Fall is a slower season for us here at the art site. It gives Francisco and I a time to paint, read the Word and spend more time with the students who are coming to our school. Especially for me, I enjoy having this time to reconnect with our students after the busy summer months I spent working out in El Callejon. Lately, Francisco, I and one of our art students, Luis Miguel, have been working on paintings that will be in a local exhibition here next week. The theme is 'Native Birds of the Dominican Republic'. Fran and I have both been in shows before, but for 16 year old Luis Miguel, this is quite the opportunity. He is the youngest artist to be featured and his work will show alongside several famous Dominican artists. To have this kind of exposure this young is something beyond what Francisco and I could have ever imagined for this young man, who just two years ago was living with his single mom and 4 siblings in a one-room, dirt floor, partially rooved house.
Luis Miguel started coming to our site after his mom was introduced to Francisco one day. She told Fran about this son of hers who seemed to like to draw, so Fran invited him to come and start taking classes. Luis Miguel would come every morning and work all day. It wasn't long before Fran noticed this young man would go without eating lunch and when he finally asked him if he ate breakfast, he shyly admitted that, no, they didn't have food. Fran immediately got involved with the family, helping them to find a better place to live and ministering the gospel to them. Luis Miguel and his mom both accepted Christ just over a year ago and the transformation has been incredible to witness. In the Spring, Students International offered him the opportunity to paint a bunch of small-sized landscapes that would be offered for sale at the new base. He painted around 40 paintings in a month and with what he earned was able to help out his mom with rent and food for the family. Luis Miguel is an incredibly talented young man who we are honored to have as a fellow 'colleague'. He is not longer our student, but comes every morning to sit and paint away the hours. Needless to say, he has been busy painting birds, birds and more birds!
Francisco's family is doing really well. Ysmayar, the oldest daughter, just turned 9 on Friday. She is in 3rd grade at Doulos Discovery Christian School. It is a bilingual school and she is one of the top of her class in English! I enjoyed listening to her speak English with many of our visiting teams this summer.
Priscila, now 7, just started at Doulos as well and is also doing very well. I have missed spending all the time with her that I used to have, but now when I do see her, she enjoys 'teaching' me things. It is evident that her time in school is paying off.
Natan, 4, has also started school! He is going to the Students International preschool in El Callejon. He seems to like it. He's been drawing up a storm, the theme always being a bridge with water and lots of people. Very interesting. He is a pretty normal 4 year old, still asking me for candy and trying to tickle me when I'm not paying attention.
Fran's wife, Yeimi, let go of the store she had in town for so long and is now spending her time taking care of the kids and their home. She is going to begin taking classes in the University to get her teaching degree.
And, Francisco, like I said, has been painting as well as doing deep Bible Study and extensive writing as he is preparing to write a small book. It has been fun having theological discussions with him as he searches the Scripture and wants to discuss what he's discovering. I have learned a lot from it myself and am continually blessed by his passion for God, the Word and for life.
I, too, have some other projects going on, but I will leave that until next time...
Blessings!
