Man Camp Numero Uno

Good afternoon my beloved readers. I decided I should break my silence and write on my lonely blog. Summer is here. Ridiculous. In two months, my home will be back in the states, back to consumerism, back to sad and desperate America. However, Texas has not reclaimed me yet. I still am here on the island....quite literally. One of the additional activities that I have the pleasure of aiding with is called Man Camp. What is Man camp? Do we teach the Dominican boys how to scratch our bellies and belch? Well, not exactly. Our overall goal for this once a week adventure consists in discipleship, discipline, and desire for something better. Most of these muchachos that we have focused on have no positive role model in their lives. Instead they look up to men who have multiple women, drink Rum like water, and not push their kids towards success or God. To remedy (overhaul) their lives we are pursuing them on a more intentional basis. This last Friday we launched the program. Tepera and Paul (the interns) headed up the program. We began by playing basketball with about 7 or 8 boys. By the time we paused for break, many more stragglers huddled over by our circle. Tep started us off with prayer (in which I translated)...then we began reading through Titus 2:6-7. In this book, Paul exhorts those to be examples for others. Show Christ by your own life. How much the kids understood this scripture, I do not know. I did lay down the law with them. Sharing with them that Paul and Tep were not here to goof off with poor kids. They are here to talk about their real relationship with Jesus Christ. Continuing, I told them how important it was to set good examples for their younger siblings and to change the pattern in most Dominican males. Most paid attention. I pray that this information settled into their skulls. We told them to come prepared each week to play, learn sportsmanship, and to hear more about God's word. I am stoked. It is really reminiscent of Young Life. Love it.

keep me lifted up.

Bachelor till the Rapture

My dearest loved ones,

It has been too long since my last post. I am very sorry for dropping the ball. Yall need to know what is going on in my life.....or I need you to know what is going on in my life. I want to make this easy to follow so I will break my life down into subjects: school, work site, staff, friends, personal growth.

School: The past weeks I have focused on having the kids memorize John 3:16. Original...I know. However, I thought I should start with the foundation of our faith. It has been great to hear the pronunciation of this verse in English. For instance, I constantly hear the following: "fo Goud so loubed theh would thawt....". Not only are they learning English through scripture, but also entertaining me in the process.

Work site: I have not spent too much time here....because they are busy leveling the land out. I do enjoy witnessing DR work ethics...which consists of working for 2 minutes then telling 8 minutes stories.....laziness in action. Wait...kind of like city workers in the US.

Staff: I love the people I work with soo much. God has truly blessed our relationships and drawn us closer.

Friends: I love my friends here on the island. My BF, Layne, continues to be my accountability partner even though I do not live in the same town as he does. While in Puerto Plata, I have become closer friends with our next door neighbor, John. He is a very awkward 17 year old German/Dominican. Pray that this relationship blossoms. He comes over every day.

Personal Growth: Right now, God has been showing me that my view of success down here is meaningless. He has his own idea in mind. This has included a sense of humility and letting God really take control of the reigns in my life.

PRAY REQUESTS:

I am still short ONE THOUSAND dollars....
My friend John
Uncle Steve with Colon Cancer
Patience with staff members and kids
Reaching more people for Christ
Spanish skill

The Dominican Workout (a.k.a. Burro Burn)

This is Weston again here to tell you about my brand new fitness program: The Dominican Workout: Burro Burn. BB has been acknowledged by leading health professionals as the number one way to transform your gordo body into a Beach Bod. At the end of the six stage program, you will look Pain straight in the face and laugh. Check out the stages:

In all six stages Caribbean there are heat, humidity, and 6 hour sessions.

Stage One: Till soil with a pickax.
Stage Two: Shovel dirt at a consistent pace.
Stage Three: Alternate the first two stages.

In the last three stages the distance is 100 yards and the terrain is muddy and under one foot of water.

Stage Four: Transport 40 lb concrete blocks.
Stage Five: Push wheelbarrow full of sand.
Stage Six: Carry 100 lb. cement bags on shoulder.

REMEMBER: I along with the Dominican people GUARANTEE this fitness plan. Trust me it works.

First week back on the Isla

Mis Amores,

I love yall. I am back and rocking. Thanks for those of yall that care and saw me over break. Ha. For those of yall that missed out, wait seven months for your next chance.

