WINTER SEASON

There is nothing like getting back into the swing of work and hitting the ground running…..literally just a few short days after our return.
It has been an extremely busy winter season with 10 teams arriving in the past two months to work in the beautiful sunshine with moderate temperatures, no humidity …. and just a trace of no rain …. with the added bonus of also escaping winter’s wrath at home for a short time. Can life get any better? Please forgive us for not updating our blog sooner but as you can imagine….life has been pleasantly busy (hectic) lately. We are very thankful for each and every team that has come down to help enrich the lives of the poor through the Samaritan Foundation. It doesn’t end here. More teams are scheduled to arrive shortly and we look forward to working together with them too. Recently, 50 homes were dedicated and given to families, more than 2,000 lunches have been prepared for school children & 725 food hampers to feed a family for a week were given out in 5 different villages. Tickets were distributed the day before by the pastor which was then redeemed for a bag of food. Women’s programs were taught; 40 eager ladies learned how to crochet, movie afternoons were held for the children, playgrounds revitalized, visit made to patients in the public hospital and lots of construction has taken place on 4 different work sites. On Sundays most teams were treated to a Dominican or Haitian service while still others participated in the “Church in the woods” service which takes place each Friday morning in a high place located near Los Algodones. On February 27th, Independence Day parades were held throughout town marking the 167th anniversary of the Dominicans independence from Haiti’s rule over the island. School children everywhere including those in villa Paraiso and Nazareth marched to the beat of the band’s drum waving their flags. ….what an awesome sight this was to see. Highlights:
After the house dedication for 2 senior men, the team moved them into our newest type of home: a duplex, and then proceeded to tear down their former shack they called home.Being part of the whole process from painting and installing the windows and doors, to moving their meager possessions and then tearing down was an emotional but rewarding experience for them. Having the ability to change individual lives and seeing the joy and gratitude on their faces was “the best feeling ever” for some of the participants.