Starfish - By Gerard Pelletier

I volunteered with Dove Missions in the Dominican Republic during the second half of October 2011, after discovering the website during an Internet search. I should explain that although I had participated in several short-term volunteer projects in the past (all in India), and had been studying Spanish for about two years, initially I had no interest in the Dominican Republic at all. I was much more interested in going to a Spanish-speaking country possessing what I considered at the time to be a “high” culture, meaning to me a lot of famous archaeological sites and a prominent indigenous population: a country like Mexico or Peru. If I thought of the DR at all, it was as a place for tourists to enjoy a Caribbean beach on the cheap, and perhaps to get married at the same time. I was also dimly aware that some major league baseball players in the United States were originally from the DR.
I changed my mind after my Spanish teacher introduced my class to the music of the famous Dominican singer/songwriter Juan Luis Guerra, who I had never heard of before then. Despite the fact that previously I knew nothing about Latin music and actually rather disliked it, I quickly became an ardent fan of “JLG” (as we fans like to call him). Besides being a world-renowned ambassador for Latin music, particularly merengue and bachata, I discovered that he was also a Christian who had started his own charitable foundation. Subsequently I decided that if the Dominican Republic could produce someone who created such wonderful music and who did so much good, it had to be a special place, with truly special people.
My friends have never been particularly supportive of my volunteer efforts, finding it hard to understand why someone would willingly spend their brief vacation in a developing country, working in a possibly uncomfortable, deprived environment, instead of just signing up for a luxury cruise. Some thought I would be attacked and robbed as soon as I got off the plane in the DR, and at least one neighbor thought Dove Missions was really just a front for a white slavery ring (although what possible interest a white slavery ring would have in a middle-aged man was not explained).
Needless to say I was neither mugged nor kidnapped during my stay in Puerto Plata, a Dominican city on the north coast of the island of Hispaniola, shared by the DR to the east and Haiti to the west, where Dove Missions operates a Youth Development Center for local disadvantaged kids. I was there to teach English mornings and afternoons to both boys and girls ages 7-15 or so, using my more-or-less intermediate level Spanish to explain when I sensed I wasn’t being understood. All the kids served by the DM Youth Development Center attend regular school either mornings or afternoons, and besides offering English classes, the Center attempts to inculcate moral/spiritual values as well as teaching crafts such as jewelry-making. Some of the girls in the Center have been able to earn money through the sale of their jewelry.
A highlight of my visit was the afternoon I accompanied some of the older girls to a local recording studio (although hardly what Americans would think of as a “real” studio) to record a couple of songs for a Christmas CD Dove Missions was putting together to publicize their work.

I also accompanied DM Executive Director Liz Mckie’s husband, James, on a brief visit to Cap-Haitien, Haiti, to deliver supplies and to see for myself what that often maligned country was like. Although the city itself was very crowded, chaotic, hot and dusty, it reminded me very much of urban India and therefore wasn’t particularly shocking. Much of the countryside is quite beautiful, and nearby looms the very impressive Citadelle Laferriere, a huge stone fortress perched on top of a mountain, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Cap-Haitien Dove Missions also works with Father Andre, who runs an orphanage for local children. Although we were unable to visit the orphanage during this visit, I hope to do so in the future.
Of course, a two-week visit was barely enough even to learn the names of all the children in the Youth Development Center, let alone to do a thorough job of teaching English. However, since my return to the US and “conventional” life, I’ve decided to improve my Spanish and French, start learning Creole (most people in Haiti are not fluent in Standard French), and research some other craft-making possibilities for the local people Dove Missions seeks to help. Another possibility is Spanish literacy for the parents of the Youth Development Center kids, as sadly, many of the adults in the poorer neighborhoods are not literate in their own language.
I’m not under any illusions that my small efforts will bring about sweeping changes in the Dominican Republic or anywhere else, but I don’t particularly worry about that. I also believe that we’re not always aware of how great an effect even our most casual efforts can have on the lives of others. I’m sure my Spanish teacher had no idea that playing a fragment of a song in class would motivate one of her students to investigate and visit another country for altruistic purposes, there perhaps to motivate a few local children to continue studying English in order to secure relatively decent employment later on in life, freeing them to become productive members of their society with the means and motivation to help still others. So I would encourage anyone thinking of participating in the work Dove Missions carries out to do so, even if it’s only for one day.
There’s a well-known story that perhaps many are already familiar with, but for those who are not, it is well worth repeating: A man walking along a beach comes across thousands of stranded starfish, who will surely die if they’re not returned to the water. In the distance he sees a small boy picking them up one by one and throwing them back into the ocean. He commends the boy for his good heart but points out he can’t possibly save all the starfish, so, ultimately, what does it matter? As the boy picks up another starfish, he shows it to the man and says, “It matters to this one!”

