My trip to the Dominican Republic
 

Well I made it there and back. Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers! I got in yesterday at 1:30 am and got home around 4... still trying to adjust to being home. I've been really emotional and trying to process everything that I saw. It was an incredible trip. The children at the Orphanage were incredible. This is a trip i would recommend to anyone. Orphanage Outreach takes any type of people (families, churches, schools) for any amount of time they want to go. If you want more info. Pm me... i'll be going back :)
Anyways... LOTTTSSS of pictures to come. I'm so happy to be back! Layla was at the airport to see me... it was wonderful. i missed her more than anything! She has been glued to my side. I have to go out tonight and I think she is going to have a tough time with it. ok enough rambling. Here are the pictures.

1. The Orphanage cat... she was something small to hold to hold me over until i could see Layla :)
2. The Orphanage. Right now they can hold 32 kids. They are building the second story and will be able to house 50.
3. A sweet little girl
4. Where i slept. Thank God for the nets. they kept mosquitos and other LARGE bugs away!

1. On the first day there we went to the beach :)
2. This was only the second time the kids had been to the beach
3. Some houses in Monti Cristi (The city we were in.. about 3 hours west of Puerto Plata)
4. Even dogs siesta every day :)

1. The grade 4 class that my group taught. The woman (girl?) in the red is the teacher. you only need a bit of highschool education to be a teacher and they get paid about 200 dollars a month.
2. The kids playing at recess.
3. All smiles!
4. A house- i liked the color :)

1. This girl was abandoned at a hosptial. She spent so much time there with little interaction that she lost the ability to speak and walk. WHen she arrived at the Orphanage the older girls there took it upon themselves to teach her how to walk and talk again. She is still mentally delayed and i think she has autism but she is a bundle of joy.
2. Francesca :D
3. Dajabon is a city that boarders Haiti. I am taking a picture from on the bridge that crosses the Massacre River. It is called this because when Treheo (spelt wrong, pronouced that way) who was a dictator in the early 20's, was in power he wanted to rid the Haitian race because he felt their dark skin was infesting the Dominican race. He would invite them over to the Dominican and while they were crossing the river he would kill them. It is interesting to know that Treheo was Haitian. he wore makeup to lighten his skin.
On Mondays and Fridays the boarder from Haiti to the DR is open. There is a LOT of unrest in Haiti right now because their food prices have skyrocketed and people can't feed their families. The DR opens the boarder so haitians can come over and buy food at a normal price. Being at the boarder was the most intense experence i have had in my life. These people are running, urgently to get all the food they can to feed their families. Haitians live in Absolute poverty compared to those poor peoeple in america who live in relative poverty. Haiti is a 3rd world country whereas the DR is a developing country. Right now the boarder is slow because the Haitians are worried that when they cross back over to Haiti they will be robbed by people who are too poor to afford food and need to feed their families.
4. Haitians crossing the boarder.

1. on the right is Haiti and the left is the DR. only the Haitians are allowed in the river. They wash their clothes in there.
2. This is the market in the DR where the Haitians buy their food. Everything is in bulk (think Costco).
3. A shoe shine boy. They are everywhere in Dajabon (da- HA- bone). When we got off the bus they swarmed us. They are often the providers for their household.
4. The incredible mountains on the way back to the airport. They went up into the clouds. It was amazing

ok those are just SOME of the 200 pictures i took :)

Looks like you had an incredible trip. You really got to see and meet the real people of the Domincian Republic, I would absolutely love to do that. A few years ago we spent a week in a resort in Puerto Plata. What an extreme contrast from the resort (which was 5 stars) to the situation outside of the resort. Thanks for the pictures, I was glued to the screen.

Wow! What a beautiful thing you've done. It is my dream to volunteer in an orphanage. Hopefully in a few years I will be in a position where I can do that, I will keep your handy suggestion (the group name) in mind.

That's a wonderful experience for you and loved the pictures. We really are so spoiled. Thanks so much for sharing.

Well, first off... WELCOME BACK! :) It sounds like an amazing trip and an adventure of a lifetime. Would love to hear more stories! :p

Looks so much fun!!! I work with some people from DR :) It is a beautiful country :)

I was looking at your photos.. and because I see your face often.. I feel like I know you in person :)

Welcome back. I'm sure it was an incredible experience. I have a friend who has gone to third world countries all around the world with her church. She said we have no idea how lucky we are here.
I commend you for going and giving of yourself!

What incredible pictures! It looks like your trip was rewarding for you-all those kids and the smiles on their faces! I never knew all of the disruption going on in DR/Haiti...I knew that Haiti wasn't safe to fly to (at least for awhile), but never all of the things that were going on politically there. You took some wonderful pictures-thanks for posting :)

(Now...where are those LAYLA pictures?!)

That is so awesome! What a trip! i have done some medical Mission work. It is so rewarding. YOU are such the traveller.. will you guys be coming to FL for the summer??:D:D:D:D:D:D

hahah.. WE ARE!! for 2 weeks :)