I honestly don't know how to describe my trip well enough to express the way I felt while I was there and the way I still feel now. I have been on so many trips previous to this one, but it was truly different. This place has left a lasting impression on me, one that I hope is going to be hard to shake. I wish I could relive my time there over and over again because it was full of so many small miracles that made such a huge difference in my life. It is an experience that I will continue to remember and one that I will continue to talk about... because it was just that good!
Barahona is a city on the south side of the island of Republica Dominicana. It is also only one hour away from the Haitian border. It is such a beautiful place, the ocean water is clear blue and it is surrounded by a lush, green rainforest. Beyond all of this scenery is a different story. My first impression of the place was how could a place this beautiful be this broken. Away from the beach are the small villages lined with trash, mud, and huts. The children walk around with no shoes and ripped clothes. It was such a devastating thing to see as we drove around the first day, to go from beauty to the ugliness of it all. It shocked me and definitely made me question what I could possibly do to make anything better.
The second day we were able to finally get down to work. Children of the Nations has been working in Barahona since 1995 and we were able to see all of their effort. We were able to tour the five villages that COTN has, two of them were Dominican while the other three were Haitian. Every time we pulled into a village I was scared to see what was inside of them, but each time I stepped out of the van that fear disappeared. It was the first day when I realized that things aren't always what they seem. Just because the surroundings were unpleasant, I started to realize the beauty of the imperfectness that I was so used to in the U.S. Each child that grabbed my hand had a huge smile across their face and that is when I figured out what I was doing there.
Barahona is a very simple place to us, but if you actually sit there and think about it, it's what our lives should look like. The people are the friendliest people I have ever met. There was not a time when I felt like I was unwelcome. I don't remember walking into a place without receiving a smile, hug, or kiss. The Dominicans are also not concerned with time by any means. At the beginning of the trip it was frustrating that nothing ever happened when it was supposed to and none of the rooms had clocks! Throughout the week my need for a clock diminished and I realized how obsessed our culture is with time. The people there don't limit things with minutes. If they are having a good time talking with someone then they just keep talking, and if things don't get done today, there is always tomorrow. There is no pressure to get things done, which makes doing things so much more enjoyable! The thing that had the most impact on me was how little people had. Take everything you own and make it disappear. Then add in a small hut for a home with a dirt floor and no air. Next take three of your shirts, two pairs of pants and one pair of shoes back. Imagine no running water and little to cook with. A few pieces of rundown furniture and no car. That is what they have, and you know what? They are the happiest people I have ever known! Some of them are happier then I am and I considered myself a pretty humble person. One of our translators, Daniela, said "As long as the children are feed and their family is healthy, they are all happy." And she is right. What more do you really need? I'm not saying that we should downgrade to just that, but think about the things we indulge ourselves in. Those are the things we don't need! I read that the United States is the top 15% of wealthy people, not just some of the U.s., all of it! That means that 75% of the rest of the world lives in the way I just described. We are such an exception to a comfortable life. The people of Barahona, as well as the rest of the world, no nothing else than what they have. And what they have is enough. I wish I could say that what I have is enough, but that's just not part of our culture, it's not part of the 15%. We always want more. I'm not saying everyone should change their lifestyle, I know that would be impossible, but we just need to be aware. We need to be mindful of this "simple" life.
It was this culture that has raised the children I spent my week with. And they are the reason I fell in love with this place. These children had the biggest hearts, with the biggest smiles. They didn't have toys or books, but as long as they had us they had fun. They had so much love to give even though they don't receive it at home. It was amazing the relationships that were formed in just five days and not being able to speak the same language. All the love I saw in the culture piled up as the kids held onto me. And their love for the Lord was even more heart warming to see. They taught me so much more than I could have ever taught them about life and love. It is those smiling faces that have encouraged me to come home and make a difference here by sharing their story. BUt I can't stop there, I want to continue to go back and build on what I've already seen. Even though I went to spread love and teach things, I feel like I was feed more than I could have ever given.
Right now my heart is still in Barahona, with the not so nice homes, and the people who are never on time. But that is what I love about it. It opened my eyes to better things, that I would have never seen as good before. My heart will stay there until I return, God willing.
