Dove Missions Blog

Raising money with passion

2012-01-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

It was almost one year ago that Amy Pattison had a life changing experience. She came with her sister Carly, and Mom Bonnie, to visit our Youth Centre here in the Dominican Republic. Carly had already spent a week volunteering the previous summer, and had inspired the rest of her family to come and see for themselves what she was talking about.
Amy Pattison is in grade 8 at Hillsdale Elementary school in Ontario, Canada. After spending time volunteering in DOVE's Youth Center, getting to know the kids, visiting with the two children that her family sponsors, she decided that she had to do more. So she went home and talked to her principal about getting her school more involved. It was decided that efforts to raise money for DOVE Missions would commence the following school year in September. At the request of Amy, and to start off the fundraising, Melissa Bazely who works for DOVE, went and spoke to the kids of Hillsdale Elementary. She explained why DOVE Missions exists and helped the kids aging in range from kindergarten to grade eight what kids their age are facing on a daily basis. Amy led the presentation, and told about her experience working with DOVE in the Dominican, and why she felt such an urge to do something more. There was a lot of interest from the kids, and a lot of questions.
Since September, Hillsdale Elementary School has raised over $300 for DOVE Missions. They hosted garage sales, sold handmade bracelets, and even set up a Wii room at recess time and charged $1 for kids to play. All of the kids at Hillsdale Elementary have done an extraordinary job at showing participation and wanting to raise money for the kids in Dominican Republic.
DOVE Missions wants to send out a special thank you to Amy and her family for spearheading this fundraising. We want to thank Hillsdale Elementary for doing such an awesome job! Way to go Hillsdale!!!

Starfish - By Gerard Pelletier

2011-11-30T07:10:00.001-08:00

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...

2011-11-21T06:50:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-10-26T11:33:00.001-07:00

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

2011-10-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

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...

2011-10-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-07-13T07:29:00.001-07:00

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

2011-07-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-06-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-06-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-06-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-06-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-05-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-03-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-03-04T15:22:00.001-08:00

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

2011-01-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

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

Christmas Time!

2010-11-19T12:15:00.000-08:00

You would never guess that it's not December here in Puerto Plata. The city has begun decorating all of the government buildings and public Christmas trees are going up everywhere. Our club, too, is becoming very thoroughly decorated. The kids and teachers have put up and decorated out Christmas tree, put stocking all around the club ad written letters to Santa. All of the kids love to sing Feliz Navidad and it is so cute! Dove really gets into the Christmas spirit and it's a wonderful time to come visit! Families will recieve their food bonus early for a Christmas dinner for their whole family. If you would like to contribute a gift for a child you can donate $30 through the instructions on our website at dovemissions.org. Your support really does help make Christmas here memorable and special!

Cholera

2010-11-18T07:06:00.001-08:00

Hurricane Tomas, Cholera, these aren't very great headlines for our blog. Still, you should take heart these are posts to tell you that everyone is safe and all is well here. There has been just one reported case of Cholera in the DR and that was in Punta Cana, hours away from here. Haiti, on the other hand, is experiencing a very hard time. Our orphanage is fine and Father Andre has assured us that all of the kids are safe and in good health there. Keep Haiti in your hearts and prayers.

Hurricane Tomas

2010-11-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody just wanted to check in and let you know that everyone is ok. Hurricane Tomas hit Puerto Plata in the form of tropical storms i.e. a ton of rain. This means while it isn't as bad as it could be there are still problems. Water is high in Agua Negra and Playa Oeste chest high in many areas.Our families are working hard to keep their homes in tact and their children dry. Everything will be ok, the rain just has a way of making life that much harder here. Keep everyone in your thoughts and hearts and we will let you know how things go as the days move on!

Love,

Dove

Girls Night In!

2010-11-03T10:39:00.001-07:00

One of the many great memories I have of my childhood is slumber parties – and mostly for the event of someone’s birthday. Everyone who was invited got a little paper invitation (this has changed to “Facebook Events” now however), and was asked to respond by a certain date. The invitation said to bring your own pillow and sleeping bag and told you what time to have your parents pick you up. At the actual sleepover, everyone would eat pizza, cake and ice cream, and then cram together on the living room floor with to watch movies, talk about the new boy at school, and eat an obscene amount of junk food. Eventually, close to midnight, someone would have already called their Mom to come and get them because their tummy hurt, and at least three people would be arguing about something extremely significant. Oh, the good ol’ days.
Despite the girl drama and sore tummy’s, these slumber parties were something that I remember…a fond memory that almost every girl has etched in their memories somewhere.
Last night, we decided to have a sleepover at our kids centre with 12 of the oldest girls (ages 10-13). We prepared with nail polish, movies, a ton of junk food, music, and of course a pillow to attempt to sleep with. We started out with a dance party, nails, and chocolate fruit. The girls were SOOOO pumped for this party, they were almost, quite literally, bouncing off the walls. They had all set up their beds on the floor, but this is where we ended up having our dance party, so they didn’t last long. I asked the girls if they had ever had a slumber party, and every girl responded with no.

Next we attempted to watch a movie, and eat popcorn, chips, cookies and pop. The girls all kept running back and forth to the other room because they had very important things to talk about of course. This lasted for about two movies, until finally around 2AM the girls crashed.
The night was one to remember. The girls had a blast, and I am sure they all went back home to sleep this morning – as I did!

-Melissa Bazely
DOVE Missions Field Director

HALLOWEEN!!!!

2010-11-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Well everybody Halloween was a great success here! Halloween is not widely celebrated, but the kids love it. We did a Halloween party with everyone and it was a blast. They got their faces painted, ate tons of snacks and candy and got to go through a haunted house. In the haunted house they had to touch fake eyeballs and worms in a bowl of water, one of the teachers popped out of the bathroom and at the end they got a treat bag. It was very fun for most of them, some were very scared and didn't do the whole thing! Later that night we had a sleep over with the girls. They had never done anything like that before. It is hard to describe the excitement. We started the night with a dance party while the girls traded who got their nails done. After that it was movie time! Mostly, the girls talked and played, but some of the movie got watched. It was just great to be there together and to get to know them better and for them to all get to spend time with each other and just be girls and have fun. The kids here have so many worries that kids should never have. It was great to provide a day of stress free fun!

Raise the Roof

2010-10-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

See Matt run. See Matt and Emma run. See Matt and Emma raise money to build new roofs for our families by running. When Matt and Emma came here to visit they were deeply moved at the state of our families homes. Most of the roofs are made of tin boards that are layered on top of one another. When it rains there is nothing to prevent the leaking or assortment of criters that make their way in.So Emma and Matt decided to do something about it. As Emma put it, "no child should have to go to school tired or unable to concentrate becuase their roof leaked." After trying to raise money through a blog, emhills1.blogspot.com, and not being very successful Emma and Matt came up with other ideas. Matt ran and was sponsored in a 10k and a half marathon and Emma did a 10k half marathon. People sponsored their run to raise money for new roofs; and it worked. They are now talking with Dove on how to best make this happen and looking into other marathon sponsorship to provide more funds. Emma and Matt are a great example of how to use your individual talents and interests to good. Our families will be so thankful for a new roof and dry place to rest their heads!

Be A Sponsor

2010-10-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

There are 80+ children that attend the DOVE Missions Youth Development Center. Many of these children need a sponsor. A donation of $30 per month sponsors a child. Your donation helps pay for monthly food staples for the family, medicine, school supplies, and the overall costs of running the Youth development center.

Haiti sponsorship is $40 per month and covers nutritional , medical and operational needs of the orphanage.

Dominican Day

2010-10-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Sunday! Here in the Dominican Republic people really do take the day off. Some things are open, but not a lot and most things that are open close early. Families go to the beach in Sosua or the beach on the Melachon. The Melachon gets ready for Sunday on Saturday night. People park their cars all along the street and play music, dance, eat and hang out with their families and neighbors. Everyone has a blast and enjoys their day off from work. There are literaly thousands of people. The weekend doesn't stop Sunday night just because the week starts on Monday morning. Melachon hang out goes all night long for everyone. It is great to see neighbors visiting with neighbors and families spending time together. It may only be one day , but Dominican Day is the best of the week!

New Website!

2010-10-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

Dove is pleased to anounce a brand spankin new website! This site provides more up to date information , is easier to navigate and sports our beautiful new logo! There you will be able to find sponsor updates and news on upcoming opportunites to visit and support Dove. We are so appreciative of our team for putting it together and really excited for it to go live! Check it out dovemissions.org

Marco

2010-10-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

Poptarts are a delicious breakfast food. Yesterday, I was finishing one on the play ground with the kids. Marco was sitting next to me and asked for a bite. I broke him off a piece and I gave it to him. I only gave him a little because there were other kids around and I didn't want them to get upset. Marco emmediatley called over Antonio and Clariebelle is brother and sister. He first gave them a piece and then ate the rest. He keeps such a watchful eye on his younger siblings. Clariebelle's shirt was falling off her shoulder and Marco pointed it out to her. Later on of the other boys hit one of the other girls and he stood up for the girl telling the boy that you dont hit girls. I was so proud of him. He is such a great kid, really a mature young man. It is times like these when you know something is going right.

Back to Haiti!

