Thankful this Thanksgiving!

 

1 Samuel 12:24 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him faithfully with

all your heart: for considering what great things He has done for you. 

In this season of THANKSGIVING we are thankful for so many things:

--We are thankful for a fantastic school to be a part of. Our three children, 

along with around 300 students who attend Doulos Discovery School, are 

learning to have a Biblical worldview which shapes their thinking.

--We are thankful for fun at school and home as Levi participated

in a school activity and Sarah played dress up at home!

--I am thankful for a chance to use my wisdom gained through my MANY 

years to speak to the middle school and high school kids in the weekly chapel.

--We are thankful for our health even as Joe has been experiencing some

long term COVID symptoms, we are thankful for the health we have. 

--This is Sam and his 1st grade buddy.  The entire student body 

has a buddy.  This is Sam’s 1st year to be the BIG buddy.  

We are thankful for buddies!

--We are so thankful for all the people who have supported us 

financially and through prayer and for those who continue to do 

so.  It is super humbling to raise our own salary, but are so thankful 

for those of you who are on our team. 

Want to join our team?  Please visit our giving page at Majcher Giving Page.  

Many blessings to you from our family this Thanksgiving, 

Joe, Laurie, Sam (12), Levi (11), Sarah (8) and the two hedgehogs, Flower and Beatrice.

New School Year! New challenges

 New School Year!  New Challenges!  

Last year I taught Middle School and High School Art….online….all year.  While it wasn’t

ideal, it worked.  :)  I was also Master Teacher (translation: teaching coach) to the 

Specials teachers. This is music, art, PE, but also people who have one class.  So, in 

total it was 10 people.  I was approached by my supervisors and they asked if I would be 

interested in taking over the Elementary Master Teacher’s role.  I was kind of floored.  

I….uhh….don’t really do elementary, but I valued their confidence in me, but after prayer 

and talking it through, I decided to accept the position.  

So, this year I am working with 5 teachers 1st grade through 5th grade, their 5 assistants, 

the 2 teachers who fulfill our Dominican curriculum (Spanish Language and Dominican 

Social Studies), Library/Technology (who just teaches elementary), PE and Art (who teach 

elementary, middle school and high school), Music (who teaches elementary and middle 

school), US History (who teaches HS), Health (who teaches HS), and the assistant for 

the Intervention team.  That is just under 20 people, ya’ll!  Do not wonder what to pray for! :)  

I am a bit out of my comfort zone as they are a diverse group, but I keep reminding God 

that I super need His help and He is so good and faithful to provide. (This does NOT get 

you off the hook for praying!!)

Sooooooooo, we found out on the second day of our Teacher Training that the Ministry of 

Education would let us start the 17th of August like we wanted to (and always do).  We 

were told we couldn’t start until September.  Wow, what a bummer!  We can’t wait until 

September....our kids have been online allllllllllllllll year and since March the year before!  

One of the few countries on the planet who have done that.  BUT…..Doulos people are 

not sit-on-their-hands kinds of folks.  So, I present to you….

…….CAMP DISCOVERY!!! 

These are your Camp Counselors!!!

One week down, one to go!

That’s right.  Welcome to Camp Discovery….it is a language/get back into the swing of 

things camp and it has been a hoot!  It is NOT school. There are no uniforms (uniforms 

for school is Dominican law and you’ve seen my cuties in their uniforms for 8 years now).  

There is no homework and no grades, just fun and chances to remember the English 

or Spanish that have been lost over the past year and four months of not being in 

school on campus.  

The Ministry of Education says that we can start in September, so we will start on 

1 September!  :)  This affords us the amazing opportunity to assess where our students 

are.  The first grade teacher’s kids haven’t been at school since they were 4!!  Yeah, 

there’s a lot to figure out.  For Sam, Levi and Sarah this has been a fantastic re-entry into 

school.  They have been VERY tired from having activities all day--this is not a bad thing.  :)

So, please be praying for Doulos as we navigate the muddy waters of COVID and the 

Dominican Ministry of Education and the Department of Health AND do what is best for our 

students and parents. 

THANK YOU for your interest in Doulos Ministries and the work Doulos Discovery School 

does here in the Dominican Republic.  

Here’s to another school year!  More pictures to come!!! 

WOW....whatta year....and then some!!

 

August 2021

Hey Y’all,

Wow….whatta year...and then some!!  

Psalm 18:35  You have given me the shield of Your salvation; 

Your right 

hand has held me up.  

(Amen to that!)

The short of it is that the past school year in the Dominican Republic was completely 

online.  The whole year.  (Boo to that!)  We are extremely thankful for Doulos and 

their persistence in not letting a pandemic stand in the way of doing our best to educate 

kids in these tricky times. For our family, this meant that I went to school and taught 

art virtually and Joe stayed home with Sam, Levi and Sarah and they had packets and 

virtual classes throughout the day.  You can imagine the fun that might be in a country 

that doesn’t have the most stable electricity system.  I am proud to say that WE SURVIVED 

the school year, but I am much MORE glad to say that our students will be heading back 

to campus on 17 August, 2021!!!  This is SUCH great news! 

