Yesterday I woke up at 5:00 AM and at 5:30 we left the house. After we made it through customs and security and all of that, I boarded the plane really scared but also quite excited. When the plane took off I found that I just loved it. I might even consider being a pilot when I grow up. After we went to Chicago (1 hour flight) and Miami (3 hour flight) we flew to Santo Domingo, a 2 hour flight. We arrived at around 9:15 and, since we had already met up with the group, we just needed to get a tourist card. We went to the bus where we met our guide Keren and our bus driver Nelson. They'll be with us the whole week. Then we went to the hotel and went to bed!
Today we visited a Child Survival Program. This is where Compassion helps mothers and their young babies by telling the mothers how to be good mommy's. Today they taught them about nutrition and how important it is that the babies get the food that they need and avoid foods that are bad for them. To get to this program we had to drive through the city and into a very, very poor neighborhood. Most of the houses had roofs made of tin and the roads were dirt and mud. The program was held in a church. After we saw the workshop for the moms we went to the upstairs of the church (which is actually on the roof) to see where they have a little nursery for the babies. We stayed up there for a while and I talked to one of the moms. She had two baby girls (I think they were twins) and their names were Sue and Lue. One of them took my water bottle but I let her have it since we have lots more in the bus.
After this we went to visit a couple of the homes of the moms in the Child Survival Program. One of the moms had four children and she was renting her house. The rent cost her $25 per month. The house had a metal front door and a back door but all the rest of the doors were made of sheets. There were three rooms--one room was the living room, dining room and kitchen, while the other two were bedrooms. They had no bathroom in the house--just an outhouse in the backyard that they shared with their neighbors. They had no sinks or bathtub in the house either. The floor was concrete, the roof was tin, and the house was made of wood. Many of the beams and rafters were just branches, not real lumber. The whole house was about the size of our living room (and we have a pretty small house for Oakville!).
When we were finished our two home visits we ate lunch in the church. And then we went to Compassion's Dominican office where we met all of the people who work there. We asked them lots and lots of questions (though I thought this part was a littl bit boring). I learned that they usually only allow one child per family to be sponsored. Near the end I was starting to feel a bit sick, so I went to the bus and ate some pretzels. Then I felt better. I guess I was just hungry!
Today I learned the importance of being grateful for the things I have. I met one boy who every time I took a sip of water, he smiled at me. I think he was just grateful for the water he has (which has to be brought to his house on a truck because there are no pipes to his home). That was probably the biggest thing I learned today. I can see how important it is to be thankful.
I'll write again tomorrow when we get back from another project we're visiting. Tomorrow at the project we'll be handing out some gifts we brought for the kids there--lots and lots of stickers!
Today we visited a Child Survival Program. This is where Compassion helps mothers and their young babies by telling the mothers how to be good mommy's. Today they taught them about nutrition and how important it is that the babies get the food that they need and avoid foods that are bad for them. To get to this program we had to drive through the city and into a very, very poor neighborhood. Most of the houses had roofs made of tin and the roads were dirt and mud. The program was held in a church. After we saw the workshop for the moms we went to the upstairs of the church (which is actually on the roof) to see where they have a little nursery for the babies. We stayed up there for a while and I talked to one of the moms. She had two baby girls (I think they were twins) and their names were Sue and Lue. One of them took my water bottle but I let her have it since we have lots more in the bus.
After this we went to visit a couple of the homes of the moms in the Child Survival Program. One of the moms had four children and she was renting her house. The rent cost her $25 per month. The house had a metal front door and a back door but all the rest of the doors were made of sheets. There were three rooms--one room was the living room, dining room and kitchen, while the other two were bedrooms. They had no bathroom in the house--just an outhouse in the backyard that they shared with their neighbors. They had no sinks or bathtub in the house either. The floor was concrete, the roof was tin, and the house was made of wood. Many of the beams and rafters were just branches, not real lumber. The whole house was about the size of our living room (and we have a pretty small house for Oakville!).
When we were finished our two home visits we ate lunch in the church. And then we went to Compassion's Dominican office where we met all of the people who work there. We asked them lots and lots of questions (though I thought this part was a littl bit boring). I learned that they usually only allow one child per family to be sponsored. Near the end I was starting to feel a bit sick, so I went to the bus and ate some pretzels. Then I felt better. I guess I was just hungry!