A First Time experience...

My name is Jordan, I am from a small town north of Toronto, Ontario and I have been volunteering with Dove missions for almost 2 weeks now. I graduated from my high school last year and decided to take a year off before continuing my education next year at university. Being a free-willed, independent 18 year old I began my search to take a mission trip to somewhere that needed me. I had always been interested in doing something like this and was eager to get started on my own adventure. After a short surf on the internet I found Dove missions. I planned my trip with Melissa who made it so easy that I couldn’t wait the 2 short months I had to before arriving in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Once I arrived I had no problem settling in and getting comfortable with my surroundings. My first day flew by as I was overwhelmed with getting acquainted with some of the kids and learning how the club runs. No time was wasted as I was introduced to the girls and within minutes sitting with them and starting an activity with them; it was amazing to be a part of it so instantly.
The following Saturday I had more of an understanding of what to expect and was excited to meet all the kids. We began the day making masks with the little boys and girls. Although my Spanish is non-existent and I did struggle to understand the kids, they were patient and were able to get their message across to me. After lunch I sat in on an English lesson and overheard a respect talk with the older kids. With extra time left, Joan and Melissa set up a bowling game in the park to play with the kids and the other volunteers. When the day came to an end I was told we were driving Domingo, a former attendee of the club and now an employee of the club, to his house in Aquas Negras. I was warned on the car ride there that he lives in one of the worst barrios in Puerto Plata. I wasn’t too concerned as I had studied poverty in high school, and thought I had an idea of what I was going into. Little did I know, nothing could prepare me for the situation ahead. Getting out of the truck, stepping into mud I realized I was in the path leading up to his home. Entering his house with the other volunteers we were each greeted by his mom and urged to sit down and visit with her. As Spanish conversation was going on around me I couldn’t help but tune out and try to make sense of where I was. The floor was hardly cement and the gaps where the walls and roof met looked like it could let one of many rain storms. The bedrooms were separated by hanging sheets, as I peeked into one I saw stacked mattresses and I remembered hearing about the rats living in their mattresses. I was overcome with guilt and fear for how many people live in this state; not just in the Dominican but in the world. I found myself choking back tears trying to keep it together for the remainder of the visit, worried of offending our host. We made our way out of the house and continued to the newly ‘cleaned up’ beach. To me a beach is a beach: water, sand and people. That changed when I visited this beach. It was explained to me that they had just recently cleaned it up but I had a hard time understanding that when everywhere I looked there was garbage and broken glass and rotten food and waste and torn clothing and hunks of rubble. Kids walking in bare feet passing through the garbage acted like it were nothing at all, because to them it’s all they know. Again I felt guilty and found myself getting overwhelmed with sadness.

Going into this volunteering opportunity I thought I knew where I was headed and thought I was aware of the poverty existing in this country but I now know nothing compares to seeing it first hand to make you realize the harsh reality that gets fluffed up. The 20 minute visit to Aquas Negras has had more impact on me than any study or report or lecture I have ever participated in regarding poverty. As hard as it was for me to see and wrap my head around, I wouldn’t trade it for the world because it gave me so much more perspective that I thought I already had. This entire volunteering experience has truly opened my eyes. Although this was just one of my 14 days, it was in the back of my head my entire time with Dove and will continue to be with me for the rest of my life.

How to be a great person when you grow up...

At our Youth Centre, we have really started to focus on the Pillars of Character. In other words, we are teaching our kids what it means to be a good person.

October has been the month of trustworthiness. We have been taking activities, discussions and ideas out of a book that outlines the pillars of character. So our first introduction to trustworthiness was the "falling" exercise. First, we asked the kids if there was someone in the room they trusted; they all raised their hand. Next, we asked them to pair up with someone they trusted. Then we explained the "falling" exercise and asked each pair to go ahead and try it. Some of the kids had a difficult time, but finally trusted their partner to catch them. Eventually, everyone did it, and also had a good giggle out of it. The exercise was an overall success, the kids learned to really trust each other, and how important trust really is.

Musica

Feliz navidad, feliz navidad, feliz navidad prospero ano felicidade...just a sneak peek of the lyrics you will here on our upcoming Christmas music CD!
Featuring the talented kids from our Youth Development Centre, local artists in the Dominican Republic and artists from the United States, it is going to be a great way to support the kids here at DOVE Missions and spread Christmas cheer!

The kids have been working hard and practicing lots to prepare for this project and with the guidance and teaching skills of their talented teacher Jochy Guerrero, a local artist here in the DR, they have improved tremendously.
This past Saturday, several kids from our music class went to the recording studio to record three songs that will be included on the Christmas music CD.

December 1 is our release date, but we encourage you to pre order now! $10 with free shipping. Contact music@dovemissions.org to place your order.