2010-10-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

This past week we were able to go and check on our orphanage in Haiti and meet the new kids. Haiti is a very overwhelming place to be and yet the orphanage is a calm oasis. A typical day for this kids begins with morning prayers. After that it's breakfast and time for preschool. A private teacher comes to the orphanage and teaches them the average preschool stuff; letters, numbers, learning songs. At 10 they snack then school some more until 12. After that it's lunch and play time until dinner and bed. The older kids, four of them, get to go to first grade. Every morning one of the house mothers walks them to school. The smaller kids only have school every other day. It is very exciting for them to leave the loving protection of the orphanage walls because Haiti doesn't have any public parks or real reason for them to leave. Father Andre said they all think it's fun when he isn't there to perform mass because then they get to go to mass across the street! There are house mother's that take care of the kids and rotate who cooks and does laundry. At night one mother sleeps in each room so if one of the kids needs something at night there is always someone there. I could write a novella about how wonderful this orphanage and about how it is the definition of hope for Haiti, but who wants to read a 100 page post?!

Love from the DR!

Musica!

2010-09-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

“To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable," Aaron Copeland, American Composer.

This being said, Dove is working towards the revival of its music program. With the help from some of our friends in Nashville we are seeking the support and funding to fully develop our program long term. The kids here love music. They dance and smile and sing along. The joy that fills each of their faces when music is playing is indescribable. This is why it's so important for us to get started again. Jochy Guerrero, the teacher, is ready and willing to start classes again as soon as we are able. As a teacher, he is so loved by all of the kids. He stopped by the club last week for a little visit and the kids went nuts. They hugged him and talked to him and made him come into their classes to see what they were working on. They need this program and we are very excited to be working on getting it back! Check out this video of Jochy talking about the program.

As always love from the DR!

Slide Pics!

2010-09-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

A Slide Is Still A Slide!

2010-09-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

Our new home is in Bario Haiti right across the street from a park. It may not be the best park in the world, but it has a slide! The park has other great qualities like multiple monkey bars and a swing, but nothing like this slide. I was in the club working on something and happened to peak my head outside to see what the kids were doing. At least 15 of our kids were piled onto the slide! Laughing and giggling as if this was the funnies thing they had ever seen or experienced in their whole life! It doesn't matter what part of the world you are in; a kid is still a kid and a slide is still a slide!

Each Day Keeps Getting Better

2010-09-15T17:55:00.000-07:00

Each hour, each day, each week, each month here is always different, but we are always moving forward! Our new home has brought us new opportunities to better serve our kids and our community; something we are unwaveringly committed to. Just this past week five more kids got sponsored, which is a tremendous success for Dove and for the lives of these kids. Thank you for the support and lets see if we can't get all of the kids sponsors by the end of the year! The more we have sponsored the more we can add, and there is a long waiting list! Our teachers have started implementing the new Boys and Girls Club curriculum and the kids are, so far, very receptive. While the use of these lessons plans are a new endeavor, subject to adaptation and change, we are very confident it will be a great addition to what the kids are learning at the club. More updates to come very soon! Thank you, as always, for your support and love!

Peace,

Dove

A Great Week at Dove!

2010-09-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

What a week it has been here at Dove Missions! The children got to resume their English classes this week thanks to the arrival of our new volunteer, Amber! They are very excited and greeted her with phrases like. "How are you teacher? and I'm fine thank you." They are great kids eager to learn and have fun! Our new building is fantastic and suites our needs much better than our last home. Three classrooms, a storage room,kitchen and office area and right across from a park; this place is really something special for us.
The teacher's are begining a new curriculum based off of the Boys and Girls Club of America guide following the six pillars of good character; trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Each Saturday the children will do a new activity based on one of the pillars. This will help them develop a sense of community and concern for each others well being; a concept not well developed in the Dominican Republic. Except at snack time! Whenever one child has drink or piece of bread or anything they will always share with those around them! This act of sharing can be seen all over the Dominican, even with adults.The kids will have no problem grasping and applying these new six concepts to thier daily lives!
In other news, Dove is taking a mission trip to Haiti in November! If you're interested contact mbazely@sympatico.ca for information or join our facebook group. This is truly a life changing experience that you would be sad to miss! We are also still looking for more sponsors! Just $30 a month can change the life of a child!

Love from the DR,

Dove Missions

Only 5 More Sponsors Needed!

2010-08-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

Wonderful news!
To all of you who have been waiting to sponsor a child, our family sponsorship program has expanded to include individual child sponsorship! This ensures the voucher program, school uniforms and cost of participating in the club to all of the children in our club! If you would like to participate, please email our coordinator, Melissa Bazely at mbazely@sympatico.ca and let her know. We only have 6 children who still need sponsors, once we get that we will have every child in our club accounted for! Here is the list of children waiting for sponsorship; check out their pages for information photos!

Thank you,

Liz McKie
Executive Director and Founder - Dove Missions

Children in need of a sponsor:

Emilio
Carolina
Loraini
Yoheidi

School Uniform Drive!

2010-07-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hola Amigos!

It’s that time of year again! Summer is winding down and it’s time for our kids to head back to school – but they cannot do that without our help.

As you well know we have 80 kids in our club and when school time rolls around again they will all be in need of uniforms. Although schools in the Dominican are public and free, their ticket for enrollment is a uniform. Without the entire package, they are not allowed to enroll in the public education system.

They need shirts, pants, undershirts, underpants, sports pants, sports t-shirts, socks and shoes and the prices here can get pretty expensive. It costs anywhere from $40-$50 per child, depending on their age.

While the full $40 for the package would be incredibly helpful and such a blessing, we are asking that you and your family consider supporting even half of a school uniform or a fourth if that’s all that is possible.

The cost of a new backpack for your child in the United States is around the same cost as school uniforms are here; as you’re shopping this school season we ask that you consider donating some of what you would spend to your Dominican family. Without your support our kids cannot go to school and without going to school, our efforts are worthless.

Thank you in advance for anything you are able to give and even if not in the form of monetary donations, we are constantly in need of your prayers. It’s your donations and dutiful prayers that keep us in operation; we so appreciate your sacrifice.

Enjoy the end of your summer, it’s wrapping up quickly! Come visit us – you deserve a break!

With love from the DR,

DOVE Missions

Another great week!

2010-07-22T16:14:00.001-07:00

Hola!

What an amazing summer we've had so far this season with the kids and so many volunteers coming in and out. We couldn't have asked for a better break off of school for the kids. Jenny and Jencen, 2 Canadian volunteers who spent 5 weeks with us, left last week - the kids were so heartbroken to see them go! And Kara, an American volunteer from Ohio, decided to spend another 2 weeks with us, and we've already had such a great time teaching English and getting to spend so much time with the kids!

Here are a few pictures of us hanging out around the club the past week after we had to tell Jenny and Jencen good-bye, we're certainly not looking forward to school rolling around again, that's for sure!

Hope you're having a wonderful summer with your family as you begin to wrap it up! Think of us as you buy school supplies for your little ones! :)

Love from the DR <3

A volunteer's words...

2010-07-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hola!

This week we had 2 volunteers, Kathy and Kara, here from Ohio to work with the kids. Kathy is a registered nurse as well as a artist so she did check-ups on all the kids and also hosted a special jewelry class with the kids to make metal crosses. They were so excited! On their last night we asked Kathy to write some words on her experience here with us in Puerta Plata. Here is what she had to say! Along with some pictures from their trip here:)

"After physicals at the club – the kids had music class. A well known Spanish artist comes twice a week, to sing with the kids. They are supposed to make a CD as a fundraiser. They are amazing – so much fun. Beautiful singing!
Next we went to the Playa Westa barrio. Amazing poverty. Right on the water with large ships that just dump their crap in the water. The beautiful blue water changes to brown about 1000 feet out. This is where these barrio residents bath, wash their clothes and use the toilet. The first thing that hits you is the stench when you get out of the car. Then the garabage is everywhere. The homes (shacks) are maybe 15X15 with 4 rooms in that (kitchen, 2 bedrooms, and living room) all separated by cardboard or sheets. No cupboards / closets. No extra anything. Terrible roofing also. Basically homes on top/right next to each other. I am told during the raining season much of it floods. Through all of this they are the best dressed people you would see! Very, very hospitable. Sonya (one of the mother's) came home while we were there and made us all orange juice with ice. Probably for the family but gave it all to us. Also they have the biggest smile all the time. There is music playing everywhere. I guess you only know what you are brought up with or don’t know what you don’t have. And they have very little. It was incredible. Very sad.
A great, but somber day."

Thanks, Kathy!

Happy Birthday to all!

2010-07-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hola! What a great week we've had!

We have so any volunteers here this week from so many places and we're loving being able to share so much of what we do with so many people from all over!

Diane, one of board members, is here this week and did some fundraising in New Jersey to be able to bring a birthday party to the kids for everyone! It was so great! We celebrated everyone's birthday at the same time and the kids were so excited to be able to sing together, dance together, and eat together! That was probably one of their favorite parts:)

We were able to have pizza for everyone with the money Diane had raised and even had a 3 pound chocolate cake!! The kids were so excited!

We all sat around to pray over our food before we started eating and Ernestina blessed the food, the kids, our families and the work we do. Then we ate! The kids were so excited and were even happier when we turned the music on! We danced and had a great time celebrating our birthdays and the great summer we've had so far.

We've been incredibly blessed this season and pray those same blessings on you and yours. Happy summering!

Only 6 More Sponsors Needed!

2010-07-04T15:25:00.000-07:00

A Big Week!

2010-07-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hola!

Wow! It's July 4th and we can't believe how fast the summer is flying by! We're spending so much time in the club with the kids that we are shocked by how days are dropping all around us! Before we look up again we know it'll be time for the kids to be back in school so we're trying to enjoy the time we have left before summer is done for the season!

We have a BIG week headed our way and we've spent the weekend preparing for everything we have coming! This week one of our board members, Diane Wolff, is in town to hang out with the kids and spend some time at the club. We love having her here! It's also Jenny and Jencen's last few days at the club this week before they head out early Friday morning. They've been here a month and we're so sad to see them go.

