Walking with the poor - notes from Nicaragua

MISSION AWARENESS TRIP TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Feb. 23-March 1, 2008

A welcome smile from Myra, a CFCA scholar.

On the ground in the Dominican Republic

As Jose Santos drives the seaside road toward downtown Santo Domingo, the sounds and scents of the breaking waves bring back memories of our first CFCA exploratory trips to this island.

After the morning reflection and breakfast at Cristo Rey Parish on Sunday, sponsors, sponsored children and staff gathered to hear project coordinator Nelson Figueroa provide a general history of the Dominican Republic and of the Santo Domingo project.

“Our country is such that at CFCA Santo Domingo, we spend over 50 percent of our project budget at this time on nutrition,” he said. “We foster family and community gardens to help improve living conditions.”

Sponsorship keeps a family together

Veteran Sacred Heart Missionary from Mallorca, Father Tony Romero, has been in this Parish of Santa Rosa de Lima for 12 years and on this island for 45. He accompanied us through the congested neighborhood to visit families. The three small orphans (Victor, Regina and Gloria) never knew their father. Then the mother died as a result of depression, according to Grandmother Regina, with whom the children live. Father Tony says the cause of the mother’s death was hunger. Both the grandmother and Father Tony are deeply grateful for sponsorship of the children.

The children of Pantoja demonstrated great self-confidence and intelligence in syncopated choral work, testimonials and meringue dances. It was during my songs for the children, staff and parents of Pantoja that my wife, Cristina, received the call informing us of the tragic road accident and death today in the mountains near Ocotepeque, Honduras, of Lila Guerra, the mother of our co-worker, Ledy. Cristina and I are very close to this simple and beautiful family. We ask for your solidarity and prayers.

Children forced to make it on their own

(top) Sponsors Sandra and Carl at the home of their sponsored child, Daniela. (bottom) On our last day, CFCA mothers treated us all to cake.

The father took off long ago, and the mother was murdered about a year ago. Julisa, 17, Luis Miguel, 11, and Yesenia, 6, are now forced to make it on their own with the loving help of their sponsors. Julisa proudly pulls out all the letters and photos she has received over the years from her madrina (sponsor) in Pennsylvania. Sister Gretel explained that this special sponsor mobilized some of her friends and relatives and built a nice, clean and secure little house for the family. Julisa is a young hero, as are Sonia, Isabel and Joselyn—single mothers of sponsored children whom we visited this day. I also want to express my admiration and thanks to Sister Gretel, Sister Felicia and the dedicated missionaries serving God’s people in these neighborhoods.

Esquinando for Independence Day

Thousands of families go to the town square for Independence Day on Feb. 27 to simply enjoy a little time off among friends. They call this “esquinando,” or “cornering.” Thursday morning, we visited sponsored families in some of the marginalized areas of Barahona in the south.

A great final day in the green, cool areas near Jarabacoa

I counted about 250 sponsored kids and parents for this final celebration. All enjoyed a cake big enough for everyone, a gift from the moms. I taught kids and scholars the chorus to “Love the Children” and “Paz … Queremos Paz.”

Cristina and I continue our journey early tomorrow morning to begin the mission awareness trip in Monterrey, Mexico. Please keep us in your prayers.

God’s blessings.

Bob Hentzen
Dominican Republic
Feb. 29, 2008

Sponsor a child in the Dominican Republic

Read the notes from other mission awareness trips