Pictures from Tuesday-Compassion and Battae Severet

It is another beautiful early morning here.  I am writing this post as the sun is rising.  Donna wrote a beautiful post last night and I wanted to add some photos and also to tell you a bit about what a Battae is.  When the sugar cane factory was operationg in Montellano, the industry built many small settlements in the country side for the sugar cane workers to live.  They look like this

Then at one time in DR the sugar market became flooded with too much supply so they closed some factories around DR and the one in Montellano was one of them.  So what happened to the workers in the country side?  Well most of them were Haitian and didn't really have anywhere to go back to.  The factory cut the water and electricity to the Battae and the people were more or less left to their own devices.  Some of the Battaes have managed to survive a little better than others by farming or the people working on farms but many are just severely impoverished like Pancho Mateo.  Severet seemes to be surviving a little bit better-perhaps it is because of the farmland around it.  Our day yesterday was incredible.  We got to hang out at the Compassion school and many of our kids were there.  I met my new prayer partner- Eunice.  She was soooo excited to meet me.  I think in Canada our total reliance on the power of prayer is not on level with the people in poor countries.  I mean she was literally jumping up and down-like she had been given a sponsor herself!  I was very touched.  Here she is

Our afternoon was super incredible.  The feeling as we drove into the mountains was like peace just falling on us.  Here is the country side

Here is the church and the children inside

The most spectacular part of this program was when we were finished our lesson.  The children's director{pastor's wife} asked if any of the kids would like to pray to accept Jesus into their hearts.  Nine beautiful little souls stepped forward and were prayed for.

After that I was able to go on my home visit and see Miguel's new house that his father built.  It was like hanging out with old friends because I have been there so often we are really comfortable together now.  Here are a few pics

The end of the day was very difficult for many because it was the last time to be together with their kids this trip.  I will post some photos of that tonight in a separate post.  Today I am going to the house of Jason and Moises, and Nelly, Blanca, and Jean and Allie have their home visits.  Have a great day.  Muchas bendigas, Michele