Journey 2014 - Sunday, February 9, 2014

Our Journey 2014 Shirt

 Our Journey 2014 group spent several hours in the afternoon organizing and packing supplies that we have been collecting to go to the Dominican Republic.  Each of the 15 team members will carry 2 hockey bags weighing up to 50 pounds apiece.  We are travelling with WestJet which allows double the amount of stowed luggage for humanitarian travel groups.  Team members are asked to limit their personal travel requirements to ‘carry on’, which isn’t that hard when traveling to a hot climate, in order to maximize the amount of supplies we can carry.  Any hockey bags which were not used today will be filled with dried soup mix from Ontario Christian Gleaners based in Cambridge, Ontario.  Bea and I will also be carrying 4 team sets of soccer uniforms, including boots, compliments of Anita Bergsma and the Georgetown Soccer Club.  Anita founded an organization called ‘Chance to Play’ in 2011 and soccer equipment has been sent to several countries.
Team members pay for their own plane ticket and accommodation, so that 100% of the money that is raised will go directly to the projects in the Dominican Republic.  At last count, the group had raised over $16,000.

Adult Medications for a Clinic in the village of Liberation	Baby Food / Formula for children’s programs in the villages of Ascension and Nazareth.	Baby Supplies for the new Pregnancy Resource Centre in the village of  Nazareth
Some of the baby hats knit by the ladies of Norval Presbyterian Church	Jeans for Ascension and Socks for residents of a Senior’s Facility, run by the ’The Sisters of Charity' in Puerto Plata	Baby dresses knit by Edythe of Georgetown, Ontario

We will be working with Servant’s Heart Ministries, a charitable organization founded by Canadian couple, Phil and Donna Williams.  It is based in their hometown of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.  The base for the organization’s fieldwork is in the Dominican Republic is in the town of Sosua where Phil and Donna now live, just east of Puerto Plata.

Cathy reviews our itinerary / projects we hope to be doing.