Jimaní Campus - Tutoring Program

Our tutoring program on the Jimaní campus has had a drastic increase in attendance in just the past week. We started the tutoring program to help the kids that live on campus along with four neighbor boys that were all behind in their grade levels for their age. Several of them were promoted to the next grade mid-term. In talking with the public school director about their progress she mentioned that they had several kids that were several years behind and a few 10, 11, and 12 year old students that were not reading. We worked with the school director and school counselor and identified 10 kids that met this criteria, and set up meetings with the parents. We thought that if we made the offer to 10 kids then possibly 5 would show up, and we could just integrate them with the current group. What, we didn't expect is that it got announced in a general parent meeting, and throughout the past week we have had up to 20 show up for tutoring in the afternoon, and five to ten that come for tutoring in the morning. We are excited to be able to meet what is a real need in these kids lives, and also will be having a weekly devotional. This program has really started with no funding in place, and we are doing our best to make it work, but we need your help. If you would like to be a part of helping us provide this tutoring program, you could sponsor one of the kids from the community, find out more about it here.

A Dominican Update

It has been a busy few weeks in and around Jimaní. First of all an update on Jak Jak he was able to go home!!!! After being discharged from the hospital on December 10th he and his mom came to stay with us at the Jimaní Children's Home for postoperative care. He had a follow up appointment in Santo Domingo this past Thursday. Dr. Sanchez was pleased with his progress. He came back to Jimaní for a few more days until his stitches could be removed. He had his stitches out on Monday December 19th, and he and his mom were able to return home Tuesday afternoon. It was a nice moment one afternoon when his Dad was able to come visit here on the Jimaní campus,while his Dad was holding him, Jak Jak reached up to touch his face. Jak Jak's interactions with people and objects has increased tremendously just in the few days since his surgery.

We had a medical mission team come from Lincoln Memorial DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. LMU-DCOM has been partnering with us here in Jimaní for several years, and typically come during Spring Break week. This year they were able to bring an additional group of students over their Winter Break. We had a group of 24 which included both physicians, students, and family members. We help several mobile medical outreaches both in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We went to Batey 41 where Chadasha has our school and church ministry. We also partnered with a church in Fonds Parisean, Haiti for a medical clinic, and we went to El Mantial and Los Guineos, two rural communities in the mountains surrounding Jimaní.

A few highlights for me were Dr. Williamson telling a lady in Batey 41 she was having twins, and having this information will help Dr. Yirdana as she continues to provide prenatal care.

Dr. Ranz and Anastasia removed a particle from an elderly lady's eye that was causing her pain, you should have seen her smile when it was removed.

A pastor receiving a pair of reading glasses, and sharing how much it would help him in his ministry.

Here are a few pictures from the trip:

Chadasha is You

In my ministry role here in the Dominican Republic I have met with ambassadors, generals, physicians, various administrators, and immigration officials (just to name a few), all in attempts to facilitate different aspects of our ministry, and a recurring question I am asked is "Who is Chadasha?". 

What is interesting is that I have yet to find a single word or phrase that adequately defines us. Are we a church? In the organizational sense, no, but we are the Church and that has motivated everything Chadasha does in attempting to walk out what it means to live a life changed by God's love. Is Chadasha a foundation, a church, an NGO, a hospital, an orphanage, a clinic, a not-for-profit? I pick all of the above. 

But more importantly as I have been on the adventure this past two weeks in walking alongside Jak Jak and his mom through this I was struck by the fact that Chadasha is YOU. Everyone that has prayed for, encouraged, and supported all the various aspects of Chadasha's ministry on this island. I have to tell you that I love the meaning behind the name Chadasha, the new song we are singing with our lives in response to God's amazing love, and I just want to say thanks for singing with me. 

Thanks for being Chadasha.

-John Hanley
Director of Operations, Dominican Republic