This was a very exciting week for us. We hope you enjoy our adventure!
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
We took a little side trip to La Isabela on the very
north shore of the island where Columbus docked his ship on his second voyage
to the Dominican Republic. There isn’t
much left there today unfortunately. Our
guide explained that Trujillo, the last dictator here in the Dominican Republic
out of jealousy, ordered the site “cleaned” in 1942 before ambassadors from
Spain visited the site. The site was
cleaned all right. Everything standing
was knocked down and pushed into the ocean!
Just a few mounds of stones as evidence of buildings, grave markers and a
few roof tile remain. A museum has been
constructed to give a resting place for other small relics evidence of events
over 500 years ago.
Wallace looking at the business end of a 500 year old cannon.
This tree and stone outline mark the location of the first Christian church built in the new world. Wallace is standing under the tree where it is claimed the first Catholic Mass was conducted. The following 2 pictures are taken at the site of the residence of Christopher Columbus built right on the edge of the ocean with a beautiful view of the bay.
Wallace showing how the guide showed us they formed clay roof tiles using your thigh
This is supposedly the grave site of a Spaniard. The Spanish were buried lying down with their arms folded. The native Taino Indians were buried feet down in a squatting position.
At the museum: Tim and Marsha Walker and Edith
PUERTO PLATA
Our good friends the Walkers from Mesa, Arizona who are also
serving as missionaries were with us on this trip. After visiting La Isabela we toured the
beautiful garden grounds of the Teleferico.
We had discovered the back road to drive to the top of the mountain to
avoid the trolley car up the side of the mountain and all the tourist
traps. We stayed Monday night at the
Barcelo and witnessed one of the most beautiful sunrises we have ever seen.
POZO PRIETO
Pozo Prieto is a small community high up in the beautiful
hills of Mt. Duarte. It is the site of one of our water projects being designed and constructed by Peace Corps. We went to inspect the construction, but didn’t remember
the right road to get there and covered some interesting ground we had never
seen before we arrived to inspect two water tanks under construction.
We were able to drive across the river shown above on this occasion, but
normally we would have had to back track our steps because there would have
been no other way to cross except on foot.
Two men riding their “horses”. Both sitting, both with their hands on the
steering wheels, both curious about the other.
One horse is fed hay and grain, the other gas and oil.
After traveling a fair distance we came to a narrow bridge
that would barely accommodate our truck.
We thought we might have to go all the way back. Wallace got out and made a quick inspection of the structural elements,
then we proceeded across with our fingers crossed and lifting our feet to make the load lighter. We breathed a sigh of relief to clear the
other side. We finally arrived to where we were supposed to be and drove across the river.
The following are pictures
of the two water tanks under construction.
Edith did the inspection of the inside of the tank!
They set up 6x6 welded wire fabric, tie tarp
around the outside, then plaster the inside, then the outside after removing
the tarp and continue the process until they have about 3 to 4 inches
thickness. Then they will form up and pour a concrete roof in the same manner.
A fun part of these trips is to be able to walk through the woods of some of the most beautiful country God created.
As we were taking a hike up the mountain to look at the 2nd tank we came across some illegal cutting of timber. Wallace is holding a slab of wood they left behind. The wood is very pretty and would make excellent furniture. It has tight interesting grains and is very heavy.
After inspecting the tanks, we visited Simona’s home, the
Peace Corps volunteer. After living with
her host family for 5 months, she built her own home with a magnificent view
from her front porch.
Simona is really proud of her privy.
View from Simona's front porch.
Simona’s host family prepared us a nice meal of bananas,
rice, chicken and cabbage salad to eat before we traveled to Santo
Domingo. The blue barrel is a water sand
filter.
7 DECEMBER 2013 A
DAY TO REMEMBER
We had the great privilege of being present to commemorate
the 35th anniversary of the dedication of the Dominican Republic to
the preaching of the gospel by M. Russell Ballard.
Five of the people who were at the original dedication we present and we
got to listen to some of the miracles surrounding the events of the planting of
the gospel in this land. One of the first missionaries, Kevin Mortensen, and the first
family that was baptized were in attendance and shared their testimonies of events from long ago. It was marvelous! Beginning with the first family to be baptized, the Boddens, today there are over 124,000 members, 3 missions and 1 temple. Taking into consideration that there were only 350 baptisms the first year, that is a baptism rate of 3,650 persons per year ever since!
MISCELLANEOUS
Everywhere
we go in this country, there always seems to be a yellow dog. We have almost run over several so Wallace wants to honor the yellow Dominican dog in this blog.
Just another day on the road.
Institute youth and missionaries practicing for a flash sing in a shopping mall next week.
