RANA: Monday we met up with a friend from past years that helps run the sponsorship at Arroyo Seco (a village that Hero Holiday has been building a school in for the past two years). He took us there so that we could meet up with a leader in the community and head of the school and begin to plan some projects. Joshua and I spent the morning colouring with the kids in one of the classrooms as Krissie took pictures of the sponsor children for updates. Around lunch time we headed to Nazaret (the village where Donna and Phil are opening the clinic) to do some quick odds and ends. We were lucky enough to see a 5 day old bambino!! She was sooo cute!
Tuesday we decided to go on our own so we squeezed into a Gua-gua (aka Dominican van that squeezes as many people in as possible = cheap ride!!) and headed towards Puerto Plata. After getting off too early we walked for about 15 minutes on the side of the highway until we finally arrived in La Union! This was the place we left our hearts last year. This is the village where many people who work at the dump live. Last year each of us fell in love as we heard their stories and each found our little amigo(a). Joshua had his littly buddy Carlos, I had my little chica, Rosalind and Krissie had her little snotball! I quickly found Rosalind as her mom recognized me right away and Carlos' mom recognized Joshua from pictures he sent Christmas time. KRISSIE: Unfortunately my search for Wideline (aka snotball) was not quite so successful! I had brought a picture of the two of us from last year to give to her; and I also figured it would be easier to find her and explain who I was. I went straight to her house but a man didn't really understand what I was saying so he just pointed in different directions. We walked up to find Rosalind and Carlos' moms so I asked them where she and her mom were but they awkwardly 
tried to tell me "no mas" as in "no more" and made some actions to show her mom had died. It also eventually came out that the two of them were "finito" but I am not completely sure if that was just a mix-up in our communiation since they speak a combo of french, creiolle and spanish (I am obviously praying that is all it was). Hopefully soon we will be heading back out to La Union with a translator that can find out the real story for me... Either way it just breaks my heart to think that every day people all over the world are dying at such a young age; usually from completely preventable problems and just for being born in a less developed country. We should definitely have the resources by now to stop this from happening but we are often too busy thinking about ourselves and our own circumstances. Last year it was with Wideline that I realized that our only difference is geography; that this could be my life. This year, whether what they told me was true or not, I am even more inspired to spread her story; to inform people of the terrible realities of our world. So sadly, as it stands, my snotball became another number to add to the ridiculous statistics but I wont let her story go untold...**Hopefully I will have some exciting news from the next time we get out there!
tried to tell me "no mas" as in "no more" and made some actions to show her mom had died. It also eventually came out that the two of them were "finito" but I am not completely sure if that was just a mix-up in our communiation since they speak a combo of french, creiolle and spanish (I am obviously praying that is all it was). Hopefully soon we will be heading back out to La Union with a translator that can find out the real story for me... Either way it just breaks my heart to think that every day people all over the world are dying at such a young age; usually from completely preventable problems and just for being born in a less developed country. We should definitely have the resources by now to stop this from happening but we are often too busy thinking about ourselves and our own circumstances. Last year it was with Wideline that I realized that our only difference is geography; that this could be my life. This year, whether what they told me was true or not, I am even more inspired to spread her story; to inform people of the terrible realities of our world. So sadly, as it stands, my snotball became another number to add to the ridiculous statistics but I wont let her story go untold...**Hopefully I will have some exciting news from the next time we get out there!On a lighter note, after playing soccer for a couple hours, getting my hair braided by one of the 
moms (I accidently said "si, me gusta" as in "yes, I like your daughters hair") and being picked up by some private tour bus on the side of the highway we made it back and headed over to Donna and Phil's to hang out and help Donna with spanish homework.
moms (I accidently said "si, me gusta" as in "yes, I like your daughters hair") and being picked up by some private tour bus on the side of the highway we made it back and headed over to Donna and Phil's to hang out and help Donna with spanish homework.Wednesday we went with Donna to Nazaret to help organize their new additions for the school's library; finally some spanish books!!! In the afternoon the UEFA manchester united vs chelsea game was on so Rana and Josh loved the short day in the village. Just around supper time, a local friend Rana and I have known for the past two years dropped by, and we invited him to stay but he did not love our selection of chicken and lettuce attempting to be a salad. Afterwards we went to watch the baseball game at the diamond just around the block from our house and since one of the teams forfeit, Josh got to go in and play in his flip-flops (he was definitely our MVP haha). Then we grabbed some ice cream and just came back and hung out...
p.s sorry this one is so long; its been an eventful week!
1 comment:
Krissie
I'm sorry to hear about snotball...i am praying it was a miscommunication :(
keep me posted.
love always
Steph
PS: Krissie what you and your friends do is truely amazing...the world needs more people like you guys!
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