Every Volunteer CAN Make a Difference!

Today was an earlier start for Team #3 but it was so worth the use of the wake up call! I think I can speak from my whole team when I say that we had a wonderful (or should I say, “maravilloso”) day at the Arroyo Seco Clinic. My Spanish has improved from none to very poor so at least its a step in the right direction. The language barrier isn’t as much as a problem as I thought it would be, though it would nice to be able to communicate with the local people in a bit of their own language (especially when I was trying to console a child who was terrified of the dentists). We have amazing doctors and dentists that we have been working with at our clinics. I got to work with the dentists today and although personally I have never liked visits to the dentist, I have a new found respect for the profession. They were able to relieve a lot of people’s pain today by pulling teeth which made a big difference for the patient. The dentist even let me pull a tooth. It was so exciting!A leader on our trip said something that has really stuck with me, “The only difference between us, the participants, and them, the local people, is the country we were born in”. At that moment, I knew exactly why trips like this or organizations like LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) exist. To help the people of countries like the Dominican Republic get the things they deserve and have a right to: Education and Healthcare. I have these rights back home in Canada and will definitely not take them for granted. I also came to the conclusion the I am here to help change some sad realities for others and that one volunteer at a time can help. I am so thankful to be a part of this amazing experience which has without a doubt changed my life for the better. I hope everyone is enjoying reading our blogs and looking at the pictures of what we have been up to. We’ll see you all when we get home.~ Emily, a participant having a blast on the Hero Holiday DR Medical trip.