Barahona, Dominican Republic
A diverse group of students and professionals came together for 10 days full of challenges, fun and laughter. We arrived in Santo Domingo and explored the colonial zone of the city. Then we traveled along the coast towards the Haitian border to Barahona, where we lived and worked for the week. We spent our weekend exploring local beaches, hiking up waterfalls, playing with the kids and getting settled. We stayed at the children's shelter attached to the local Episcopal church where we slept on the floor. In the community we were shocked by the number of children we saw wandering naked, their bare feet on broken glass littering the ground, their small stomachs bulging with parasites. In the barrio there was no plumbing and the power went out daily for unknown periods of time. On Monday morning participants split up into 3 groups and went to their work sites to start building latrines. We were often amazed at the enthusiasm of the local people wanting to help and work with us. Even the smallest children would run to lend a hand pushing a wheelbarrow or picking up a paintbrush. By the end of the week we finished 4 (brightly painted) latrines. We also did work on the children’s shelter. In the midst of such poverty we wished we could do more but we also had to recognize our limitations. Many of us left Barahona hoping to return soon because we are inspired to continue to make a difference in their community.