Bueno....I have rekindled my friendships down here on the island. Great news. Mario (aka Super Mario) recently told my friend Rachel how much he likes me. He went on to ask her what religion we were. In the past, he has seen Christianity turn their back on him because of his lifestyle. However, seeing the witness of my friend Rachel and I, he has become curious about what OUR RELIGION is about. Mario told Rachel that he has a Bible in Spanish, but doesnt know how to read. Perfect. Guess who gets to read and share scripture with him? That is right....God has set this up to be an amazing opportunity for me to tell this Dominican man about Jesus. I am stoked. Pray for that.

Besides receiving hugs and warm greetings back to the island, I have been getting dirty. Life as a missionary does not keep you clean 24/7. Out at Makarios' land, a team of Dominicans and Haitians, Garrett, and I have been pickaxing, shoveling and hauling sand, dirt, and mud out of a huge hole. What is this hole? A swimming pool? I wish but no. Actually, we are working on our massive 35 thousand gallon cistern. While the nationals and Garrett flung the dirt up 15 feet, I scurried to hurl the earth particles away from the edges. Real man work. After every days work, I feel muscles I never knew I had.

Please continue to pray for me. If yall email me, I would absolutely love it. My email address is real simple: westonwoodward@gmail.com. Memorize it.

Texas, Our Texas

Howdy folks,

I am back in the great Lonestar State.  What did I do when I first got back?  Well, I have eaten lots and lots of Tex Mex.  This plan sounded amazing, but I found out first hand that going from a diet of rice, beans, and chicken to jalapenos can wreck you.  Ha.  While my body has been adjusting, I have spent incredible relax time with my family in Brenham.  On the island, I told myself that I needed to have a true Texas Experience when I came home.  I can say I have fulfilled my expectations completely by accomplishing the following:

1.  Coyote hunting

2.  TexMex

3.  Hog hunting

4.  Bluebell eating (made in my hometown)

5.  Backroad driving (in my dad's pickup)

6.  Absorbed a outdoor cowboy Christmas village (Santa's Wonderland in BCS)

7.  Shot a .357 revolver

All in all, I have thoroughly enjoyed my break.  It has been shocking to see the differences between here and there (island).  By January 14th, I will be ready to head back on down to my home for the year and continue sharing the love of Jesus to the Dominican and Haitians.

Keep me in your prayers,

Weston

Blame it all on my roots...

Yeehaw.

Life is good. As I mentioned in my last post, I started an English Class at night. My objective was to get to know more older kids in the neighborhood, build relationships, and also to provide them a FREE way to learn English. Most jobs on the Northern Coast require mastering the English language. When I say most jobs, I am not referring to cutting sugarcane, sorting garbage, or shoe shining. I mean self sustaining work at resorts or restaurants or banks. This provides a huge motivation to learn OUR language. As far as I can see from my first two classes, these youth desire to learn....truly. Most of them long for the day to have running water, tennis shoes, and three meals a day. I have seen the same fervor during my P.E./English/Survival skills Class. Thats what first sparked me to offer a more in depth, organized class at night. Yall can be praying for me as I attempt to design lesson plans conducive for class. Also, dont forget to pray for the relationships that I will be building through this. My last class one of my student's dads came up to me and thanked me for what I was doing. He said that he would never of imagined a FREE English class in their neighborhood especially when paid classes are too expensive for them.

I LOVE and miss all of yall. Thanks for yalls financial, emotional, and prayers these past months. Am I homesick? Well, I want some TexMex and hug my family and friends. However, I am at a peaceful place right now here. I am finding why I am down here: build relationships and show God's love to this island. That sounds like a no brainer, but I have just recently embraced that amazing truth.

ALSO, everyone of you should read Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution. I do NOT agree with everything he says or has done, but it provides an amazing look into a Christian that has found what it means to LOVE (especially our poor brothers and sisters). The book is really radical and might work you up (if you have grown up in a Conservative/Republican Christian home....get ready). Read it.....think about it.......and then get off your bum.

Kicking back in boots,

Weston Woodward

English Class

I am starting an English class with some older kids in the village: pray. it will be awesome.