There is so much to love about San Juan- there really is.  For one thing... we have like..the greatest Dominican Christmas display EVER.   It might not compare to like...Longwood Gardens or anything but our faux Santa and Mrs Claus in the center of town with the awesome stuffed donkey seriously rival anything I've seen.    (Below another shot of us hanging downtown near the lights- so pretty!)

People create the coolest Christmas trees here out of sticks and then this stuff like spanish moss that they stuff in the sticks in the form of a Christmas tree and then put lights and decorations all around.   These can be found in many neighborhoods and today I saw a bunch of folks together creating a neighborhood spanish moss-stuff Christmas tree which is just COOL.    Also apparently it is completely acceptable to keep trees and lights up until at least March.   I say YES to this.   I hung some Christmas lights outside around our balcony and although it doesn't feel like Christmas with the palm tree in front of it- it still looks pretty and soft and homey.

Another bit to note is that San Juan is a baseball town.  So obviously its no secret that I love baseball and it's easy to see a softball or baseball game here nearly every night (if you want).  And some of our friends are GOOD PLAYERS.  Like SERIOUSLY good players (okay...so they are major studs and I am kinda in awe).  There are lots of fellas around now on vacation from the academies so we've seen some great ball lately.   Last weekend Laura and I went to watch a tournament downtown with our friend Monchy who knows lots of local players.   It was interesting to see how many of the guys in the tournament played in single or double or triple AAA in the States or are at the academies right now.    I'm amazed at how much home grown talent comes from San Juan.   Every little boy here- every single one- wants to play baseball.   I love it.  So love living here.

An update on the life and times of Nik Eby would definitely need to note an awesome time with Ken, Jenny, Chris and Liz,  our 4 member ultimo team who sadly left us on Thanksgiving Day.  We had an incredible couple days with these guys, including 2 days spent investigating communities in Elias Pina and a day spent in El Cercado doing home visits (joy!).   Below are some photos of these communities and our time spent there.  Incredible.

Thanksgiving Day was a complete feast cooked by Dan's parents (yay for parents in town) and spent with about 20-25 of our dear friends here.   AMAZING.   Oh and there was dominos too.

And what's next?  Well- even though there aren't any teams until New Year's Eve- there is still plenty to do.  I spent some time in the med room cleaning up and trying to figure out what we may need for the incoming teams.   Then some time in the scary room putting stuff away and wondering what to do with the stacks of stuff that I fear we will never use (you know- like the stuff for open heart surgery, etc...).   But the big job that is awaiting me (and Laura) is taking pictures of all of our sponsored kids at the 6 schools that Solid Rock supports.   Laura and I will be traveling to the schools and taking pictures of all the kids....over a thousand.   Gulp.   We started today.   I'm scared.   But it's gonna be awesome.  

Sunday  Laura and I returned to Bastida and checked on Baby Nicole (GORGEOUS) and another friend J.  And he wasn't in the best of health.  So we picked him up yesterday and had him checked out at the clinic and then he spent the last 24 hours in San Juan.  And I don't know why certain kids stick in your head and heart...but I do know that when J is happy- I feel happy.  And when he hurts- I hurt too.  And I'm glad he's okay now- thanks to the wonderful doctors that I work with here.

Tomorrow Laura, Kari and I leave for a conference on the North Coast that is focused on Integrated Health.  I'm thrilled and can't wait to go somewhere I've never been.....learning and absorbing information that I think will be incredibly beneficial to hear before we start our Winter Barrio teams.     Oh and we're probably stopping tomorrow night to catch the Gigantes at home in San Fran de Macoris.  Weeeeyyyyyyyyyyy...

A few pix to leave you with.  The one of me and Angel yapping on our phones on the moto cracks me up......and of course Genny is just......Genny!   One of the recent team members called her Yoda and the name continues to make me laugh.  She's soooo funny!   AND she caught and killed a rat a few nights ago- GO Genny!

Swagger Coach

So I AM the swagger coach but I'll get into that in a minute.

