Summer 2011 - Light and Darkness

Finally! Electricity! We were without it since last Monday morning until we arrived at the beach yesterday. Apparently someone cut a wire while doing construction. The neighbors on our street got together and fixed it and we had a few hours of fan on Wed night. Just enough to tease us. I'm sure the "fix" is Dominican style and we may all blow up next week.

When I am THAT hot, it is so hard to even think. I wanted to read but I couldn't. All I could think of was "I'm so hot. Please let me sleep so I won't feel the heat". I see the women crouching over an open flame and a boiling pot, cooking their one meal of the day and I don't know how they do it. There is no glass on the windows here and everyone sits outside talking until late at night...and I understand why. It is too hot to go inside and lie sweating in the bed where there is no breeze. So you might as well be hanging with the peeps in the neighborhood and solving the problems of the world. It's good therapy. Even the dogs have loud heated discussions in the middle of the night.

We are at the beach right now. This is how God confuses us. He places this extreme poverty and suffering on this beautiful tropical island and you don't know whether to laugh or cry. To exclaim at the beauty or cry out at the ugliness. Today I am in awe at the breeze from the sea, the turquoise color of the water, REAL ORCHIDS growing on the trunks of the palm trees (will take pics for you), tropical colors everywhere. (I was reminded briefly of where I was as a rat ran thru the dining room - twice - last night!). This island is filled with such beauty and signs of God's love for us. I imagine Eden to be something like this (without the rats).

And then we are assaulted with the other side of this beautiful island. The barrios and bateys filled with people who cannot find work, who live in shacks where the water runs in every time it rains, where the children are covered with sores that are covered with flies and there is limited healthcare. Where they forgot to turn on the water to the community for a week and they walk for blocks carrying buckets of water from the one pump. Where the garbage has piled up for a month and now they are burning it and the black smoke fills the air with particles of melted plastic and Styrofoam. (The dying animals have consumed everything that is edible off of the garbage piles). Where you have to watch to not trip over the skinny, stumbling animals who do not even have the strength to bark or meow. Where I am daily confronted with someone saying "Please, Cindy, help us make more dolls or jewelry so we can make some money. There is nothing else for us to do". And I lie awake at night thinking about how I can sell more dolls, more jewelry.

The ugly, the beautiful. The dark, the light. The grieving, the celebrations. The laughter, the tears. every day is filled with some of both. Every person is filled with both gifts and shadows. It is life and God is present in all of it. We embrace it all and share the planet with these people in the darkness. Our light is dimmed because of their darkness. And our joy is multiplied when they smile.

I leave you with joyful moments in the dark Batey--2 beautiful young girls, Juana is 12, Milagros is 13-they have made their first sock dolls as apprentices. They are the next generation. (And they did an awesome job - they were so proud!) . The dolls even have arms and eyes!

Tuesday we will have a big Fiesta in the St. Luke Center for all the 5 yr old children who are "graduating" from the Healthy Children (Ninos Sanos) Program. Their mothers consistently brought them for "well child" checks and invested n the health of their children. (This is the program we work with in the summer with the Canadian group). We will have cake and soda for the party (Not healthy, but it is a celebration!!) and they will receive certificates and be called up to get it, each one receiving big applause. (Will send pics!)

Thank you for your support for these people. For not forgetting them. For keeping them in your prayers and for working for peace, justice and love for all wherever you are.

Summer Visit 2011

Day 1: Our readings this morning were about asking for a sign...and I remembered all the times here that I felt God was missing and asked for a sign and how often He did not rebuke me and went ahead and sent one....and then I remembered Jose. One of my teachers here. Paralyzed, dying in a dirty bed covered in flies. We decided to take him to the hospital and I was sure God would take care of him. We went from one hospital to the next and no one would see him- "He is dirty" "This is a clean hospital". I felt abandoned by God as we brought Jose home to die in his filthy one room shack. I could not understand where He (God) was. As I said goodbye to Jose, I looked into his eyes and I found God. God was not in the hospital, but in the broken, dying body of Jose. As I walked out the door , I heard Jose whisper, "Recuerda me, Cindy, Recuerda me". Remember me, Cindy, remember me. I needed to remember that today. God is never where we think He is, but always somewhere.

Cholera is coming back here. We are trying to be extra careful. It is hard to have to sneak around the corner and wash my hands after every handshake and hug.

Today we saw Adela-3 years ago some of St. Luke's donations went to help her get catarract surgery. She looked great and had big hugs for us. We have not seen her since we left. Your love at work....alive and well.

I found out about friends recently diagnosed with AIDS. A new set of twins were born last night ( one is still in the hospital). Crying one minute, laughing the next. That's what this place does to you. Lots of hugs, holding new babies, listening to their stories and crying with them, then laughing with them.

We are so blest to be able to spend this 2 weeks here. I am never the same when I leave here. Hopefully, I can bring back some of those blessings to you, my friends and family who hold us up and send us forth.

Water Flowing in Lechería!

It was a great week, although very tiring. Cindy and I did a lot of work ahead of time to get everything ready for our St. Luke team to return to the batey, Lechería. When we got there, we met up with a group from New Jersey and with a group from “Water Is Life”, a non-profit organization.

With the help of the Water Is Life guys, we coordinated with the local people to lay pipes for water throughout the community. By the time we left all the pipes were laid!

Another group from Our Lady of Good Counsel in Pompton Plains, N.J., went down this week to help cover the pipes and start the water running. It is quite a miracle to have running water through the community. Up until now, the people have had to walk a mile to the river to wash their clothes or walk a half mile to the pump and fill up jugs to carry back to their house. Now they will have water right outside their doors!

