Saturday, March 1, 2014

Saturday, March 1, 2014


Today, Manuel drove us to Paradise, a Samaritan Foundation village, so that we could see the gardens that are being developed by the people with help from  agricultural experts.  Hermes, who lives in the village and works for the Samaritan Foundation gave us a tour.  We passed through a gate into what looked like a typical Canadian style garden plot with rows of corn, beans and a few other vegetables.  This was actually an experimental plot with the various plants undergoing different treatments to see what each would produce.  Nearby was a newly constructed chicken coop about 3 x 10 metres, which will provide some eggs for the village.  I later learned that smaller coops measuring 1 x 2 metres will be provided to houses that want to keep a few chickens in the yard.  Hermes then led us down a hill where we entered what seemed like a forest of banana trees.  This was also garden area, but used a more ecological approach, with layers of vegetation below the trees – pea shrubs, root vegetables, squash vines, etc.  It was designed in consultation with experts from the University of Guelph, which also did soil sampling and testing to determine the best crops to grow and to give direction to methods of treatment to improve fertility.  A couple who run a honey business has donated a bee colony and box and will educate others to look after it and to provide more boxes.  This will help to improve pollination of crops with a bonus of honey for sale.
An Experimental Plot of Corn
The Chicken Coop 
A Good Crop of Red Beans
Hermes Giving Us a Tour of the Gardens in Paradise
Layering of Crops in a Garden
We did a quick tour of the new office building of the Samaritan Foundation then drove to Loma de los Chivos (Goat Hill) to dedicate a house which was sponsored by St Luke's Lutheran Church in Kitchener, where 9 of our Journey team attend.  This house is for Victoria, an older lady who does good work in the village.  Her 2 daughters and their children live in the village also.  On Monday, only the footings were in place, but today the walls are up and the roof was on.  Our group sang a song and Pastor Jim prayed a dedication.  Victoria said a prayer of thanks to God and for our help in providing this house.  Bea and I explained the Canadian tradition of ‘house warming’ and handed over bags of blankets, towels, table cloth, etc. and some kitchen and bathroom items.  Victoria shed some tears of thanksgiving for her good fortune and hugged each of us.   
The Journey 2014 Team With Victoria and a Daughter

This Was Just a Foundation on Monday
This is the final day of our Journey in the Dominican, so we headed back to the resort for lunch and some beach time.  We head off to the airport at 5 for our 6:30 flight - leaving 30 above for 30 below. 

Friday, February 28, 2014


Vic, Chuck and I finished assembling the library carts in the morning.  The rest of the Journey team went first to Cangrejo for a walking tour and then to Esperanza to visit the women’s H.O.P.E. centre (Helping Other People Eat) where jewelry items are crafted for sale and shipment using recycled cardboard.  Many changes continue to be made in this village, which was built to replace a shanty town fashioned from tin, scrap wood and whatever is available. 

The 2 ½ Amigos rendezvoused with the others for lunch at the old fort located near the shipping port in Puerto Plata.  From the fort we could see a row of colourful houses in Agua Negra, an extremely impoverished area around the mouth of a river.  Phil explained that some of these houses were constructed by WestJet employees who travel here on working holidays, much as we do (see the WestJet Video).  Interested employees enter a lottery from which a number of names are drawn.  


View of the ‘WestJet’ Houses from Across the Bay
      After lunch we went to Agua Negra (recently renamed Nuevo Renacer, meaning new re-birth) where we met Sandra, a tireless advocate for the poor and a worker of miracles.  Since 2007, when I first met her, she has inspired numerous teams of workers (including Mike Holmes and the Ontario Homebuilders Association) and recruited many like-minded individuals to work alongside her to fulfill her dream of reducing poverty, improving the health and educating the people of Agua Negra.  The school she started in a derelict building which had a plastic tarp for a roof, has been substantially rebuilt, with a new steel roof, furnished classrooms, a computer room, an operating kitchen and offices.  There are 6 teachers.  Next to it is another building which houses a fledgling medical centre, a new sewing class and her small living quarters.  Sandra toured us through part of the village, all the while chattering away about all the changes taking place.  She would have kept us going through the whole town if we had not insisted that we had to continue with our itinerary.


Sandra Gives Each of Us a Hug

New Roof on the Church/School

New Desks in the Classrooms

Sewing Class for Women in a New Building

Sandra’s Mother is the Cook for the School



We finished up the day by riding a cable car to the highest point on the coast, Mount Isabella, with its giant statue of Jesus, modeled after the famed Rio prototype.  We spent about an hour hiking on the maze of pathways through the tropical forest before descending and heading back to the resort.  The bus stopped at a grocery store so we could shop for coffee, vanilla, spices, etc.