In Our Village: La Loma, Dominican Republic

In Our Village

La Loma, Dominican Republic

La Loma, Dominican Republic

All proceeds benefit the education of the children of La Loma.

In Our Village

A P r o j e c t o f t h e D io c e s e o f O r l a n do M i s s io n O f f i c e a n d Va l e n c ia Comm u n i t y Co l l e g e

Edited by Christie Pickeral C S P r e ss O n L i n e . co m

In Our Village La Loma, Dominican Republic A Project of the Diocese of Orlando Mission Office and Valencia Community College

____________ Written by Valencia Community College students: Luis Burbano Andrea Calrson Georges Desliens Ramon Hernandez Vanessa Hornedo

Stacy Knighton Zarena Leblanc Andres Lopez Carol SanMiguel Brittany Torres

Edited by Christie Pickeral

Copyright Š 2010 by Diocese of Orlando P.O. Box 1800 Orlando, FL 32802 All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form, without written permission from the Diocese of Orlando.

ISBN 978-1-4507-3866-8

Dedication: To the people of La Loma, because your story is worth sharing and your hearts are worth knowing.

To Sister Bernadette Mackay, O.S.U. for your dedication to the people in La Loma, and your vision of empowerment.

Table of Contents Welcome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Gracias a Dios. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Water is Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Here’s to Our Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 One Meal, One Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mi Casa es Su Casa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Labor of Love at Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Let’s Go Shopping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Would You Like Some Coffee? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Farming, A Way of Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Getting Around. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 More than Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Move to the Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Craft with a Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Simple Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Education Awakens Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Dreams for the Future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Welcome “Bienvenidos” to La Loma High in the Cordillera Central Mountains of the Dominican Republic near the border of Haiti is a conclave of five communities: La Cucarita, Los Frios, Los Guayuyos, El Montozo, and El Recodo, collectively known as La Loma (The Hill). The ancestors of the residents had moved as individuals to these mountains to escape the tyranny of the dictator Rafael Trujillo in the 1930’s. These individuals eventually gathered together to form the communities that exist today.

Because of the distance from the city, the people of these communities felt that no one knew they existed. They were forgotten in part because La Loma is difficult to access. It is accessible by a threehour truck ride or an even longer mule or motorbike ride up and around steep mountain roads, which are nothing more than rock, dirt, and gravel paths that have been eroded away by the torrential afternoon rains. Although the people of these communities may have felt isolated in the mountains, they would not feel that way for long.

W e l c om e

1

2

I N O U R V I L L A GE

The Catholic Diocese of Orlando entered into a covenant relationship with the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana in 1983 to help the people of the mountains in the Dominican Republic. In 2003, the Diocese of Orlando went to the area of La Loma and began to change lives. They supplied water filtration systems, provided the opportunity for people to build sturdier homes and schools, and trained people to teach and be health care providers. Although living in La Loma was still difficult, life had improved for the people in the mountains thanks to the Diocese partnership.

In the summer of 2009, the Catholic Diocese partnered with Valencia Community College for a service learning project. From August 8 to August 16, 2009, a team of ten Valencia Community College students and three professors went to La Loma to learn about the people in the villages. Each day, the team interacted with community members to understand their daily lives and to discover the underlying significance of being a part of a mountain community. They listened carefully as the young and old told their stories in order to be able to retell their stories and be the voice for the people of the La Loma through this book.

When the communities first heard about the idea of this book, they simply asked, “Why?� The people of La Loma did not believe their lives were worth filling the pages of a book or that anybody would want to read about them. After meeting the people of La Loma, the Valencia team wondered how anyone would not want to know about their lives. Now is time for the world to know their stories.

W e l c om e

3

The Valencia team served as mere translators in retelling the stories; however, they often contrasted what they saw and heard in La Loma to life in the United States. They share those observations with you, the reader, at the beginning of each chapter. The American students will never be able to walk in the shoes of the people of La Loma; all outsiders can do is walk beside the people of the village and enjoy the beauty of simple living and the power in community.

Before the Valencia team arrived, thirty children from the villages were trained by a volunteer to use digital cameras, donated for this project. They learned about lighting, camera angles, and photo composition so that they would be able to capture their way of life in their photos. The children took numerous meaningful photos, and their pictures are the heart of this book.

The cover photo is a typical scene in La Loma. As the boys journey down the path of the mountains, the life of the people here has also been a journey. In the years since the Diocese of Orlando has been in La Loma, the quality of life has improved. As the people of La Lome move forward, they know they are not alone or forgotten. The Valencia team now invites you, the reader, to be a part of the journey of La Loma.

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Gracias A Dios

Picture this...

In the United States, we have hundreds of churches to choose from. Most of them are beautiful buildings with peaked roofs, sky-high steeples, fancy stained glass windows, beautiful artwork, and pews full of Bibles and hymnals. In La Loma, the church is a very simple building, but the devotion of the people is profound.

This is their story‌

Before the Diocese of Orlando began working in our communities, we had little spirituality.

Gradually, religion became an important part of our lives. In La Loma, there are two main churches: the Evangelical and the Catholic Church. Most of us belong to the Catholic Church. When we remember our religious history, we like to say it all started with a mango tree.

When the missioners first arrived in La Cucarita, we had nowhere to meet, but we were drawn by faith. We met in the cool shade under a mango tree, and we started to strengthen our bond to God and to each other. Eventually, we were able to obtain a small house which became our church. We crowded into the tiny space, but we didn’t mind. We were just happy to unite and commune with God. The spirituality within was growing, and we really needed a bigger place to worship, so the missioners helped us to build a church building.

Gracias A Dios

5

We were proud to hammer side by side with the missioners and watch the church take shape in front of our eyes. Now, our church stands in the center of our community; it has a cross, an altar, and wooden pews. We are so proud of the new church building.

A mother of four says, “Now, there is a wonderful church where I go with my family every Sunday. My daughters sing in the choir, and my son plays the drum. The choir and music give us encouragement, and I am proud my children are a part of the Mass. It gives them great pride to sing for the people and be close to God.�

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Another church member shares, “In our service, there is a time for everyone to share their prayers, and I often share prayers for my family and for the community. I know God is listening to us as we pray.” Another says, “My favorite part of the mass is when we are invited to “dar la paz” (the sign of peace). There is a hum of greetings and flurry of movement as everyone hugs, clasps wrists, and wishes everyone peace. I feel so united with my friends and neighbors at this special moment. I feel blessed to have priests in our village who celebrate Mass every week. Being able to receive communion is such a blessing. Our church and our faith give us strength.”

Gracias A Dios

7

For us, religion extends to more than just church on Sunday.

Religion unifies us through family, school, and community. At home, we

decorate

our

walls

with

religious pictures. One teen relates, “My family reads the Bible together every evening. We will pray together and reflect on the readings.”

