This summer we were able to spend a month with the entire family in the Dominican Republic. As has become our habit, the girls spent their 4th birthday there among there Dominican and Haitian friends. During our near 4 week stay we helped facilitate an audiology clinic with Pathways Community Church, a youth team from Southeast Christian Church, Crosspoint Church and Morgantown Community Church. Each of these teams represent awesome partners in ministry and dear friends.
Here Sophi and Raena are hanging with Tony Krauss. We were fortunate to stay with his parents, Tim and Samira, the entire time we were in the DR. They are beloved friends and co-workers at G.O. Ministries.
The girls very much enjoyed their "Princess" party with all of their Dominican/gringo friends.
Audiology Clinic
Vicki was fortunate to be able to help out with our second audiology clinic. It was a tremendous blessing for her to help some children and adults hear clearly for the first time. It was also difficult to treat children who had gone 10 to 12 years without hearing or having any language base at all. Sign language is a resource that not many who need it have in the Dominican Republic or Haiti. Imagine if your ability to communicate was reduced to a crude for of charades your entire life. This reveals a significant need in the Dominican and Haiti to those of us that take hearing for granted. We're praying about what opportunities this might provide G.O. Ministries to serve in the future.
Dr. Rosario takes some patients...
Adults and children waiting in line at the clinic.
A little girl waits her turn at the hearing clinic.
Dominican audiology students making ear molds.
The Dominican Republic does not have an audiology program. The only audiologist living and serving the Dominican full time is an Austrailian Christian who teaches in Santo Domingo. By the grace of God we have connected with her and worked together in two clinics now. She is training students to be audiologists though they can not yet recieve any kind of certification as it does not exist on the island. We're fortunate to have her help in this endeavor!
Conducting a hearing test or crude audiogram.