 

 

Galatians 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law 

of Christ. 

(Amen to this, too!)

During this challenging time of virtual learning, we are thankful for so many things.  We 

have a great community that upheld those who were sick with COVID or in quarantine for 

having a COVID contact.  While there were curfews in the Dominican Republic that were 

sometimes quite early, we were able to still be in our little neighborhood, by the river and 

visiting with friends in our apartment complex. 

This photo is from our back balcony!

Friendships in middle school are crucial.  Robert is one of those friends for Sam. 

Friends playing in the river!

Levi not only survived a year of online learning, but earned the highest 

grades in 5th grade and was honored with the Doulos Of The Year Award.  

Given to the elementarystudent who embodies all of the Codes of Character:  

Revolutionary, Wise, Courageous, Servant Leader, Relational, and Perseverant

Our 4th of July plans were foiled by COVID, but we celebrated with

distance with our Canadian neighbors!  Yes, Levi is climbing the

bars on the windows…….(makes ya kind of question that ‘Wise’ part

Of the Doulos of the Year Award, huh?)

1 Samuel 16:7b for the LORD does not see as man sees; for 

man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 

(Good thing!!)

One of the habits that went to the wayside during our COVID months was hair cuts. :)  

There is evidence of this growth in the picture below of Joe and me.  Despite the lack of 

hair and beard cuts, Joe and I celebrated 20 years of marriage in June. :) 

Sarah helped Joe lighten his load a bit.  :)  Thank you, Sarah!  

Proverbs 16:9  A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD 

directs his steps.  

In this COVID year, our summer plans were thwarted a bit by four of us testing positive for 

COVID.  This meant we couldn’t fly when we intended to.  We finally were able to go and 

were able to see some family and had some really fun times with some of our supporters.  

Time, this trip, just didn’t allow for us to see as many people as we hoped.  

Here are a few pictures.  

Psalm 128:1  Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in 

His ways.  

(Here we are, LORD!)

Y’all, God has sustained our family through this crazy year.  We are exceedingly grateful.  

Here is what we have coming up this year:

Laurie will be facing a new role of Master Teacher of Elementary and Specials Teachers.  

This is a group of about 20 people whom I will coach this year as we strive to achieve the 

mission of Doulos--educating and equipping servant leaders through Christian discipleship 

and expeditionary learning to impact the Dominican Republic. 

Joe will step out of his role at school to be available as our three adjust to being back 

at school.  He may embark on a Bible degree in the Spring.  

Sam, who goes by Joseph at school, is 12 years old and entering into 7th grade.  The

transition from 5th grade to 6th grade was a bit of a bumpy road for this middle schooler, 

but it was a learning experience for all of us.  Sam is also now taller than me….

which I find completely obnoxious! :)

Levi will be 11 on Saturday and is entering 7th grade. He received the highest grades in 

his class last year as well as the Doulos of the Year Award.  He is excited about middle 

school and learning from many teachers.  

Sarah is 8 and entering 4th grade (when she was in PreK, we started her early to 

learn Spanish--a decision the Dominican Ministry of Education sticks with once made) 

and she is so excited to be back at school on campus.  Online school was a challenge for 

this social butterfly who gets easily distracted, but we are full speed ahead looking forward 

to face-to-face school.   

We would appreciate prayers for the Dominican Republic as everyone starts back to 

school after being out of traditional class for so long.  We would also appreciate prayer 

for our family as we prepare for all the ‘new’ and faithfully serve God with all our heart.  

May we honor His 

faithfulness with joyful obedience.  

As always, thank you for reading about our fam.  Thank you for praying for our fam.  

Thank you 

for financially supporting our fam.  

 

If you’d like to join the team of givers, please head to  

https://give.doulosministries.us/?donateTo=79032

Grace and much peace, 

Laurie for Joe, Sam, Levi and Sarah

Update on the Majchers serving with Doulos Discovery School in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic--Dec 2020

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y’ALL!!!

The very fabulous Jennie Morel took some incredible pix of our kids.  The most 

true one is at the end of this newsletter.  :)  Levi (10), Sarah (7) and Sam (11)

Want to know what is happening down here in the DR?  Let me tell ya…...

After the Dominican elections in March, everything kind of came to a screeching halt. 

 Very little was open and people were not out and about.  We completed school by 

way of packets for my three and I was teaching on two different platforms for 

Middle School and High School.  It was pretty crazy, but it was the best we could 

do with one day to prepare before schools were to close.  

Then the summer came!  Hallelujah…..except there was still really nothing to do.  

It was hard to know what would be open, but many things like the pool, museums 

and movie theatres were still closed.  A lot of restaurants had delivery only.  We 

have had a curfew since March.  It was extended a bit since the original curfew, 

so right now people can’t be out after 9pm on weekdays and 7am on the weekends. 

 

Our family took one of Levi’s friends to see the home of the Mirabal Sisters.  