For now, a small rundown on the last week.   Some of you have been praying for me since we had a tough week in surgery about 3-4 weeks ago.  Well, this past Monday I was able to visit our patient.   Our  MIRACLE patient.   That God miraculously kept His Hand on and saved.   Who grinned and smiled at me and who I held in my arms and squeezed as tight as I could.   Whose mother's face made the tears start to squeak out of the corners of my eyes.    It was cathartic.   It was a treasure.   It settled my heart, which had been a little dark and bitter about stuff like that.    Monday was just awesome.  

Oh  and Tuesday.   Ufff- had some meetings on Tuesday but they were ALL good.  Although the best thing about Tuesday was doing liturgy readings with Laura, Kari and Kristen.  We had Girls Bible Study (or whatever that is that we do when we get together and like...TALK about stuff and pray a little) and we read about Liturgical Prayer and then we read some liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer and it kinda slayed me a little bit.    Because in the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook that we are working through- the chapter on Liturgical Prayer reads "Liturgical patterns call us to let go of our compulsion to lead or plunge ahead in any way we want.   Their rhythms draw us into established patterns of attending to God.   They give us space to use our voice, find our words, name our sin, hear God's word, and gaze on our Creator.......     Alongside the popularity of conversational prayer....stands the desire to be rooted in something ancient that has survived the centuries."  

So I loved it and I love it and I'm hoping we can continue with it.  We had a fascinating conversation about prayer and history and liturgy and I want to learn more about keeping prayer/worship/adoration on God and not on me (it's kinda hard to keep it off me, actually).  

Wednesday- El Cercado.   I could probably stop right there and you'd know that I had a SWEEETTT day but I guess I'll get into it a teeny bit.   Laura and I caught a ride up with Dr. Perdomo (and Lionel Richie was very present on our trip as well..but enough on that) and then proceeded to do a little visiting and then off to our El C home.   Lunch- holding sweet nephews- laughing with the crew- hearing stories- catching up- home sweet home.  Nothin like it up there.     At 2 we headed back to the clinic to catch up with Pastor Morales and the rest of our team from San Juan from the New Community Church in NC.  These guys have been coming to the campos of El Cercado for the last few years handing out rice and beans.   So Laura and I tagged along as well and got to see a few of the kids in the Child Nutrition Program who were in the same areas (Bautista and Derrumbadero)  too.   And we took turns on the moto with Angel and got to snuggle some sweet babes and talk to some super-grateful smiley folks who remembered the team from last year and were delighted to see them.    We finished up with a meal at Morale's house of moro and chicken and salad and bread and this phenomenal orange juice with cane sugar and basically it was completely amazing.   The team took off for San Juan but Laura and I hung to chill in Cercado and visit another patient with Victor.   And it IS amazing, that I get to do this.  I get to drive in the mountains and sit in the living room of someone that had surgery in "my" clinic a couple weeks ago and we share candy and laugh and talk about life and I feel so grateful and surprised and it cracks me up that this is my life.   Then Laura and I meet up in the park with some fellas in the Peace Corp and check out their digs and talk about life around here and shoot the breeze.  Then we walk home and catch up with the fam and stumble in bed and geez- we're tired.

And Thursday I did some quick computer work (TWENTY EMAILS since I left San Juan less than 24 hours before!) and then Laura and I do some "visiting" that may have involved some dominos.  But it's quality time and she's seriously catching on to this and we are loving it and learning and throwing down the pieces with the teeniest bit more authority than before.   Back to clinic, then to lunch at the casa and hugs goodbye and wow- do-I-miss-them, then back to San Juan.  Catching up with the team and some work on the home front.  And later that night I take them to Bon for ice cream and watch the street kids work the scene.   And they are GOOD- but sweet enough to share a bite with me when I ask and obedient enough that they'll pick up their trash when I call at them to do it.    I think they need some sweet hugs and attention even more than ice cream....and they'll stand closer to me than they did before.

Friday morning team goodbyes are always sad- these guys did such a great job and were such servants and their attitudes challenged me and I was inspired.   But off they go and we start cleaning up/ preparing for the next teams/catching up with each other.   And some friends drop in to visit and play dominos (see the pattern developing here) and we tell jokes and tease in spanish and talk trash and it's all good.   Laura and I headed over to Corbano Sur around 4:15 to catch up with friends and attend Olvis's English class.  Which is AWESOME.  

