WHAT A PAINT JOB

With our recently donated supplies, we were in need of somewhere to house them all.  Thank you James for constructing our new 6 ft wooden cabinet!  It started off quite simple, but take a look at it now.  I suggested the kids paint it, and they suggested to put words and pictures on it that reminded them of their centre.  What a great idea and what a wonderful job they did!  You can see in English and in Spanish they wrote HOPE, LOVE, PEACE, and HAPPINESS.  Yep, I think that says it all............

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

Although it seems like summer all year here in Puerto Plata (it's 34 degrees today) our little butterflies are coming to life!  The kids are busy practicing painting their butterflies.  We are practicing first on paper, and then their favorite designs will be transferred next week to the shell of a coconut, which makes a spectacular butterfly.  Next week, a professional painter will be arriving to teach our kids how to paint these beautiful coconut shell butterflies.

  

PUPPET SHOWS

The final touches were added to our puppets today, a hat here, a moustache there.  All were present, and ready to perform, our nun, doctor, waiter, grandmother, policeman, and teacher.  Not to mention our worldly puppet team from Mexico, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, USA, China, and Africa.  The kids had a great morning putting on shows about germs and washing their hands, and how to beware of people that make us feel strange.  It's amazing how a fun, colourful puppet can get the message across!

OUR VISIT TO THE DR

My wife Tammy and I visited Cathy Flynn at the DominiCanada Youth Development Centre in April, 2011. When we arrived at the centre we were greeted by Hilda, the director and her teaching staff.  Not long after, we met the reason why Cathy works as hard as she does on a daily basis - the amazing little children that she cares for and loves. Before class began we had a brief, shining moment (short time) to spend with the children to learn their names and interact with them. It's amazing how fast children trust and love you. My wife and I could not believe how much the children respected their teachers, but each other as well. As children trickled in during snack time, they willingly shared their food with those that hadn't eaten yet.

While Cathy and her team taught the children that morning, Cathy also shared with us the school's history, its success, as well as the challenges and obstacles that can slow down the progress of the Centre and everyone's efforts. The main obstacle? Always money. There is very little to go around. Not even enough to pay the teaching staff. These teachers come to the non-air conditioned school in hot temperatures day after day, sometimes late to be paid, and work so hard for the children. Tammy and I were touched by these real people, living real lives so far away, yet close enough that we can fly a few hours and be immersed in their culture and see first hand how poverty prevents growth. There are many other obstacles that Cathy and her team face in the run of a day and we left wondering how it was humanly possible for one woman to have so much love, so much hope, and so much drive. We took a picture of signs on the wall before we left and did not pay attention to a glaring message on the school wall until after we arrived back home...up above the main teaching area on the doorway into the room hangs a small red heart with four letters that spoke volumes to us, and will continue to speak to us as we continue to help the school and the children in the future...the word was HOPE.

Great vacations are made of great memories. I thought I'd remember the swim up bar the most, or the palm trees, or the food at the resort we stayed at. But what really left a lasting impression in both our minds were the beautiful children we met on our trip to Dominican Republic. How the life in their eyes and the light in their hearts, despite their very-real and harsh living conditions, gave us hope as human beings. We truly do not know how lucky we are to live in North America. When you're thrust unexpectedly into an environment where children are neglected, abused, and hungry, but for even one moment in their day they experience someone reaching out to love them, you can't help but be changed forever by it, seeing the hope in their eyes. And to think they saw that in me and my wife, even for a day. Those children need my help, and they need your help. My wife and I would encourage anyone reading to reach out to the Dominicanada Youth Development Center and sponsor a child on a monthly basis. A little help goes a long way. I've seen it happen.  Chris Mckinnon.

FRANKLIN DANIEL

Franklin Daniel is thoroughly enjoying his time as a Dominicanada Youth Development Centre member.  His story is familiar as one of the children from the Playa Oeste area.  He is 10 yrs old and lives with his grandmother, after being abandoned by his mother at birth.  He was never declared, has no birth certificate, and therefore officially should not be allowed to attend school.  His grandmother pleaded with Hilda to enroll him at the school to keep him off the street while she is working her 12 hour shifts.  This is Franklin Daniel's first year ever at school.  When he arrived he did not even know how to hold a pencil.  Look at him writing his name just after a few weeks.  We are so proud of you Franklin Daniel!
If you would like to sponsor other children like Franklin, to attend school, and to be a Dominicanada Youth Development Centre member, you can read about their families to the right.  If you would like to contribute to our sponsorship program, a donation of just $35.00 a month, literally $1.00 a day, sponsors a child.  Your donation helps pay for the costs of a child attending school, school supplies, school uniforms,medicine, family support, and overall costs of running the Youth Development Centre.  Sponsorship or one time donations can be made through the paypal button on this blog above, and will be greatly appreciated.

RECYCLED HAND PUPPETS

Here are the beautiful results of our recycled hand puppet project.  Made from an old pop bottle, a toilet paper roll, material scraps (thanks to Tammy's donation), wool pieces.....and voila!!  See our beautiful puppets below.  The kids had a good giggle while making up their own puppet shows.  The puppets will be used in the future as great teaching tools for classes on sexual abuse prevention, bullying, racism and other life lessons.  Thank you Christiane for heading another great craft class.

SNAKES AND LADDERS

We had 3 different stations set up for the kids today.  Station one was for bracelet making.  The girls loved that, and the boys were so happy to make a bracelet to take home for their moms. Station two was Snakes and Ladders, a game that our Dominican kids have never experienced.  They were fascinated.  Station three was Dora Dominoes.  Our kids are experts at that game as dominoes are a major part of life here on the island.  Thanks to Deb and Mike for the games, crafts, and all the supplies you, your friends and family collected to bring down for the kids.

VISITORS LETTER

Deb and Mike were here this week to volunteer at the Centre.  They were a big help to the kids with their puppets, and Mike's English classes were well let's say, very entertaining!.  Deb and Mike along with the Good Shepperd Church in Englehart Ontario, have been Dominicanada's biggest financial supporters and helped us launch the Youth Development Centre, for which we will be forever grateful.  This is what they had to say about their experience with the children:

"Hola,
We had the great privilege of visiting the Dominicanada Youth Development Centre in Puerto Plata and what a great place!  With a little thought, it was possible to bring great joy to the children's lives.  It does my heart good to see that despite the poverty these children live in, a very small act gets you a huge smile.  If you have the chance to visit the Dominican, then you MUST take just one morning or afternoon and get your "happy tank" filled to the brim, the kids are such a joy.  The teachers and children take what we throw away without any thought (a pop bottle in this case) and made a wonderful puppet creation (and great teaching tool!).  As always Cathy proved to be a great host and brings hope and empowerment in a quiet and respectful way to God's precious little ones.  It's easy to be a part of it - just do it!  Together we can!" 
Mike and Deb, Ontario Canada