December 2012

Saludos y Feliz Navidad a nuestra familia y amigos

We have been very busy with activities of the Christmas season.  To the left is our youth at Quisqueya practicing for their presentation at the Branch Christmas party.  The above photo is of the annual Christmas party for the missionaries of the Santo Domingo East Mission. They had a great time doing hilarious skits and also a spiritual presentation of the Christmas story.  We shared great Dominican food with them and had a wonderful afternoon of socializing and enjoying the presence of our missionaries, about 200 of them.  There are two other missions here in the Dominican Republic with about as many missionaries each.

Here at the right is Carlos checking the height of the sugar cane.  It will shortly be ready for harvest. Huge double trailors drive down the narrow roads to and from Quisqueya delivering their cargo to the sugar refineries that now spout black and white smoke from their tall chimneys that have been quiet for several months.  Many people are out of work during that time.

Here are several of the Quisqueya Branch members.  I can never get over how well they always pose for pictures. Look at all those lovely smiles. 

A couple months ago this house didn’t exist.  It had burned to the ground.  Only part of the concrete floor and a pile of ashes remained.  Even the corrugated tin was affected.  They were able to salvage some of it and we were fortunate enough to find a supply of used tin to help them rebuild.  We also managed to supply them with recycled wood from them with recycled wood from shipping crates.  This coming week we will donate some concrete, sand and gravel for them to restore part of their floor that had been damaged.  This is not as attractive as the block house we helped build but to them it is a home.  The block house is just about finished and pictures will follow.   We have plans to help one more family rebuild their home that is flooded with each rain.

However we need to hurry as we received word that we will be transferred to Hidalgo de Parral Chihuahua Mexico for a Family Search preservation project at the municipal archive.  They have the largest colonial archive in northern Mexico that Family Search is negotiating to digitize and make available on the internet.   It was 20 years ago that we became acquainted with that archive and created the Hispanic Heritage Project which helped support it with funds and equipment as well as parishes in the area and the Catholic diocese in Durango.  Once this project is completed we will have accomplished an idea that was dreamed of 20 years ago.  Once again, we greatly appreciate all of you who contributed funds to the building of the homes in Quisqueya.

We pray that you will all have a wonderful holiday season and will feel the spirit of joy and satisfaction as you gather with your families and appreciate each endearing moment. 

Con mucho cariño,

Carlos and Nancy