makarios.

I know for some out there, trying to keep up with Jennie and Miguel can at times be a little confusing. For this reason I thought it appropriate to explain a little more about what we have been involved with over the past year. At the end of last August, and before we were married, Miguel and I both agreed to start helping out or working for the nonprofit, Christian organization called Makarios. It was founded about 3 years ago by a friend of mine, Sharla Megilligan. I used to teach Jr. High with Sharla at Santiago Christian School way back, and for some of you her name might ring a bell as she accompanied my family to Zimbabwe in December of 2001. Anyway, she's always had a heart for the children of the Dominican Republic, especially those who couldn't attend school regulary due to lack of paperwork or funds, etc. About 3 and a half years ago, while I was still living in the batey of Caraballo, I helped Sharla and a few of her staff members at the time scope out different needs here in some of the bateys of the north coast. Since then, they have settled into the bateys of Pancho Mateo and Chichigua teaching educational classes and Bible classes to the children living in these bateys. A year ago, Makarios' initial 2 teachers and in country staff members decided to go back to the States for a time, and that is where Miguel and I stepped in. You can find more information about Makarios at it's website address: http://www.makariosinternational.org/

Miguel takes care of all the maitenance issues in and around the Makarios team house and school houses. He also started a water project in Chichigua to help them get water. (This project by the way is incompleted with the hopes of more funding to come in to complete it). He teaches electricity classes 3 times a week to youth in Caraballo, and we both had been teaching a Bible class to a little school in the campo of Arroyo Leche during this past school year. I, on the other hand, keep track of the in country finances for Makarios, and am the general gopher which has included working with groups and interns that come down, running errands, doing price checks, etc. etc. Keeping us both busy this summer has been the construction of a permanent school house in the hopes of having it ready for fall classes to begin. (More to come about this project).

Along with Miguel and I, there have been two other volunteers whom we work with. Alexia teaches english and literacy classes, and Camille teaches basic math, reading, and Bible classes. Alexia will be leaving us the end of July, and Camille will be returning for another year. In addition to Camille there are two other female teachers coming down to join the crew this fall.

So that's it in a nutshell. I encourage you to check out Makarios' website to get more of a general overall picture of what its all about.

Photo from left to right: Dudu, Camille (staff), Alexia (staff), Jim (intern), Jennie and Miguel, Latisha (bottom)