Tuesday we will welcome Kara and her mother Kathy, Ohio natives, who will be spending a little over a week with us. Kara is actually wanting to spend some extended time here next semester and her and her mother wanted a trip together this summer so they decided to come and volunteer with us! They've never been here before, and we are so excited to get them introduced to our programs and kids.

It's going to be a big, long week - but an amazing one!

We can't wait to see what God has in store for us.

Wishing you a Happy 4th of July all the way from the Dominican Republic! Have a good one!

Happy Birthday!

2010-06-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hola!

It's been such an exciting weekend! On Saturday one of our kids from the Ventura family, the biggest family supported by the club, had a birthday! The Ventura household is home to Lola, the grandmother, and her 16 grandchildren. It's quite the fun place to be around! Lola loves having us come and visit so Jenny and Jencen bought ice cream for the children and came back to celebrate Leuri's birthday. They were so excited!

All the kids gathered around to get some of the "goods" and were so excited when we pulled out spoons and told them we had enough to go around! Lola went into the kitchen to get bowls and plates and the kids waited so patiently for Lueri to get his cup full of ice cream first, and then they started digging in right along with him! They loved the treat!

Everyone was so excited to be able to celebrate together and make that day so special for Leuri. Happy birthday, buddy!

An exciting week!

2010-06-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

This week at the club has been so exciting and full of all sorts of activities! Jenny and Jencen are still hitting the English classes hard daily and the kids are learning so much! Yesterday it was learning about the titles of family members and then going around the class asking each other if they "had a mother? a brother? a husband? a girlfriend?" It was great!

We've also been working really hard on both the jewelry and the sewing classes so the girls can learn the trade (of both!), learn to produce whatever it is they are working on, learn to market and mass produce the product, and then turn to sell it in their neighborhoods, downtown, around the barrios, all over town. We're hoping to provide them with the tools and the know-how through vocational training to be successful in the future. And it's really taking off!

Here the girls are working on their sewing and jewelry projects. They love doing them!

While the girls are hard at work learning their new skills, the boys are working so hard on their health and fitness class! Jencen has been doing such a great job working with them and on Saturday he worked with the younger boys, teaching them to do push-ups and sit-ups. They were having such a great time! It was so great to see them loving working with Jencen so much, they were sad when he told them class was over!

We've had a great day this week at the club! We're so excited for the rest of the summer!

English Class!

2010-06-18T15:02:00.001-07:00

Hola!

Today was a great day in the club! Jenny and Jencen taught English Class to the kids and they were so excited to continue on with what they've been learning this week. 14 kids were there for class and they were all so eager to keep learning!

They started the class with going over basic pronouns in Spanish and then translating them to English for the kids. Then they taught them "ser" (to be) and "tener" (to have) and then adjectives to accompany them. This way the kids could form basic phrases in English like "I am hungry or I am tired, even I am thirsty." After learning all of their terms the kids were able to describe themselves, the students around them and even Jenny and Jencen. They were so concentrated on learning the new terms! They were even taking notes throughout class so that they could take them home and work on their skills outside of club time!

After learning the new concepts, Jencen would go around the group and ask individual kids to answer questions about how he was "feeling" based on the actions he was making. It was hilarious! And the kids were so excited to participate. They were eagerly raising their hands, almost fighting even over who got to answer the question. It was so exciting to see them so pumped up!

The kids enjoyed the class so much that they weren't ready for it to end when class was over. They requested that Jenny, Jencen and the rest of the volunteers stay later than normal just to play. Of course we obliged! We went over to the sports field a few streets over and played every form of ball possible. Such a great afternoon!

We're gearing up for a big Saturday and getting ready for the rest of the summer!

Only 8 More Sponsors Needed!

2010-06-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

Wonderful news!
To all of you who have been waiting to sponsor a child, our family sponsorship program has expanded to include individual child sponsorship! This ensures the voucher program, school uniforms and cost of participating in the club to all of the children in our club! If you would like to participate, please email our coordinator, Melissa Bazely at mbazely@sympatico.ca and let her know. We only have 8 children who still need sponsors, once we get that we will have every child in our club accounted for! Here is the list of children waiting for sponsorship; check out their pages for information photos!

Thank you,

Liz McKie
Executive Director and Founder - Dove Missions

Children in need of a sponsor:

Antonio
Emilio
Kathiana
Loraini

A New Class!

2010-06-16T08:05:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends!

We are so excited to have started the summer and our new schedule off with a bang!

We've already had so many great things going on around the club this summer and we're only 3 weeks into the summer! We've had volunteers from all over, all sorts of new classes introduced, great opportunities for the kids to get involved in, and lots of fun!

This past week we welcomed two volunteers back from Canada, Jenny and Jencen, who will be with us for a month and the kids couldn't have been happier to see them. Jencen is going to be working with James on the health and nutrition class and the 2 of them together will be running the English class for the kids 4 days a week. Everyone was so happy to see them!

Yesterday Jencen introduced the kids to one of our newest classes, yoga and dancing split throughout the week. Yesterday we started the class with the introduction to yoga! They were very curious at first, but took to it very quickly!

He started by getting them to stretch and showed them different ways their bodies need to be warmed up before being able to go into the positions safely. They asked questions and were so curious about what he was doing as he moved from one stretch into another.

He taught them different yoga positions and what they were stretching and working out in each individual position. They thought it was so funny to see Jencen contorting his body into the more complicated positions - they were having so much fun with him!

Overall, yesterday was a great day at the club and the kids can't wait for the yoga/dancing course to continue!

Mother's Day Preparation

2010-05-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

Today was a long and wonderful day. Saturday’s are always days everyone looks forward to because at some point during the day all of the kids come to the center. They rotate in throughout the day, group by group, all just as happy to be there. Next weekend is Dominican Mother’s Day, so today was centered around that. The kids started making beautiful gifts for their Mother’s. They are so imaginative and creative! The kids were also practicing for the Mother’s Day play they are going to put on next Saturday. During the lunch period, two of the teachers stayed at the center to sort out some donations and put together Mother’s Day packages.

Each Mother is getting some sheets or towels and toiletries. Sheets and towels are a huge necessity; often times each household has only one towel to use for everything. By the time lunchtime was over, the teachers had everything sorted out; all that was left to do was wrap and decorate the gifts. So along with some of the girls and teachers, our volunteers spent the afternoon doing so.

As well, at the end of the day Ernestina gave away some clothing donations. She gave them to the older boys, and they really loved them; a lot of the clothing was jersey material, and that is VERY popular down here.

Overall, today was a busy and amazing day at the center.

What's New with DOVE?

2010-05-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

It had been a while since we have last posted anything, but DOVE Missions has been extremely busy with changes and activities at the center.
As the kids have been wrapping up the music program, due to end in June, we have decided that since it has had such an amazing impact on them that we should extend it. We have hired a new music teacher to take over the classes and he is amazing! The puppet program has come to an end, and the kids are so proud of their work. The puppets are in the club, and they look amazing.
DOVE has hired a new director for the club, and her name is Ernestina. She is an amazing Dominican woman with a lot of drive and passion for the work DOVE Missions is doing. She has taken over smoothly, and working on new programming. We are hoping to have the center open every day during the summer for a fun place for the kids to stay out of trouble.
We are running a new program for the older boys, and have even added a few new members to the older boys group. The new program is a nutrition/fitness/weight class right now and will eventually progress into a careers type class. The boys will begin to learn how to apply for jobs, how to get jobs, connections to help with an apprenticeship program, and teach the boys discipline. It will teach them to discipline themselves; their minds, their bodies, their lifestyle. They will learn how important it is to have a job and keep it. It will be an esteem building program and it will give the boys the opportunity for more in their lives. This is a program that will allow the younger kids to graduate into, and we are currently working on developing a program for our older girls. The program is currently run by James, a man from Haiti whom the boys really respect. It is important for them to have a consistent male figure in their life, and James is the perfect fit for this program.
This summer is going to be amazing, with many volunteers coming to visit. The kids love when volunteers come; they love the attention and fun activities that our volunteers are so amazing at planning. We have volunteers coming from all over the States, as well as from Canada.
A goal for DOVE this summer is to figure out exactly what our calling is in Haiti. There are so many opportunities in Haiti and DOVE plans to be there in some way. Right now we are working with and supporting two orphanages while continuing our efforts to find where we are supposed to be in Haiti.
Stay tuned for some more frequent updates!

Puppet update!

2010-04-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pictures on the progress of the kids puppets; they look AMAZING!

Carnival Parade

2010-04-10T11:02:00.001-07:00

Well the kids finally got their chance to perform their musical talents in the Carnival Parade in Puerto Plata! They did AWESOME, and looked fantastic! The day was a huge success and the kids had a ball.

We had two of the Mother's leading the kids holding our DOVE Missions sign.

Their costumes looked amazing, the kids felt great about their performance; they could not have been happier!

Reading and Writing Class Begins!

2010-03-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

This was written by our Center's Direcotr, Cathy Flynn:

Our moms and grandmothers started their reading and writing class with Damaris this past Saturday.

11 mom's showed up, more than I expected. They were each given their own notebook, pencil and eraser, and it was like they were given gold.

They all spoke about how for whatever reason or another they were robbed of the chance to learn as children. Most because they lived in the country side and were up by 5 am to help with the chores all day.

Damaris spoke to them about not being embarrassed, as there was a bit of hesitation when they were signing up for this class. She reminded them that everyone learns at a different pace, and if it takes them a bit longer than the mom sitting beside them to catch on, remember to just ask questions and persevere.

One of the mom's said her dream by the end of the classes would be, to be able to sit on a bed and read a story to her daughter.