A word from a Volunteer...

I want to tell you about my experience this past weekend with Dove Missions. Since meeting this woman in May, I have been very excited to finally get here and work with her. I got the chance to meet the kids at her club on Saturday and spend an entire day with them reading books, playing games, and just getting to know some of the kids. It isn't outwardly obvious that these children come from such desperate poverty, unless you consider the kids who tell you that they are 12 when they look to be about 7 or 8. We got the chance to be there when a girl, Anamilka, was told that she's been accepted to a private school for which her sponsors in the states have paid. Although we were excited, the hard part was going to be asking her mother for her permission. In order to do this, we needed to go to Anamilka's house. After I piled in the back of a pickup truck with two other volunteers and countless small bodies (kids from the club), we made the journey to her barrio (poor neighborhood). Since I have lived in Santiago for nearly a month now, I have yet to see any of the “poverty” I have read about in text books and been lectured about time and time again. I have quickly come to realize that I live with a very conservative, religious, and by Dominican standards, rich family. Anyway, walking to her house was like walking through a maze of clothes lines, dogs, children, chickens, trash and rubble. A wall of stench hit my nostrils as we approached her front door. To my left, a stagnant pool of water, to my right a swarm of flies. I had to duck down to get inside because the door frame was so low. Imagine a room approximately the size of my bedroom at school (if you've seen it) and then stuff it full of clothes, pots, pans, a table, some crude wall fixtures a coal burning stand with a pot of food atop and a dingy, falling apart couch toward the back of the room. Luckily for me I had Genesis (pronounced hen-es-ses) to hold my hand. She is the younger sister of Anamilka and instantly took a liking to me when I met her earlier that day. I walked in just in time to hear that Anamilka's mom did not approve of her going to school and that she didn't wish for her daughter to have this opportunity. Her reasoning was this: There are so many people who come in to the country in order to “save” their people and then leave. She could not stand the thought of her daughter being giving this opportunity and then having it taken away after a year.
This is where the Executive Director and my friend Liz stepped into her role. With her interpreter at hand (cool for me since I could understand the message two-fold) she launched into a beautiful speech about opportunity, education, how deserving Anamilka is, and how she herself has known what it is to be homeless, without hope and has had to rely on a “step of faith” to lead her to something new. My heart really broke as Anamilka's mom explained how much she loves her daughters and how she cannot afford to send Anamilka to a nice school if the sponsors for some reason decide not to come through. She also mentioned her dream of becoming a flight attendant but never got the chance. To this day, she can only sign her name with an “X”. To some of you, this might sound dramatic. The fact is, it was dramatic. This life, living in a shack with no light, running water or bedroom, is a reality. Liz tells me that I have not yet seen the worst. In the end, after snotting all over my shirt and crying for the majority of the visit, Liz was able to convince her mother that she should let her go. As she put it, “these kids are my heart and soul, Anamilka is my daughter, too. I would never let anything bad happen to her. You know me, you know that I have been here for 8 years. I am not some gringa trying to save the world. I don't give out 'stuff' or give anyone anything for free. An education is the most valuable thing for Anamilka to provide a better life for herself and for her family. She has earned this chance, and it is up to her to work hard at school and with her jewelery business to help offset some of the costs.” I am amazed by the passion and hard work behind this mission. Liz spent the last four months in the states fundraising for the mission and telling the stories of the children that are unable to tell it for themselves.
-Lindsay Nelson

Jewelry update

Some exciting things have been happening on the jewelry front. Over the past couple of weeks a few more families accepted a microloan and the girls have been busy starting their businesses. The sound of drilling can be heard just about every day at the club. Even the girls who haven't yet been given a microloan are helping out. The girls are being very resourceful too-finding new beads and seeds on their own and coming up with new designs. A bunch of completed necklaces were just brought to the States to be photographed and featured on the upcoming website. Stay tuned for the launch...it's coming soon.

Most exciting of all, is that Anamilka was able to complete her loan repayment last week! She was very good at managing her money and deciding how much she wanted to keep for herself and how much she needed to repay. We are so proud of her and can see her confidence growing with every necklace she produces. Way to go Anamilka!!!

Jewelry Galore!

Though a jewelry picture has been painted for Dove over the past several months, Monday officially began its kick-off! Several older girls who've shown particular interest in creating necklaces each selected a design offered by business operator, Jamie. The materials are natural beads and seeds from the earth, forming five combinations for the girls to work with. Along with their families, the girls will be responsible for selling the necklaces they create, giving part of their earnings to Dove, which contributes to the microloan program as well as provides the girls with new materials. These precious ladies are seeing the stirrings of starting their own business! We hope that not only this equips them for future job opportunities, but that it presently reaffirms that they are intelligent, beautiful girls with a future of exquisite potential. As we circled around in the Barrio, huddled in the heat of this budding talent, passing out beads and seeds, I was the one who felt blessed. God doesn't need little me to help these girls behold their value and loveliness; He doesn't require Dove to call out their dreams and intelligence. He's perfectly capable of doing that on His own. And yet He beckons us to share in the giving of His love, walking the yellow-brick road alongside each girl. The destination of that road is Christ. And every act we do is an overflow of His love- a golden stepping stone that leads these beautiful ladies closer to His heart. What a miracle.


