It’s been a very sweet week for our family here in the DR. The final week of school means a wide variety of emotions. Some kids are excited to have a break from school, while others are uncertain with the lack the stability and rhythm. There are plenty of tears and final hugs from students who are graduating, combined with staff that are called back to the States and leaving Doulos. And plenty of amazement thinking that it was only 9 months ago that we were teaching in socially distant classrooms, all wearing masks, and wondering if we would have to go back online again. Through all of this, the overall emotion that abounded this past week was an overflowing of joy for a successful school year and the incredible work that the Lord has done in the D.R.
Doulos staff, students, and families experience these emotions through a variety of activities this week: field day, high school graduation, all-staff retreat, the last day of school, and the awards assembly. Through the awards assembly and the all-staff retreat, students and staff are recognized for academic excellence as well as for exceptionally demonstrating the Doulos codes of character. Four students are chosen (One from PreK, Elementary, Middle, and High) as voted on by the staff for each code of character (servant leader, wise, courageous, revolutionary, relational, perseverant) and one student and staff are chosen for the DOULOS of the year. The DOULOS of the year is given to the students and staff that best model all six of those characteristics.
We were incredibly humbled that Brennan was selected for his Academic Excellence AND Servant Leader of the year for all of middle school, Ava won the DOULOS of the year for Elementary, and Mike won DOULOS of the year for the staff. So many times over the last two years we have felt raw and vulnerable and watched how the Lord has exposed areas in each of our lives that need to be sanctified for His glory. It was a sweet affirmation that He truly is never ceasing to shape and equip each one of us to continue to serve Him well in the D.R. We all constantly need to trust in the wisdom, courage, and perseverance that God provides us to be the relational and revolutionary servant leaders that we are called to be.
Additionally, we were equally thrilled that one of our adopted daughters won the DOULOS of the year for middle school. She is a special young lady who serves others constantly and strives to learn more about what it means to be a Christ follower. She did NOT want to get in front of everyone, but when she heard her name, she was beaming.
This year has been so incredibly difficult at times, yet also so affirming that God has perfectly placed us in the right community to proclaim His name. We feel blessed to call Jarabacoa our home and to live out our calling in the D.R.