At the end of the class one of the grandmother's stood up and started praying with her hands in the air, the other mother's all chimed in. She thanked God after all these years, for giving her the opportunity to learn how to read and write. She thanked God for sending Liz and I into her lives and asked him to bless us always.

They were SOOO happy to be there it was really heartwarming.

And Kids - Just wanna have fun!

2010-03-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

DOVE has certainely been keeping our kids busy! On top of the music program and the puppet program, they have been doing a lot of other activities. They made crafts for Valentines Day, they have been playing sports, and the younger kids have been working with our teachers on various activities. We have also had some volunteers down visiting! Here are some pictures from the past few weeks of different things the kids have been doing.

Puppets, Puppets, Puppets!!!

2010-03-16T10:57:00.001-07:00

In the last post about the music program, it focused on the fact that the kids are learning and growing so fast because DOVE's programs are drawing on what the kids love. Our puppetry program is another one that they are loving. The kids have been working hard over the past couple of months to make thier puppets out of paper mache, and lots of other cool craft materials.

The puppets are really looking great, and the kids really have something to be proud of. The puppet program is great because the kids will have a finished product at the end, and be able to say "I did that"!

This program is really bringing out a whole new side of the kids, and giving them a chance to really express thier creativity. Thier puppets look absolutely amazing, and you can tell that the kids really worked hard and put thier imagination into making them.

Musical Adventures

2010-03-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since our last update; but no fear our musicians are here!
The kids have been working hard on creating their instruments, practicing thier vocal cords and making costumes to go along with their show

A few weeks ago they were supposed to perform in the carnival in Puerto Plata, but ended up getting rained out; they ended up performing at a pizza place instead.

They were a little disappointed at first about missing the carnival, but as the pictures show, they ended up having a blast.
.
The kids are really developing their talents, and having fun at the same time. They are improving thier team work skills, as well as their musical skills.

Cathy, our club director as well as Tadeo their music teacher, and Liz, DOVE's on ground founder, have all watched as the kids have come out of their shells and really began to show thier true colours.

It is DOVE's dream that these kids learn skills that they will be able to use in their lives to get jobs. One of the best ways to do this is to find out what the kids are good at, and draw on that to teach and help them learn. It is much easier to learn something when you enjoy what you are doing; and this is what DOVE is finding with the kids - they are picking up very quickly on what they are being taught because they LOVE it!

Flooding - We need help!!!

2010-02-16T15:57:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

A couple nights ago, there was a massive rainstorm in the Dominican Republic. There were landslides from the mountains, and the river in Agua Negra had garbage in it that plugged the flow of the water. The river overflowed, and 18 different barrios are suffering because of it. Agua Negra was hit the hardest.

Cathy, our director, opened the club yesterday, and the kids started showing up seeking relief. The kids were very tired, they had been up all night with their parents trying to keep the water out and/or cleaning up the mud. Cathy gave them all something to eat, and they just sat and played quietly.

They told her that when they did have to lie down to sleep last night, they slept on the top of their tables.

Their beds were all wet and full of mud, most things in their homes are ruined, or washed away from the water.
The kids and their families are safe, but the water was knee high, not to mention the mud. They had their doors closed, but with the pressure of the water they had to open their doors to let the pressure go, otherwise the houses would have collapsed. When they opened their doors the force of the water that went through their homes, took everything with it. Most lost their all their shoes, clothes, school knapsacks, gas tanks, some even lost their stoves to the water.

We have a great need for money and supplies right now.
So if anyone can send things down: Money would be best to buy foam rolls, we can't buy everyone a mattress, but possible a sponge roll to sleep. All their beds were soaked. and Metal for their roofs.

Supplies Needed:

Sheets

Shoes (preferably CROCS)

Clothes

Mosquito nets

food (rice)better to buy here

Knapsacks, school supplies, notebooks (all their school bags were washed away with the water)

mops and brooms, shovels,

roof metal

Thank you, we appreciate your support.

Shining Stars

2010-02-15T08:14:00.000-08:00

Over the past few weeks the kids have been busily working away on developing their musical talents with Tadeu, our club's music teacher. They have been making instruments, working on rythms,learning,practicing, and of course having tons of fun while doing so.

The music program is bringing out the best in our kids, and some of them have amazing talents that are really shining through now. They are learning to work as a team, and this is very important in music. Everyone has to work together to know who plays when, who breaks when, what sounds good together, etc.

It is so great to watch the kids develop, and watch them grow as people. This music program is really helping, and by teaching them musical skills, it is providing opportunities for them in the future.

Even our volunteers love getting involved in the music program, and the kids love having volunteers there.

We'll keep updated on the kids progression in the program.

Sponsors needed!

2010-01-24T08:56:00.000-08:00

Wonderful news!
To all of you who have been waiting to sponsor a child, our family sponsorship program has expanded to include individual child sponsorship! This ensures the voucher program, school uniforms and cost of participating in the club to all of the children in our club! If you would like to participate, please email our coordinator, Melissa Bazely at mbazely@sympatico.ca and let her know. Here is the list of children waiting for sponsorship; check out their pages for information photos!

Thank you,

Liz McKie
Executive Director and Founder - Dove Missions

Children in need of a sponsor:

Abram
Anoluis
Antonio
Brittany
Emilio
Erica
Genesis
Kathiana
Loraini
Luis Manuel 2
Sauri
Sindi
Tatiana
Yamali
Yaneli
Yesson
Yordi
Yueri

No more leaks!

2010-01-17T09:18:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 16, 2009

Today was an awesome day at the club! The new programs and scheduling is being put into place and everything is going smoothly. The morning consisted of the puppet program, and the little kids working with Terry and Damaris. The kids were so calm - these teachers really have a great gift of working with small children.

The afternoon was spent with the older kids and Tadeu working on the music program. After hours of auditions last week, Tadeu made his decisions. The kids who did not make the band will be our production crew. They are all really excited.

Our band is going to be called Banda Club POP. Here is the list of our new band:

15 members

Christina
Rosemary
Marco
Alani
Jeffri
Luery C.
Coco
Andy
Marcos
Yohan
Angel Luis
Andrieli
Seliel
Alberto
Kelvin

Singers: 10 members

Ally
Yesenia (neighbor that was listening through the window during auditions)
Isamay
Carolina
Eddie
Lorainia
Vanessa
Franciel
Oliver
Elizabeth

The kids also brainstormed ideas of what they will write songs about. Some of the topis included responsibility, earth quakes, recycling/garbage, kindness, love of parents - and that is just to name a few - We have such intelligent kids!

Some more great news - our roof is fixed!!! The owner of the building came to see what was happening last Thursday, and by the next day he had it fixed. It is still raining, and there were only a couple of minor leaks - but he is fixing them now.

Stay tuned for more later this week!

Tara's Visit

2010-01-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

Our visit at the Dove Missions Rec Center in Puerto Plata this past December was absolutely the highlight of our vacation. We planned ahead of time to bring with us school supplies and clothing in order to help the center and the kids in some small way. What we didn't expect was the amount of joy and heartfelt moments that our short time spent at the center would bring us. Eye-opening moments.

As someone who lived full time in Puerto Plata for 5 years in the 90's, I thought I already knew what doing something like this would be like. I thought I had already experienced the emotion, excitement, pride, curiosity, and appreciation of Dominican children during my time living amongst them in their own environment. Spending time with these kids now gave me, my boyfriend Brooke, my brother Mike , and my niece Cassandra memories to last a lifetime.

It sounds cliche, but they truley gave us far more than we gave them.
If this is something that you are considering doing (even just a little bit), I encourage you to take the time and 100% visit the center. Cathy, Liz and all the kids will forever leave an imprint on your heart. These are good people doing good things for others. Plain and simple.

Tara Schlatman
Hanover, Ontario, Canada

Supplies going to Haiti soon!

2010-01-14T17:00:00.001-08:00

Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Haiti relief fund. Today at the club we sorted through all of our emergency relief supplies, extra clothing, towels, sheets, toiletires and sorted it into bags. We put a bit of everything in each bag. We will be sending this very soon hopefully, and adding to it with the monies we raise in our Haiti relief fund. So far, we have spent over $1000 on medical supplies that will be flown over within the next couple of days. We bought all of our medical supplies from a good friend who owns a pharmacy, called Famracia Dolores, and he generously donated more than double the supplies of what we bought. We are still accepting donations, as this is not just a one time, donate relief effort. This will be an ongoing effort, where much assistance will be needed.

Haiti Relief

2010-01-13T13:02:00.001-08:00

As many of you have probably already heard, on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 a massive Earthquake occurred in Haiti. Their capital, Port Au Prince has been destroyed with hospitals, homes, and major buildings collapsing. According to CNN, 100,000 have been confirmed dead, with a possible hundreds of thousands more missing and feared a casualty. For those who did survive, the city is in ruins and they have no where to go, and nothing to survive with. We, as a humanitarian organization cannot stand back when we are just a few hundred miles from this disaster. We have decided that the best way for us to help is to join forces with other mission groups in our area. We are collecting supplies and funds to purchase the items that will be sent to the earthquake area. The supplies being sent are sheets, towels, clothing, shoes, and the basic essentials. We are keeping in mind here that people's homes have been completely destroyed.
If you are interested in donating to the Haiti relief cause, please do so by making a donation through PAYPAL. There is a link on our blog and our website to do so, and please include a note with the donation, "For Haiti". Thank you.

Welcome to 2010!

