Friday, February 10, 2017

Friday in the DR - February 10th

Bea Started the Day with a Shoe Blowout 
Stopped at Sosua Abajo School so Vic could Visit his Sponsored Student 
Dave holds Art Classes on Fridays for the Children in Loma de los Chivos
The Children are using Artist Kits that we Donated
Bea Helped Dave with Morning and Afternoon Classes

Constructing Storage Shelves at Loma 
Afternoon Coffee, Compliments of a lovely Neighbour

Viewing the Neighbour's Gardens

Outdoor Art Class 
A Young Mother in the Art Class

Instructor Dave Chapman working Alongside his Students

The Construction Crew Clowns Around

Thursday in the DR - February 9th

Dropping Medical Supplies at Paradise Clinic

Rob & his wife Tina have done Medical Missions for 10 Years
Bea Organizing the New Library Shelves 
Kindergarten Class of 28 Students (couldn't fit them all in) 
More Spacious and Functional Library 
David Encourages Bea to Paint Faster 
Wall of Shelves in theDirector's Former Office
The Completed Library Wall Unit
Older Shelves Cut Down and Repurposed

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Wednesday in the DR - February 8th

Jen & Bea Unpacking Donations to the Pregnancy Resource Centre

Bea Sanding Library Wall where the Window Was

Vic Cutting Pieces for a Shelf Unit

Wall of Shelves in the Library

Children Playing a Herd of Sheep - Complete with Sound Effects

Sun at Suppertime

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Tuesday in the DR

We continued working at Cangrejo school today and completed four shelf units to cover a 16 foot wall in the library.  The completed units were taken outside so that Bea and David could give them a coat of ‘vermin repellant’.

John & Kelvin with One of 4 Shelf Units

Bea Sorting the Books
Bea Washing Mildew from an Older Shelf Unit
David and Bea Rolling on 'Vermin Repellant'
Tuesday Night Sunset Over Puerto Plata



Monday, February 6, 2017

Monday in the DR

Our morning ride arrived at 8:30 and we stopped into a lumber yard for supplies.  Ordered wood for delivery and bought nails, screws, glue, drill bits, screwdriver bits, etc.  Took about an hour to decide on best materials for what we wanted to do, balanced against what they had available.  Not like Home Depot - at all!!  Then off to the school to prepare the space where we are going to be building and installing the shelf units.  Moved several hundred humidified books from 2 cupboards that are to be shortened and moved to another room.  Got one done in the morning.  A window that will be covered up by the new shelves was removed and the hole will be blocked in by a mason this afternoon.  We left at noon to get lunch and a bit of rest.  On the drive back, Kelvin (driver/assistant with Servant’s Heart, called the lumber yard and determined that the wood had arrived at the school.  So hopefully we get to the measuring and cutting after lunch.  Bea has volunteered to wash the mildew out the old cupboards prior to moving them.

The Mason Fills in the Window Opening
Choosing Materials at the Lumber Yard
Started the afternoon by carrying and lifting boards up to the second floor of the school addition where we had the tools stored to keep them away from the kids and lock them up for the night to deter thieves.  Vic, John, David and Kelvin made a good start on measuring and cutting boards so that we will be able to start assembling shelf units in the morning.  The electric saw decided to die just as we were getting going.  Thankfully the battery powered saw was up to the task and we had 4 batteries available to keep charging and changing.  


Marking, Cutting and Sanding
Lifting up the Boards

Bea meanwhile was carrying out a task for the school administrator.  Some of the school instruction books were in such bad shape that they needed to be taped together.  Bea said that if she had been given this job the first year she was down helping in the DR, that she would have cried in despair at what the teachers have to work with, but she has become used to the pathetic conditions encountered in the schools here.  There is simply no money to keep buying new workbooks, so they get used year after year until they completely fall apart.  I must get a picture tomorrow.

Today being very humid, and with the physical work, we tired quickly and gave in around four o’clock and went home to eat and recuperate for tomorrow.