On another happy note, we currently have two volunteers who have huge hearts for communicating Jesus to the kids! On Tuesday, they presented the Creation and the Fall story to two giant groups of young ones, and followed up the stories with a craft. The kids created their own animals with craft supplies and loved every second of it! We loved seeing their creative spirits!

Beauty Floods

Ten older girls are each handed a bottle of nail polish, quickly choosing their favorite color as they find seats alongside joyful "chiquitas," anxious to have their fingers and toes glistening with pink and purple. Such a picture as this is ordinary for a room bustling with girlieness; it's familiar to me, striking chords from sleepovers and summer camps, birthday parties and New Years' resolutions that "This year will be the year I stop biting my nails."

I watch carefully as little girl after little girl skips about the room, flashing her new nails sprinkled with glittering patterns. Nearly two hours pass, and not one finger appears sloppy. It's art for the older girls, who are undoubtedly becoming women faster than I can blink. Perhaps this is why I feel myself tearing up. Or maybe it has something to do with the beaming faces of the little ones as simple loveliness is added to their day, matching their radiant personalities. But even more so, I think it's this:



The hand that is holding the other has no inkling of the role it's playing- the tender way it's loving and ministering and granting hope. But this hand is the hand of a shepherd, of a girl quickly fostering into a woman, contributing beauty to a child. She showers pink into her little life, and as she does I feel the Lord smiling over this room. This room of laughing chiquitas and diligent ladies who hunch over to offer color and beauty to those younger than themselves. The more they squint their eyes to master their colors and designs, the more they exude tenderness for the hand they're holding. And the lower they bend, the more I see their gleaming hearts, dazzled for serving. Truly, they've never been more beautiful to me.

"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:18

-Betsy Coughlin
Summer Volunteer for Dove Missions

Let's take a walk...Sponsoring a Dove kid!

Cinderella, golden pigtails, my cat, Amelia Bedeilia books, the color pink, floral dresses, my first ice skating experience, and climbing trees- all gems that flavored my life at seven years old. Just a spoonful of happiness kept me smiling for a week, my greatest concern being avoiding timeout during recess. How quickly we forget blissful simplicity. And even when we don't forget we easily release it to the wind, shifting our gaze toward complex splendors that stretch much farther than a bicycle ride around the block, freshly free from training wheels.

Meet Sara.


She's seven, and one of the newest little girls to join hands with Dove. She loves to hug and loves to give. She wears two pigtails on either side of her sweet face, and darts across the playground in a floral dress of blue. Her precious momma waits for her outside toward the end of the afternoon, unable to stop herself from smiling as her little girl pushes back the struggles of her life to simply and abundantly love. The pictures she paints, the songs she sings, the endearing way she embraces her little sister- these things tell me that the castles Sara builds in her head are far more magical than tangible ones grown ups chase, thinking themselves too old for fairy tales.

And though the path is beaten with time, and I can barely recall what it was like to have Sara's heart and spirit, I will grip her hand and try as hard as I can to repeat a walk. It becomes more familiar by the step. Yes, she thrives in a world completely different from the one I knew. Yes, financially there's contributions to be made by my family as a sponsor. But much more beauty exudes from this sprouting friendship. As a sponsor, you are vital for the road that exquisitely paves its way before your child of Dove Missions. It's not a stroll, and oftentimes the lamp is only bright enough to see the next step, but through it all, you share in his/her story, serving as a constant reminder that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

As my parents and I begin to answer the call toward child sponsorship, my heart is completely warmed by two of our volunteers as they care for one of Dove's cherished boys CoCo. Kathy and Kara Lapso not only physically give to this amazing kid, but they visit his home and laugh with his family, trying more and more to learn his special heart, which is ever-increasing with thankfulness.



Here's a brief rundown of sponsoring a Dove child:
Cost: $30.00 per month
Provides for: Groceries for the familyof the child each month
Contributes toward: A school uniform, school supplies, medicines, microloans, and all programs associated with the Dove Missions Club (advanced English classes, jewelry classes, sewing classes, music classes, art classes, etc.) These programs are aimed not only at providing productive projects and goals for the kids, but also at better equipping them for the work-field. Furthermore, if you decide to volunteer with Dove Missions, you can play and visit with your child and his/her family personally! How sweet is that!
Need: There are currently 20 Dove kids who still need sponsors! Let's make it happen!
Contact: If interested, please email volunteer@dovemissions.org

Sweet friends, the walk you could potentially take with your sponsor child is one of marvelous adventure bathed in prayer, and probably the occasional happy tear! What a beauty it is to share in their precious stories as a giving encourager they will forever remember! Let's take a walk.

