Las Caritas en Cien Fuegos

What words can be used to describe Las Caritas in Cien Fuegos?  There are not many words that will do my service site justice, but if I had to come up with a few they would be: loving, full of joy, and hopeful.  Loving because I have received nothing but love since I entered this country; full of joy because all of the children smile from ear to ear no matter what is going on in their lives; and hopeful because these children have so much potential, they just need a push and someone to have hope in them in order to get them to reach their potential.

These are just a handfull of children.  Most days we had

anywhere from 20-30 kids.

When I walked into the doors of Las Caritas for the first time with Kailee, we did not know what we were getting ourselves into.  We were told to come ready to teach English so we were armed with simple phrases, numbers, and colors, and our Spanish-English dictionaries.  Little did we know that they have very short attention spans and very loud voices.  It was a difficult first day, but we got through it.  On Mondays we taught English for about 30 minutes (short attention spans, remember?) and then played Pato, Pato, Gonzo (Duck, Duck, Goose) or baseball which is by far their favorite game to play.  On Wednesdays we helped to keep the kids under control during art class and then played more games with them when they were done drawing, painting, crafting, etc.  Throughout the semester during English class we have taught the children fruits, veggies, numbers, colors, simple phrases, days and months of the year, articles of clothing, simple verbs, and simple songs including Frosty the Snowman!

The infamous Pato, Pato, Gonzo

Throughout the semester we learned the quirks of all the kids.  Estarlin is a spicy fourteen year old who will most likely grow up being a jevito or a tiguere (English translation would be something along the lines of Lil’ Bow Wow in the late 90’s, early 00’s).  Clari and Leidy are in their pre-teens and usually end up taking control of the class when everyone is a little out of control.  Jeson (pronounced hay-sun, English would be Jason) is a quiet ten year old who is all smiles and full of loving to give.  Yordin is a VERY sassy eleven year old girl who knows a ton of English and is very intelligent.  Michele is also eleven years old and very self-conscious; it is very apparent that she wishes she had lighter skin, which is considered “good” in the DR.

I could go on and on for hours about these wonderful children and what I have taught them, but that would be pointless.  My time at Las Caritas has been spent teaching English and in turn learning Spanish.  I have been preaching respect and have been returned with never ending love.  I have given them silly bandz, paper, colored pencils, and chalk, and have received kisses, hugs, and high fives.  They have taught me much more than I could have ever taught them, and I am forever grateful for that. 

Chelsea and Kailee

Caritas en Licey

Caritas is a before and after school program ran by nuns. The children are guaranteed lunch, provided a safe place to play, and are taught reading, writing, and faith throughout the day.  Many of the children come from impoverished homes. Our job is to play with the kids and serve lunch. There were a lot of ups and downs during our experience, but we would do it all over again.

At first, it was discouraging because our Spanish skills weren’t the best. But we soon found out that really didn’t matter. The kids will make fun of you, but that’s part of the fun. The nuns and women who help out do not really care if your Spanish is bad either. They just appreciate your presence. Another low we hit was feeling like we were useless. Most of the time we didn’t do much just played with the kids. We were searching for a purpose like all the other service sites have. We realized we didn’t need a specific purpose. Being with the kids, supporting them, loving them, encouraging them is really all that they want us to provide. With this, we formed bonds with the children that are ever lasting.

We have some advice to future students who work at this site. Don’t be embarrassed. Just let go. No one cares. Keep an open mind. Remember you’re in a completely different culture. The kids are wild, but just embrace it. The sooner you learn you can’t control them, the better. Give as much love as possible and as soon as possible. Let your guard down in the beginning or you’ll regret it. Enjoy every minute, because it goes faster than you think.

Love, 

Carlita y Sarita 

Thoughts about Encuentro Dominicano

            The semester abroad here in Creighton’s Encuentro Dominicano has changed me in many ways some of which I cannot yet put to words but the most important one is the personal formation that the challenges of living in another country present.  This challenge is an assortment of tough times, exciting times, dull times, awkward, and ambiguous times (especially communication).  How is that different than a normal semester at home?  Not only is it adapting to new things but it is allowing the culture, people, and strange and increasingly familiar challenges to help not only put daily life in perspective but what things are important to you personally, in learning who you are and what you can do (especially your limits).  The most impactful times are the ten day immersions in the campo which bear the fruits of expecting, receiving, and embracing the unknown.  Unknown faces, unknown language, unknown community, house, and this teaches you about yourself in how you react and make necessary, desired, and even unwanted changes of how you approach yourself and others.  It  affects how you interact with people.  Being in a new family community I learned to spend more time just listening rather than guiding the conversation and seeking to entertain by my strangeness and trivia, being an Americano in the campo.  You also learn about the ability you have to be loved and to love with nothing substantial besides your presence, smile, and willingness to share.  How can you love complete strangers in ten days?  Not in the same ways you love close friends or family whom the test of time have allowed that to grow, but in helping and receiving help in overcoming the challenges which the awkward and exciting newness presents.

The most impactful experience here has been the communities which I have been a part.  Learning to love people is the greatest challenge that exists especially when you do not like them or there are personality conflicts.  This is a challenge not only among the student communities but also in the campo. The fruit which has come with embracing the unknown here has been a greater trust and appreciation for the support of the people around me.  Both from the families I stayed with in the campo and Comunidad Doce here in ILAC.  Learning how to be open to people and love people for who they are and how they have come to impact me personally has changed the way in which I view friendship, family, and community.  It took me a while to live in the moment, to embrace and be aware of what I can do right now to love and be open to be loved.  The simple things gain more importance, a smile, wave, hola, Que tal, Que mas, como esta, etc.  This is one aspect of Dominican culture, to greet people with a smile or a wave.  They are a very touchy people in a good way, a handshake, hug, and (for kids) climbing all over you.  (Though that is more universal.) The live the importance of giving of yourself simply by being present to the people around you.  A saint once said that if you want to grow closer to God and gain humility and patience with yourself and others than go to a foreign land where you do not know anybody.  This of course will lead you to grow closer to or at least love more the people He puts in your life. 