We also worked with groups of women who are continuing to make jewelry and sock dolls.

The amazing thing was the younger girls who are coming and wanting to learn...it is hopeful that we can get them into something to earn an income since jobs for women are scarce.

We were able to bring with us a donated autoclave (steam sterilizer) for cleaning medical equipment. We barely got it through customs, but it will help the clinic there to achieve licensing from the country’s public health department. (That’s Cindy in the picture)

We also did some repairs and “beautification”.

Most importantly, we touched and were touched by the people of Lechería. Their spirit of survival and reliance on God are always amazing. They are the reason we return regularly. Thank you for helping us show them that someone cares.

(Left) Greg with the Lechería community team

(Right) Baby Gregorio (yep, named after Greg)

Peace,

Greg & Cindy

Water Update

After we returned home, we, with the help of the SHCJ Sisters, were able to get enough of the pipes laid to get the water turned on. The cost was around $850, not the projected $3000. The Sisters fronted the funds with our promise to reimburse them. We're working on raising the money now. If you would like to help, contact Cindy or me.

This now means that when the neighboring towns get water (2x or 3x per week), Lechería does also. It's not drinking water, but at least it is available to most houses in the batey. Some of the folks are able to connect to the main pipe and bring the water up to their houses (Some may have been more successful at this than others, from what I hear).

A small section near the front of the batey still needs to be added. Hopefully, we can help get this completed soon.

The well at the front of the batey still supplies water, but it is pumped to an old contaminated storage tank. The manual pump no longer works, so the water from there is pumped only when electricity is available.

Another group called Water is Life (www.waterislife.com) is planning to visit in October. Perhaps they will be able to add another piece of the puzzle of sustainable water to the picture. For now, the people of Lechería continue to live life the only way that they know how - day to day.

Summer Visit 2010 - What's Happening in Lechería

LECHERÍA UPDATE JULY 2010

The Nutrition Program that was begun last summer is going strong. For the last year, the program has been monitoring the nutritional status of the children under age 5 yrs in the batey on a regular schedule through the Growth Monitoring Program. Children found to be malnourished are provided vitamins and a nutritional supplement called "Plumpynut" and they are monitored on a weekly basis through the Nutrition Progam. Many of the children we saw last year who were very malnourished have graduated from the program and are now chubby toddlers. Dr. John McClennan of Canada, who oversees this program, was down in the batey for 3 weeks with 3 students to add an Anemia protocol to the program and to study the barriers to attendance.











The Canadian team is also conducting a census of the number of families in Lechería. This information will really help when applying for project help from the government, NGO's and mission groups.











Lechería Artisans:

Jewelry/Sock Doll-Making brings many of the women of Lechería to the St. Luke Center weekly to use their creativity in this small "cottage industry". Cindy was able to pay the ladies from sales made in the U.S. this past spring. What a joy it is for them to receive money to buy food, medicine,clothes and shoes for their children and themselves! The women sent a huge "Gracias" to all those who are working so hard here in the US to support them.











Water is coming to Lechería!

A group from Texas was in the batey last week digging trenches and installing water lines to bring water from the town uphill down to Lechería! This helps the people in all parts of the batey receive water to their house on a more regular basis. Water is the #1 need for the people in this community. The large numbers of people coming to the clinic with fevers and parasites is largely due to the lack of water to safely and effectively wash hands and cook.


Since the water is not drinkable, a ceramic filter system was installed in one of the local churches. Water from here will be sold to the residents for 1/2 the price that it costs them to purchase from local vendors.











Unfortunately, funds ran out before the project could be completed and the water turned on. We are hoping for donations to come soon so that this vital project can be finished. $3000 will get enough piping to allow the water to be turned on. Another $3500 will allow the final piping to be laid in the front section of Lecheria. The residents living in this area are currently near a cistern and can more easily access water than the rest of the people.



The Move to Septic Systems:

The same Texas group installed 2 septic systems. These were connected to 3 "baños" each. The community wants to move from latrines to septic systems before the land area for becomes scarce for such installations. The residents living in multi-dwelling constructions will really benefit from this model because a toilet can be installed in the home instead of having a latrine outside.






Is "Roof Repair" feasible?

Many of the residents are asking about help with repairs of their tin roofs. Much of the tin used on the dwellings here had been previously used on some other structure; therefore, the pieces came with old nail holes. Or scraps have been put together to create a roof. Either way, there are many entry points for rain.


The logical solution would be to patch the roofs, but the wood beam are too weak to safely hold a person who could make repairs from above. We're looked into some possible repair techniques, but we have yet to come up with an easy and economical solution. Please post a comment if you have ideas.




Gotta Laugh...










The kids of Lechería are as creative as ever! "Doll-head baseball" and "dental-floss inner-tube repair" were just a couple of the innovative forms of thinking that we saw on this trip. Hearing child laughter is a real blessing to anyone visiting Lechería.

Summer Visit 2010 - Babies Gregorio and Cindy

On May 1, 2010, a baby boy was born to mother, Milania. He was named Gregorio in my honor! Here I am with my Lechería ¨family¨.

Cindy was given the same honor last year! Baby Cindy, who was born last April to Milania´s sister, Louisa, is continuing to grow. Here she is enjoying a summer bath with her older sister.

Summer Visit 2010 - Just Like Old Times!

Just as we remember...

Torrential rains pounding on the plexiglass skylights and creating small lakes and rivers outside our bedroom door...

Drying our laundry the old fashioned way...

Reading by lamp light...

Ahhh! It's good to be back! :-)