2010-01-09T14:10:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 9, 2010

In the morning today, the puppetry teacher (Christiane Saad) was in working with the older boys and girls, and the younger kids worked with two of our teachers, Damaris and Terry, who are both really great with young kids. In the afternoon, we had our new music teacher, Tadeu De Marco in working with the older kids as well. Since our puppet and music programs are brand new, here is a brief description:

The music program is being run by a Brazilian man, Tadeu De Marco, who has worked with the age group of kids we have many times over, and created some awesome music. He starts with putting the band together - 10 singers, 10 dancers, and 15 musicians. Since we have more kids than that in the club, he did auditions - and this is what he spent hours doing on Saturday at the club. Next, Tadeu will teach the kids how to make the instruments out of bamboo, higuero (this is what maracas are made of), milk cans, PVC tube, and bicycle tire inner tubes.
And then of course, he will teach them the actual music, and by the end the children will be ready by then to show off their talents at a few local hotels. The CD produced will be sold to visitors to help the families of our kids.
This program will take 6 months - which will take the kids right into the summer. They are super excited about it, and we learned through the auditions that the kids you least expect seem to have the most talent.

The puppetry program is more than most might think - the kids are being taught by the teacher, Christiane Saad, how to make these puppets out of paper mache and recycled materials. They will write their own plays, and create their own shows. This program is GREAT for the kids, and they will really have the chance to showcase their creativity.

Overall, today was an amazing day. It was a really big day for the kids and everyone is super excited for the upcoming year and all of these great opportunities.

Fishing time!

2010-01-04T15:28:00.001-08:00

Saturday, January 3, 2010

Today was a GREAT day the club. Todd and Cindy, two of our board members and fundraisers for DOVE have been collecting fishing rods over the past few months. They ended up collecting 30, and shipped them down here before they arrived since they were not able to check them as cargo on their airplane.

So today, throughout the course of the classes, each boy picked out thier fishing rod with Todd, according to size, height, etc. and then at the end of the day they were able to take them home. The boys were SO excited, and they could barely contain themselves all day.

Normally we do not like to just give out presents to the kids, however the fishing rods are a very different story. The rods will be able to help the entire family...they will be able to properly catch fish to eat. We have seen a few different makeshift ways of fishing and nothing works as well as an actual rod.
Along with the rods, Todd also brought tackle, and each boy recieved a ziplock full of hooks and tackle to go with their fishing rod.

The boys were super excited, and later on that day, as we were driving down one of the back roads, in the pouring rain, we saw two of the boys, huge smiles on their faces, fishing rods in hand, and in the other a fish in a ziplock. "For the lunch" they said...they could not have been happier. Thanks Todd and Cindy!

A Child's Eyes

2010-01-03T17:24:00.000-08:00

My husband, youngest daughter, and two adult sons decided to visit Dove Missions on a recent trip to Puerto Plata and our lives will be forever changed. We had the priviledge of getting to know many of the boys and girls who are part of Dove Missions and even though there was a language barrier their eyes said it all. These children, who have suffered more than any human being should ever have to suffer, had a light in their eyes and smiles on their faces - they had hope. This hope is because of the work that Liz, Kathy, and Melissa are doing in their lives. Liz reminded us of Mother Theresa - giving selflessly to the innocent children and families. The love that these children are receiving because of these women touched our family and we are forever grateful. If you have the opportunity to financially support this ministry I would not hesitate. If you have the chance to visit them get ready to experience poverty like you have never seen but your bucket will be filled up with the love coming from the children! Thank you Liz, Kathy and Melissa for sharing your hearts and vision with us. We are forever grateful.
Love, Roy, Trudy, Abby, Alex and Sam, Lake Oswego, OR

Field Trips

2010-01-02T16:52:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Today was an AWESOME day! We decided to take some of the kids on field trips. So, in the morning, along with 17 great volunteers, we took our group of older older girls up the mountain in a cable car. We all squished in the bus we rented - Dominican style, and headed to the "TeleFerico". We were able to pair each girl up with a volunteer, so everyone had some great one on one time.

We had to split up into two groups for the cable cars, but we all met up at the top and walked around together.
We walked around the top of the mountain, and despite the misty rain and slippery paths, everyone really enjoyed themselves. The girls had a blast, and most of them had never been up before.
After we dropped off our big group of volunteers, we took the girls for lunch at the provocone. We had yummy chicken, rice, fried plantanes, and french fries. The girls were super excited about the day, and when we dropped them off at the center, they all left with huge smiles on their faces.

In the afternoon, we took some of the little boys and some of the older boys to the old Fort. It is really cool there, and there are lots of places to run around, and lots of old pictures and artefacts to look at.

We paired each older boy with one younger boy, and they walked around together, and sat together on the bus. A lot of the older boys are really good with the younger ones, and helping out with them.

There are several different sections of the Fort, and we tried to keep the group together and move around together - this was a really good idea. The kids had so much fun, and they too, left with huge smiles on their faces.

A busy end to 2009!!!

2010-01-02T16:28:00.000-08:00

Right now the kids are on Christmas break, and we have had a very busy week! We had two more volunteers from Canada arrive this week, as well as three of our board members. We have been with the kids every day, since it is their Christmas vacation.

On Saturday, Jenny and Jencen, our volunteers taught the kids Michael Jackson dances. The kids LOVE MJ, and Jenny and Jencen are awesome dance teachers. It was so funny, and a lot of fun. Some of the kids that I would have never expected to get up and dance actually did.

On Monday, we held our very first computer class. It was only the first one, so we took away a few things for next time. One of them being, maximum two kids to a computer...it was a little hectic! But the kids loved it, and were really trying hard.

In the afternoon we did a camera class, with a fun activity to follow. We gave the kids 10 things that they needed to take pictures of, i.e. a preganant lady, a black dog, and they had to go out in the neighbourhood and take the best pictures of these things.
On Tuesday, we had the girls for an hour in the morning, preparing letters to send to their sponsors. Then we had the kids that had participated in the camera activity in to view all of their pictures...we actually had some pretty amazing pictures. And then at noon, as always on Tuesday's, we had boys club. We did sponsor letters with them, and then took a break for lunch. After lunch, we had all the boys back for a sports activity. We took them to the huge baseball field around the corner from the club, and they had a blast playing baseball.

We have had a very busy week so far, and the kids are really having an awesome Christmas break!

Dental Care

2009-12-23T05:05:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday we had a dentist come in and teach the kids about the importance of dental health. Dr. Lepe came with his daughter, Alexandra, who is in dental school, and they did a lesson on things like how to brush your teeth properly, how to floss, and what a cavity is. You can see Alani in the picture as she was brought up to the front to demonstrate teeth brushing. A big thank you to Dr. Lepe and his daughter Alexandra!

Christmas Party

2009-12-21T17:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Dove Mission's Christmas party, and it could not possibly have gone better! We had a live DJ come to the party and all the kids had fun dancing and taking part in the contests to win prizes (merengue contest, hoola hoop, etc.) There was a delicious dinner of chicken, rice, potato salad, cole slaw, and cupcakes; everyone had a blast. We then took the kids back to the Club where we met the Moms and shared cake and spent some time together. When it was time to leave, we handed out a huge gift bag to each child, which they (and the Moms) were so excited about and gracious for. This will most definitely be a Christmas that they will never forget. Sonia, one of the Moms, told us that her son Yoandi didn't sleep the following night because he was too excited looking through his Christmas bag. Thank you to everyone who made this possible; we couldn't have done it without you!

Emma and Matt

2009-12-19T06:25:00.000-08:00

The following testimony is written by Emma Hills. She and her husband came all the way from Scotland and spent 2 days volunteering with Dove Missions in November. In 2010 she will be running a half marathon to raise money to repair our kids' houses.

In November this year I made my 8th visit to the DR, but was fed up with the tour operator trips where they only show you the side of the DR they want you to see. This, I knew, was not the real DR so with a bit of internet reasearch i found Dove Missions, looked at what they did, read the blogs, read about the kids and just got an overwhelming sense to help these kids.

After a few emails to the DR and looking at the wishlist I packed what I thought could help along with a basketball hoop for the Club and a basketball Cathy had asked for to reward good behavior to 3 boys whom were looked after by their grandmother, who looked after 18 kids!

On the day planned to spend with Dove, Liz picked us up from our hotel then on to Dove's Club. It was only about 10:30 but there were already boys waiting outside the club and this is where i first met Almondo, Eddie, and Alberto whom introduced themsleves to me in English, very impressive!

First job for my husband Matt at the club was to put up the hoop, which the kids went mad for, Domingo took charge with the drill!! With a few of the boys myself and Lisa started to make up baby packs for the new mums at the hospitial we were going to visit later. Thanks to Lisa and my friend Tracey we had lots of baby things and made loads of packs.

The day flew by and we went for lunch, then gave Jose Carlos, Leori and Yeuri their basketball which myself and Matt found very humbling how much they loved the ball and they kept thanking and hugging us for the rest of the day. The other main things that stick in my head are Andy being so lovely and him asking Cathy to take our picture and Almondo asking Matt if I was married then hugging and kissing me all the time!!! Also Alberto made myself a bracelet with my name in it - what a talented boy - it did bring a tear to my eye that he wanted to do that for me when I'm here to help and give them donations.

We then spent a 2nd day at the club, a Saturday so we could meet the girls to. Here we also met Diane and went to Aguas Negras and saw the Haitian school and on to Domingo's house where we met his Mum and the famous Chumchum (pig)!!!! Morning was Boys Club and Andy wrote me a lovely letter with a picture and gave it to me with a flower, Almondo gave me more hugs and kisses and Luis Daniel just wanted to be picked up and cuddled! Also this morning Matt, myself and some of the other volunters sorted through the donations that the club had and put all the stuff for the xmas baskets, separated them, labelled all the arts and crafts stuff - that was some going!!

The afternoon was Girls Club and Diane had donated 2 false nail painting kits and we made them with the girls - paint and glitter eveywhere but they loved it! I also had some girls clothes donated by a young friend of the family, Jessica and I had a beautiful dress that we gave to Elizabeth - she looked beautiful in it.