In our schools, there is a time for prayer after the raising of the flag, and the children learn about the Catholic faith in their classes. We strive for a full understanding of the word of the Lord in all aspects of our daily lives. We focus on the lessons of the Bible, especially to love others as we love ourselves, forgive others, and share with others. Another teen says, “Religion helps us to carry out our values of love, friendship, sincerity, responsibility, dignity, peace, truth, and freedom.”

For all that we have and in all that we do, we say, “Gracias a Dios” (thanks be to God) because we recognize that He provides for us. We believe God is here; God is strong, and with God, anything is possible.

A member of the Church Council sums it up well when she says, “If God is in our community, we will lack nothing.”

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Water is Life Picture this...

Every time we turn on the faucet, the water comes gushing out in an endless supply. We can select hot water, cold water, or something in between. We stand under the pelting water of the shower to wash away the dirt and our troubles.

We can even drink the water right out of the faucet. In the larger communities of La Loma, there is inconsistent and unclean water through pipes. In the smaller communities, there is still no running water, so the people must walk or ride a mule to the river to get their water. This is their story…

In the larger villages of La Loma, there is now a system of PVC pipes that provides running water, but only to some of the houses, and the system is not reliable. Water only comes through the pipes occasionally, maybe once a day, and then only stays on for little while, maybe an hour or so. If there is a break or clog in the pipe, which happens often, sometimes we do not get any water for days or even weeks at a time. Even if we do get water from the pipes, we still cannot drink it because it is contaminated.

One child says, “On a typical day in my family, we listen for the water gurgling in the pipes. What a joyous sound that is! It means we have water coming to the house today! When the water does come, we scurry around the house filling every container we can find including a large barrel for reserve. We never know how long the water will flow or the next time it will flow again, so we make sure everything is full!”

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9

When there is no water through the pipes or if the family does not have pipes to the house, the people in La Loma collect water from the river in buckets and other miscellaneous containers. One child says, “We walk carrying the empty containers for over an hour up the mountain to get to the river, but that is the easy part!

My mother, sisters, and I fill the containers in the river. My mother

lifts and balances the large bucket on her head, while my sisters and I carry the jugs in our hands.

Sometimes we borrow a mule to help us, but most of the time, we just walk. On the long steep return trip back to the house, my mother carefully balances the bucket on her head, making sure nothing sloshes over the top. My arms hurt from the weight of jug, but I carry it home without spilling anything, and my mother says I did a good job! When I grow up, I’m going to carry the water bucket on my head just like my mother does!�

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Before the missioners brought water filters to our communities, we drank the water straight from the river or pipes. Sickness and malnutrition were the norm of life. Our children would have protruding bellies and swollen cheeks, and some children even died from the illness caused by the contaminated water. At that time, we did not know the parasites and bacteria in the water were making us sick. Then the missioners came to us and shared the importance of filtering water for all uses including cooking, brushing our teeth, and drinking. We were wary at first, but took the leap of faith and trusted what the missioners said. We bought these two- bucket water filter systems at a minimal cost and saw a dramatic change. Clean, filtered water meant our children were no longer contracting parasites. They were able to hold nutrients in their bodies; they were healthier. Now, almost every home here in La Loma has a water filter provided by the Diocese of Orlando. Stamped on each filter is the phrase, “Agua es Vida,” or “Water is Life.” Here, no statement could be truer. This simple device has saved countless lives in our communities, and has helped us win the battle against contaminated water. “I feel so proud that the people now filter their water to be safe and healthy,” says one teen.

Once we have the water in the buckets and jugs, we begin the filtration process. We fill one of the five gallon containers with the water we have collected. We add a cap full (5cc) of chlorine bleach into the container. It must

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11

stand for at least 45 minutes to kill the bacteria. Then we pour the jug into the top bucket of the filter where the yarn and carbon filter will remove any other debris and the excess chlorine before collecting into the bottom bucket. A tap on the bottom bucket releases the safe supply of water.

Because of all the hard work that goes into collecting the water, we know the meaning of conservation. When we bathe, we use the water we have collected from the pipes or the river. We fill a small bowl with water and use that to wash. We refill the bowl and simply pour the bowl of water over our heads to rinse. A typical bath for us takes only about a gallon of water! Washing dishes is similar. We pour water into the sink to wash dishes and try to use as little water as possible. Water is too precious to waste.

Someday we hope to have a reliable source of constant running water available to La Loma, but even then we know how precious water is, and we will use it in the same

moderate

that we do now.

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ways

Here’s to Our Health Picture this...

In the United States, when we get sick, we go to the doctor. We have X-rays and other diagnostic methods to find out what is wrong. If there is an emergency, we call for an ambulance to take us to the hospital for immediate care. In La Loma, there are no machines, and there are no ambulances. This is their story…

A woman in our community lost three out of nine children within their first years of life. Every child lost is a tragedy here, but years ago child mortality was very high. We did not know why; it just was. Before the mission came, we had no education on proper health. We thought our sickness was just a part of life. We had no idea what the causes were. Education about prevention and treatment became our weapons against illness.

When the missioners came, one of the first projects implemented was educating us about the need for water filters in our homes. We now know illness can be prevented by taking care of our food and water, but the education didn’t stop there. We learned the importance of wearing shoes and underwear. We learned to wash our hands after using the bathroom. We also learned about the health issues in our own homes. With the construction of new sturdy homes, we moved away from our dirt floors to concrete ones. We no longer had to contend with excessive dust and mud in our homes.

What a difference! These changes have had a huge impact on the overall health of our village, and we want to continue to follow proper precautions to stay healthy.

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Slowly, we also progressed in ways to treat illness. A special team of women in each community known as “promotoras� or health care providers are trained to administer medications for things such as headaches and fever, take blood pressure, check vitals, and clean and suture minor wounds. Before such training, we did not even know what blood pressure was or that we had one. A few times a year, our promotoras receive updated training to advance their skills. They also participate in the medical missions to assist the team of doctors who come from the United States.

Even with all of our progress, there are still obstacles we regularly face related to our health. For minor illnesses, we are fortunate enough to have a new clinic in Los Frios, one of our communities. The clinic has been open since 2008 and can treat sickness and minor injuries.

However, for major illness or injury we have to make the three hour trip by truck to the city of San Juan.

Transportation down and up our mountain is not readily available and is costly, especially for our small farming budgets. We will withstand immense amounts of pain before we will seek medical attention. However, when someone from our community needs help, we will come together to give aid in any way possible, whether this means pooling donations among us for the transportation or watching children while parents are away. We look after each other; we know this is the only way.

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15

When our roads are impassible by truck due to heavy rains, which happens frequently, we have to look to an alternative method to transport injured community members.

This is when the love for one another shines through. We will place the patient in a strong hammock which we string through a pole, our version of a stretcher. Then two men will carry the hammock down the mountain, which is an incredibly long walk.

We know whoever is unfortunate enough to be in the hammock would do the same thing for the men making the journey.

