After visiting my family for Christmas, I arrived back to the DR to celebrate King's day with all of our kids, both at ANIJA and the Ark. I feel so lucky to be able to participate both with my own family and my Dominican family here, without having to choose one or the other. King's day is January 6th and is the day they celebrate the three wise men giving gifts to Jesus. We first celebrated King's day at the Ark with singing, the Christmas story and the much anticipated opening of gifts. Along with the expected chaos and excitement, I was humbled watching some of our newest kids, opening their gifts for the first time. There were a lot of smiles. The whole property was buzzing with skateboards, pillow pets, remote control cars, and dolls. (Now it's full of car parts and little mechanics, but well worth it!) Below are some pictures I was able to capture during the event.
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| 1st King's Day at the Ark!! |
Just days later we celebrated at Anija, my school. The kids came for the morning where we told the Christmas story, sang more songs and handed a present out to each child. Unlike the Ark, these kids live at home with their families, but still many did not have the luxury of receiving a gift at home. Here's a glimpse of our Anija celebration.
February 11 marks my first full year of living here in Jarabacoa. It hardly seems real. On one hand I have failed more times in this one year than the rest of my life put together. But as a result of this, and the kindness and grace of those around me, I have learned even more. I'm excited to continue on this journey, living and learning with the Dominicans, working together to make a brighter future for these kids!
