<p> It is Monday morning, and already I can feel the sweat mixed with bug spray running down my neck. The itchiness of the ninety plus mosquito bites on my legs drive me insane, but I still feel a smile spread across my face. I, along with eighteen other group members, am spending the week of June 6-14, 2009, in a small school in Punta de Garza, Dominican Republic.</p>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The heat is already almost unbearable, but I manage to make it through leading the worship songs during our devotions. After breakfast, I look out the window of the second story to see a crowd of children waiting for school to begin. Some of them see me, and remember me from the past three years. They wave to me while they call out “Adrian, Adrian! Hola!”, or as most of them call me, “Adriana, Adrian!” I smile, wave and call out an “Hola” or “Como estas?”. It is so exciting to see the children again! I am ready to get the morning work finished so I can go see, and hug my little Dominican friends!</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Finally, the afternoon comes! I head downstairs, and out into the playground with some of the other team members. As I walk into the playground, I feel like a celebrity with paparazzi all around. The difference is that I am not a celebrity and instead of photos being taken, children are fighting over who gets to hold my hand. I use as much Spanish as I know and start a conversation with the children to try to get their attention away from who is holding my hand. I follow along for a little while, but eventually, I cannot understand everything they are asking me.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">When they realize that I have no clue what they are talking about, they teach me a new game. They sing while I learn the motions, and attempt to keep up with their speed. We also play duck, duck, goose, or should I say pato, pato, gonzo. I am, naturally, always the goose, but that suits me just fine because I love these kids so much.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">After about two hours of playing at recess, and getting to know the kids, our team has a time to share the love of Jesus Christ with the children. We sing songs, act out skits, and make crafts with the children. Every day we are at the school, our routine includes a work project, recess, and doing some sort of activity with the children.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Although each day is amazing, and so inspiring, the worst part of the week is the last day. It is always a bitter sweet day, because I am ready to go home and see my family again, but I cannot bear to leave the friends I have made so quickly. It is always a day filled with tears, but also filled with promises of returning soon. This is the one place that no one and nothing can keep me away from. Not even the heat, sweat, or mosquito bites. There will always be a piece of my heart in Punta de Garza!</div>
adrian whitmoyer
2009-11-17T18:05:44Z
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Where my Heart Is
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2010-02-09T14:44:49Z
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