Finding Answers

Well, the research is well underway and there certainly is a lot of information about importing and exporting out there! Some of these documents are way over my head and at times I feel very overwhelmed. I have a composition notebook filled with notes, highlights to this and that and sticky notes stating what is to come next, but I don't have any concrete answers as of now.

I talked to one rather helpful and friendly man in New York today who told me if I got his information from Facebook, he was hanging up. I reassured him that I got it from the Customs and Border Protection website so he was willing to help me. He usually doesn't give any information over the phone, but since I was in a devastating earthquake and my parents were extremely worried about me, he was sure, he complied and told me everything I needed to know :) It looks like I will need to send samples and descriptions of everything to his office (I can do most of it over the internet thank the Lord!), but it can take up to a month. EEK! Please be praying that it will get to him quickly and he can determine what our Harmonized Tariff Schedule and Country of Origin is so we can get this business going!

A Harmonized Tariff Schedule determines what the rate of duty is. HOPEFULLY, our products will be within the CAFTA-DR (Central America Free Trade Agreement-Dominican Republic) so we will not have a 20% tax on our shipments. That would greatly help with our profit margin and that means more money for Cercadillo! The Country of Origin is also important for determining whether or not the product can enter the country free of duties or if we'll be taxed. According to my research, CBP is the only agency that can provide legally binding advice on the classification of imports.

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
~James 2: 14-17

Sewing

I think I need this in my life for the work I'm doing down here:



It would just make me really efficient.

Research

I'm not going to lie, I am a little sad I'm missing out on the biggest snow storms EVER. I love right after it snows at dark but its still glowing out because of the bright white snow, and how still and calm everything is. This is especially exciting for night skiing. Yeah, you can't see all the moguls and you might bite it, but its worth it to see the mountain all sparkely with the light reflecting off the snow. Snow is just so fun! It makes everyone feel like a kid again. Snow angels, sledding, snowmen (what did one snowman say to the other? Smells like carrots :>) I used to try to put the prettiest icicles in my freezer so that I could enjoy them even in the summer. That didn't really work out to well. I think Kristin and I actually tried to make snowcones too...again, not very successful. We probably just poured Diet Pepsi over the snow and called it a day. I know you guys are sick of it, but most people here have never even seen it! So enjoy that hot chocolate and your day off work (sorry retail friends, I know that will never happen for you!)

As for me, I am staying home from Cercadillo today to research importing and exporting laws. I did this the other day too and it really opened up a whole slew of questions. Its really difficult to find some of this stuff out when you don't know the language they're using (don't get me wrong, its all in English so far, but I think you have to be a lawyer to figure some of this stuff out). I've been in contact with a few friends that have their own businesses similar to The Cercadillo Project, but of course, laws are different in every country. Right now, I am trying to find wholesalers to buy fabric from in this country. That way, the women in Cercadillo will know exactly where to get supplies in their area. Then, I need to figure out the labeling laws (putting labels on the actual product and what needs to be listed on the label). After that, I will tackel the import laws for the United States which includes understanding the Free Trade Agreement. So, I would appreciate some prayer for all of this because its pretty confusing!

I'm off to wash my clothes before I get started on all of this. There's something about hanging them out to dry that just feels so relaxing. Looking out and seeing everything billowing in the wind and being drenched by the sun really does something for your soul.

Happy Birthday Joan!

Joan has arrived! I have been excited to meet this lady since about 30 minutes into me being here. Ina and her were just destined to be friends and have nothing but great things to say about each other.




We celebrated her birthday last night.

Giving

How do you tell a village that has absolutely nothing that it is a joy and a blessing to be able to give to others? What do you suggest they give? Well, our message last week in Cercadillo was that God loves a cheerful giver. We were talking about how Haiti needs our help and this is what they had to offer:



How cool is that!? Some children went to the store and bought things for the people in Haiti, that is too precious considering the store is like 20 minutes one way walking. Watching these people give their all to God is unbelievable. Their singing, prayers and offerings are unlike any I've ever seen. God is teaching me a lot about a heart of worship through them.

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." ~2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Project

Here is what I've been doing the past few days:

Organizing our inventory








I'm not even close to done.

Lost

So I wanted to give you all a schedule of what we do here:

Monday-Sabbath
Tuesday & Wednesday-Planning, preparing, organizing
Thursday-Every other one is Bible study
Friday-Cercadillo:Bible study, then work
Saturday-Planning, preparing, organizing
Sunday-Church downtown, then put on church for Cercadillo

In the Dominican Republic, you have to make plans to achieve something, but you also have to be prepared for those plans to completely fall through. We had this week laid out for workshops in the village both Wednesday and Friday to see where these women's strengths and weaknesses were, but we have no car to get there. When I first arrived, it was a holiday so I have not had a chance to work with the women yet but I did get to participate in a Bible study with them. We have, however, gotten to go put on church for them every Sunday so far. Although I could not understand a single word, I know it was amazing. Ina was telling me about some of these women that have come so far and are seeing God work in their lives and its just amazing. I cannot wait to understand!

I started studying some Spanish flash cards last night but just got to numbers. That's important for importing and exporting (and maybe some shopping)!

So many people around the Dominican Republic are helping out in Haiti that there are literally no cars left to rent! Any ships that were going to bring freight here, have been bringing supplies to Haiti. There are workshops taking place teaching people how to amputate, and churches everywhere are collecting supplies to send. Its beautiful to see how two countries that do not usually get along, are helping and relying on eachother completely. I know I'm right next door to this crisis, but I do not feel led to go as of now. It is pretty dangerous, and I'm not a doctor by any means, so I'm still focusing on Cercadillo (but in constant prayer for the volunteers there and the 1.5 million people without homes). We have cleaned out our house of any and all supplies that can be sent there (toothpaste, toothbrushes, socks, blankets, water purification containers, etc) and are opening our house to the piolets that have been flying back and forth.

The car we were borrowing left for Haiti, so we haven't had a car since Tuesday but we should be getting it back Saturday night. We've been taking this time to get the house in order. We've been cleaning, organizing and redecorating from top to bottom. We need to tackle Ina's office, but that will come after this break :> After all of this, we will start taking inventory of our supplies for our crafts. I think this will really help to know what is working and to continue producing, and what is a flop.

So after all of those projects during the day, we take time at night to really bond...over Lost :> Is anyone as addicted to that as I am? I have never watched it until now but I am hooked! We just started watching season 1 and Jack is my hero. (Don't read on if you want to ever become addicted because I might ruin it!) We just came to the part where Kate found that little airplane and confessed that she killed a guy. So who did she kill and why did she have to rob a bank for a little airplane? Where did Ethan take Claire?!?! Is he an "other" or is he related to the French girl?!?! Is Jack's dad really alive? Does Sawyer get Kate? I cannot wait to find all of this out...don't spoil it for me!

Verse for the day: "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." ~1 Peter 1:6-7