With improved health, our communities are bustling with healthy children and adults. We are no longer seeing the child mortality which was once a fact of life. Instead of mothers agonizing over losing children, they are celebrating new life. One of our mothers gave birth to a beautiful little girl in the hospital in San Juan. She was a proud new mother, and then the doctor asked her to go ahead and just push a little more. To everyone’s surprise, she then became the proud mother again to identical twin girls, who are now twelve years old, beautiful and healthy, full of vibrancy and energy. La Loma is now a healthier place to live.

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One Meal, One Family Picture this...

In the United States, we use the microwave to heat our food in just a few seconds.

We use the stovetop and oven to cook; or maybe we don’t even cook at all, but stop and pick up take-out on the way home. In La Loma, they spend hours cooking outside over a wood fire called a “fogón.” This is their story…

Our daily lives center around food. With limited resources in our secluded area, we cook what we have available. Common ingredients include black and red beans, plantains, bananas, avocados, gandules (peas), yucca, squash, eggplant, corn, and rice. The staple of most meals is some a variation of rice and beans. We love our rice and beans; it’s comfort food. On rare occasion we will have a meat like salami, chicken, goat, or pork with our meals.

If we do have meat, it is because we started with the live animal or bought the salami in the colmado (store). Pigs are the most expensive animal, but we purchase them as piglets when they are cheaper and then feed them our scraps until they reach adulthood. When it is time to eat the pig, we are able to

O n e M e al , O n e Family

17

sell some of the meat to our neighbors since there is no refrigeration, and there is too much meat for one family. We may also raise chickens for food. Our chickens roam through town, but we know which chicken belongs to which family. Here animals are for food; we tell the visiting Americans don’t befriend the pigs; they may turn out to be your dinner!

One

mother

experience.

shares

her

cooking

I am proud to be able to

contribute to my family by preparing the meals, but cooking here in La Loma is a long process. We eat our main meal midday; this means I start cooking at 9:30 every morning by lighting the fire of the fogón (the outdoor wood burning cooking area). In my new home, I have a gas stove, but I still prefer to use my outside cooking area. I am used to cooking over an open fire, and gas is expensive, so I only use my gas stove for smaller meals.

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Sundays are usually a time to enjoy a larger meal; sancocho (a stew) is my favorite Sunday meal. I make this with plantains, yucca, squash, corn, and chicken. I peel off all of the skin to the vegetables and season the chicken with garlic, which I smash in the pil贸n (a wooden mortar and pestle), onions, and seasoning packets which I purchase at the colmado (small store). I cook the stew slowly over the fire until the fragrant aroma fills the air and makes my mouth water in anticipation. When I serve the meal to my family, it tantalizes the senses and warms the soul.

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Here in La Loma, we love to share everything we have, especially food. I will often cook together with my neighbor.

We love to cook side by side; this is time for us to bond and visit. Once the meal is prepared, we will share our food with anyone who passes by. We may not have a lot, but we share what we have.

We are all one community, all one family, and any family is welcome at our table to share a meal with us.

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Mi Casa es Su Casa Picture this...

In the United States, we have a family of four living in a large four bedroom house, with a strong shingled roof, concrete or brick exterior walls, elegantly tiled or carpeted floors, colorfully painted or wallpapered walls. In La Loma, the houses are smaller and more rustic. This is their story‌ Mi casa es su casa. My home is your home. We truly live by this golden rule in La Loma. The hospitality is unparalleled, and everyone is welcome in every home. However, not all homes are alike.

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Before the missioners came to La Loma, we had homes that we called bohios or shacks. Some were made of concrete and cement, but these were the fancy homes. Other houses were made of planks from palm, pine or other trees with a thatched or tin roof and a dirt floor. Some homes did not even use planks; they just wove the sticks and branches together to form the walls. The bathroom was an outhouse, and there was no kitchen.

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One family shares their experience. Our family’s home had wood planks, so glints of light could be seen through the walls on sunny days. The roof

would

leak

when

it

rained leaving mud puddles on the floor, damp bedding, wet clothing, and our family huddling together in the only somewhat dry corner. We were content to have a house, and we did not hope for anything more.

When the missioners came everything changed. We had the opportunity to work for sturdy houses with cement floors, metal roofs, and solid wood walls. The whole community was so excited about the opportunity to have houses that do not leak. Some new homes even have solar panels for electricity. These houses are strong too, so we do not have to worry about a hurricane or a storm knocking them down. Not only are they strong, but they are also beautiful. They are painted white with colored trim. Some have blue, green, or pink‌what a lovely sight these homes are! They contrast sharply with our brown wood houses that often fade to some bland shade of gray.

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The missioners set up a system for families to work for and pay for a new home. When our family saw these 20’ x 24’ houses being built, we were willing to work the long hours to earn a house.

Sadly, some people in our community chose not to work for houses, so they continue to live in the wooden shacks. In my family, we helped build houses for other people and did other projects in the community to accumulate the hours required to earn a home. We saved our money to have enough for the down payment. After we had completed our hours and had the down payment, we were awarded our house with three bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining area, and an indoor bathroom. What an exciting day that was for us!

We carefully hung pictures on the wall, placed the table cloth on the table, and made the beds.

We do not have much furniture, but we wanted everything to be perfect for our housewarming party. We even planted a flower garden in front of the house.

We

were

buzzing

with

excitement as we decorated, but there was a buzz of excitement in the community too. We had invited the priest to come and

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25

bless the home. He went into the humble rooms, saying a prayer of blessing. Later that day, we hosted a housewarming party, and the whole community came out to admire our new home. Neighbors all walked through and admired the house itself and the small details. This was an exciting new beginning for our family and for the community.

Now that our roof doesn’t leak and our floor is concrete and dry, we have better health and we feel proud of our home. Now more than ever, we believe that mi casa es su casa.

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Labor of Love at Home

Picture this...

In the United States, our laundry is swishing in the washing machine and tumbling in the dryer, while we pick up a vacuum to clean the floor. We have become accustomed to the aid of machines to do housework. In La Loma, the women do everything by hand. This is the story of a typical woman‌

Since my family moved into our new home, I have been working very hard to make it a home for my family. All of the women in La Loma work hard to keep everything running smoothly. I get up early in the morning to do many things all at the same time. If there is running water that morning, then I fill all of our barrels and buckets. I will be sure to fill up two large shallow buckets to prepare to do the laundry. If there is no water, then the laundry will have to wait for another day.

While making breakfast, I gather the clothes and begin the laborious task of washing them. First, I fill a plastic wash basin with water and soap and add the clothes a few at a time. I scrub the clothes with my bare hands, rubbing the clothes between by knuckles until they are clean. If there are jeans to be washed, I scrub them with a brush. I want everything to be clean for my family. Rinsing the clothes is not any easier. I transfer the clothes to the rinse basin, another plastic basin filled with water. Here, I rinse and wring and then rinse and wring some more until as much of the soap as possible is washed away. It is impossible to remove all of the soap though.

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27

Then I twist and wring out the clothes one more time to remove the water. My hands are wrinkled from the water, and my arms are tired from the wringing, but I press on.

