One Year Later!

Blessings everyone and hello again from the D.R.  I pray you are all well and enjoying the mild winter so far...we have heard that the colds of January's past were not so bad this year as well as the snows!  We are also enjoying a mild winter! 
Yesterday was the anniversary of our arrival here on the island, February 22, 2011 we landed in our foreign home; complete with luggage and dog, we settled in for what has seemed like a very fast year.
A quick synopsis of the last year has revealed many encouraging facts about our journey so far.  At first we jumped right into the process of trying to get the Guest House up and running, but God had other plans for us and we quickly came to a grinding halt with process, language barriers, cultural barriers, transportation barriers, and even some health issues.  Patience He said...wait on Me, He whispered; do not run ahead, He cautioned; Trust me, He assured us.
All these things combined together have grown us more, building us up on the inside, rather than tearing us down.
It has always been through God's people, through the situations you find yourself facing, that the answers for the direction of your path become apparent.  In the last year we have received counsel from elders and friends, advice from our missionary neighbors here, and much love and support from family back home.  We greatly appreciate all who would listen to us and care to pray for our keeping while we establish here in the Dominican Republic what God has seeded deep within my soul.

We are blessed to have such people as you around us who continue to encourage and pray for us.
I am pleased to announce that we have just finished the rough build of the first level of the Guest House just yesterday; on our anniversary one year after arrival!  Yesterday the work crews poured the second level floor.  Now the work will continue inside the first level to complete room enough for teams of ten people. Once the terminations are completed by the work crews the first level will be ready for paint and tile work, as well as installations of bathroom fixtures, windows and doors, and electrical work.  Within a few weeks we will begin to build the outside, open air dining room with kitchen attached.  We are encouraged with the announcement of a Mission Team from ROL and look forward to seeing those who come in April!

I hope that the pictures we have been sending give rise to encouragement within your own lives, knowing that your prayers and support have gone into a project that we are only a part of.  God leads and we only follow, walking through doors of opportunity and creating lasting relationships with those around us who He places in our path.
Be blessed each of you as you awaken to a new day, what opportunity will you be given today?

Laura and I extend a warm invitation to all those who read this blog, please visit us anytime!  The Guest House is on track to receive teams of about ten people sometime in June or early July of 2012!
Thank you all
Bendiciones!
Mike and Laura