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.