Sunday, February 5, 2017

Sunday - Sosua by the Sea

Yesterday our WestJet flight crew looked after us very nicely and the 'front end' even managed to get us to the DR 15 minutes early!!  We arrived at our accommodations in time for a late supper and were off to bed early.

Today is a rest and get organized day.  Following a relaxed breakfast on the patio, overlooking the ocean, we returned to our rooms and were met by Phil Williams, a Director of Servant’s Heart Ministries.  We returned to the patio and enjoyed a second hot beverage while Phil alternately ate breakfast and talked to us about the ever changing programs run by the organization.  He informed us about ongoing initiatives as well as some future ‘dreams’.  I can tell you more about these plans at a later date, once we have some more facts and figures.

Bea spent a couple of hours sorting all the supplies according to where they will end up going, then repacked the bags. Thanks Bea.  Vic and I continued talking with Phil - more listening than talking actually.

After lunch Dave and Dario arrived with their vehicles to pick up some stuff* and take us to the school in Cangrejo (can-gray-hoe) where we will be doing carpentry, painting and organizing.  We did some planning and measuring so that we can pick up lumber on the way to work tomorrow.  We viewed the second floor of the school addition, which is now finished.  We will be using it as our workshop for the woodworking project - building cupboards and shelves for the library and a classroom.
Looking at the School Addition
Library in Which we will be Building Shelves
*The ‘stuff’ mentioned above was a hockey bag full of supplies for David to use in his art program with the kids in the village of Loma.  Also included were some playground toys.  Dave said that it is like Christmas only better.
Bea Presenting Dave with His Bag of Goodies
Back ‘home’ now for some design work for tomorrow.  

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Saturday - Waiting at YYZ

Well, we made it to the airport with no problems other than being awakened at 6 a.m. by a phone call from the limo guy asking if he could pick us up at 7 instead of 7:30.  When I told him we asked to be picked up at 9:30 he said the dispatcher wrote down that our flight leaves at 9:30.  ARRRGG!  Back to bed for a while.  Ride showed up at 9:20 and driver never helped load our 110 kg of bags.  Not using them again!  The vehicle was a fully equipped FORD Expedition with air suspension - very nice ride.  Still not using them again.  Only $72 but still not using them again.

Our departure gate was about a kilometre from security check point so took escalators, elevators, moving walkways and a 'golf cart' ride.  Got to the gate and discovered that the Tim's at that location doesn't sell sandwiches.  Retraced the route almost back to security to another Tim's that did make sandwiches.  Oh well, got some exercise and killed some time.  Hope the whole week doesn't go like this.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Journey 2017 - Preparation

This year's Dominican Journey Team is very small - 3 people to be exact (Bea and John Henderson and Vic Lytle).  We leave Toronto on February 4th for a one week stay in the Sosua region near Puerto Plata, where Dominican Journeys have been going for 12 years.  We will be working again with Servant's Heart Ministries, based in Nova Scotia.  We had thought about taking a year off and trying to put together a bigger group next year, but decided we wanted to see the school addition completed.  Because we are flying with WestJet, we can each take a 50 pound bag of humanitarian supplies in addition to 50 pounds of personal goods.  Also, we travel 'carry on' which enables us to actually take up to 100 pounds of humanitarian supplies per person.  Thanks to the generosity of our many friends, we have raised an impressive sum of over $14,000 for the work of Servant's Heart Ministries and donations are still arriving in the mail and being given to us in person.  Every penny will be used to help the people.



Supplies include art/craft supplies, personal care items, black shoes and blue pants for student uniforms, school supplies, over the counter medications and vitamins, and baby things.  We received over 20 knit items for babies.  Some people ask why they need warm clothes in a hot country, but the fact is that Dominican nights can be cool and the houses are not heated.  Also, Vic picked up 50 pounds of dried fruit from Ontario Christian Gleaners


One of the knitters made 14 little dolls.  The dolls were given brown faces so they will feel at home in their new country.  We already have more knitters recruited to knit more of these for next year.
They are called Izzy Dolls and crochet and knitting patterns can be found on the Izzy Dolls site.