I put the clothes in a bucket and balance it on my head as I walk to the barbed wire fence in front of my house, which doubles as a wash line on the days I do laundry. I turn the clothes inside out and carefully lay them on the fence so that they do not snag.

We don’t have many clothes, so we need to take care of the ones that we have. The breeze and the sun will take care of the rest from here, but I have to be mindful that they do not stay out too long. The sun could cause discoloration or the rain could drench the clothes

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again. It is so much work to wash the clothes, but it is important that my family has clean clothes to wear.

The laundry is only the beginning of my chores for the day. After breakfast and laundry, there are dishes to wash.

I carefully clean and dry each dish to make sure no food or contaminated water remains on the plates. That is essential for my family’s health.

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29

Once the dishes are clean from breakfast, it is time to start cooking for the midday meal, which is the big meal of the day. Serving this meal is not as simple as carrying food to the table. For me and most women in La Loma, our husbands work in the fields, and we have to carry the food out to them. We may walk over an hour carrying the food to our hard-working husbands, but it makes us feel good to bring a wholesome meal to our men.

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After returning to the house, I begin the other chores. I may need to look for firewood for cooking. If so, I go out to the side of the mountain to collect the wood, bundle it, and place it on my head to carry home. There is some relief knowing that one bundle will last for a few days.

Still there is no time for rest.

At this

point, it is time to clean the house.

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31

I may start by sweeping the area around the outside of my home. I use a broom made of several small branches with the leaves tied to a larger branch. Not only do I have to sweep, but I even need to make a new broom once the leaves and branches dry out on the one that I am using.

I do all of this simply to keep the area around our house looking nice and clean. I am proud of my home and want to ensure the surrounding area looks pleasing.

Once the outside chores are done, I do more inside the home. I wipe the bathroom walls with a cloth and scrub the toilet with a brush. The toilet is especially difficult to clean because we do not have running water. We dump a bucket of water into the toilet to flush it. I mop the floors too, but I do not complain. I am thankful to have a floor of cement instead of dirt, so I do my best to keep it clean.

I squeeze out the dirty water with my hands. I mop once a day; even with cement floors there is a lot of dust and dirt. Then it is time to prepare a light evening meal and get ready to start the process all over again the next day.

It is important to have a clean and healthy place for my family to live. I am proud and happy to do the work that I do in my home.

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Let’s Go Shopping Picture this...

In the United States, we go to the grocery story to get food, and we go to the mall or a superstore to get clothes, shoes, electronics, and more. We ‘shop til we drop.’

In La Loma, there are no grocery stores, superstores, or malls. There are colmados and tiendas, and the people shop for necessities, not luxuries. This is the story of one resident…

The colmado is the place where I buy food, and it plays and important role in our community. A typical colmado may be a small wooden building with shelves behind the counter.

Other colmados may be a little larger.

When I go into the

colmado, I look at all of the items displayed on these shelves including bread, eggs, cooking oil, candy, spices, and canned goods to select what I need.

L e t ’ s Go S h oppi n g

33

The owner of the colmado knows all of us in the town very well, and he keeps the store stocked with the items we use and need the most. The owners go to San Juan, the closest town, which is about three hours down the mountain, to buy the items to stock the store. I am thankful they go because there is no way I could go myself. When they get to town, they buy in bulk, but they have to pay for transportation to get the items back up the mountain. Because San Juan is so far away from La Loma, a portion of the profit always goes to transportation. It is difficult to run a business and make a profit on the mountain, but despite the difficulty, the store owners try to accommodate the people of the communities. I remember one season when the crops did not produce well, and my family was short on money.

The store owner

kept a running tab for my family so we could pay back what we owed when we were able. We are so fortunate the store owners are dedicated to providing the items the community needs and to helping the community members.

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Some but not all of our communities have tiendas.

These are stores where we can

buy

clothes,

shoes,

cookware, household items, and personal hygiene items.

There is not a tienda La Cucarita, so I

in

have to

walk to Los Frios, a bigger community about an hour away on foot, to buy things for my home. I like going to the tienda, but I do not go very often. When I do go, the store owner will lower the prices to entice me to spend more, but I evaluate the merchandise carefully to decide if each item is of high quality or not. I prefer to buy good items that last instead of cheaper items that will break easily. Because money is scarce, I am selective with my purchases. If I do not have enough money, some store owners will allow me to buy on loan because I am a good customer and always pay it back. I am glad to have a tienda in the next community where I can buy the things I need, without having to go the city.

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

Would You Like Some Coffee?

Picture this...

In the United States, when we wake up feeling sleepy, we grope our way to the kitchen, flip the switch on the coffee machine and five minutes later, we have a cup of coffee. Or maybe, we have no time at home, so we stop at the drive-thru to get a cup. For us, coffee is liquid energy to help us wake up and start our day, pick us up in the mid-day slump, or keep us awake through the evening tasks. For the people in La Loma, coffee is hospitality and a labor of love. This is the story of one resident… “¿Quiere café?” Would you like some coffee? is the question my neighbor called out to me as I walked by her house. This is the question that we hear all over in our communities in La Loma. We love to have guests come to our house and have coffee with us. Sharing coffee together is just one of the many ways we share our lives.

In response to her question, I called out with an enthusiastic “Claro que sí!” Of course I do! My neighbor is a short, stout woman with a warm smile and a kind heart. Her smile grew even wider at my response, and the wrinkles near her eyes deepened. As she strode to the fogón (outdoor wood stove) to prepare the coffee, I began to think about all of the work that she had put into the coffee that she was about to serve to me.

I know she had gone out to the coffee plant and carefully chosen the beans that were red and perfectly ripe.

She removed the outer shell and laid them out in the sun to dry, which takes anywhere from a few days to a week. I know she kept a watchful eye over them as they dried.

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37

Once they were dry, she placed the dried coffee beans into the pilón (a wooden mortar and pestle) on her back porch. Then she and her daughter took turns pounding on the beans to separate the inner shell from the coffee bean itself. The pestle is heavy and the work is strenuous, so I know they put a lot of effort into this step, but my neighbor wouldn’t mind. She would be soothed by the rhythmic beat of the pounding and the whisper of the shells separating from the beans.

She would smile quietly knowing that she was preparing for her guests.

After the shells were adequately separated, she would transfer the beans and shells to a bowl with her wrinkled and callused hands. From the bowl, she would toss the coffee

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

and shells into the air with a quick, efficient, circular motion, her precision so accurate that she did not drop a single bean. The breeze would blow away the shells as she tossed. After several tosses, only the coffee beans would remain in the bowl.

She still had several more steps to go through before she could offer me the cup of coffee.

She

placed

the

beans

into a large pot on the open fire of the fogón and stirred them with a large wooden spoon. The smoke floated up filling her nostrils with the fragrant aroma of the roasting coffee she knew would soon become the beverage that symbolizes hospitality for her.

