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Children in a batey
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Batey 50 children
The team of 103 volunteers
from Connecticut that will be traveling to the Dominican Republic leaves today to
serve the very poor is in for an unbelievable treat. Yes, each team member is
leaving the comforts of home to help some of the poorest people in our
hemisphere. All raised a significant amount of money to pay for their airfare,
buses, food and lodging, etc. Many are taking precious vacation time to work,
sweat, give up privacy, and sacrifice.
But this group will
receive a gift from the children of Batey 50 that, as the MasterCard commercial
states, is "priceless." How do the poorest of the poor
"reward" this group of average Americans, hailing from the wealthiest
state in the wealthiest county on the face of the earth?
For seven days,
members of the Wallingford, Conn., DR Mission Team will travel over the dusty
roads in the middle of miles and miles of sugar cane to reach Batey 50. About
as far removed from the rest of the world as can be imagined, this sugar cane
village of Haitian migrant workers and their families is a two-hour ride each
way from the city of La Romana. The village has no electricity, no running
water, no telephone, no Internet, no cell service. While there, the volunteers
will be continuing "Fifty for 50," a project to rebuild all 50 shacks
in the village into safe, sturdy, dry cinder block homes. A school is also
underway -- more about that in future blogs.
Back to the "reward" for the U.S. volunteers. Click t o see the short video and for a moment enjoy the greeting from the children of Batey 50 when the old school bus of U.S. volunteers arrive in their village each day. The kids are chanting "Mateo, Mateo" for their friend Mateo Poderes. Celebrate their joy, thank the Lord for these precious children, and appreciate their thankfulness that people do "care the least of these" and help their fellow man.
Follow the team's trip on their blog.