Welcome back to our blog page, and happy 2013. DOVE would like to invite you to become a follower of this blog so that the essence of the Mission and the support of this incredible program continue to grow and prosper with all the good it is connected to. And most importantly, becoming a supporter of this page will influence exciting opportunities DOVE has yet to meet. Please share our Mission with others by reading our story! By DOVE's name being passed on through word of mouth and by following our media websites, countless lives will be saved and touched, including the lives of the volunteers, the staff members, of course the children, and most importantly -- your own. Our story is unique... and must be told.
Below is an excerpt from a woman who shares her experience the last few days in Puerto Plata as a DOVE volunteer:
"When I first arrived in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic I was overwhelmed by the contrast of events this country had to offer. I felt like I was living on the edge of two extremes and didn't know how to make sense of it. For example, one moment I would be seeing a man driving an expensive car and then within seconds I would see a group of families struggling to buy food for the day. I would see a beautiful and exotic hotel on one beach, and then just 3 miles down the shoreline there would be a beach that was fostered by garbage and sewage waste, and poor families living in cardboard box-like homes. It is common to see more of the poverty extreme in than the wealthy extreme. And this is why the DOVE program is so vital to Puerto Plata. Helping these poorer families is urgent.
The thing I love about the Youth Development Center (the building that offers food, shelter and clothing to the poorer children in Puerto Plata) is that it is in the heart of the city where families need it the most. Children can participate in any activity that is going on for the day, whether it is participating in an art project or playing basketball outside on the courtyard. One activity that I had participated in was taking the kids to the beach to participate in a yoga class. A lot of the children who come to the mission center do not have a lot of support or love from their families, even their own parents and relatives. Everything is like survival of the fittest, one man for himself. DOVE does not accept this kind of behavior so they help and love and support the children in any way possible.
The experience of this yoga class took place on a nice, clean beach, and this physical and mental exercise really guided the children to dig deep within their inner thoughts to find a sense of enlightenment and a state of peace. The point was to teach them that there is a lot of good feelings and good people in the world, especially within themselves, even in the midst of all the chaotic and corrupt things happening on the streets of Puerto Plata or even within their own home. The yoga instructor walked around and fixed everyone's posture, or whispered in their ears that they were important.. something so simple, but so important to a child's growth. Something so important to their heart and soul. This experience was so connecting. At times, when language became a barrier for communication, our body language said something different. We were all united by the respect for ourselves, the state of tranquillity, and a love for a mysterious higher power that connected us all. Every person left the beach that day with a smile so big that we all knew our lives were transformed for the better. This is the Mission and the inspiration of DOVE.
My journey is slowly coming to an end, and I have learned so much from being here in such a short amount of time. I believe that love can be felt in the darkest of places, that strangers can be synergized by compassion and a power of grace, and that tranquillity can be found in even the most bitter of moments." - Kristin from Minneapolis, MN - 2012 volunteer.
Every day is a new one.. a new event, a new problem, a new tear to wipe away from an innocent face. But with each new day, there is an opportunity for growth. To rise like a phoenix from the ashes, and to transform the bad experiences to good ones so that all can feel free, and fly like a newly transformed butterfly. Thank you DOVE Missions for allowing me to be a part of such a wonderful organization. I will definitely be an individual who is a forever supporter and volunteer for your mission.
"And when we pay attention and when we grow, we become freer, more flexible, more faithful, more able to ask for help. We become less fearful, more able, more comfortable with the idea of life as a beautiful mess. You want me to say that when you grow, finally, all the changes will stop, but they won't. There will be another one, another opportunity to grow, to shed your skin, to rise like a phoenix from the ashes, to break out of your cocoon like a perfect new butterfly." -Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet
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