After thirty minutes of stirring with the flames licking the bottom of the pot, the beans changed from beige to black. She transferred them back in the pilón to grind the coffee. Here, she spends more time and energy pounding and grinding the coffee until it is a “polvo” or coffee grounds.

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39

Some families have a metal coffee grinder that can be cranked by hand, which is a little easier than using the pilón, but my neighbor does it the old fashion way. She prefers to have her hands working in every step of making coffee. Each cup of coffee is like a personalized gift from her to her guests.

Now, my neighbor’s humming drifts out to where I sit, as she is placing the ground coffee into a cloth bag with handle called a “colador”.

The trickle of the aromatic brew splashes into the cup as she pours the hot water through the bag. With a clink of the spoon, I know that she has added a generous portion of sugar. She returns to the porch where I am seated and offers me the cup of the coffee. I take a sip and the flavors dance on my tongue.

As she sits down next to me, she asks, “¿Te gusta?”

Do you like

it? I smile and reply with a simple “mucho” very much. One single cup of coffee can mean so much.

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

Farming, A Way of Life Picture this...

In the United States, we often have a cookout with hot dogs and baked beans.

We simply open the can of baked beans, dump the contents in a pan, and heat for a few minutes. We have baked beans, quickly and easily. For us, beans are a quick easy addition to a meal. For the people in La Loma, beans are a way of life and require a lot of work. This is the story of a typical farmer‌ Here in La Loma, farming is our life. Most of us work the land for a living. I rise early in the morning to go out to my field to begin the day of work. My machete swings at my side, and my boots pound the dirt as I trudge to my piece of the mountain. After an hour or more, I reach my field, which is more like a steep mountainside than a field.

I grow corn, beans, gandules (peas), bananas, and avocadoes. These are the staple crops for most farmers in the mountains. The work is grueling, but I stay focused on my family as I work the fields.

They are the reason I am out under the blazing sun day after day tending my crops. At midday, my wife comes out to the field to bring me the main meal of the day. I usually see her approaching from the top of my field. My stomach growls in anticipation of the meal she is bringing. Seeing my wife

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41

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

at midday is a reminder of the reason why I am here in the fields. She makes the effort to bring me food every day, and I make the effort to provide for her and our children.

Each season brings a different task to my field. At the beginning of planting season, I have to clear my fields from all of the overgrowth. I use the machete to chop away the “bosque� or the overgrowth that has occurred over the year.

With a swing and a swoosh of the machete, a small path is cleared. Little by little, I clear the land. This work is hard on my back and arms, but I push through knowing the work is necessary to plant the seeds that will eventually provide for my family. After I have cleared the land and the debris has dried, I make neat piles and light them to burn. I have heard people call this the slash and burn method of farming. I think that is a good description of what I do.

When it is time to plant, I head to the mountains with my machete and a bag full of seed. I do not just throw seeds onto the ground; there is a strategy to planting. I use the machete to make a hole and drop three seeds into the hole. I continue to make holes and drop the seeds until the entire piece

Farmi n g , A W ay o f L i f e

43

of land is fully planted. After the seeds are planted, the crops need constant care. I need to go out to the fields every day to ensure the plants are doing well. After a couple of months of monitoring the growth, I feel the excitement as the beans are ready to harvest.

I go out to the fields and pick the whole bean plants, put them into bundles, and carry them on my shoulders to a tarp on a flat spot in the sun. Later, several farmers and some of the children get together and use a large stick or pole and begin to “batirlo�.

This is the process of beating the dried plants with the poles to separate the beans from the pods and the plants. The rhythm of the pounding sticks is a like a drum beat that keeps us going through the hard labor. As the beans fall to the tarp, we throw the dried, useless plants to the side.

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

Farmi n g , A W ay o f L i f e

45

To get rid of the remaining straw, we scoop the beans into a bowl and pour the beans on to the tarp so that the breeze can carry away the straw. We then gather the beans into a large sack and load the sacks onto mules or carry them ourselves to the village to be weighed.

If the yield is good, I will return home content that I can provide food for my family and have ample to sell to support my family financially too. If the yield is bad, we will have little money until the next harvest.

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

Selling the beans is not an easy task in La Loma. It brings worry and concern to the farmers.

We are not able to transport the beans to the next town ourselves because we do not have a truck.

Instead, we sell to buyers who come up to the village to buy our harvest. These people take advantage of our situation and do not pay us what the crop is worth.

As I load my beans into the truck, I have mixed feelings: happy because my crops are going to market, but distressed because I know so much of my profit goes to the driver of the truck. I work very hard to support my family and am proud of the crops I produce. I feel sad to sell for so little because I have worked so hard for these crops.

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47

Making a living in agriculture is difficult. However, that is what I do because that is all I know. I look to my children for the future; I want them to have a better life than I do. I don’t want my sons to have to work as hard I do in the fields every day for so little financial return. I don’t want their wives to have to walk for miles to bring them food. I don’t want them to worry about the yield of the crops and if they will be able to provide for their families. I want them to be professionals and to thrive, not just survive. I am working in my fields as hard as I can now in order to provide the best opportunities for my children’s future.

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

Getting Around

Picture this...

In the United States, we grab our keys, jump into our car and drive to work on paved highways. As we sit in the air conditioned car listening to the radio, we complain about the traffic making us late for work. In La Loma, they do not have cars or paved roads; they only have mules, motorbikes, and their feet. This is their story…

Transportation is a big problem for us in the mountains. “The roads are a complete disaster,” exclaims one of the children from the middle school, and she is exactly right.

The dangerous roads are really more like steep rock and gravel paths with deep ruts from rain erosion. When it does rain, the roads become impassable.

The bad condition of the roads affects all aspects of our lives. The merchandise in the stores is more expensive because the store owners have to pay a transportation fee to bring the items to La Loma. If the roads were better, the store owners could transport merchandise themselves.

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49

Also, the health of people in our communities is in jeopardy because there is no fast way to evacuate a person in an emergency. The profit from agriculture is affected because the farmers have to pay someone to take the crops to market since they do not have a way to take their crops themselves. It affects the quality of the public school education because the teachers have to travel great distances and allow Mondays and Fridays for travel, and the children have to walk for hours to get to the school. Also, public officials rarely visit us to learn about our communities. We are far removed from life in the rest of the country and the world because of the conditions of the roads.

We walk almost anywhere we want to go. We occasionally use mules to help us get around between the villages and carry crops from the fields. This of course is an obstacle in itself because we all

50

I N O U R V I L L A GE

know how stubborn mules can be.

One farmer grinned as he recalled his experience. I had loaded the side bags with beans from the field after a hard day of work in the fields, and I was ready to go home to see my family. I began trudging along the path back to the village, leading the mule with a rope. About half way between my field and my home, the mule stopped, and refused to go any further. I tugged, pulled, yanked, and struggled, but mule refused to move. With sweat pouring from my forehead from the effort, I had no choice but to wait for the mule to munch on some nearby vegetation and move ahead at his own pace. I eventually got back to the village, remembering that when using a mule, patience is a key.

