This week we have a change of pace on the base as we have decided to all go through the CERT safety training. CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams) is a USA based training program, helping communities prepare themselves for basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.

We decided to do this program, as the reality is that because of our location, the chances of us having to respond to a natural disaster is fairly high. Just In the last 2 years we have had 2 Tsunami warnings and one moderate earthquake. 
The decision for all the staff to be trained is not so we can just help ourselves and staff, but in the case of a disaster, we can be a real service to the local community. The course was Headed up by our Staff, Tammy, Eddie & Lori.

Tym & Levi Practicing their Fire Fighting Skills

Even Asher had a go at putting out a fire...

We have been so blessed with our new home already. One thing we wanted was a place to show hospitality, and a place for our staff to get away and relax. 
Since we moved in in November, we've frequently had 30+ people over at a time for fun and Dessert nights.
The other night, we had 16 people sleeping over. Its never a quiet life...

In May 2011 we had the excitement of sending a team of our staff off San Pedro in the Dominican to pioneer a new work. Since then they have already built 11 homes for the poor and hosted 100's of short term missionaries.

Last week we had the opportunity to go and visit the team, and join our Legal board for our first quarter meetings in the DR.
Homes 
We also had a chance to visit local pastors, and a house being builr by a team from Arizona. One of the highlights for me was visiting the first house that was built, and hearing first hand how the new home had transformed the families life.