Abby’s Garden Update
Abby’s Garden continues to grow. Pictured above are the three new children who joined us in the last week! We are bursting at the seams and would love your prayers for wisdom as to whether to expand the space that we currently have to accommodate our growth to the best of our ability, or look for a new location in which to move. We have eight babies currently on the waiting list and hope to add most of them in the next few weeks. But we need to allow for the new three to acclimate before we bring in more, and since all eight babies are between 4-5 months old, we may not be able to integrate all of them as soon as we’d like, with still just four women on staff.
We recently made the decision to give each woman who cares for these children a small raise, rather than hire someone new. These women work so hard for the equivalent of $250 per month. While considered a standard wage in the Dominican Republic, we want to do better by these women, who work tirelessly to provide excellent loving care to the 15 children who are currently enrolled at Abby’s Garden.
Last spring I announced the desire we have to expand into a preschool. While Divina instituted some teaching time set aside each day with our preschoolers last spring and it went really well, she is feeling maxed out right now and adding a preschool program at this time feels overwhelming. Please pray with us that a preschool teacher will be provided, along with the funds to pay her wage.
We recently received funds through a grant Be One Together was given that has enabled us to purchase materials to teach the young parents some skills in raising their beautiful children in a way that teaches them to know and honor God. We are so thankful for this gift and the opportunity it affords to help us continue to disciple them.
Thank you!
We are ever grateful for your continued support and prayers for our family and Abby’s Garden. Recently our family has been through some difficult things and we ask for your prayers for wisdom and that each of us will grow closer to Jesus as we seek Him and search to find the lessons He has for us during this time. It means so much to us that you care enough to pray.
Last Tuesday I sent 650,000 pesos ($11,560) to my lawyer in the DR so he can allocate the funds to the motorcyclist who hit me, as per the court ruling. Although the funds have already left our account, as of yet they have not been deposited in his. It can take a couple weeks for this process to be complete, but as you can imagine, we remain a bit nervous until we receive word that the funds have been deposited in the correct account. Pray with us that everything will go through as it should!
Thank you so much. We could not do this without you!
With love,
Tonya