-Betsy Coughlin
Summer Volunteer for Dove Missions

This. Is. Haiti.

I take one last glance from under the arch of the border. Back toward the vibrance and contagious hope of the Dominican. Back toward Jose Antonio who held out his sandwich to me yesterday at lunch, thinking I had none. Back toward sweet Christina who placed her bracelet on my wrist after I commented on its loveliness. I suppose I expect these colors and sounds, fragrances and precious embraces to fade slowly, for Haiti is only a few steps away. But I hear a new chord entirely- one that only plays the harsh notes, summoning a darkness so heavy that I can grab it from the air and hold it in my hand. Venders stretch endlessly ahead, overflowing with fruits, candy, American Goodwill clothing, and scotch tape. No one is buying. No one can. Rocks are piled below the bridge of the border, tracing a murky stream. Hundreds of women press their clothes across these rocks after wringing out dirty water, piling dry garments in heaps on their heads. Everything is brown. Everything is dead. From the trees to the ground to the lake to the clothes to the stares people are giving us. Everything. Garbage invades any glimpse of surviving life, choking the earth beyond what my eyes can see, creating a stench of spoil and burning charcoal.

Dirt road after dirt road proves the consistent devastation outlining Haiti, marked with masses of people who wear the same loneliness, the same absence of hope. And just when I find myself convinced that no source of life could even begin to sprout, let alone thrive in the midst of such squalor, I enter Father Andre's orphanage. Squealing laughter erupts from twenty beaming faces as these precious children jump from swings and slide down slides, anxious to pile on our laps. Beyond this barring fence persists dry ground, but this is a garden- an oasis surging with joy and dreams that are indeed harvesting into fruition. My eyes quickly fall to a little girl alone on a swing, her arms tightly hugging her shoulders. She lets me pick her up and sit her on my lap, willing to share her swing. We glide back and forth, not too much, just enough to rock. I don't ask her name or how old she is, neglecting to put to use the handful of French I learned and forgot. We just sway to the buzz of screaming orphans weaving around us. And then it comes. "Turn you eyes upon Jesus,"I softly begin to sing, knowing she cannot understand even a word. "Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." Never have I felt more like a mother. Never have I wanted to be a mother more. She lets her arms fall, and I know she's asleep, but I keep singing until the minutes have linked hands into an hour. I'm crying, weeping, thinking of her parents dying in the earthquake, thinking of her rescue from the rubble. So though it's off key, hymn after hymn is all I can pluck from my shattered Spirit. The things of earth growing strangely dim. I forget. I forget the market combusting with desperate beggars, the frail garments spread out on the rocks, the smell of burning charcoal clinging to the seldom breeze. I forget the garbage that ices the ground. I forget the fights and the screams and the loneliness. I forget the heat and the mosquitos and the twirling clouds of dust, even the squealing voices circling this swing. The things of earth are growing strangely dim. Oh, the captivating purpose this frail child in my arms must have! How many times she could've died- should've died, but survived.

Father Andre paves out his aspiration for the orphanage over dinner that evening to myself, Melissa, and two other volunteers Kathy and Kara. Phase one was renting the current house temporarily for the children to be cared for. Phase two was purchasing a substantial amount of land to build the actual orphanage, which was accomplished in October. This land stretches for fifteen acres, and will be complete with a clinic, a school, and a church, along with fertile ground that will hopefully allow this mission to grow its own food and tend its own cattle.





Father Andre understands that each of these darlings holds a story as special as the sweet girl I swung to sleep. It is his ultimate hope and prayer that every boy and girl in this orphanage will grow into intelligent, compassionate, loving leaders who are fully equipped to take Haiti by the hand, ignited by a passion to see it change. Dove Missions has full intention to follow this project and serve in whatever capacity capable. Out of twenty children, seventeen are still in need of sponsors. We're asking you to ponder and pray toward this endeavor, as the entirety of Father Andre's orphanage is operated by donation. What an exquisite opportunity it would be to share in the second beginning for one of these children! I am fully convinced that each of them will be vital for the restoration of Haiti as they're compelled by consistent giving to give of themselves. They truly have been pulled from destitution and placed on a beautiful path lined with promise. Dove is absolutely thrilled to walk that path with them!

-Betsy Coughlin
Summer Volunteer for Dove Missions

Cheers for Health!