And then we head back to the vecinos and play dominos for maybe another THREE HOURS and roast marshmellows in the street over a grill and eat brownies and giggle and carry on.   

Saturday is a big day.  Laura and I went to the big city.   We took Caribe Tours in and got there at 2 and took a cab to Estadio Quisqueya.   And we scalped some tickets and sat inside and it was just as beautiful as I thought it would be.  And we heard the cracks of bats and the thumps of gloves and everything SMELLED like baseball and we were incredibly happy.  

  Our helpful ticket scalper Omar (who kinda lied to me about the location of our seats but whatever....7 rows behind home plate works just fine for me too!) hailed us a public car and we took off for late lunch.  Which, JOY, turned out to be hamburgers and french fries and a FROSTY at Wendys.  It was kinda a little bit like Christmas.  There was real american ketchup and everything.  

And the game.  Oh the game.  We went back for the game at 5.  And Laura and I LOVE baseball.   We're Gigantes fans and we don't CARE if they are in last place.  Pedro Feliz and Wilson Valdez are here and thats all that matters.   And our pitcher goes 7 innings.   And the Gigantes APLASTO (squashed) the Leones 10-1.  

Back to San Juan today.   A great meeting with our current team who has an incredible passion to be involved here in San Juan.  Well- and THAT's infectious- we want to be part of it too.   Dinner at Pedro Burgers and then meandering around downtown San Juan- all decked out for Christmas.  We got goofy with the camera....and I think perhaps my favorite Christmas decoration is the donkey.   It's just cool like that.

Oh and speaking of cool- my Swagger Coach tshirt is here to stay.  I found it in the donation pile and I can't believe ANYONE would want to ever give it away.  It's probably the coolest tshirt I own now.   Whoever you are....sweet donation friend....THANK YOU.  

Chinola

Yum.  Spent this morning sipping some coffee, dancing in the kitchen to some Brooke Frasier (okay and some Chris Brown and Enrique too.....), whipping up some brownies and salad for lunch, and trying my hand at making chinola juice.   Chinola is passion fruit and the juice is UNBELIEVABLE.  Sometimes Margo makes it, although Olvis and Amaury can rock some chinola juice as well.   We all love it and it's usually gone in a matter of minutes.   Soooooo you cut the chinola in half and then scoop out the fruit stuff (which has some black seed-like things in it) and then you blend it all up since it's kinda thick.   Then you strain it, add some water and sugar and just start drooling.  It's awesome.    

Hey- here I am in my pjs scooping out the fruit stuff.

strain after blending....

Ahhhhh ready to drink.  Soooooooo good.

It's been a great week.   I was in the clinic  with the last group doing ENT and Ortho surgery.  Awesome docs, awesome patients, awesome time.  Ufff and last night I bumped into one of my little 3 year old patients in Corbano Sur who was happy to give hugs and kisses and say that he was "bien..bien".  So cute!  I LOVE that.  There I was, playing dominos with some pals, laughing and carrying on and talking trash...and out of nowhere comes little D, meandering over for hugs.  It's the best.     And when it starts to rain, we move the domino board to someone's porch and squeeze in and keep going and Laura and I roar with the shouting and gesturing and wild antics of our "frentes".   And she's learning dominos and it's the best to have my manita here with me, doing the vida we do.     And the music blares and the plantains fry and the power goes off ("se fue la luz") and the neighbors call out saludos and the kids run by screaming and laughing and life feels FULL.  

I'm about to kill some chinola juice, ya'll.   The next group will be here in about one minute.  Game on.

Restoring

Psalm 80:3

Restore us O God.  Make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

That was the memory verse at the church that we went to last Sunday....a mere day after my last post.   And I think I desperately NEEDED it.   And I needed this week, this week of awesome RESTORATION to process and realize that God IS who He says He is.   I don't always know what that means, but I know He is bigger and better than me.   