Language Barrier

Being in Encuentro Dominicano we learned many things but one thing stuck out to us the most. Language is not a barrier when forming relationships with others. In the beginning, we were very frustrated by the language barrier. It seemed like we were perpetually confused. Pride and embarrassment got in the way of forming bonds with people. However, once we realized that language is not the prominent form of communication we got passed our issues. This enabled us to open our minds and hearts to everyone around us. In the campo, our families still loved us even though we didn’t understand everything they said. At our service site, the children still loved to play games and interact with us. At ILAC, the workers were very understanding and were willing to help us out. The point is, don’t let the language barrier hinder your chance at experiencing a different culture. It really isn’t as big of a deal as you would think.

— Carly & Sarah

Conani

Don't even know where to start...

We have learned so much from experience in Conani.  It is an orphanage filled with children and young adults who have physical and mental disabilities.  There are many injustices which we have witnessed through our days of service.  The children there are not treated with all the love and respect that they deserve, and they suffer from abuse and neglect.  We tried our best not to judge the nurses/workers there, because we have learned to observe the context of the situation to better understand.  Poverty and lack of education (in general and specifically in nursing) are very big issues within Conani.  Most of the nurses in all likelihood do not have college degrees, let alone, specialization in caring for children with disabilities.  They have little hope for the children and their futures, and it is clear that they do not recognize their potential.

Every day at Conani is different, and comes with its own challenges and rewarding moments.  We work towards giving the children as much individual attention as possible.  The majority are just left in their beds/cribs all day, so taking them outside and walking with them is a gift we try to give them.  They receive so little human contact, and this attention is something that they deserve.  Sometimes we bring activities to do with them, such as reading, coloring, or any other little games.  Because many of them do not have any regular physical activity, they have developed muscular contractions.  We were lucky enough to have an occupational therapist student come with us one day, and she taught us some exercises we can do with the kids to help stretch them out.

Mainly, we just try to give them as much love as we can.  Sometimes this only means holding their hands while they lie in bed, blowing them bubbles, or just getting them to smile and laugh that day.  While we hope that we have made a difference in their lives, we know that they have enriched ours, and the time we have spent at Conani will remain in our hearts forever.

Love,
Mithra and Lindsey

Rosie!

Lindsey being tackled!

(Left to right):  Lindsey, Joshua, Leah, Tomi, Eva, Mithra

Eva and Tomi!

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ~ Maya Angelou

The Importance of Cement Floors

During both of our campo immersions, one of our service projects has been to build cement floors for families that do not have them.  In some cases this meant just one room of the house that was lacking, and in others it was the entire home.

Cement floors are extremely beneficial for hygiene and health.  According to a study done at UC Berkeley, "Dirt floors are a major threat to the health (of inhabiants) by providing a breeding ground for parasites. In neighborhoods without sanitation, fecal matter can enter the house easily and, on a dirt floor, become difficult to spot and remove. This contributes to the heavy burden of parasitic infections in children, resulting in diarrhea, malnutrition and anemia" (http://cega.berkeley.edu/materials/E2A_Cement-Floors-Brief.pdf).  Paul Farmer's organization Partners in Health also points out that without adequate housing material, rainwater often enters homes during the rainy season, turning dirt floors to mud (http://www.pih.org/pages/food-water-and-housing/).  In addition to these health concerns, many people feel that cement floors give the owner a sense of pride and ownership of their home, thus increasing their happiness and productivity.

But laying cement floors is difficult and expensive.  We learned first hand the time, energy, sweat and sometimes even tears that goes into this difficult labor.  We feel so lucky to have been able to provide so many families with such a simple, but important thing as a floor.  Please watch the video below to see how we were able to provide a cement home for one young man and his father in Ceboruco.

Campo Immersion 2 - Ceboruco

On Saturday, November 12, Comunidad 12 headed for the community of Ceboruco for our second Campo Immersion.  Ceboruco is a small town in the hills about half an hour outside of Santiago.  Since it's so close to the city, few people work in agriculture, and instead most people come into Santiago, or closer Tamboril, for work.

While in Ceboruco, Comunidad 12 worked to build cement floors for 10 families, and latrines for 6 families.  In addition to that, we also built the foundation for what will soon be a community health clinic.  We were so excited to give Ceboruco the first leg up in their dream to have a doctor and a clinic right in their own town.  The clinic will serve not just the community of Ceboruco, but eight surrounding communities as well.  The number of lives made better by this labor is unimaginable!

We worked hard on all of our projects, and also had a great time getting to know the community members and our new families.  The Pastoral Juvenil, the church youth group, really took us in and made us feel welcome.  Their president Suleika arranged two activities for us during our 10 days in Ceboruco!

Our "party" that included dancing and dominoes!

Suleika leading us in a get-to-know-you activity

We also worked in the kitchen and learned how to cook with Cruz Maria and Mariza, our two chefs.  Stay tuned for a video of Lindsey and Kailee learning how to make one of our favorite Dominican foods - Tostones!

When our ten days were over, we were sad to leave.  The community threw us a big "Thank you" celebration, and we were all awarded certificates of appreciation.  It was so nice, and we all felt very proud.  When the time came to get back on the gringo bus, none of us wanted to go. Tears were shed, and goodbyes were made longer and longer.  Eventually, we all got back on the bus and drove away.  Thankfully Ceboruco is only a half an hour away!

Jerry, Lindsey, Cecilia and Mithra saying words of thanks at our Despedida