Beyond Our Walls

Dominican Republic Update

2008 Team

Martha Furniss, Susanne Walsh, Katy Walsh, Kelly Ficklin, Ann Keady, Alex Burns, Matt, Fiona Ritchey, Kay Evans, Jim Papile

      A baked ziti pie happened to be on the menu that night, a sure indication of the proprietor Lazarus' New York upbringing.   As Lazarus was taking dinner orders a man, obviously traveling alone asked out loud if it was "Dominican ziti pie."  As only she can, Martha Furniss struck up a conversation with the young man who turned out to be an art teacher from Long Island New York who was now teaching outside Atlanta.  Soon Juan, the teacher's name, was a friend, and we invited him to a party we were having for members of the church and other Dominican friends who had been so good to us during our stay.  It was our last night; we would be leaving right after the next day's church service.  Juan had a great time at the party, but it became obvious to me that it wasn't just the music and the dancing, which had interested him, he was captivated by the interactions going on around him.  Here were people, Americans and Dominicans, young and older who obviously loved each other, any presupposition of what "church group mission trips" were all about, that Juan may have had evaporated into the sultry Dominican night.  So it was no surprise to see Juan on the bus, going to church with us the next morning, or to see him later on, out in the congregation, having a great time.

          This year's trip was one of the best.  Everyone on the trip was an invaluable contributor.  It was a good thing because this was probably the most challenging of all the building projects.  We were helping to rebuild the house of a family in a very, very poor neighborhood.  There are no roads leading into it, only some dirt paths and a narrow, rickety bridge.  Our job was to move 1500 cinder blocks down several flights of concrete stairs, across the rickety bridge and along an up and down dirt path.   We did this by forming bucket brigades and passing the block along, hand to hand.  It took us from Monday to Friday, every morning, but by the end of the week the local craftsman had just about finished the house.

     We spent the afternoons teaching anywhere from 150 to 225 kids vacation bible school.   It was such a joy, such controlled chaos.  It is amazing to see some of these children grow up, as we have been doing this bible study for several years now.  I am reminded that this week we are having our St. Anne's VBS.  We have liked together our children with those from an Episcopal church in the Dominican Republic.  This world is so small , yet the needs are universal, a knowledge of how much God loves us, and wants us to be happy, and how we are here to serve each other.

      Oh one more thing, Juan wants to come next year.

Fr. Jim