As many of you have heard, yesterday there was a huge fire in Caraballo that destroyed 10 home.  Thankfully no one was hurt, but everything they owned was destroyed.
Many of you have already reached out to ask how we can help.  And this is the update.

Today we met with many Government officials and leaders in the community to coordinate our efforts in helping these families.

The Government is going to be doing a lot of the work to restore the building and replenish the items that were lost in the homes, including beds, stoves, clothes etc. They seem to be working fast.  Today they came with a crew to measure the building, along with a crew that brought food, clothes, mattresses and bedding.  They were well organized and amazing.  It was inspiring to meet many of them.

A few things they cannot provide are doors, windows and inside walls and they have asked us if we can help these families in this way.  This will consist of 25 doors, 2 windows and 10 inside walls.  

3 weeks ago, there was another house in the community that had destroyed everything in their home and the Government asked us if we could help this family with a table and chairs.

It total, this will all cost $5500.

If you would like to donate, here is how.  100% of your donation will go to help these families. 
Canada -   https://speroway.com/ways-to-give/ascension-caraballo/
USA - http://www.gomadtoday.org/

Thank you all so much for loving the people in this community.  They are amazing people.

Many people have asked me, "what exactly are you doing in the Dominican".  The answer is long, because we are doing a lot.  Our goal is to break the cycle of poverty that exists in Caraballo and Ascension.  I am excited to tell you that we on our way to accomplishing that goal.  
Thanks to my fantastic friend Bonnie for making this video that will explain so much.  
Thank you to everyone who has come alongside Ascension and Caraballo.  Thank you for believing in them and seeing their potential. 
We are not finished, BUT WE ARE GOING IN AN AMAZING DIRECTION.  

In 2014 we started taking a community census to make sure we were meeting our goals of keeping everyone in school for as long as possible.

That census showed us that out of the 1300 people who lived in Caraballo and Ascension, only 41 of them had ever graduated high school.
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We had a plan to eliminate all the reason why people could not go to school and we started to work on that plan in 2014.  Basically, helping students with Uniforms, transportation, documentation and sponsorship.  (You can go to my FAQ page to find out all about this).

This past June 2017 we completed our annual census to see if we were accomplishing our goals.
This is what we discovered.

Maybe you should sit down for this…..

Are you ready….
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We discovered that we now have 150 students in high school.  This is not a typo.  We have 150 students in high school who are all going to graduate sometime in the next 4 years.  
Let me break this down for you.  In 2014 only 41 people in the entire community had graduated high school.  By 2020,  we will have over 200 high school graduates in the community, with another 150 more students in high school.
We are winning the educational battle.
So much so, that the government is overwhelmed by how many students from our community are in their Montellano school.  Montellano is where our students go to high school.  The Government is now having conversations of creating a high school in Caraballo because; 1. We now have enough students for a high school and 2. The government needs the space in the Montellano school for their own high school students.
Development is a slow process, but I am excited about the progress that is happening here.
Thank you everyone for your continued help and support.  We are making significant changes in this community and we are doing it together.
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Education is important.  For the students in Caraballo, they have a dream to stay in school and one day become a professional.  Generation of change started in 2014.  Their goal is to help as many students as possible to achieve their dreams and complete University.  You have an opportunity help.  If you want to donate and change a student's future go to http://www.speroway.com/portfolio-item/carraballo-ascension/

Frisny takes time to share with us the importance that education has had for his life.  His life will be different then the life of his parents, because he was able to get an education. 

We have a goal of raising enough money to buy 450 school uniforms for the children of Caraballo and Ascension.  For only $35 we will be able to purchase a shirt, pants/skirt, shoes, socks, backpack, notebooks, pencils and sharpener.

Education for each child  will help bring this community out of their poverty.  With a one time donation of $35 you can make a difference in a child's life by giving them hope for a better future.

To make a difference in a child's life go to www.speroway.com/dominican-republic

The families in Caraballo and Ascension live in extreme poverty.  Although there are many reasons why they are poor, the root cause of all the reasons is a lack of education.  The number 1 reason why children cannot go to school is because they cannot afford the government required school uniform.  This year we have a goal to provide 450 children with a school uniform. For only $35 you will be able to provide a child with a Shirt, pants/skirt, shoes, socks, backpack, notebooks, pencils and sharpener. 

Let's work together to give children born into poverty a hope for a better future.

If you would like to donate go to www.speroway.com/dominican-republic

It is hard to say exactly what we are doing every day in the village.  So I thought it would be cool to let the people in Ascension and Caraballo tell you.  Now when they say Megan, they are really talking about everyone who helps us in prayer, finances and people coming down to here to make a difference. When they say Megan they are also talking about themselves.  It is the people here who are really making the difference in their own community.  Our goal is to empower them to sustainable living.  Right now they need our help.  But, one day, because of our collective prayers, finances and encouragement, they will be able to succeed on their own.  Thanks to everyone.  God is with us.

I am sorry for the noise.  It is a busy, noisy community.  They picked the quietest moments to film.  And yet they could not escape the noise. 

Regine and I have enjoyed spending a week with Megan and Travis Ratnam in the Dominican Republic. They introduced us to their work in the community of Ascension and the people with whom they have formed friendships in the past three years. The experience of the past days has reminded us of the complex nature of poverty and the need to articulate a vision of God’s new creation in each place where we serve the Lord.

Ascension is a rural community. The people who live there are primarily poor Dominicans and illegal Haitians. There are few local jobs available to provide the dignity of employment. Most households depend on handouts from Christian organizations including the monthly distribution of money to purchase food. Farmland surrounds the village but it is not accessible for members of the community. Girls marry early and have children. Young men hang out waiting for something good to happen. One of the frustrations faced by Megan and Travis is the lack of a shared vision in Ascension that life could be different and better. Such a vision would need to be strong enough to motivate sacrifices and personal investments in the community. It is hard to imagine any fundamental change in Ascension without some sort of a vision grounded in the congregational life of its church and Christian workers.  

Isaiah 65 contains the vision of a new creation for people after the return of the exile. It resonates with images of homes, crops, shared community life, freedom from fear, children not born for calamity and the intimate presence of God.  Megan and Travis are challenged to create such a vision of God’s salvation with members of the community to which they have been called.