The village was an opportunity I wish the world could experience. Starting our days of service at the school was always an exciting, lively way to connect with the kids and kick off our day with some fun.
While speaking to the children at the local school, the emotions splayed across their faces never ceased to make me laugh. These wonderful kids, who sometimes had to walk a few miles to school every day, were joyful and excited every day we visited them. From the moment our cattle truck arrived in front of the large, sky-blue gate that guarded their precious minds and bodies, at least half of the school was clinging to the bars, grinning from ear to ear. They waited eagerly for us to cross the threshold into the school grounds and reached forward with their hands in anticipation of playing with us.
The children shone with love and happiness in the Dominican Republic. As our group taught them about Jesus and the Bible, they played along with the stories and enjoyed interacting with whoever was telling them. Although there was a frightening language barrier that seemingly blocked our efforts, we never let it stop us from laughing and playing with the kids.
On our last day, we spoke to the school principal, Feliberto. In the interview, he explained how amazing it is to have a school in nature where the people are extremely welcoming and hardworking.
Feliberto shared that our service group left an immense impact on the school by helping students learn about other cultures and discover new creative outlets, such as the mini Something From Nothing Challenge that was held in the various classrooms.
Knowledge is incredibly important to Feliberto, and he emphasized how students can learn to be themselves and transform their community with the help of service groups or people from other cultures and livelihoods.
Did you know that in the Dominican Republic, some kids choose not to stay in school until they reach 18? Teenagers have various options as they age; some attend college, and some leave academics to help their parents farm the land or run a business. As we drove back to home base every night, children were often helping their parents with laundry, retrieving water or completing chores. Community and family were present wherever we looked.
On our third day in the countryside, our group walked down to the river that was not far from the village during our lunch break. Our aching feet were chilled by the cool water that flowed rapidly past us, lithely carrying rocks and sticks across its surface.
Our group laughed and took hundreds of pictures together. Every single minute must have been documented during that week through funny videos and group photos.
That same day, a few of us traveled down the road to conduct a prayer walk. Our goal was to meet new community members and teach them about Jesus.
On the walk, we met three women in entirely different personal situations. Each had their own families and needs that were fascinating to learn about. Each woman also had a unique story that was incredibly inspiring and pushed me to reflect on my personal faith journey. The first woman we met had a particularly inspiring reason for coming to know Jesus.
The woman explained to us that she once had a medical emergency where her loved ones thought she was dead. She asked the Lord if he was truly real, to ensure she lived and could continue to care for her family.
She lived through one of the toughest struggles anyone could endure so that one day she could speak to our group and share her inspiring story. We would then share what we learned as a testament to God’s blessings.
As we drove into the village every day, we would often see cacao beans drying atop tarps in the sun’s heat. The oddly bitter scent would waft into your nose and stay there for several minutes.
Cacao beans are one way for families to make money in the Dominican Republic, so that they may support themselves and their community. As many have to walk a significant distance to retrieve fresh drinking water, our group wanted to provide the women’s group with a couple more business methods, like jewelry and soap making.
Although I was more active in the soap-making process than in the jewelry crafting, it was amazing to see the various bracelets and anklets crafted by the women’s group throughout the week. Another trip leader, Lilly Portman, spent some time explaining color theory and other fun tips about making bracelets to be sold.
Our group brought the jewelry back with us to be placed on sale in the Nest for the local community to enjoy.
Soap-making is a very detailed process where the crafter must be very attentive to the potential dangers. The process was one where the women and our group walked together since most of us had no experience making soap before.
Collectively, we discussed the dangers of lye and the precautions one must take when handling the powder chemical. Lye is incredibly dangerous, and the soap-maker needs to wear protective gear while using anything the lye might have touched.
After going over the necessary precautions, our spirited little group began making soap using goat's milk, the principal ingredient. Although we only made a couple of bars of soap that week, we were blessed to provide the women’s group with a way to support themselves and their goals. The women were noticeably excited and determined to make a difference in their community.
Just minutes before our group departed for the final time, a few of us stayed back to speak with Margo, the courageous leader of the women’s group. It was bittersweet. We had just completed putting a fence around the new land that the women’s group was able to buy and use for the benefit of their community.
Margo emphasized that the week had been wonderful, as everyone in the group was happy we were given the opportunity to work together. Our presence and help in clearing the land and constructing the fence left a major impact on their hope for the future.
Now, Margo has big expectations for their future in business. When asked about what she hopes will be done with the land, she explained that first, they are going to work it. After that, she hopes that they might build a house where the women’s group can regularly meet and discuss business with one another.
After a week in the Dominican Republic, I was amazed at the number of seeds that had been planted and were growing beautifully through our service activities.