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51

A few people in each village use a motorbike to get around.

These

motorbikes are able to zip up and down these bumpy roads and often carry three or four people. A father recounts his experience. My son told me about a time he was walking home from the middle school when his uncle came by on a motorbike with his wife and daughter.

He paused and asked my son, “Do you want a ride?� My son gleefully jumped on the back and held on tight. When they pulled up in front of our house, my wife was so relieved to see that he had arrived safely. He was within centimeters from falling off the back. One big bump and he would have gone rolling down the mountain. Those motorbikes are so dangerous on our roads. They are faster and a little less stubborn than the mules, but they are still not ideal.

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

More than Words Picture this...

In the United States, we often say, “Hi, How are you?” as we pass a friend or acquaintance. This question hangs hollow in the air because we seldom wait to hear the response as we rush off. In La Loma, words are more than empty phrases. This is the story of the adults of La Loma…

In La Loma, everyone is like family. We are always quick with a smile and always greet each other as we pass each other on the dusty road. “Hola, Saludos, Buen Día, Adios,” are always called out to each other. We respect each other by acknowledging each other through greetings. A simple “hola” says so much more than just “hi.” It conveys I see you, acknowledge you, respect you, and care about you. A handshake is not a simple handshake either. When we shake hands we go beyond the hand and clasp the other’s wrist. It is almost like an embrace.

This is our way to welcome each other, to show our love and respect.

We express gratitude by saying “gracias” thank you, but we do not

M or e t h a n W ord s

53

expect anything in return. Here in La Loma, when someone says gracias, we respond with a simple “siempre,” meaning “always” to express that we are always willing to help in any way we can. One older lady with a shy smile humbly shares her experience. One day, I went to visit my neighbor at midday. She offered me a plate of rice, beans, and plantains. I savored every bite, and after the delicious meal whispered, “Gracias.” She responded with a resounding, “Siempre!” My heart is warmed by my neighbor’s generosity.

As parents, we love to watch our children using the missioners cameras to take pictures of each other. Their smiles will reach from ear to ear, and their eyes light up like diamonds. We watch as the American missioners say “cheese” when smiling for a picture. It makes the mouth form the shape of a smile, but it sounds funny to us. Our children will scream MAIZ (pronounced “my-ees”), which means corn when the missioners take their picture. Whether it’s the word “cheese” or “maiz” that makes us smile, the smile itself is universal.

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

Move to the Music Picture this...

In the United States, there are several different types of music from classical to hip hop and others in between, with about as many different styles of dance from ballroom to disco. In La Loma, the music unifies the people. This is their story…

During a celebration to honor the patron saint of the villages La Virgen de la Altagracia, we celebrate with “merengue típico,” which is a type of music typically played with three instruments: the güira (a sheet of metal with small bumps on it created with hammer and nail, shaped into a cylinder, and played with a stiff brush or fork), the tambora (a two sided drum) , and an accordion. One family excitedly tells of this event. We hear the upbeat, happy music coming through the windows of our house, so we quickly go outside to joint the festivities.

All of our neighbors are doing the same thing, and the entire village joins us in the dusty road. The rhythm moves our feet, and before we know it, the entire village is dancing. Parents, children, neighbors, and friends dance to the captivating rhythm. The music really unites us on this special day.

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55

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

The large drum called palo is the main instrument in the other type of music that really gets us moving. The thumping drum and scratching of the g端ira blend with voices, and before we know it, people are swinging their hips like merengue or jumping to the beat. Either way, there is a blur of movement and a frenzy that it is a grand celebration. We connect with our music and the music makes us feel alive.

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57

When we are not playing our own music, we hear music on the radio. Bachata and merengue are the most common types of music. Bachata is from our country, and we love to listen to it. We sometimes gather in front of the local colmado (store) to dance the rhythmic three step- pause tempo of bachata or the quick hip-swinging rhythm of merengue. Hips sway, feet glide, and ladies twirl to the beat. What fun it is to dance to our music! Music is the rhythm of our lives; the rhythm gets into our blood, moves our feet, and lifts our spirits!

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I N O U R V I L L A GE

Craft with a Purpose Picture this...

In the United States, we have the opportunity to express our creative side through arts and crafts. We do needlework, scrapbooking, woodworking, painting, flower arranging, pottery, etc. In La Loma, they do not have time for hobbies, but find other ways to be creative. This is their story…

We do not have a lot of free time. We spend most of our day working, so the crafts we do are useful. “The handiwork we do must benefit us and others. It must be something we can consume or use,” says one of the wise middle school students.

Her mother notes, one thing we do for each other is cut and style hair. The content mother smiles as she shares her experience. I like to braid and twist my daughter’s hair. It is a nice bonding time between mother and daughter. I like to try different styles and patterns with the braids. I especially love my daughter’s beaming smile when she sees her hair in the mirror. She has a pretty new hair style to wear to school, and we have special time together.

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Another way I can be creative is to make pellizas (seat covers/saddle pads). I use the plastic burlap bean sacks for the backing.

Then I cut rags into pieces and carefully weave them into the sack to make beautiful patterns with vibrant colors. I carefully choose the colors, fabrics, and patterns to use. After the pattern is complete, I sew a fabric backing to the sack. The result is a beautiful piece of handiwork that can be used as a saddle pad or seat cushion. The pelliza is truly a part of our culture and unique to us here in La Loma.

She continues, the men in our communities also make our chairs.

They use wooden poles for the legs and back and weave rope to make the seat.

Whenever people walk by our houses, we invite them to come and have a seat.

It is part of the hospitality of La Loma.

We love to have guests, and we always offer them a place to sit. We want them to be comfortable sitting on the chairs we have made with our own hands.

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Simple Fun Picture this...

In the United States, the video games flash across the screen while sounds of explosions bombard the children as they frantically push buttons on the controller. They may spend hours in front of the TV either playing these games or watching shows. If the TV is not on, we may often hear children say, “I’m bored.” In La Loma, the children don’t get bored. They are content with simple play. This is their story…

We, the children in La Loma, love to play games, but do not have a lot of toys. That does not matter to us though. We have each other and that is enough. We make games out of everything from rocks, sticks, rope or nothing at all.

One little girl about five years old grinned and swung her braids as she talked about the hand games. One thing we love is to play fast, hand clapping games (similar to patty cake). Our hands are quick as they slide, slap and clap, turn front to back, slap and clap again as we speed through our pattern and count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7… We try to go faster and faster, and when we can’t keep up and miss a clap, we dissolve into giggles and laughter, only to start the game over again. Who will be able to go the furthest next time? We play again and again for the sheer joy of playing together.

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We also like to jump rope, shared a girl about 8 years old with a huge grin. Sometimes we jump alone, counting each successful jump. Sometimes we have several children jumping together in the middle. Sometimes we sing; sometimes we chant. Sometimes the only sound is the swish of the rope against the dirt and the sound of our feet slapping the dirt with each successful jump. Once somebody misses the jump, laughter, squeals, and shouts fill the air. We love to jump rope with our friends, but that’s not all!