Today I learned the importance of being grateful for the things I have. I met one boy who every time I took a sip of water, he smiled at me. I think he was just grateful for the water he has (which has to be brought to his house on a truck because there are no pipes to his home). That was probably the biggest thing I learned today. I can see how important it is to be thankful.
I'll write again tomorrow when we get back from another project we're visiting. Tomorrow at the project we'll be handing out some gifts we brought for the kids there--lots and lots of stickers!
Nick, thanks for telling us about all the things you saw today. I am praying that you will continue to have good experiences and learn a lot while you are in the Dominican Republic.
Nick,I think all of us at Grace really appreciate and anticipate hearing all your reports.
Nick, Nick. How awesome to see pictures of you playing with that little girl. Missing you very much. Love, Mom
We're really proud of you Nick. I imagine that you are going to see a lot of sights that will make you realize how spoiled and blessed we are as North Americans. I bet you loved that sensation when the pilot revs the engines and the force drives you back into your seat.
Love Grandpa
Nick, I am so glad to read about your day. It sounds most interesting. We continue to pray for you. Take good care of Daddy! Love, Mimi
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the flight and didn't get scared...you're much braver than you think!! Also, I love the pictures of you hugging the little girl. You are already touching lives there!
Love Auntie Susanna
You wrote a great report of your day, Nick - I liked the details. Thanks for sharing with us. Have a good sleep!
I'm glad to hear that you made it there safely. I hope you're learning lots. Take care. Love Kristin
Nick, I took my son Will to the Dominican Republic for a trip like you and your Dad are on now. It is SO cool that you can share your trip with us & I know that you will always remember your new friends in the DR. Have a great trip & meet lots of kids!
Nick Nick-
You look so happy, so grown-up in these photos. I hope that your time away causes you to love God more and more. As you understand not only how blessed you are, but what a wonderful gift it is to share Him with others.
Love you,
Aunty Maryanne
Hi Nick. I found your blog through another site. Thank you for sharing about your 1st day in the DR. I think it's so important to hear from your perspective.
So glad that you are having fun and learning Nick! I love the pictures!
Nick, I have enjoyed reading all about Compassion's trip from your point of view. You're doing a wonderful job blogging to let us know what it's like. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I hope the rest of your trip is amazing.
Wow! It is so cool that you are going on this trip! It is awesome to read your perspective. I mean, the bloggers' tour that I went on last February -- we were all grown ups and most of us (save for the short little Whitaker Woman) were all above five feet, so we didn't get to see the world we were visiting from the height of the kids we were visiting. You have the perfect view to report on what your seeing at the same level as many of the kids (though I'm sure you tower above many of the younger ones, like a Michael Jordon or Kevin Garnet or Kobe Bryant towers above normal guys like me, haha). My advice for the hunger pains is to keep some pretzels and stuff in my backpack. I hope you get to play some soccer with the kids like I did. That was one of the funnest parts of my trip. For an inside joke, you should ask Brian Seay, "So, I heard you are a huge fan of NASCAR!"
Nick, thank you for writing about your trip and including all the details. I'm enjoying reading about your trip! (You're an excellent writer, by the way.)
Hi Nick:
What a profound statement - "I can see how important it is to be thankful." Yes!
I was reading an article in the paper this morning about the McMaster University students who had to leave their residence (because of a fire) and live in Hamilton hotels until January. Even though they had lovely rooms, free breakfasts, free dinners three times a week, $ 200 a week from the University, a swimming pool, exercise rooms,etc., they were suffering....they were missing out on "the first year experience living on campus! They need to read your blog, Nick.....
We're thinking of you and your Dad, love the photos!
Love Nana
Nick--thanks so much for sharing with us -- you're doing a great job! I was just in the DR in January and October, so you'll have to relay my hugs & smiles to the staff there -- Cris, Bernard, Kleber, Hermanos (LDP Director); Jose, Abel & Christian; Juan David and Ana Luisa (LDP); Marcel, Josue and Carlos (translators); and a girl named Walky! Please give them all my love! Missing all my friends in the DR this week! Not to mention precious sponsored children and many, many others I know by name. Have a great week!
Great job sharing your water and sitting through the boring parts, buddy! Keep it up!
We are all praying for you and your Dad back home at church.
We'll miss you at GraceKids this week!
- Pastor Paul
Thank you for sharing your week with us! I am enjoying reading what you have to say.
Thanks for sharing your experience through the blog. I found your updates through a link on Mr. Seay's blog. My kids like reading about the trip from your perspective. i love the pictures....keep them coming.