The Graduates!!

We can not believe how much traveling we have done in the last two weeks! From the capital to Santiago!
It has been a real adventure!
So we got up early Friday morning and headed for Santiago. It took 8 hours to get there, but what a beautiful drive!
As soon you as you start heading north on the island things turn so green and tropical and the temperature is a little cooler then what we had been getting used to in Duverge.




Some of the views from our bus window!


Once we arrived in Santiago, Chris and Lisa had arranged for a sister to pick us up. Santiago is a very nice city, its just the right size with all the amenities you want but not millions of people.

 This is the home of Dorcas (the sister who picked us up) and her husband Victor and their sons. It is also the place that Chris and Lisa have been calling home for the past two months.

SO when we arrived we came and spent the evening with the family. Chris and Lisa would meet us here after they were done at their class.

This family is very hospitable and generous and also speak English! It was very helpful because if we didn't know what word in Spanish we could at least say it in English.

We felt very comfortable with the family and will plan to visit them again.  Our accommodations were just down the street at Dorcas' sisters house Glenys. Hospitality runs in this family because they all took such great care of us.

 When Chris and Lisa arrived after their class it was such a great reunion! We have been here in the D.R for almost two months and hadn't seen them yet, so we were so happy! We all were laughing and having a great time and stayed up way to late socializing. But worth every minute.

On Saturday morning Chris and Lisa had their last day of school, so Gray and I took the opportunity to visit one of my favorite grocery stores La Serena (which means the mermaid) anyways I never would have thought that going to a grocery store would bring me such delight because it was my least favorite place back in Canada. 

At 1 p.m we met back at Dorcas' house to meet up with Chris and Lisa, this is when the fun was really going to begin!

We traveled with them to pick up Cathy (thats Lisa's mom) from the airport. And then our final destination was Jarabacoa. Its in the mountains about 45 minutes from Santiago. And my most favoritw place now I have ever been.

We drove up this mountain, and it had been raining a little so we were all a little worried that we wouldn't make it up. The road was really really steep, and I wasn't really interested in having to push, but Chris's car made it!

The place we went to was for dinner, its called Aroma del la Montana in a city called Hamaca De Dios. It was amazing!!!

It was a little cloudy because of the rain, but the view in person was incredible. Its amazing what the human eye can see and appreciate and a camera only tries to imitate.

This is one of the balconies that you can sit on and over look the valley below.

There was 9 of us in total for dinner.
Chris and Lisa, Cathy, Gralyn and me, Kelsey and Desirea, Luis and Melido (from our congregation in Duverge)


When we arrived we all were a bit picture happy and kept taking photos of us and the scenery. I think that the staff were a little worried that we only made a reservation for taking pictures LOL

This was outside the front door of the restaurant,
this place is paradise!

Chris and Lisa

This is the restaurant, and as we were leaving we learned that on the weekends the top floor revolves!!
So I guess we will be forced to visit again and experience this LOL

As the evening went on it cleared and as the sun was going down it was dancing on the mountain tops, it was amazing!

We also couldn't believe how cool it was here. It actually gets cold enough that you could wear a sweater or a jacket!

I was loving it! It was likely the first evening I have spent in the DR not sweating to death. Some of the others, especially the two Dominican brothers were freezing! We chuckled and told them they wouldn't survive in Canada.


So the evening came to and end, and it was time to make our way back to our accommodations for the night. We all still had a big day the next day....well really only Chris and Lisa, but we were sharing in their special day!

The Graduation.................................

We arrived at the assembly hall at 8:30 AM ....

This is a real photo, not changed or edited in any way!

The scenery is incredible, it has mountains and palm trees and pine trees.....

This is what you see to the left of the stage....

This is what all of our assemblies will be like in paradise!



The assembly hall has the education facility where they have the schools for Single Brothers and for Married Couples, they also have 2 couples and a single brother that are the care takers of this immense property.

I think that this even was one of the spiritual highlights that Gray and I have had. To hear some of the experiences and to share in the joy with the graduates gives us a glimpse of how much fun they all had for 2 months.


After interviews and experiences it was time for the diplomas....

Br. Rainer Thompson (The D.R Branch Coordinator) gave out the diplomas as he announced where the couples were going.

'Br. and Sis. Chapman you were in Duverge Congregation and you will be going back to serve there'

WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!  We were so excited, they are coming back to Duverge, what a relief. We have been doing great here but we are sure going to be glad when Chris and Lisa come back...we might even buy furniture now for our house! LOL


Coming back with their diploma in hand!!!
There was 24 students - 6 couples are serving as Special Pioneers and the other 6 couples are serving as Regular Pioneers. Of the Regular Pioneer couples only one was appointed as Specials to a different area. The rest were assigned back to their original congregations. As I have mentioned before the need is here in every language, so these newly graduated couples are ready to hit the ground running!


We can't wait to hear all the suggestions that Chris and Lisa bring back with them. We want to attack our territory with a new found joy!

After the program they had a small sandwich and drinks for all in attendance. It was so appreciated because it seemed none of the students were ready to say good-bye. This 2 month program is very intense and although we understand how hard it must have been at times. We know that Jehovah has given them the most amazing gems that they can then share with all their congregations.

I don't think that we could have had a better weekend! We enjoyed the company of great friends, have had the pleasure of meeting new ones and enjoyed the physical and spiritual bounty that Jehovah has provided.


Thank you to Chris and Lisa for having us share this special day with you. Its going in the memory bank for ever!