If we have a lot of friends together, we may play another game (a lot like tug of war).

We draw a line in the dirt with the tip of our sandals, and line up on either side.

We grab around the waist of the person in front of us and work together as a team to pull the other team over the line.

We pull and tug

until our muscles hurt, but we don’t give up. We want to pull the other team over and win. What fun it is to be with our friends!

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Three other girls chimed in to share their favorite game. When we feel like playing a less active game, we play a game called “chinita” (similar to jacks). We throw a handful of twelve rocks in the air, and try to catch as many rocks as we can on the back of our hands. That is not as easy as it sounds. It takes a lot of practice.

Many rocks still tumble with a clatter onto the concrete. The idea is that the more rocks we catch, the fewer we will need to pick up later. The rocks that remain are scattered on the ground.

Another rock is used as the “ball” and is thrown in the air. While that rock is in the air, we try to pick up the other rocks from the ground. Our hands move in a rapid blur as we throw, pick up, and catch the rock. The object is to pick up all of the rocks without dropping the thrown rock. We play this during recess at school, on our front porches, and anytime we have free time, rocks and a flat surface. We love to play “chinita.”

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The boys eagerly share their games too. Baseball is the national pastime in the Dominican Republic, and we like to play it here in La Loma too. Because we are from poor communities, we do not have the real baseball equipment, but we use a rock or a sack of small rocks for baseballs and large sticks for bats. We don’t even have a baseball field to play on, so we just find a small flat clearing of dirt and begin to play.

A seven year old boy with bright eyes and a bashful smile talks about his baseball experience. When it is my turn to bat, I hold the stick tightly in my hands and focus on the sack of rocks held by the pitcher as I take my stance, poised to hit. The rocks are tossed in my direction and with a swoosh and a crack the rocks are flying far. It’s a homerun! I run the make-shift bases with my hands raised in victory. Who knows, maybe one day I could become a professional baseball player!

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65

The boys continued, when we are not playing games, we are still having fun.

Sometimes, we run,

skid, and slide over the mountains and down the hills with loose gravel slipping under our feet until we reach our destination, which is the waterfall. When we get to the falls, we watch the water cascading over the rocks and splashing in all directions, but we don’t just watch for long. We dash under the falls and let the chilly water splash on our heads, shoulders, and backs.

Later, we hike further down the hill from the waterfall where there is a place to jump in and swim. We splash around and play until we are shivering both from the cold, but we love our waterfall and our time sharing it with each other.

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Simpl e F u n

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A mother explained, adults do not have much time for fun, but when they do have time, dominoes is the most popular game among the adults in our community, but children can play it too. “This game tests our memory and sharpens our math skills,� says one very bright middle school boy.

When two men play dominoes, the game often becomes intense with each tile being slapped onto the table with a loud whack.

A loving grandfather explained that dominoes can also be a calm pastime played between father and son or grandfather and grandson. It is a game that is seen everywhere from front porches, side yards, kitchen tables, and community gathering spots.

Dominoes is just part of the culture.

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IN OUR V I L L A G E

Education Awakens Dreams Picture this...

In the United States, our children reluctantly gather at the corner to wait for the bus to transport them to the local school. When they arrive, the teachers are ready to teach with a collection of teaching materials and advanced technology to help the students learn. The children in the Dominican Republic eagerly walk for hours on perilous roads to get to school where the teachers are enthusiastic, but have minimal supplies. This is the story of the children…

We like going to school “muchisimo” (a whole lot). We walk up the mountain on the treacherous roads to our school. For many of us, it takes about two hours to walk to school, but we don’t mind.

Even when it has been raining, we slosh through the mud and slide over the slippery rocks to get to school, but we do it willingly because we know “la escuela es el futuro.”(school is the future).

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Our schools were not always the future however. Before the missioners came to La Loma, we went to state schools, which went up to the 4th grade. The teachers had trouble getting to the school because they did not live in our communities and had to navigate the hazardous roads. School was only held three days a week, from 8:00 to 12:00. Due to the limited resources and minimal time in school, our parents figured we would be at the second grade level forever. We knew the boys were destined to work in the fields, and the girls would be married and become mothers by the age of fifteen. We did not have dreams for our future. We are very intelligent, but we just did not have any other options. One student says, “Some children among us cannot study because their parents have them working in the fields, knowing that in farming you only lose, you do not win.�

Now we are thrilled because everything is different.

Since the missioners came and created private schools, we go to school five days a week from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, and we continue up to 8th grade. The teachers are people from our communities; they are mothers and fathers from our villages. They really want to see us have a better life.

The missioners trained them to be teachers, and now our teachers are going to school too; they work five days a week teaching and then go to the university in San Juan, a three hour trip each way, on Saturdays to further their education.

We are so proud of our teachers, and we are learning so much in our new schools.

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Now thanks to the new school, we have dreams. We aspire to be more than farmers. We want to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, singers, teachers, pilots and more. We know we can reach our goals because we have teachers who understand the importance of an education and have dedicated their time and effort to helping us succeed.

Some children from our village after completing the 8th grade are able to participate in the residence program and go to Loyola, a prestigious Catholic high school in San Cristobal, just outside of Santo Domingo. Everyone in La Loma is so proud of these children. All of us see that they are able to achieve their goals, so we know that anything is possible for us too. We understand that education is the foundation for a good future and a good life. It helps us develop our minds. We now have the opportunity for a bright future, and we plan to bring that future to La Loma.

Our

families

understand

the

importance of education and that education is an investment in the future, so they are willing to make the sacrifices for us. They will even take time to show us how important it is to read. They are proud of us for working hard.

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We realize that by getting an education now, we will be able to help our communities in the future. We do not want people to feel sorry for us; all we want is opportunities, not sympathy.

A teacher from the community told us her story.

Before the mission arrived to La Loma, the people were completely asleep because we did not know the importance of education. We didn’t know how to wake up. The education level was very low, and the people only got to the fourth grade. When they got to this level, they stayed at that level because they did not find anything else to do but to marry at a young age, as I did. After the missioners arrived, the people began to open their eyes to see the path to a different life. The people wanted to build a little school so the children would not be idle in the community.

The missioners asked the people of the community who would volunteer to be teachers, and five of us volunteered. They gave us three training sessions to prepare us to be teachers, and then we began the classes.

The children and the community began to wake up. Now we can see that the children and the community have a lot of knowledge. Thanks to the mission, we have students who are literate and several who are in the university. La Loma now has a future we had never dreamed about, a community filled with professionals and people with dignity, who are prepared to become involved in the society.

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Dreams for the Future

“In La Loma, there are boys and girls who have dreams and plans for the future.