Saying goodbye was hard but cant wait to return in April and I'm trying to raise funds and ask people if they have any donations they feel they would like me to take already - I've seen how much they are needed and what a smile they can bring. Also when we return, May 4th is my 30th birthday and I can't think of a better way to spend it than with these kids!

Myself and Matt were also so touched by the kids and their housing, that we are trying to get a place on a local half marathon to raise money to re-roof these kids' homes. I can't imagine my roof leaking when it rains when I'm trying to sleep and these kids shouldn't have to have this happen to them. I have never ran anywhere in my life and have just started training and it so hard but will be well worth it if it stops one of the kids from getting wet while they are sleeping.

Holiday Preparations

2009-12-17T05:21:00.000-08:00

We are busy at the Club preparing for the Christmas party that will be held this Sunday for all of our children. We have a lot of volunteers coming to help out this Christmas, and the first of them arrived this week; Melissa Bazely (Dove's Volunteer Coordinator) and her Mom, Gail! So with their help, and two of the Mothers in the Club, we spread out little pieces of paper with the kids' names all across the Club to sort gifts for their Christmas baskets. Gifts were distributed according to age, gender, and size. Each child will be getting a basket full of toys, clothes, shoes, school supplies, and much more. One of the Mothers commented that this will be the best Christmas ever for her kids! The Christmas party is being held this Sunday, so you still have time to donate! We are going to need about $1000 total for everything. Thank you to everyone who has donated already, and to everyone who donated supplies to fill the baskets!

Mi Descripción

2009-12-15T06:53:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of Anamilka and Genesis, sisters who attend our Girls Club. They are holding their "mi descripción" papers that they worked hard on during the Club one afternoon. These worksheets are a great way to get the girls reading and writing in a way that seems fun to them.

Around the Center

2009-12-13T06:28:00.000-08:00

Here is what the Center is looking like right now with Christmas decorations and new supplies. The tree was a donation from Casa Nelson (a department store in Puerto Plata), and the cabinet was a donation from Shirley Smith, and Tony and Sharon Adams. A huge thank you to all of those people! The manger, pictured at the bottom, was created by our kids. It is made from palm tree leaves, and the pieces at the top are made from a specific palm tree leaf called Yagua, which is what the very poorest of Dominicans used to build their houses out of.

Meeting the Castillos

2009-12-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

The following testimony was written by Celeste Bettino. She volunteered with Dove Missions for 2 days in November, and also sponsors Leuri's family.

My November 09 mission trip was certainly a unique first-hand experience.
I was very impressed with the building and especially the way Liz and Cathy have partitioned it off for different activities. The number of donations the Mission has received--clothes, games, education material and medical supplies was also impressive. I was at the Mission’s Boys and Girls Club for two days; the first day, Monday, November 9 was a holiday and Club staff were preparing for a holiday celebration later in the afternoon. The morning was devoted to home visits and delivering parcels to sponsored families. It was wonderful to glimpse their grateful and appreciative reactions.

Although I had previously done mission work in Cuba and observed impoverished areas with dilapidated housing, the housing conditions in the Puerto Plata slum areas were beyond dilapidated; they are utterly deplorable with families living in makeshift housing with substandard or non-existent sanitary facilities.

After we completed several home visits, we returned to the Boys and Girls Club and finished setting up for holiday party. An eager group of children were waiting outside for the Club to open and the party to begin. The children were elated to be at the Club and so appreciative that they kept thanking us over and over again for the party. It was obvious to me that the Club has had and continues to have a significant impact on these children.

At this party I was fortunate to meet my sponsored family, the Castillos. They have four sons; I am sponsoring Leuri, the Castillo’s oldest son. Mr. Castillo attended this party. I was told later that it was rare for a father to attend an event at the Club. It was obvious to me that Mr. Castillo is grateful for this opportunity and is very interested in improving the living conditions of his family. I was especially honored when Mr. Castillo told me I was always welcome in his home.

On my second mission day, Saturday, November 14, I along with other volunteers spent the day sorting through the mounds of donations and organizing them by content. The intent of which was to make Christmas gift baskets for the families.

The younger children arrived around 11:00 a.m. and were shown a video on respect and acceptable behavior. The Club staff teacher, Teresa, reinforced concepts in this video. It appears to me that she is totally committed to this Club. She was especially gentle in the way she handled the children and kept redirecting them to the lesson when they became restless and unfocused. I was told that the children have come a long way from the disorderly group they previously were.

The DOVE Missions staff is doing exceptional work with these children. The children I observed were so eager to be at the Club and enthusiastic in their use of Club resources. The children know that there are people who care. The education requirement that the Club imposes to be eligible for sponsorship is significant. Education is the key to improvement.

I look forward to returning to Puerto Plata and continuing my involvement with DOVE Missions.

A New Appreciation

2009-12-08T05:38:00.000-08:00

The following testimony was written by Michael Varga about the 2 days that he spent volunteering with Dove Missions. He sponsors Yeffri's family.

In November 2009, I went on two service trips. The first trip involved the setup of a party for the kids and parents of the Boys and Girls Club along with some home visits. The second trip involved the sorting of various donations that the Boys and Girls Club had received. I also met the child that I am sponsoring, Yeffri, during the trips. At first, I felt extremely sad to see the conditions that they and their families live in. But as the day went on and as I started to interact with kids, my sadness was slowly replaced with an overwhelming sense of happiness as I saw how appreciative the kids were with everything we were doing. The service trips were truly a life altering event for me. I now have a whole new appreciation for every day life and for everything that I take for granted that those families just do not have.

November Newsletter

2009-12-06T05:53:00.000-08:00

Below is a short excerpt from the November 2009 Newsletter. Click HERE to read it all!

Greetings from the Dominican Republic!

What an exciting year! As the holidays approach there is much anticipation here to celebrate all of the great things that have happened with Dove Missions this last year. We were blessed with over 200 volunteers visiting us, sharing their time, talents and donations. With your support, we offered much needed help to the girl’s orphanage, hospital, Mustard Seed and Casa Nazarete disabled children’s homes. We painted houses, rebuilt schools and bought 50 children school uniforms and supplies. Your donations provided education, food, clean water, clothes, medicine, pampers and formula to hundreds of desperately poor children and families.

With your help we started our “club” in January as a pilot program with 12 street boys and by June we added 60 more children, and included girls programming. We had to utilize churches and schools for our classrooms until our new space was renovated. By September we were up and running in our new Vocational and Recreational center. We have over 80 children enrolled in our programs and a lengthy waiting list as well. Our programs include 6 main areas: Library and Computer Lab, Sports and Recreation Center, Health and Wellness, Art and Theater, Learning center, Vocational Training.

All of these programs are in need of sponsorship. We are able to provide a safe place for these children to receive a meal, opportunities to learn and grow and give them the hope they need to survive their current conditions. They have been sold into prostitution, violated in pedophilia rings, have parents dying of AIDS, on drugs and in jail and some are living with other family members or friends and are used as child laborers. We have kept them off of the streets and in school. We are keeping them fed and provide emergency medical relief. For every single child in our program, the “club” is a safe haven from the violence in the streets and in the home. A sandwich and juice at the club may be the only food they receive that day. It is a beacon of love and security that they have never experienced before.

Starting the New Year, we do not have the funding needed to keep the center operational, especially with the programming we have planned. I am asking you to partner with us by sending a financial gift this Christmas. Without our presence in this community, these children will be sent back into the streets, sold into the sex trades and used as child laborers and thieves.

Thank you for your continued support in Dove Missions programs. We especially need your support this coming year. Please know that whatever you can give will go a long way—and it will be very special because you cared enough to give it! With your help, we can fulfill our promise that Dove Missions will provide these children, who face so many uncertainties to know one thing for sure: Dove Missions will always be there with a smile, a word of encouragement and the gift of hope for the future.

Thank you,
Elizabeth McKie
Executive Director and Founder
Dove Missions

Girls Club Crafts

2009-12-04T04:19:00.000-08:00

In the picture below you can see (from left to right) some of our Divas; Alani, Yohani, Carolina, Rosemary, Anamilka, and Loraina. They are sitting in Girls Club and working on a craft, made with white rice. You can see the results of their work to the side. These girls have been coming to the Club for almost 6 months now, and they have come so far. Back in June, when the Girls Club started, we would try to organize crafts for the kids. The girls had never done anything like that before, and were so self conscious about their abilities. They were unwilling to even attempt the craft on their own; even the simple act of drawing a flower or colouring in a picture. They would want one of us standing behind them; often asking for us to do it for them or to hold the pencil with them. These pictures show how far they have come. Not only are they now able to have fun creating crafts and working independantly, but they are also able to gain self confidence in their abilities.

Calling All Sponsors!

2009-12-02T04:05:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to all of those people reading who sponsor a family through Dove. Eventually, we are hoping to be able to get Internet in the Dove Missions Center; this will be a great tool to helping the kids learn and teaching them computer skills. In anticipation of this, we are asking that all sponsors email us a short paragraph about who they are, and a picture or two. The kids love knowing who sponsors them, and this way, we can pull up the blog during the Club and show them pictures and information of their sponsors.

You can see Loraina and Kathiana's page for an example of how this will work. If you are interested in this, email your photo(s) and info to Nikki at ncochrane3@hotmail.com. Feel free to add any little details (for example, if you have any pets) that you think kids might be interested in knowing. Thanks!