The murder of these ladies  played an important role in overthrowing the 

dictator who ruled the DR for 30 years.  

In June, Joe and I celebrated 19 years of wedded bliss.  We elected to celebrate 

by spending 3 days together in Santiago…..in the hospital!  Joe received great 

care and every test was done to eliminate this and that and we walked out with 

a high blood pressure diagnosis and a better plan to tend to his arthritis.  

We are EXCEEDINGLY thankful to our neighbors, Jon and Rachel Sawyer, who 

took our kids in a heartbeat and assured us that our top priority could be Joe and 

his health.  We are also so thankful for our other neighbors, Zech and Lauralee 

Millette, for taking our kids off the Sawyer’s hands for a night. 

It was a clear and beautiful picture of community.

  

We celebrated the 4th with a gathering of the people in our apartment complex.

At the end of July, we started virtual staff training.  Administration wisely prepared 

us for online teaching AND on campus teaching. The Dominican Ministry of 

Education had not yet announced what they were going to allow for either public 

or private schools.  So, Doulos Discovery School was going to be ready either way.  

There was partial tearing down of some physical walls so that no more than 10 kids 

were in a room at a time and the teacher would teach from the middle of those ‘rooms’.  

I was preparing for Art-on-a-Cart since the students were not going to be moving 

from class to class and Joe was not really sure how his role would look as someone 

who works with kids who are struggling.  Would he be able to pull kids from the 

classroom?  All this while learning the ins and outs of Google Classroom.  

Mid-August, Doulos Discovery School started 2020-2021 online with the hope 

the Ministry of Education would say we could return, but did not and have not.  

The public schools planned to return back to school in November.  The goal and 

plan is to have the country’s kids distance learning for virtual learning by next 

month.  Some may be going online, but if you turn on the TV during the day, you 

will likely find a public school class going on. Kids here are taking class by TV and 

getting packets from their local public school.   

What all of this means for our family is that Joe is a homeschooling dad and I 

go to school everyday and teach students on the Google Classroom platform. 

We wear masks when we are anywhere, but our own rooms.  It is a strange place--a 

school with no students, but it has become our new normal.  It meant that we 

had Sam transition to middle school, Levi to 5th grade and Sarah to 3rd all online.  

They all went from playing games and reading on their tablets to opening their class 

page and navigating their live calls on a computer.  Sam has learned how to track all his 

classes, move between them for live class and turn in work.  I have also learned A TON.  

There have been a few mishaps, but the kids have been extremely gracious.  

 We have elected to not travel back as a family for Christmas due to the health 

risk traveling presents to my parents who are both cancer survivors, but Joe will 

head back to visit his family at the end of December.  In a time of limited travel, 

we long for visitors to come see us.  So, feel free to book a flight.  :)

Overall, we are more than hanging in there.  Doulos is doing a great job in keeping 

about the business of educating students in meaningful ways and we are so thankful 

for that.  I believe that more than ever Doulos is carrying out their mission of providing 

a meaningful and excellent education and discipling students.  Doulos still has Chapel 

each week and small groups, we have had several drive throughs for the students, 

and maintained some very ‘Doulos’ aspects.  One is our Reading Under that Stars 

event, which you can see how we did that virtually on our facebook page 

Doulos Ministries (https://www.facebook.com/doulosdiscovery). This is a time 

when the families of Doulos come together under the big mango tree on campus 

and read together.  The boys opted to read in the mango tree outside of our

apartment with the neighborhood boys.  

Stars were sent home to read under!  :)

 

 

Another event is our Christmas program.  It looked very different 

from other years, but the show still went on and Jesus’ significance was announced.  

You can also see that on the school’s FB page.   

Doulos also seems to be--based on the asking around that our principal 

did--the only school in the country of the Dominican Republic who 

started school when we said we would.  This was only one week past 

what we normally do. Our students have had a full semester of education!!  

In these crazy times, this is not a light statement. 

 

Here are just a few more pictures of Sam, Levi and Sarah. :)

  

 

 

 

 

Photo credit:  Jennie Morel for the last four photos.  This last one is the more true 

representation of how my beautiful kids are on most days….dirty feet and scarred 

up from climbing trees.  :)

THANK YOU for reading this far. THANK YOU for your interest in our 

family.  THANK YOU to our SUPER FAITHFUL supporters.  It is so valuable 

to the work that is being done in Jarabacoa through the education that Doulos is 

providing.  If you would like to jump on board, we would welcome you to 

the team.  Our support has changed since moving to Doulos two years ago.  

Before moving to Doulos, people would give a one time gift from time to 

time as they knew the organization and our long association with it.  We 

have really missed those gifts in our transition, so we would welcome one 

time or monthly supporters.  Here is how to give to Doulos in support of 

the Majcher Family.  https://give.doulosministries.us/?donateTo=79032

I’ll leave you with one of my fave verses.  

Grace and peace, 

The Majchers--Joe, Laurie, Sam, Levi and Sarah