Dove is ABUNDANTLY THANKFUL to precious Kathleen and Kara Lapso for doing physicals on the kids these past couple of days! According to "Nurse Kathy," the blood pressures and heart rates of our sweet kids are normal, which is definitely a victory to be thankful for! Their height and weights were also noted in order to keep track of growth. Several of the older kids, especially Anamilka and Danessa, helped out with the younger ones when receiving their check-ups! We're incredibly proud of the older guys and girls who continue to step up in terms of responsibility around the club. They find undeniable joy in caring for the younger children, and it is our hope that their caring hearts continue to be beautifully cultivated. May they see the genuine love of their volunteers and shower that same affection across the little ones!

-Betsy Coughlin
Summer Volunteer for Dove Missions

Beauty from June 14th!

Sweet Kara Lapso and her momma arrived today, and just when we thought Dove couldn’t radiant with any more joy, their contagious happiness flooded the club. And what a perfect day for this exquisite bliss to occur: the day of our first water balloon war. Joan paired us up and formed two straight lines facing each other. The kids squirmed as they held their balloons steady, meticulous in tossing them to their partner under their legs, over their heads, or five steps away, erupting with laughter when they burst across the concrete, splashing cold water over our sweaty clothes and faces. No one was frowning, and few were dry!

One volunteer of the week, Patrick, whom the kids lovingly refer to as “Patricio,” allowed four preteen girls at the club to braid his hair today! Although he cringed from time to time when the girls tightly pulled each strand, “Patricio” held his breath and continued to wait patiently for the completion of his new due. Certainly worthy of a captured photograph!


Kara and I also had our hair extensively styled today while watching a basketball game following the water balloon fight. As sticky, sweaty hands experimented with various looks, oftentimes undoing something perfectly acceptable for the sole reason of repeating it, Kara and I flinched and laughed. “You’re beautiful,” they would say to us, “Your hair is beautiful! Your eyes are beautiful!” But sitting there on that hot concrete, knowing one another for a matter of minutes, Kara and I both can only hope to be as beautiful as they, with hearts just as alive in love.

-Betsy Coughlin
Summer Volunteer for Dove Missions

A Garden From The Ground

Hola! My name is Betsy Coughlin, and I’m beyond blessed to be serving at the Dove Missions Club this summer along with maintaining this lovely blog that follows our precious children! Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting this beautiful mission that has richly poured its love into my heart, though I’ve only known it briefly! Pray that this summer is one of increasing love, encouragement, and intentional relationships for these darling kids; each and every one of them is truly a gem. Here’s my first response to Dove, written a couple of days upon arriving:

The porch alongside ours' stirs with life; younger couples mingle with friends, reclining in rocking chairs and laughing hysterically, oblivious to time or schedule. It's Sunday. Family Day in La Republica Dominicana. From morning till night the smiles of children are glued to their faces as they frequently let out a laugh, anxious to use their instruments for this thriving symphony. The colors are brighter. The joy louder. The music happier. The lifestyle slower. But the curtain peels back, not gradually, but abrupt, ripping the threads that conceal the tragedy struggling to survive in paradise.

I intended to dip my toes in the ocean, meticulous in not having my clothes splashed, though the waves were explosive. With all of her strength, Patricia gripped my hand and pulled, yelling over her shoulder to friends, giggling Spanish words I don't understand. Two seconds later, the water is over my head and I'm holding three, squirming, happy girls whose laughs resemble lullabies. Every second that passes I wish I knew their language, and as they huddle together, their arms wrapped around me, I want nothing more than to understand-to have them tell me their hearts and be able to encourage with words. A stray piece of hair blows in my face and plants itself to my cheek, sticky with sea salt, though I'm too absorbed in thought to care. But these thoughts are soon interrupted as an older girl, gentle and quiet by nature, tucks the wondering hair behind my ear, smiling as another wind sweeps through, nearly knocking us off our feet. "Betsy, I'm near. I'm so near," my Spirit whispers to me.

NiNi, our beloved housekeeper shares a cup of coffee with me, filling my mug to the brim and pouring herself the tad bit that's left.

I'm not out of our car for more than three seconds before six-year old Mickey flies into my arms, buckling his string-pea legs around my waist. I can feel every bone in his body.

Domingo offers me a bite of his popsicle and a drink of his grape juice, for nothing goes into his hands without his passing the blessing to the person on his right and on his left.

Anamilka holds one hand and Christina the other as we stroll with six of their best friends to the rocks along the shore, a castle abandoned in ruin, and a yellow light house. They help me over uneven ground, guarding me from raw sewage and neglected trash. I feel as if I'm made of glass, delicate and breakable. They're leading me through their places of adventure- places where my whimsical, nine-year old dreams would've linked arms with the closest of friends and pretended till their hearts content.