Character Counts

2009-11-30T07:01:00.000-08:00

Lisa Mastain was in Puerto Plata in November and spent some time volunteering at the Dove Missions Center. She so generously donated a television, VHS player, and fan to Dove Missions. We have been wanting a television for awhile, and the kids were really excited about it! Here is the Boys Club watching Character Counts; an educational video. This TV will be just another tool we can use to help educate the kids in our programs. Lisa also provided the money for a pizza and ice cream party, so a big thank you to her (pictured below with Yaneli) for all her help to Dove Missions.

Holiday Party for Hope

2009-11-28T05:10:00.000-08:00

We would like to take a moment to recognize two of our Dove Missions volunteers, Melissa Bazely and Samantha Short, pictured together below in the Dominican in May. They were working with Dove Missions in the summer, and will be back both over the holidays and next summer for several months. They have seen Dove's huge need, and are fundraising to help cover the costs of some of our programs. They are holding a Spaghetti Dinner on December 2nd in Barrie, Ontario, so if anyone lives in that area, be sure to check it out for a great cause! Or, you could contact either of them to get ideas on how to start your own fundraiser for Dove Missions! You can contact Melissa at mbazely@sympatico.ca for advice on fundraising for Dove. We have so many programs in the works, and just need the funds to get started!

The Holiday Party of Hope will be held at Holly United Church, 211 Marsellus Dr. on Dec. 2 from 6 p. m. to 9 p. m. A spaghetti dinner and desserts will be served. Tickets are $15 dollars in advance at the church, and $20 at the door. Children ages five to 12 are $5 and those under age five are free.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Painting Nails

2009-11-26T06:37:00.000-08:00

The girls of the Girls Club love anything typically girly; especially painting their nails! Women and girls in the Dominican Republic are very conscious about the way they look, and you don't often seen them without their hair and nails done. Diane Wolff, Dove Missions's Secretary and Fundraising Director, was in Puerto Plata last week and brought with her, among other things, this nail painting kit. You put the paint in a spinner, and the machine paints the nails, which the girls loved and had a blast playing with. You can see Sindi to the left, and Brittany, below, showing off their new nails!

Christmas Preparations!

2009-11-24T06:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just one month away and we are planning a big party for the kids. We are going to have a dinner for the 79 kids, currently planned for December 20th. For all the food we will be buying, we will need about $5 per person. If you are interested in sponsoring a Christmas dinner, you can use the paypal button to the right (just specify that it is for Christmas) and for every $5 you donate, we will have the funds for one more dinner. We will also be raising money for transportation to the location we are having the party at, Christmas baskets with gifts for each family, and supplies for our Christmas play (set design, costumes, makeup, etc.) Donating $5 or $10 is a great gift idea for teachers or coaches this Christmas, and something that most people would really value receiving!

The kids are already very excited. Most of the families that they come from do not do anything special for Christmas. If they can afford it, they will have a special dinner. We already have the Center covered in Christmas decorations, complete with a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree! This is going to be a really special time for the kids, and we need your help to make it happen! You can see Cathy and Liz on the picture to the left, and Eddie, Oliver, and Angel below. We would like to thank Todd and Cindy Evans for the donation of all the Christmas decorations!

Music Program

2009-11-22T06:07:00.000-08:00

We are definitely going to go ahead with the music program. We have arranged a music teacher from Brazil that has been living here for years. Tadeu will spend the first 2 months constructing instruments from recycled materials, milk cans, PVC tube, water jugs, bamboo, etc. he will help the older boys do this, the next 4 months he will be teaching the boys and some of the bigger kids to play in a band, some will play, some will sing, and some will dance. They will be writing their own songs, and their own music. At the end they will be producing a CD, the music will be that good.

We are starting this music program because music is an important part of these children's lives and they light up dancing and singing when they hear music playing. The program design would include the teacher, instruments, all construction, tools, and buses to hotels to play. It is top of the line instruction at a hefty price of $600.00 a month for a 6 month program. We have others interested in donating, and once we receive enough donations to cover the whole program we will begin.

The children are so excited, and with the recording of the CD, all our sponsors will have an opportunity to hear their donation in action!

This is the main project we are working on fundaising for right now. If you are interested in donating, please click on the paypal button on the right sidebar. In the box, note that it is for the music program. Thank you so much!

Laptops Needed

2009-11-20T18:42:00.000-08:00

Last week we had many friends at the Center. Each arrived with their own cameras to capture their experience as a volunteer. We couldn't help but notice the immediate infatuation the older boys had with these cameras. They were allowed to borrow the cameras and our volunteers asked them to take photos of their fellow Dove members, like this picture of Camili. The older boys and girls are natural photographers, and it made us think about pushing up the date of our photography class to the beginning of the new year. We have sufficient donated cameras but the only thing holding us back now are computers. We don't have any that would allow the children to edit, and enjoy the photos they will take in the class. We are asking anyone who may have friends with old laptops to think about donating them to Dove.

Kite Making

2009-11-19T09:09:00.000-08:00

The Boys Club spent a class working on kite making. The kids are so creative and love doing projects like this. They went home with their kites, and shortly after, ran back to the Center to show Liz and Cathy their kites. They pointed in the distance, and there, tied to the house of one of the boys, were their kites flying high!

Bites, Cuts, and Infections

2009-11-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

As you have probably seen, we have a post outlining a list of items that we need to be donated here at the Center. Some of the most important supplies needed are in the health and medical care area, such as Advil, children's Tylenol, skin cream (polysporin), rash medicine, bandaids, etc. These photos demonstrate why we need these items. Loraina was bit by a bee while she was sleeping, and Kelvin's hand was bit by a dog. We often have kids coming to the Center with infections and cuts and scrapes that we can treat easily if we have these supplies. Loraina spent 2 days like this before she came to the Club and we saw, and gave her Benedryl, and Kelvin had to go to the hospital for an injection.

The Vehicle Fund

2009-11-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

We would like to thank everyone who donated towards the Vehicle Fund over the past few months, espcially Todd and Cindy Evans who worked hard to make this happen. Liz was in great need of a vehicle. She spent a lot of time bringing volunteers around Puerto Plata, as well as transporting kids in the Club, and without a vehicle of her own, a lot of money was being spent on hiring a driver. We are very excited to announce that enough money was raised for Liz to purchase a vehicle; in perfect timing as we had lots of volunteers helping out at Dove Missions this week who needed transportation! This will cut down on a lot of costs for hiring drivers, and will make showing our volunteers around a lot easier. Thank you again to everyone who made this possible!!

Baby Steps

2009-11-10T04:42:00.000-08:00

The following was written by Cathy Flynn, Dove's Vocational and Recreation Center Program Director: I had some visitors from England this week, and they came along to the Center. While I was at the Center talking to them, Titi came up to me and started tapping my leg saying (permiso) excuse me, so that he could speak to me. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but for weeks now Liz and I have been drilling into them that they have to say excuse me if they want to interrupt a conversation. Well he finally did, and I cried!!

Educating Our Girls

2009-11-08T07:26:00.000-08:00

“Once you educate the boys, they tend to leave the villages and go to search for work in the cities… But the girls stay home, become leaders in the community, and pass on what they’ve learned. If you really want to change a culture, to empower women, improve basic hygiene and health care, and fight high rates of infant mortality, the answer is to educate girls” (Three Cups of Tea)

Vitamin Program

2009-11-06T04:31:00.000-08:00

Dove Missions is going to be launching a new Vitamin Program for the kids in the new year, the first week of January. Many of the kids who attend the Boys and Girls Clubs have very limited diets and don't get all the nutrition their bodies need. Vitamins will help balance their nutrition and keep them healthy.

As of now, we have collected 7800 vitamins!! This is enough to launch an 8 month program for about half of our children! We haven't decided yet which children will take part in the program; we are thinking of possibly doing one gender (either all the girls, or all the boys) or doing it by age (all the kids 9 and under). We will post final details in January when the program launches.

The vitamins will be organized into small bags with 7 vitamins in each bag (see the photo). Every Saturday when the kids are at Club, we will hand out a bag that will have enough vitamins for that week. Before the program launches, we will hold a nutrition classes for the kids and their mothers, teaching them about the importance of vitamins and how and why their kids should take them.

All that said, the long term goal is to have enough vitamins for all the kids in the Dove Missions program. We also hope to extend this program past 8 months. Because of this, we would greatly appreciate donations of vitamins from anyone coming to Puerto Plata to volunteer at the Center. We are using any kind of chewable children's multivitamin. For people wishing to help from Canada, you can donate using Shoppers Drug Mart points. Just go to the Shoppers website and click on Shoppers Optimum, and then Transfer Points (http://www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/english/optimum/transfer_points/index.html) You will have to enter in your card information, and then put in the following card info. You will need the last 9 digits of my card, which are: 893 742 330

Contact Nikki at ncochrane3@hotmail.com if you want more info on how you can support this program.

Busy Saturdays

2009-11-04T04:13:00.000-08:00

Saturdays are BUSY at the Center! Throughout the day, we have Club with all of the kids! After the recent additions of some final children, we are at a grand total of 80 children that DOVE welcomes in the Clubs. For now, we are going to add just a few more kids off the wait list for waiting sponsors, and then we are going to stay at that number (around 85) as we work on raising support to grow the program to include more children; fundraising for things like rent payment, snacks for the kids, teachers, craft and educational materials, etc.

We have the kids split into five different groups by age and gender. Here are some photos! The Divas (girls aged 10-13) did not get a group photo, but there is one photo with some of them at work. The jefes (our older boys aged 14-17) also did not get a group picture, but you can check out some recent photos of them at their page.

Here are our dolphins. They are our girls aged 6-9. Top row in the top photo is: Mariely, Yani, Viviana, Camili, Meriledi, Claribel, and Heidy. Bottom row is: Lorani, Erica, Sindi, Stefany, Anamilka, Tania, Erica, Yamali, and Kathiana.

