The new heroes are here!
Happy Saturday. It’s pretty quiet here this morning. I’ve been up since four to meet the weary travellers as they came. So, yes, everyone is here safe and sound and…sound asleep! They have the morning to rest. This afternoon will be their education tour with Adrian. I believe we are taking everyone to Carraballo this time and then across the river to Ascension, where we built the homes and dug the pipeline last year.
First of all, for those of you worrying about Haiti, let me put your mind at ease! Only adults went except for a few minors who we received parental consent for. So don’t panic if you have kids here and didn’t know what was up with that! They are just going for the day with a medical team and a lot of gifts. We wouldn’t take to a place we didn’t feel was safe and they are with people from here who know the area.
We are missing a few faces around here and experiencing a bit of “separation anxiety” having to say a quick good-bye to those that returned home. To all of you who came and are now on the “other side of the blog” we love you and miss you. Thank you for giving of your time and energy this past week. You are truly amazing. You impacted the people here more than you probably realize. By the way, I believe we made the papers in Sosua and Santo Domingo or Santiago, can’t remember which it was. Everyone is talking about the crazy gringos who came to work. It meant so much to the Dominican and Haitian people that you came not as a tourist, taking from them, but came with hands extended, helping them, giving them honour, value and dignity. You weren’t afraid to hug the children and play with them. You touched people at the dump who are often despised for their lot in life. They are often seen as “lepers” – the untouchables. Yet you hugged them and shook their hands. That placed dignity and value on them. You worked alongside the local workers on the building projects; you didn’t turn away from the deformed and abandoned children at the orphanage but gave them what they needed most – love. You are heroes in every way. Don’t forget this week and chalk it up to a great experience you had one summer. Let it shape who you become. You are world changers and history makers. You are our nation’s future. We believe in you and we believe in your dreams. I’m so glad you’re in my world. Make every day count. Refuse to be average.
Go MAD! (Make a difference)