From the bed of the mission's truck, we cruise, no, stumble, through the Barrios, the poorest neighborhoods in the Dominican. Scents of garbage weave themselves through the wind blowing from the sea where stockpiles of trash are heaped together like mounds of snow. The motes circling the huts are sewage, trickling from the ocean where we watch children leap and swim, flip and splash. Pieces of rusted tar and wood are nailed haphazardly together for homes, sheltering even ten at a time.

The Barrio leaks love from every corner, washing away the garbage, eclipsing the crumbling earth. "HOLA!" a little boy yells from the side of the street, peering shyly from behind a hut. Domingo's mother doesn't bother shaking our hands in meeting, but embraces us. She has tears in the corners of her eyes- not the kind that cry, but the kind that stay there, saving themselves for only the happiest of moments when laughing is insufficient. They invite us into their homes, dusting off their chairs and welcoming us to sit. Tattered curtains hang from the ceiling, blocking off four shoe-box rooms with no air or light beyond the invasion of open doors. Any child will sit in your lap. Any grown up will happily meet you. Any stranger will smile. How is the Lord so thick in squalor, so alive in devastation? It wouldn't occur to these darlings that anything else is possible. They haven't been blessed or polluted by grandeur. As they recline on their porches, fanning their faces in silence, it’s inevitable to wonder what they're thinking, if they're painting story-book settings and dreams pertaining to the other side of the island- the other side of the island where tourists lounge in oblivion, visible to the Barrio beaches sinking in shadows. But do they think we’re from that side of the island? There's not a trace of bitterness in their words or embraces, not an ounce of covet to be found. Just love. Only love.

Lord, how is it that these people who are exquisitely alive in love- these people who so extravagantly give and hug and smile. Give and hug and smile. Give and hug and smile. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Why must they be the ones to go hungry? Why must they be the ones to wear Goodwill clothes America doesn't want? Why must they be the ones to pile garbage together and call it a home? Why must they be the ones to live like this?

You lived like this.

I'm sorry for always forgetting.

There will be a dawn when all of this perishes. As surely as the daylight the Lord will return to us, faithful in His promise to make all things new, to build us up from the ashes. But until then, may the core of hearts be to do justice to the hands of Christ. The hands that healed the lame, cleansed the dirty, fed the hungry, nourished the sick, and embraced the prodigals. That's what these small lights of ours'-these brief sparks that fade with the midst of approaching Paradise-are destined to do.

-Betsy Coughlin
Summer Volunteer for Dove Missions

Sports, sports, sports!

There is lots happening this month at DOVE’s Youth Centre! The jewlery program for our older girls has now come to an end, and we will soon be starting a jewlery microloan program with some of the girls and their Mother’s who were part of the program. Stay tuned for more information and how you can help!

We are really trying to incorporate English into every class we run. Over the past few weeks, our English teacher has been doing 45-50 minutes of English with the kids - no matter what age group. It is important for everyone to learn English; and important for us to teach it.


Mother’s Day in the Dominican Republic is different than in North America. It is on May 29th this year, and we have many projects planned geared towards this special day. The kids have already began making gifts for their Mother’s, and they are so excited to take them home...but we are storing everything at the club until the big day.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have decided to combine the older girls and boys classes and play two hours of sports every Saturday afternoon – all together. It has started as boys vs. Girls and the girls are loving it. The girls are so excited to compete against the boys and all are very eager to learn. We are spending some of the time teaching, and most of the time playing and teaching along the way. Some of the girls are nervous to try in front of the boys, but with some instruction, their confidence level is rising. It is so much fun to watch everyone play together and help each other.

Spring Break

Not that the Dominican Republic has a Spring break in March, but we have been really lucky to see the effects of it; we have had volunteers visiting the Centre every week; taking time from vacations and family to spend the day with us. We have enjoyed everyone who has visited, and the kids just love new people and making new friends. We have had people visiting from all over - the States and Canada. Here are a few photos from some of our adventures this month.


This is Mary Ann with her new sponsor child, Camili.






Morgan helping some of the girls swim at our Pizza/Pool party sponsored by one of the younger Girls sponsors - Thank you Lori Howatt!


Karena and Justin playing basketball with the boys - one of their favourite activities!




Faye with her new sponsor child, Dorka.




Thank you to everyone who has joined us these past few weeks; we could not run our Centre without volunteers. If you or anyone you know is interested in a volunteer experience in the Dominican Republic or Haiti, please contact Melissa Bazely at volunteer@dovemissions.org. Hope to see you soon!

Teeth teeth and what? No teeth?

