Sunshine (one of my roommates) and I
are all smiles at my birthday dinner. :)


Ministry Info:
On August 22 I moved to the DR, and though the day I arrived was a hectic one all around, I am very excited to be here, and I praise God for his leading and guidance that brought me here! For the last three weeks I have been adjusting to the culture and learning more of the language, and the staff helped me celebrate my birthday on the 6th with dinner at a local restaurant!

I started observing at Colegio Evangélico Isaías Emmanuel (the G.O. school) on the 5th, and I will be there every Tuesday and Thursday in September. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, I am taking Spanish classes with two other staff members, and I use my afternoons to do my homework (tarea), and hopefully I will begin visiting some of the local churches with which G.O. works to learn about the various areas of the ministry.

Observing in the school will allow me to learn the school’s culture, which is very different from what I have been used to, and give me opportunities to practice my Spanish! It has been a great experience, as I have missed being in a classroom and interacting with students, but it has also been a bit mentally exhausting! Here the school has two sessions that each last about 3 ½ hours – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Different students go to each session to try to reach as many as possible. So far I have observed the two first grade classes, the second grade class, and the third grade class. The students are excited that I am in their classes and wanted to talk to me – one second grader even practiced her English with me, and I was able to talk to them some “en español.” I found them to be very patient with my attempts at Spanish, and I am grateful for this time to watch and learn!



Perhaps what struck me the most while observing this past week was the third grade class that had 39 students in an approximately 10x15 room, and 13 of them were sitting on folding chairs because there were not enough desks (see the picture above). Add to this the fact that there is no air conditioning and temperatures are in the 90s, and the room was “close” as a friend of mine from Illinois would say. Before I left the states, Woodland Hills Church of Christ, which is one of my supporting churches and my family’s home church, had a special collection that brought in nearly $1400 for me to be able to purchase school supplies for the children here, and I hope to use some of that money to help alleviate the conditions in that classroom. Next week the principal will return from a mission trip to Columbia, and I will meet with him to discuss this and the next steps for implementing my ministry.

In just my first couple of weeks in Santiago, God has opened my eyes to the unique experiences I will have the opportunity to have while serving Him here – both in and out of the school. One night last week, two staff members and I went with two men who work with G.O. to a “Chago Hut" on one of the major streets near our neighborhood and had sandwiches. While the food was good (think State Fair food), what I enjoyed most was the conversation – one of the men, Ramono, had some questions about the states, and it was interesting to hear his view of the state of our nation. I could not help but wonder what type of picture we made - two Haitian men and three American women, sitting in plastic chairs on the side of a busy Dominican road, talking about God and the role He is to play in our lives and decisions, and allowing Him to bring us together as brothers and sisters in Christ ... I have never had an experience quite like it.

I am excited to be here, but it has not been an easy transition. There have been a couple of times when I have been driven to my knees or my Bible in response to a situation or event, and each time God has continued to remind me that He has a plan for my life, He is in control, and my only job is to come to Him with my needs, trust Him to do what He says He will do, and be obedient to what He is telling me to do. My first night I had a “what have I done?” moment, and I picked up a scripture book a dear friend had given me years ago. In it, she had personalized the verses, and I ended up on Jeremiah 29:11, which reads, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” It was exactly what I needed at that exact moment. I know He has brought me here, and I know He will continue to take care of all the details of my life and my ministry!

Prayer Requests:
Sale of condo
Fundraising (I am waiting to hear from four churches in Louisville and one in VA)
Peace and patience during this time of adjustment
Becoming more fluent in Spanish
Development of strong relationships with staff and nationals

Wish List:
Granola bars :) (They cost $5 a box here!)
Dark chocolate, Mike & Ike’s – or any gummy/chewy candy :)
Stove and refrigerator for our kitchen – we have a dorm size frig (for 3 people), and friends just gave us a double burner (we only had one burner before)

Mailing Info:
I have joined a group called Agape Flights that allows me to receive packages in the DR at a much more reliable rate than any other shipping method. Agape is a Christian organization that is a mailing service for missionaries in the DR and Haiti. They fly to Santiago once a week, usually on Thursdays, to bring packages and mail. They ask that boxes not be more than 40 lbs because members are doing the loading/unloading. Also, it will cost me $1/pound for packages shipped. You can make a donation via their website (www.agapeflights.com) in my name to cover the cost of the package, just be sure to include the information about the package in the notes.

My address with Agape is:

Sipperley SGO 18602
c/o Agape Flights
7990 15th Street E
Sarasota, FL 34243

Thank you for supporting my ministry!

Con Amor de Jesucristo,
Catherine