A dear little lady taught Sunday School and reviewed this verse with us many many times.   The title to her lesson was HOPE IN PAIN.   I had to smile.  Could God have spoken any more directly into my heart?  I don't think I understand one single word that she said after that...but it meant SO MUCH to know that just the title of the lesson was one that I NEEDED to know.    And then the rest of the week, the team in town, Brookside- continued to pour into my life, affirm that God is GOD and He is sovereign and that sometimes we just don't get it and that's okay.   I felt like they ministered to me in lots of different ways- I loved watching them work with the patients and each other- they constantly served each other, the Dominicans and me...before they served themselves.    I was humbled.   I was able to have some real conversations and learn stuff about people and listen to their life stories.   It was meaningful- it was beautiful- it reminded me again of how much I love what I get to do here.  

And then- we went to some of the most AMAZING places for barrio clinics.  On Monday we went HIGH in the mountains to a place named Montecitos.  I'll attach some pix below but it was breathtaking. And staring out the windows on the way up (we had to ditch the bus and then catch a Daihaitsu truck (spelling?) because the roads were treacherous!) at the stunning scenary and then arriving there and finding more and more beauty and amazing patients and fantastic moro for lunch- I honestly did not want to leave.  And I can't wait to go back.    It seemed like God was spreading His hands over the terrain and saying "Look what I made!  See how GRAND I am- see what I can DO- start to TRUST me!"   It's a constant reminder to me.   This world is Big but He's got the whole thing in His hands.    Oh and Kari and Kristin were with me and we were the 3 Musketeers and I love my friends.   And I think we could all be in awe together and it was soooooo sweet to share the moments.  

Thursday was the same- La Florida- somewhere out in the mountains in timbuktu-you-need-4-wheel-drive-to-get-here place.   I am SO glad that Dan Ogg was with me to take over the Gray Truck- because I think we were literally scaling goat paths.  And again- we were in the most precious campo with the kindest folks who handed me a pumpkin when we were leaving.   And I got to triage a woman with her 11th baby (just a week or so old) and her 16 year old at her side.   I took a picture because she was clearly a rock star and a few years younger than me (ELEVEN KIDS!).   

And in the week somewhere was a night curled up with Dan and Kari watching a movie and just generally being FAMILY.  Because we are family here and we NEED each other and I love them more and more and if there are tears or laughter- there is no one else that I want to share it with more than those guys.   And today was a quick trip to Pueblo Nuevo (LOVED seeing my fellas there- quick hug to Ulise and others!)  and setting up the med room for next week and laundry and cruising through the clinic and meeting with Livida and Perdomo and replying to (countless?) emails and grocery shopping and a quick trip to the salon and then...ahhhh dominos in Corbano Sur with the vecinos of Olvis.     That might have felt more right than anything else at this moment.  :)  Even tho I continue to lose HORRIBLY.... then I plodded a quick (ha!) mile at the track, scurried back to an english class in Corbano Sur (yay!) and now...home in Room 16 at the Casa Huesped (the Guesthouse) to set my (3!) fantasy football teams for Sunday and eat macaroni and cheese and catch up on Jesus Calling and this blog.   Oh also, Kari and I decided that every single thing with orange cheese on it is GOOD.   

I feel good.  I feel restored.  I feel like God, in His infinite Goodness....tolerates my infantile tantrums and tears and doubt and keeps picking me up, dusting off my pants and saying "let's try this again, Nicole- I have LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE".   I'm so not worthy.  And I am so fickle in my faith.  But I'm in.   

nik

Bienva makes everything happen!

Monchy gets us where we need to go!

The 18 year old mother of these 7 month old twins carried them and a huge diaper bag at least 30 minutes to reach our clinic, while dragging a crying 2 year old as well.   She was feeding them sugar water since she didn't have any milk.   They weigh about 10 pounds each at 7 months.  

Here's mama and the 2 year old.  Couldn't be cuter.  Kari and Kristen carried the twins home with her.  She held Kari's hand almost the whole way back.

This little baby is 21 days old.  Precious.

Yup- thats how we roll into the campos when the roads are too bad for Monchy's bus.  Comfort First!  These guys were troopers!

The 3 Amigas- how awesome to share this day in Montecitos together!

In La Florida- the woman who had 11 babies.  This is her oldest and youngest.

view out the driver's side.  Yay for 4 wheel drive!

Crazy beautiful!