Can you imagine living in the mountains of the Caribbean, sunny warm, cool breezes, surrounded by flowers, every color growing naturally. Can you imaging what it would be like to live in a community without electricity or paved roads, so there is never any traffic or noise. I wake up every morning and all I can hear is the sound of the river, I love not having to wake up because my alarm clock is telling me to...

Lot of exciting things happened the month of May, first of all "la luz llego!" The electricity arrived in Manabao last week. Rather quickly for the Dominican Republic. Manabao is a small town that is about a 45 minute walk from my community. A calling center is being installed and they tell me that will have a computer with Internet so I will have better access to computers! Fortunately and unfortunately the lights wont make it up as far as my community because of the difficult infrastructure of our roads....yet. I continue to support Angostura acquire,very necessary for development, hydroelectric energy. Angostura needs to come up with about $45,000 US dollars to see that happen. For an average family earning around $80 a month. 45 thousand might as well be 45 million.

This month I experienced a frustration that I remeber my good friend Teresa a former Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon spoke about. The problem of outsiders, outside organizations coming to our community and spending, wasting I should say, money on what they think is important and is in deed NOT a priority nor sustainable in the eyes of the people of Angostura. I cant give any details but lets just say a few thousand dollars will go into fixing something that that isn't broken!

My parents came to see me for my birthday. We spent the week together in a all inclusive resort... hot showers, now I prefer cold....no rice and beans, now I look forward to my rice and beans every day. I think I gained 5 pounds back eating American cuisine for 7 days. It was a very relaxing and memorable 30th!  It was great to see my parents. It was the first time we have ever experienced resort life. My parents said if it wasn't for their daughter living on a tropical island they would never have come. I'm glad they did and I know they really enjoyed the week. I was very glad to enjoy myself, dance again. When I got back to Angostura I made a chocolate cake for all the people born in May. Because it was Sensas 40th birthday as well as Nana my project partner and friend turned 41.

One of the things I enjoyed most about the month of May was "haciendo las flores" or doing the flowers. Every single day at 4 pm the bell would ring, ringing the bell is banging an old oxygen tank, and all the women join together and bring flowers to a house that we use as a church. We said the rosary, sang songs of praise and then all the women present their flowers to "Santa Maria" Mary. After a few weeks they started passing the rosary to me to lead the prayers. That made me feel good that they accept me in this way. I have to say, I really valued that time of meditation and spending time with an amazing group of women everyday, and I know Chrisitna, Sarah's mom did too. One of the women "Lolita" they call her, she's about 70 or 80, the cutest little thing... Right before we place the flowers on the alter one of the woman would begin by singing a song "These flowers that I have..." One day Lolita begins the song and after only a few words she goes silent, everyone is quiet and waiting until Lolita says "Ay comadre me olvido las palabras"  she said oh, I forgot the words. No one in the house could keep a straight face after that one. You know what is so amazing I realized, these women can sing every song, quote the bible chapter and verse. Christina can tell you where in the bible a reading is, I know I couldn't and I realized I was the only woman int that room that can read.

I thought a lot about Sarah during that time, yesterday was 5 months since Sarah's accident. Chrisitna is doing well, she still cries everyday somedays more than others. On Sunday her daughter Milagros, Sensas sister, who lives in Manabao comes up to visit with her 3 little girls. The baby Cristal is the cutest little thing and loves Americans, if I'm holding her she wont let anyone take her from me. Chrisitna said to Cristal...Cristal do you remember Sarah...Make sure you show her a picture every day Milagros...don't let her forget! My mom brought a beautiful picture of Sarah that she had made as a gift to Christina with a poem that was translated in Spanish because Christina wanted memories of Sarah in the house. Every time I come into Jarabacoa I pass by the windy road where Sarah's accident was. Sometimes people make a comment like "Weren't you the American that was with the girl who died here, it was here wasn't it." Sometimes I strike up a conversation about youth driving so fast on these dangerous roads. One man I told about the sign I am petitioning the town of Jarabacoa for. "That's not the problem" he said "the problem is you have to know the roads". I think maybe a sign can still serve as a reminder.

What else is happening my work here continues to be very busy...I'm concentrating now on my "acta de nacimiento" or birth certificate project. The health promoters and I found almost 100 people 80% children that haven't been declared yet. Can you imagine you were born and your parents never declared you as if you didn't exist. Its easy to do here in these campos where people don't go to school, where people never travel, never really leave there communities. I'm going to work hard to help these parents obtain a birth certificate for their children and continue to convince the people the importance of having one. Most people already realize the importance but its too expensive and too much bureaucracy. There is a Haitian women Simona in one of my communities, both of her children were born here in the DR both speak Spanish better than they speak Creole. By law being born here makes them Dominican citizens right. WRONG. It nearly impossible to get birth certificates for Haitians. I was trying to explain the importance of getting her 2 kids declared so they can go to school, so they can access health care. At least get them a Haitian birth certificate if you cant get a Dominican one. I investigated at the Haitian embassy...$60 US dollars. Simona looked at me like I had 2 heads, 60 might as well be 60,000.

I really enjoy all of my interactions with the kids here. The children are what makes me smile the most...I went to visit one of the health promoters I work with yesterday. Her 3 yr old grandson was alone and playing inside the house. I asked "Josue...where's Tala". "She out, he says but come in and sit a little while until she comes." Can you imagine 3 years old. They start training the children here very early the importance of respect and being courteous. Baby Anali is getting so big. She changed so much the week I was gone. She got so fat. yeah for breastfeeding! She very light complected like her mom with light eyes. but everyone thinks she is going to be darker skin like her dad ..."Haitiana" little Haitian they call her. It seems even though I try, none of the kids here are catching on to English. I still have hope for Anali.

Well that's all for now. I have a PC meeting in Santiago today will be back later today "si dios quiere", if God wants. I don't like sleeping away from my home. I love and miss you all.