You are probably wondering what's up with the title of this post. Let us fill you in...no pun intended. All last week we had an amazing opportunity to have 35 of our kids included in a dental and medical clinic. A huge group of wonderful doctors, nurses, hygenists and dentists from Buffalo, USA have been in Puerto Plata for the last week volunteering their time to run this clinic.
They have seen hundreds of people from all over the Puerto Plata area, including 35 of our kids.
Now let us tell you that our kids did not all go in for your regular check up and cleaning. For many of them, that was only the beginning...

Many of the kids have never seen a dentist, let alone even know how to take care of their teeth. You can imagine the result of this; rotting, black teeth, lots of cavities, and lots of pain. The smaller kids mostly just had cleanings, even though their teeth are liturelly rotting out of thier head. The dentist said that their baby teeth would fall out soon anyways, so there was no point in putting them through the pain of having teeth pulled.
As for the older kids, which made up the majority of our group, all had teeth filled and pulled. All of them had some problem with their teeth that needed to be fixed. They had rotting teeth, which can turn into a fatal infection...and they were too far gone to just drill out the cavity and fill. So what is the solution? Yank them out!
This process was easy for some...the dentist put the injection of novacane with a huge needle into their gums, shoved the instruments into their mouth, and some easier than others, out came the tooth. The kids did not flinch, cry or even complain once.

For others, it was quite a dramatic and traumatic experience...
Sindi and Yesson are brother and sister. They are both afraid of needles and pain. They both had crucial extractions to be done, and we knew it was not going to be an easy task from the very beginning of their visit. The visit started out with preliminary screening to see what needed to be done, and a simple cleaning and floride. Well, for Yesson and Sindi it was a challenge just to get a toothbrush into their mouth. So, in order to get their extractions done, the dentist put them in a straight jacket. We stood with them, talking and trying to relax them. It did not make much of a difference...as soon as they were asked to open their mouth wide the screaming and crying began. They were done at seperate times, but were both hysterical! Eventually, after it was all done, they felt much better. Yesson couldnt have been happier, and Sindi was a little exhausted from the whole ordeal but relieved. When we took them home, their Mom was so happy and grateful...she knew the kids had issues with their teeth but had never been able to afford a dentist.

On another spectrum of dental work, some of the kids have problems with their front teeth. Displaced, rotted and missing, they were able to have them fixed. Jose Manuel for example, had a huge chip out of his two front teeth. The dentist was able to bond the two teeth and now he has perfect front teeth! He can not stop smiling and looking at himself in the mirror. We are SO happy for him!!!
We are SO happy and thankful about our blessings this past week. All of the kids who had dental work done are healthy and recovering very well. They are all back to their normal selves minus a few teeth!

Hola hola hola!

Update time!

Firstly, we want to apologize for the lack of updates in the past couple of months. Time sure flies when you are having fun! You can be rest assured that all of the kids are happy and healthy. They are all doing so well in our programs and in fact, we have even added a few more kids! A new list with children needing sponsors will be posted soon. I want to send a huge thank you to our current sponsors...we could not do this without you!

The kids had a fantastic Christmas and New Year, and everyone received early groceries for Christmas dinner and family gifts. We busted into the New Year with happy healthy families and a lot planned for 2011.

Our most current program changes are the Jewellery and English program. We have a new Jewellery teacher who is teaching the girls how to make different types of necklaces with natural resources right from the island. She is wonderful and the girls are really enjoying her class.

Our new English teacher has started with a small group of kids who have shown a keen interest in learning English, and along with Rosetta Stone, one on one tutoring and class work, the kids have really come along in just a few weeks. Gymps, our club director has been working with the boys, teaching them sports...lately they have been focusing mainly on basketball. At the beginning of each class, the kids learn and review basic English as well.


We are busy preparing and planning for this upcoming summer; our plan is to have the club open five days per week again. We are already booking in volunteers; long and short term. If you have ever thought about, or wanted to volunteer abroad – this is the year to do it! We would love to have you down, and trust us – you will have the most amazing time of your life.

So stay posted for more updates – and photos!
See you soon, hasta luego, goodbye and adios!

A Message from a Member of our DOVE Family

Our Trip To Dove Missions

My son, who is 9, and I spent a week in Peurto Plata over Christmas. This was our second visit to the area as we enjoyed ourselves so much last year. This time has been quite different as we have now become a part of Dove Missions and sponsor a great boy named Yeuri.

We were so excited to finally meet him and spend some time getting to know him and his family. He lives with his grandmother and many other siblings. Liz took us to their home for a visit and we immediately felt welcomed. Yeuri and all his family were happy to meet us. We had a great time and the two boys really started to bond. Later that day, my son and I went to the Youth Center for the Christmas party. This was a well organized event with food, music, and over 100 very happy children. Everyone left with a nice gift from Santa and big smiles. I am so proud to be a part of this wonderful organization. We hope to visit Yeuri and his family again soon and until then we want him to know how much we care about him and all our new friends at Dove Missions.

Garry &Sam