4th of July....Dominican Style
The VJ clubhouse decorated for the 4th On the 4 th of July many people (maybe you even) celebrated by spending time with family, grilling hamburgers or hot dogs, eating watermelon, watching a parade, lighting up sparklers and viewing fireworks. That’s actually how I’ve spent a lot of Independence Days over the years. But this year Jenn and I spent the 4 th of July doing a lot of painting, eating rice and beans in a Dominican barrio, and holding a merengue dance party….I’m not much of a dancer, but I’ve got to admit, it was a pretty good way to celebrate. J This all happened because Jenn and I were able to go ‘home’ to the Dominican Republic for ten days with 17 teens and 3 leaders from the youth group of Brookside CRC and experience the DR with them as we worked at Pico Escondido--Young Life’s camp in the DR-- and spent several days in one of the neighborhoods where Vida Joven does ministry. It was a very rich experience in so many ways. Stump removal