"Smiles makes all the blazing hot days worthwhile"

In July 2018, Futuro Lleno de Esperanza welcomed four international interns to live and work with and in our community. They've been asked to share their experience in the form of a blogpost. If you are interested in experiencing the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2019, we will be launching our intern applications in the coming weeks. We strive to offer low cost international experiences for teenagers that benefit both our community and the interns development and growth.

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Hi! My name is Chris, and I’m one of the fellows who interned in Cienfuegos for a couple weeks. I was asked to write a blogpost describing my experience there, hence here I am.

To begin, I’ll say that the Dominican Republic was my first real encounter with victims of poverty. Of course, I’d caught glimpses of poorer lifestyles on the outskirts of American towns or on the streets of New York, but never before had I been enveloped by whole cultures shaped by financial stress. Only ever having heard of the DR as a developing country, I didn’t know whether to expect rampant industrialism, unlivable ghettos, or something else.

Thankfully, it’s not quite either one. I noticed the bigger cities like Santiago and even some smaller ones have integrated modern business styles and function wholesomely, with such booming markets as tourism, telecommunications, and automobile.

On the other hand, there are a few areas that are lagging behind in the development process. We were given the 411 on the faulty education system, which doesn’t look too good for a country on its way up. The homogeneity also leaves room for spots of racism and sexism to broil; often, as a Korean, passing pedestrians would provocatively shout, “Chino!” my way. Contempt for neighboring Haitians is also palpable in conversation with natives, given a muddy history rife with genocide and conflict.

That’s not to say the experience isn’t enjoyable. Personally, the greatest joy came from being a part of the solution to these issues. Coming to camp in Cienfuegos was my favorite part of the four weeks Alex and I stayed, because that was when we had the chance to spend time with youth, show them some love, and encourage their growth - emotional and educational. Whether it be crafting superhero costumes from everyday scraps, teaching the water cycle, or playing some good ol’ basketball, we all had a good time. Though the kids may come from "broken" families, backgrounds, and households (literally), their innocence makes them impressionable and kind. The smiles of a few good-natured children - Jeferson, Anderson, Carlos - make the all the blazing hot days worthwhile.

I think the most impactful part of my stay, for me, was communicating with those people facing struggle - not only Dominicans, but outcasted Haitians living there too. Too often, the human element is omitted from perspectives of poverty for want of statistics or blame or some sort of corrupt agenda. It’s hard to understand or even sympathize with their situations when all you absorb is numbers.

Being able to talk to these people, to listen to their stories in person really put their lives in perspective; it brought me to care in the same way you care for a friend more than for a stranger. It was this connection that showed me just how important it is that Futuro Lleno de Esperanza exists; it is truly God at work to nourish the mind and spirit of Dominicans and Haitians alike, and to fill their futures with hope.

The DR was an amazing experience, and not just because of the blessed team (yo soy team!) and weekend sightseeing. Thank you, Melanie, for giving us an opportunity to volunteer, for being an awesome teacher, and for serving the community in Cienfuegos!