Child of the Week: AnaMilka

DOVE readers we would like to introduce to our child of the week, AnaMilka. AnaMilka has been a member of the Youth Development Center for many years, and she adds a lot of inspiration and strength to our program. AnaMilka is fourteen years old and is a part of our older group here at the club. She has a younger sister named Genesis, and both are very active members of our program. 

AnaMilka is in her first year of high school and she is an extremely intelligent student. She excels both in the class room and as a member in the DOVE community. She is always inspiring and encouraging the younger children to do their best. AnaMilka is fluent in both Spanish and English. She is very smart and comes to the club on many extra days to help out the staff with the younger children. AnaMilka also loves to dance and likes to spend time with her friends – many of which are in the club as well!

When AnaMilka grows up, she wants to be a doctor. You can see her at the club helping children with first aid issues, such as a scraped knee, or giving advice on how to live a healthier life. She also loves to help the director with paperwork, taking attendance and acts as a translator when necessary. 

AnaMilka is one of the lucky kids in our club because her sponsor has chosen the “Advanced Sponsorship Program”, which means that for about a $1000 a year, her sponsor supports her education by sending her to a private academy where the education is more advanced than in the public schools. At the private academy she learns more about the English language and is enrolled in the necessary classes to put her on the path way to become a professional in the health field!

Child of the Week: Daniel

                 This featured story is about Daniel.  

Daniel is a young boy who is fairly new to the DOVE organization and has been participating with our youth development group at The Club for roughly 6 months. He is a delightful addition to our club.  It is somewhat rare for a new child to be so involved with the activities at the club, most of them are somewhat shy to participating and meeting new kids. But Daniel jumped right in and became a very positive part of our youth group. He is always helpful and smiling, and is extremely grateful to be a part of the Dove Missions family. And we are grateful to have him in our organization!

A few weeks ago during one of Daniel's afternoon walks, he was strolling past a fence with a huge metal gate and the gate came crashing down on him! It shattered the bones in his leg and crushed his jaw bone. He is in rough shape but his spirits are very good. The older group of boys and girls are putting on a dance and concert in our Barrio Park next weekend to help raise funds to pay the enourmous medical bills that Daniel's family is facing. 

We would all appreciate prayers and support for his speedy recovery. We are so impressed with the generosity of our children and how they use their talents to help support each other. They love the club so very much.

This is Why We NEED a New Club...

Today, our fuse box exploded at the Youth Development Center (The Club). There has also been constant flooding happening here too, need we say more? This place is currently not a suitable environment for our kids to be in. The Club is shut down until further notice. Today, our children are learning and playing outside in the 101 degree whether.

Dangerous combination. Not safe for our children. 

Please help us raise money to build a new Youth Development Center for our children and their families. Any kind of donation that you can give, big or small, is greatly appreciated. Our goal is to raise between $65,000-80,000 USD. You can help by donating at our website. Just press the donation button at the top of the page. THANK YOU! :) http://dovemissions.geocko.com/campaigns/ecc?preview=1

Domingo's Visa to Canada

This is Domingo Peralta. He has been a part of Dove Missions for many years, and has been involved with the club activities since he was a little boy. Domingo has learned a lot from the education he had received from Dove Missions, and can now use his work and language skills to enhance his life. Now, as a teenager, Domingo cannot be a student at the club because of his age but he still helps out at the as an assistant to all staff and volunteers. He does a fantastic job and is really talented with connecting with the younger students at the club.

Recently, Domingo applied for a Canadian visa. This is a huge deal because not a lot of Dominican's are allowed to leave the country. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and luck to receive a valuable gift, like the visa. This past Tuesday, Domingo was presented with a gift of a lifetime... one that will change his life forever.. a Canadian visa to leave the Country!

Domingo with his family. They are very proud.

Domingo is going to visit with Melissa and Joan Almonte. Melissa and Joan used to live in the Dominican Republic but recently moved back to Canada. They still work for Dove Missions within the Child Sponsorship Program and do long-distance work for us.

Garry Thoms, is an incredible man. He is the one who sponsored Domingo's visa for Canada.  Garry has been a long time supporter along with his son, Sam and mom and dad.  We could not have gotten this visa without him volunteering to sponsor Domingo and paying all of the expenses. Thank you Garry!!

Melissa and Domingo at his first restaurant in Canada.

Domingo is a wonderful part of the Dove Missions family, and we wish him all the best!! :) Keep reading this blog for updates about Domingo and his once in a lifetime endeavor. 

New Volunteer Opportunities: Construction Division

Dove Missions has created and managed youth development outreach programs primarily aimed at serving abandoned, abused and orphaned kids living on the streets of Puerto Plata. These families live in extremely poor areas of Puerto Plata, and some of them don't even have a roof to cover parts of their home. This issue has caught DOVE's attention, and as a result, a Construction Division is now in place to help these families live in suitable and safe homes. 

One of our long-term volunteers, David Massey, is the construction lead for this new division. In the near future, any volunteer who comes to the D.R. will have the opportunity to assist David and his team repair or build new homes in Puerto Plata, if they wish. As mentioned in the previous blog post, DOVE is currently in the planning process of building a new club.

Volunteers are able to assist with this construction once the plan is concretely in place.

$80,000 USD is still needed to make this happen, so please spread the word or donate via PayPal on our website https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=9b56yf08JccDvAAQI0MVa_L-VFCFMqPuqwZGIfQNmEPS6F6e2iAMZ0fnsRW&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d4e181b3aff599f99e8c17bd6c7fe2f56. 

The Construction Division offers volunteers to help with home building, construction on the new club, and to help repair homes in the Haitian barrios surrounding Puerto Plata. Please keep checking this blog for updates with this!

Sign up to volunteer with DOVE today, or if you have already volunteered with us, please come back soon and help us build a promising future for our children and families! 

Rasing Money for New Club Building

For the past two years, DOVE Missions has been working hard to improve the quality of The Club building and the surrounding environment and community that it lives in. Liz Sunel has a vision for a NEW club to be built. Across the street, on the other side of the park, DOVE has been putting in endless effort to try and buy a piece of land so that this new building can support the children of the club and their families. DOVE recently received good news that they are able to the buy the land, and construction plans for building this new club is underway!

The land to build a new club is across the street from this park.

DOVE needs to raise $12,000 in 6 months in order to make this happen. Fundraisers will happen for this but we also need YOUR help! Any volunteer hours to help with construction, monetary donations, or prayers are more than welcome and greatly appreciated. 

This new club is important to DOVE and the community because it will offer a computer lab so that the children can enhance their English and writing skills, a clean shower to bathe in, 4 study rooms for the specific activities currently going on at The Club, and a worship area for the Haitian Community. This worship area is important for the Haitian Community because, at times, they are at risk for expressing their beliefs in public. We want to make sure that our Haitian and Dominican children and families are safe and are not faced in dealing with any dangerous situations. The Club is a safe place for them. It is a safe place for everyone!

Video of DOVE's Mission

We provide opportunities for you, your families, your church community and your friends to come and serve the poverty-stricken youth and families with us here in the Dominican Republic. You will not only bring these children joy and hope but you may have your own life transforming experience. By serving others in a powerful way, you will recognize your own personal and spiritual growth.

Any way that you can help such as volunteering, fundraising, grant writing, or simply sponsoring a child would be highly beneficial for DOVE to be a stronger presence in the Puerto Plata community.

Please take a moment to watch this truly moving video narrated by Founder & Executive Director, Liz Rooney Sunel herself. Enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCmUk0c9LYM&feature=player_embedded#!