We want to help our families, friends, and other people who need help. Our parents feel very happy and proud to have intelligent, studious, responsible, and caring children who will complete those dreams when they grow up.” – a middle school student in the village.

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The following is a compilation of the children’s dreams of the future either for themselves or their communities.

Frannyleisi, age 10: I want to be a good computer engineer. I want to be an engineer so I can help my community, my family, and those who need my help. I want a good education for La Cucarita, more schools, and a hospital.

I want to be the best computer engineer in La Cucarita.

Francelina, age 13: I want to be a professor of mathematics to teach people. First I want to teach the people of the La Loma and then others. I want to do this in order to have intelligent people in my community, who can also someday have a good profession so they can be someone successful in the future like I will be. These are my dreams with God’s will.

Digna, age 10: My dream is be a teacher so I can teach the children. What do I need to do to achieve my dreams? Study. For my community, I want El Montazo to have a hospital to help the people.

Michael, age 14: My dream for the future is be the best pilot there is for airplanes. I would love to take people to their homes. I would love

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to help my community receive lights, so we could travel with ease from village to village. In order to accomplish my dreams, I know I need to study a lot.

Frankelina, age 11: I want to be a doctor so I can help people, and I would like there to be a hospital in my community of El Montazo.

I have to study hard so I can advance quickly.

I also want to be a doctor so I can cure people who are sick. If God allows me, I will be a doctor, God willing.

Yilda, age 13: My dream is to study until I get into the university. Then I want to finish my profession in languages so I can have what is necessary to help the people of my community and all of La Loma. Tomorrow our community can be the example of change for the entire world to see. One of my main dreams is to have a family and a home that is my very own, a home I have deserved for all of my hard work.

We are the winners of our own victory. Long live La Cucarita and all of our communities.

Maria, age 14: My dream for the future is to be a singer because singing is what inspires me. To achieve my career goals, I need to study.

I also want the children of the communities

to study hard as well so they can become professionals. My dream for my community of La Cucarita is that it develops and extends to the rest of the world, and that everyday it progresses more in education and everything.

Luisa Maria, age 13: I want to be a linguist.

In order to achieve my dream I need to study a lot. I want to help my community. I want a hospital in my community.

Francisca, age 13: My dream is to be a lawyer in order to help my community when there is a problem. In order to reach this dream I need to study a lot. Another dream I have is to visit the United States and many other countries. I hope that one day all of the children from La Cucarita become professionals and that we all help to build better roads.

Rubio, age 11: My dream for the future is to be a computer engineer because this means I can work with computers. I love computers because they are fun. I hope to one day be the first computer engineer from La Cucarita.

Larissa, age 11: My dream for the future is to become a doctor. To achieve this dream, I need to study a lot. I also want to help La Cucarita by constructing a hospital for the

sick. I also want my friends and all the children here to finish school so that they can have good careers too.

Antonidys, age 9: One day I would like to become a nun. I would also like to buy a car so I can ride in it. I will also help my community by helping boys and girls to study. I would also like to help the rest of my community and my mom when she needs it. God wants all my dreams to come true.

Romelis, age 11: My dreams for the future are to become a great teacher and to buy my father and my mother a truck. I would also like to buy my brother a bike. I would love to fix the streets of the city. I want to become a teacher to teach the children.

Scarlyn Maria, age 9: In the future I want to be a great doctor to help all the sick people in my community to get better. I want the community to have a lot of hospitals to attend to the patients. I would love to win the school writing contest next year in Santo Domingo, but for this I have to study a lot more every day. I want my community to be the best it can be. Those are my dreams. I am going to fight to make the best of my life.

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Albania, age 12: To start, my dream for the immediate future is to finish all of my studies from secondary school and go to the university. When I am done I want to become a lawyer so I can help my family and help my community in order for them to be more unified and have more faith in God. I want to be a lawyer because I have always wanted to solve problems. I want to help my community because I have dreams I want to make realities coming from the bottom of my heart. I would like to help my family so all of us are together and even though some of us live far away we can still help each other. The biggest dream I have is for my family to always be happy and have faith in God. These are my dreams and I want to make them realities one day.

Yoelina, age 11: I want to be a lot of things: a computer engineer, an actress, a pediatrician, and an astronaut. For the past nine years, I have liked these professions, which is why I want to complete all of these dreams. I want to be an engineer because I would like to help my community. I want to be a pediatrician because I really like little kids and I want to get to know them when they grow up. I want to be an astronaut because I would like to travel all the

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way to the moon and get to know everything there is. For my community, I wish the best in the world because they always give me support.

I want to complete all of my dreams.

Francia, age 13: I would love to be a doctor to help my community. My dream for La Cucarita is for the city to have lights. I also want the children to have a good education, and for them to never tire of studying hard. I also want the streets to be fixed so we can ride out bikes on the roads. I would love to get my bachelor’s degree with all of my best friends.

Alfredo, age 9: My dream for the future is to become an engineer to help my family and the community. I want my dreams to become the reality for La Cucarita. My dreams are also for all of our students to graduate high school.

Acknowledgements We would like to recognize the following people and organizations for their help and support in the making of this book: Ma

y od

mbers One Me B ny

yG

pi

rit

M

an

Diocese of Orlando if ts O n e S

Catholic Diocese of Orlando, Mission Office for inviting us to share our lives with the people of La Loma

Bruce Pickeral for typesetting, and layout Marianne Rhode for her support and editing assistance Jack Slack and Sara Truhlar for training the children of the villages to take excellent photographs and supporting this project

for the assistance in the printing and publishing of this book C S P r e ss O n L i n e . co m

for donating the memory cards and camera cases

Community College for supporting service learning abroad

f or providing scholarships for the students for donating the cameras for the children to take pictures

Valencia Faculty: Ann Farrell, Christie Pickeral, and Lana Powell for making this book possible

A c k n owl e d g e m e n t s

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To learn more about the missions to La Loma, see the website at http://www.orlandodiocese.org/departments/mission

To support and share in the continued development of these mission programs, your contributions may be sent to: Mission Office Diocese of Orlando P.O. Box 1800 Orlando, FL 32802 (407) 246-4890

This book is part of In Our Global Village (IOGV), a global service learning program that invites student participation in a collaborative exchange of local stories to a worldwide community. Initiated in response to In Our Village, a book written by students of AwetSecondary School in Kambi ya Simba, Tanzania, IOGV was founded as a partnership between Cathryn Berger Kaye, CBK Associates, and Barbara Cervone, What Kids Can Do. For more information, to join the In Our Global Village process, and to see books written by students in countries all over the world, please visit www.inourvillage.org.

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IN OUR V I L L A G E

In Our Village

La Loma, Dominican Republic

La Loma, Dominican Republic

All proceeds benefit the education of the children of La Loma.

In Our Village

A P r o j e c t o f t h e D io c e s e o f O r l a n do M i s s io n O f f i c e a n d Va l e n c ia Comm u n i t y Co l l e g e

Edited by Christie Pickeral C S P r e ss O n L i n e . co m