hey everyone. this is the last weekend of the basketball tournament. i'm posting some pictures of it on my flickr.com account. i'll try and get a link on my blogger here. i have been reffereeing all more and i'm going back to do two more games this afternoon.

i'll write again to tell you more about it.

two weeks left

hey everyone. i'm relaxing during siesta. there are no more teams for the summer. we have next week to prepare for a big sports week in a place called barahona or the bateys. this weekend we are finishing up the 5 week league for the dominicans. Will is at this moment preparing a slideshow of pictures taken during games. he told me that the kids love absolutely love the slide show. they go crazy when they see themselves. so good. that will be fun. it's on sunday night.

also, the coaches from this league are playing a game on sunday at one o'clock. we are playing against a team called pueblo nuevo. it's going to be so much fun, i can't wait to play. the last few weeks have been so amazing because of the relationships i have developed with some of those dominicans.

in a little bit Will and i are going to go pick up medals and other rewards for the basketball league. i have band practice at 5 and we are having dinner at the bosses house tonight. from time to time Tim will cook for us staff. it's always a fun night.

i have clothes to wash that the teams have left behind and spanish to study i guess. so another day that has a lot of stuff to do in it, but i wouldn't call it busy. not after some of the days we had when the teams were here.

don't forget to check my flickr account.

a long time ago, in a land far far away

hey everyone. how amazing has the last two weeks been. i thank you all for constant prayers and thoughts and wishes. the longer i am here in the dominican the more it changes for me. i can remember back to the first month i was here. I didn't know anyone, i didn't talk to the dominicans, i didn't know any of the places. being new to this place and to these people was quite a stretching experience.

now after being here for 3 months i have a different routine, i have a different purpose about me, i know more people and i have all of these relationships that really are beginning to drive my heart. two weeks ago a group was here that once again did construction in the hole. the entire group had never been on a missions trip. and they were amazing. everyone was so uplifting and wonderful and fun. they worked hard and enjoyed each other. it was possibly my best week here.

since then i have been helping Will with a lot of preparation for the big sports week we are going on in september. and we have been able to spend extra time with dominicans since the only team that has been here for the past week went to the bateys. the other day me and will went to the court to just hang out and play with the kids there. it was so much fun. there are times, like any kids, that these kids don't act like perfect little angels but when you get to spend some time with them and give them some attention, it's quite a nice experience.

also, the coaches of the 5 week basketball league have been having a bible study at Will's apartment. it's been a good time. we actually just hired two more dominicans, alan and simon, to be a part of G.O. They also got baptised two sundays ago. it was really really exciting. alan is like my self-appointed spanish teacher. he's helped me a lot.

i'll make sure to write a bunch these last few weeks. i have a site where i'm posting pictures now. http://flickr.com/photos/11521586@N06/ so go there and see those shots. and this is a great time to write me at brenton.bellinger@gmail.com. you can yell at me for not blogging in two weeks or let me know what's going on back home. i love you all. and gina.......you better stop that baby from growing so much before i can see him again.