Journey Journals 2011
Wednesday 02/16/11 - Day 1 - By Mariah Eybel
When I woke up I didn’t have any idea what to expect or what I was going to see. I heard from the start that things were “rough” but I never suspected it would be to such extents.
When you look at the children here you can honestly just tell the appreciation and hope when you hold their hand or give them a hug.
While walking through “Paraiso” I said to myself, as I was looking at the gorgeous scenery, “they’re so lucky!” Then I realized how much irony was in that statement. They have so much but so little at the same time.
All in all, I already know after my first day that I will be back and I know that this is something that is going to stick with me for the rest of my life. I’m so ecstatic that I took this opportunity. It truly is a life changing experience.
Thursday 02/17/11 - Day 2 - By J Goldie Thompson
How can I describe day “2” but WOW!
So many important and life changing moments all rolled up in one J
We start of our day as normal – with a nice breakfast and a much needed cup of coffee and then board the bus @ 9:00am. Today is a very special day as we are visiting “Poncho Mateo” for our Juice Ministry. I’ve heard through the grapevine that this day will be an eye-opener!
Off we go and then finally we arrive to our destination. We are greeted immediately by friendly and hopeful faces. What a joy to get off the bus and have a warm hand slip into yours, dragging you along through the village. We get to the building and as we enter we hear echoes of children’s voices, singing and chanting. So eager and so happy to see us! The energy in the room was magical!
We immediately got together and created an assembly line to get the food bags together, which consisted of a hardboiled egg, small sandwich, some sweet biscuits and an orange. We could still hear the children chanting in the background. While looking around the crowd, you could see that a lot had the eyes of hunger and could not wait to receive the food we were about to give.
Finally, we finish bagging all of the food and now we try to organize a line to receive the precious food and gifts for the boys and girls. Thank God, for the nice lady that was pushing everyone back in their place as it was complete chaos! Pushing and shoving to get their things out of fear that there wouldn’t be anything left. It was over in an instant but the memory will last forever.
I could go on and on but for the sake of time I will end it here and say “today was one of the best days of my life” and am very grateful to share it with you all!
Friday 02/18/11 - Day 3 - by Matt Olney
Although the day has come and gone, it was a day that will last forever.
We started the day with the usual breakfast then headed straight for “Esperanza”. As we arrived there were scarce kids as the rain scared most of them off but as the sun came out so did the usual faces.
The first thing we did was finish our teaching about Canada to the morning classes at the school. These were the older kids, who were much more disciplined. They greeted us with a group “Buenos Dias” and even stood when we sang “O Canada”. But as I anticipated, at the end of our third class there was the awkward question of “why am I black and you are white?”, but thank goodness for the Principle who had a snappy remark; “Because in Canada there is a lot of snow”.
After the class there were many different jobs done. We scrubbed the concrete off the tires we installed in the playground, dug a trench for a wall behind the school and Aaron and Tori brought out their artist side to create a stencil for our work in Paraiso. We ate lunch in the church then headed out for Paraiso.
We started with a quick tour of the village to see the newly completed Medical Center and School that were last year’s pride and joy. Then we got hard at work. The tops got cut off large tubs to make probably the first and much needed public property; Garbage Cans. While they were being painted the rest took children to help and teach them to pick up garbage. After that was completed the kids did some fun activities in the church and got their faces painted. The garbage cans were distributed with little bickering and our jobs was complete.
We headed back to the hotel for some much needed washing.
As I reflect on our days here I can’t help but to want to never leave; because all the memories from these past days I will most likely remember for the rest of my life.
Saturday 02/19/11 – Day 4 - by Sarah Boudreau
“iHola!” ”c Como estas?” ‘Bien, gracias’, is what we all continued to hear throughout Poncho Mateo today. Even though these people who we came to distribute food to had little to call home, smiles greeted us as we walked through the rows of tin-roofed “houses”.
It was a hot, rainy day and this added to the energy in the crowd waiting outside of the local church. We surprised ourselves by packing the food packages in a very fast rate. Faces of the locals peered through the few small windows in great anticipation.
The line was arranged, yet not so easily, but soon enough the one member of each household came and went graciously through the church.
Members had to keep a close watch at each window and doors in order for families to not try to enter twice for more food. This to me struck me as an odd occurrence but I understood a bit more once I remembered if this was my only source of food for my family, loved ones or young new borns, I would be trying the same tricks.
Since we were finished the food distribution so early, we decided to make a stop at a nearby orphanage to give our packed lunches away. I expected to see only young children at the orphanage from a stereotype I had in my mind. But I was surely incorrect. The “Mustard Seed Communities Orphanage” was one of those moments in life that you truly realize how good you may have it. I felt guilty for worrying about post-secondary schooling soon to come when these children with mental and physical disabilities do not even know of how their life could have been.
I am so proud and admire the volunteers and workers of this Orphanage, if it took that much emotional (for lack of a better word) stress on my-self to go through the rooms, then these people are strong angels.
Sunday 02/20/11 – Day 5 - by Tori Stuart
Sunday, Sunday our day of rest!
We started the day with the Rotarians of the group heading out to Aqua Negra to visit a Rotary Project/Schools. Some of the others, myself included, joined up with another of John’s groups and left the resort and braved the rain in order to experience a church service in Esperanza. And if was absolutely worth it.
We stayed for about an hour of what I am told ends up being a three to four hour service and it was lovely. The atmosphere was relaxed yet still enthused, there were children wandering through the pews stopping to hug or hold our hands while their parents sang song after song, raining their hands in worship, accompanied by a three man band and occasionally punctuated by bouts of Creole preaching from the minister. A wonderful experience, one which embodied the purpose of our work here – to give people access to the things they need – shelter, food, work, etc., in order to be able to engage in that sense of community and engage with others in order to create something so positive and so beautiful as this church service.
After that we met up at the resort and headed to what had looked like tin shacks next to the ocean but turned out to be an assortment of shops and restaurants all lined up in front of a gorgeous beach.
Back to the resort for dinner and to celebrate Sarah’s birthday – cake and all! Top it all off with a little Karaoke and we had, once again, a beautiful day in the D.R.
Monday 02/21/11 – Day 6 - by Shawna Parker
Started the day off nice and early and headed to Aqua Negra - We visited the school and the children sang for us. “Chee chee wa, chee chee wa, chee chee wa wa wa!” And we sang our “if you’re happy and you know it” song. We presented Sandra with a hockey bay of school supplies and passed some of it around. After, we took a tour through the city. This city breaks my heart, at least the villages have beautiful scenery.
After, we headed to the Puerto Plata hospital. We handed out care packages to all the patients there. I had a pretty rough time here...although the hospital has improved, it’s still not comparable to home. Not even close. It just doesn’t seem fair, all those people need so much care and may not get it.
There was a Canadian man badly injured and a little delirious who had been there for a year not getting the care he needs and his family/friends don’t even know. I couldn’t imagine.......
Our last stop for the day was in Esperanza for some house dedications. For the 4 families and 2 seniors, this was probably the best day of their lives. They are so grateful, especially the seniors, they now don’t have to perish in a shack.
Saying good-bye was tough. Someone said that we made such a difference in their lives....they impacted mine.
John and Jane and Elio & Lena joined us for our last dinner. It’s so great to listen to Elio speak and hear his stories. For all that man has done he must be an angel.
This was an amazing trip. ....our group is more than a group....it’s now a family and I love each and every one of you!
Journey Journals 2009