We also have divas, who are our girls aged 10-13. We didn't get a group photo on this particular Saturday, but here are some of the girls hard at work. Left to right is: Alani, Loraina, Vanessa, Patricia, and Yohani.

Here are our liones (lions). They are our boys aged 10-14. In this picture, you can see (left to right for top picture): Almondo, Franciel, Victor Manuel, Andy, Yordi, Leuri, Yeffri, Marcos, Richard, Marcos V., Eddie, Luis Manuel, and Oliver. Three of these boys (Oliver, Yordi, and Franciel) are actually in the jefe group but managed to sneak into this picture!

Here are the lobos (wolves). They are our boys aged 6-9. In this picture you can see (left to right for the top picture): Omar, Jose Antonio, Luis Daniel, Gustavo, Titi, Yoandi, Luis Gusatvo, Yesson, and Antonio.

And a group photo with all the kids (note that we did have several missing- all 80 are not in these photos).

Halloween Party

2009-11-02T04:53:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a very special day at the Center. The original plan was to make Halloween masks and throw a party, as Halloween this year conveniently fell on Saturday, our busy day at the Center when we have all the kids come for Club. Just two days before Halloween, Cathy received a call from the Manager of First Choice/Signature. They had donations from one of their Kids Club programs that was ending. They made a generous donation to Dove, including backpacks, t-shirts, water bottles, hats, and.... 16 huge boxes of COSTUMES!! This was in perfect time for the Halloween party and the kids, most of whom had never worn a costume before, were ecstatic. A big thank you to First Choice/Signature from all our kids!

Raysa, the bear

Anamilka and Rosemary

Knights in shining armour

Tatiana, Sindi, and Rosi

The girls had a blast!

Two sets of princess sisters; Lorani and Alani, Loraina and Kathiana

Eddie the pirate

Salon Work

2009-10-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

One of the longer term goals for Dove is to teach the kids vocations so that as they grow older, they can support their families. These older girls are interested in working in a salon. Conveniently, there is one located right near the Center. The girls are very excited to learn how to work in a salon, as you can see from their big smiles! The girls are: Yohani, Loraina, Vanessa, Rosemary, Elizabeth, Raysa, Anamilka, Isamay, Patricia, Tatiana, Alani, Cristina, and Yaneli.

Mothers

2009-10-30T05:08:00.000-07:00

At Dove, we strongly believe in 'giving a hand up, rather than a hand out' and we try to think of this in everything we do. When we were doing applications for children in June, prior to entering the new building and starting the Club, we knew we wanted the kids and their families to feel at home in the Club, and to feel as if it was something that they had worked hard for. In mid-June, as we started classes with the kids, we had a big meeting with all the children and their families and we explained this to the mothers. In order for their kids to attend and for them to receive grocery vouchers every month, they would need to help out as well. We wanted all of the family members to have a role in the Center- not just the kids. Since then, the Mothers have taken it upon themselves to be in charge of the cleaning of the Center. Every Tuesday at 1:30, Thursday at 1:30, and Saturday at 4:30 (a half hour before the kids leave) we have Mothers show up to tidy up for 30 minutes. They sweep, mop, tidy up, and sometimes help with the children and the Center itself (organizing, doing hair, etc.) We think this has been a really great way to get the Mothers involved, and we really enjoy spending that time with them. To the left, you can see Carolina and her mother, Dinora, as she was in the Center helping to clean. Below, you can see a cleaning schedule that the Mothers came up with on their own.

DOVE Staff and Board of Directors

2009-10-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

We thought it would be great for DOVE supporters to get to know the people who do the work behind the program. We have several staff members in the Dominican Republic, as well as a Board of Directors in the States. Below is some more info about the team!

Liz McKie, Executive Director: The Executive Director is responsible for the organization's consistent achievement of its mission and financial objectives. She is responsible for overseeing the day to day operations of the organization. The Executive Director assures that the organization has a long-range strategy which achieves its mission, and toward which it makes consistent and timely progress. She provides leadership in developing programs and financial plans with the Board of Directors and staff. The Executive Director maintains official records and documents to ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations. Liz can be contacted at info@dovemissions.org

Melissa Bazely, Volunteer and Sponsorship Coordinator: Melissa lives in the Dominican Republic. She has done humanitarian work in the DR, Haiti, and Mexico. Melissa is in charge of our volunteer program; she will plan and coordinate trips for volunteers and then host them when they arrive to the Dominican Republic/Haiti. Melissa also oversees our Sponsorship program. Melissa can be contacted by email, at volunteer@dovemissions.org.

PHOTO COMING SOON!
Deb Srbich, Treasurer: The treasurer is responsible for managing the organizations finances. She presents a financial report at each board meeting. The treasurer chairs the finance committee, assists in the preparation of the budget and taxes, helps develop fundraising plans, and makes financial information available to board members and the public. Deb can be contacted at treasurer@dovemissions.org

PHOTO COMING SOON!
Greg Howland, Board Member: Greg's career as a registered nurse began in 1984 and he worked in the emergency room for a number of years. He obtained a bachelor’s degreein public health and transitioned into clinical research where he has been working since 1998. Recently Greg returned to school to work towards a master of public health degree at Indiana University. His first trip to Haiti was in the summer of 1978. He spent the majority of his time at Christianville, in Gressier (east of Port au Prince). He returned to Haiti in June 2010 to assist with the rebuilding of a Macombre Christian Academy (east of Port au Prince). December 2010 Greg spent 16 days working at a Cholera Clinic with Samaritan’s Purse in CiteSoliel. This past March and June (2011) he worked in Cap Haitian area planning, coordinating, and conducting medical clinics at Kids Alive,Lory, Basin Gren Chemin, and Madeline. Greg's first trip with DoveMissions was in September, 2011.

PHOTO COMING SOON!
Nan Howland, Board Member: Nan Howland became an RN in 1983 and spent a majority of her career working in Pediatric Intensive Care. Nan assumed the role of education consultant in 2001 where she developed and implemented various educational opportunities for bedside caregivers in a Children’s Hospital. Nan also taught and coordinated Pediatric Advanced Life Support classes. She earned her MSN in leadership and administration in 2010 with a focus on simulation. Currently Nan coordinates and creates educational simulations for students in various healthcare professions.
Nan’s first trip to Haiti was in the spring of 2011 where she worked in a medical clinic and assisted in English classes for Haitians.

Our Jefes

2009-10-27T04:23:00.000-07:00

Our "jefes" (bosses) are our older boys in the Club. We are really wanting to expand our programs with them. Unlike the younger kids, they need more than just crafts, singing, dancing, and games. Many of them are considered adults in their culture, and we need to set them on the right track so that in the future they can support their families. If you are interested in supporting these programs, please use the paypal button on the sidebar and specify your funds for the older boys or the "jefes".

Volunteer With Dove

2009-10-26T08:05:00.001-07:00

Interested in volunteering with DOVE and our program? We would love to have you!

We know that even spending one afternoon with us in our club will prove to be a very rewarding and life changing experience. Whether you want to come spend a day of your vacation with us, or come to volunteer for 2 weeks (or more!) we would love to have you come and serve.

DOVE charges a fee of $75/day for each day a volunteer is working in the field with us and an adjusted rate for those volunteers serving for extended time periods, for large groups and for families. This fee includes your transportation, lunch and a full guided day in the field. You can make this payment via paypal, Visa, or by check and it is a fully tax deductable donation for those volunteers living in the States.

The field director will pick up volunteers and will be your guide for the day ensuring that you are able to visit and see everything you are interested in seeing. We guarantee that your experience with DOVE’s children and families will be a very rewarding one complete with lots of activities and love to give and receive.

There are many choices of programs and activities volunteers can participate in as they spend time with DOVE in the field. These include teaching our English class, working in the Boys’ and Girls’ Club, feeding the street children, visiting the sick in the hospital, playing with and assisting handicapped children, helping in an orphanage, and organizing sports activities for the kids. You can discuss with Melissa what you are interested in doing and come up with a schedule for your visit.

Contact Melissa Bazely at volunteer@dovemissions.org to start planning your trip! There is a short application and agreement form all volunteers must fill out and then Melissa will arrange all the details.

We’re so excited for you to come volunteer – we can’t wait to get started planning your time with us, here in Puerto Plata!

October In Pictures

2009-10-26T06:04:00.001-07:00

The kids were excited to see Liz back after her 2 weeks in the States!

Adorable Camili

Alani making a puppet craft

Boys Club making music

Titi and Yoandi

Girls Club having fun

Andy and Yoandi with their mom, Sonia

Cathy working hard!

Vanessa and Marcos

Art Contest

2009-10-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

We finally announced the winners of the Art Bench contest! The older boys painted the wooden art benches that they had previously made in wood shop. And the winners were; Alberto 1st place, Eddie 2nd place, and Andy 3rd place. The girls club picked the winners. 1st prize was 500 pesos, 2nd was 250 pesos, 3rd was 150 pesos all coming off the balance of their bike loans. Each child that participated and painted a bench all received 50 pesos off the balance of their bike loans for trying.

Alberto, first place

Eddie, second place

Andy, third place

iGive

2009-10-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

For those of you who do online shopping (especially with the holidays fast approaching) this is a really great way to do your shopping AND support Dove at the same time! Shopping or searching at IGIVE means a donation for your favorite cause... Dove Missions! You can earn a penny or more just for searching, a $5 bonus for your first purchase, and up to 26% of your purchases at over 730 stores like Amazon, eBay, Travelocity, Home Depot, among many other stores. So when you are doing your shopping this holiday season, think of Dove and shop through iGive!

Click HERE and sign up!