pretty sure of their attendance for this event, and we know it will be a benefit to them.

Learning to pray, elections, photos

It's important for children to learn to pray. They need to see prayer as more than just some ritual before they eat or go to sleep. They need to see it as a way to speak to God. They need to see that God will answer their prayers.

When Yulissa was out with the chicken pox, we were praying that her young baby would not get it. He didn't.

A classmate didn't show up for a few weeks. His mom had been sick and not working, so there was no money for busfare. We prayed for him to be able to come. He was back the next day.

We are praying for more teachers now.

The presidential elections are next Friday. All schools will be out Thursday and Friday, (some Wednesday and Monday as well) because many of the parents have to return to their own native towns to vote. I hear arguments over politics going on in all the public transportation. There are traffic jams everywhere, caused by political rallies. So far, the polls have the incumbent with a strong lead--unbeatable. Traditionally the military is out in full force to protect the election process, although military personnel are not allowed to vote, nor to participate in any way in politics.

See our new pictures at www.flickr.com/alabemos.
Blessings!