Rotarians Experience the DR

Posted by Wayne Harper

on Feb 25, 2015

At the end of January, Rotarians from around the world converged on the Dominican Republic, to once again, leave their comfortable surroundings and to volunteer to help people in a foreign country. One doesn't know how good we have it until you get to experience what these Rotarians experienced recently.

Club members Pam Harrison & Sue Purdy and Margurite Harvey, the wife of club member Darrell Harvey, made such a trip two weeks ago. While there they installed water filters, attended clinic working with HIV awareness and family health, adult school on the bateys, built latrines on the bateys, visited two Rotary Clubs in LaRama and visited the hospital
.

In the picture, Pam in the center is joined by Margurite right and new friend Carrie on the left.

The group posed for this picture:

The group was headed up by Br. Bob as he is best known.

Dr Bob arranged a visit to this school. The principal is a Rotarian (white top) and has started a school for children whose parents cannot afford their education. They must wear a uniform. (Approximately 300 children in four small classrooms, grades 1 to 6). They need two more classrooms to accommodate the overcrowding.

Our club collected money to be used to meet a need, classrooms are a GREAT need so our club’s contribution will start the “classroom fund”, several others added to our donation and we presented the principal with $400.00 US. She was thrilled, with tears and a big hug I know it was appreciated.

At the conclusion of the trip he wrote members of the team the following letter:

Only one week ago we all found our flights from Punta Cana, La Romana, and Santo Domingo to wing our way home to new snow, newer snow, and now the newest. (except for Wendell in Haiti and now home in Florida).

I hope you have had the time to reflect on our week, on what we accomplished in deed and in thought. There is no way one little team can make a huge physical impact in four short work days, but I have found that the local Dominicans and Haitians can make a profound difference in our hearts and minds. If we went with open hearts and full suitcases, we should have returned with full hearts and empty suitcases - except for the coffee and vanilla.

Though we named our week the Clean Water Work Week from its beginning in 2011, it has become less about water and less even about work. If you saw something or met someone who changed your way of looking at humanity, the week was a success, no matter its name. This change happens to me every time on every trip I make to the bateys of the eastern Dominican Republic. For me the trip was a success, and I hope it was for you too.

We had a disparate (not desperate) team of individuals this time as on former teams. But we are all Rotarians and I hope the guiding principle of Service Above Self served us well on our daily group work.

Is it the Truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

I think we had a good balance of work and leisure. If there is too much work, we can feel overwhelmed; too little, then like we have accomplished nothing. If there is too much empty time, well then it was not a work week at all. Balance.

Let me know your thoughts. Each year's schedule and overall plan is revised according to the previous year's experience. You can email only me if you want, so your comment can be private, or the team list if that suits.

I also hope you are all healthy also. It is about now (7-10 days) one of the mosquito related illnesses would show, if it were to do so.

My last word for now, the same last word I always have for any of my teams: do not forget these people.

en amistad, in Rotary friendship,

el senor

dr bob

Dr Bob is shown with one of the local children.