Full Circle

Working with Pre-Teen Girls

When Futuro Lleno de Esperanza opened in 2011, one of the "needs" that the community had identified was pre-natal care for young mothers. At that time, most of the young mothers were in their late teens, and due to the population explosion in the area, the public health services were lacking. Women were getting pre-natal care, but not pre-natal education.

We opened some basic pre-natal education classes: what happens to our bodies during pregnancy, how to take care of ourselves, nutrition during pregnancy, childbirth preparation and lactation advice. The women received a healthy and hearty snack during class sessions and their prenatal vitamins. The word spread and women were popping in and asking when the next session would start.

By all measures, the program was working.

But something wasn't right. The women - young and old, first pregnancy and fifth pregnancy - had so many questions and doubts about the anatomy of their bodies, that we started to dig deeper and find out what was going on. 

It turns out that young women were getting younger - we were (and are) seeing younger girls getting pregnant - and that they weren't (and aren't) receiving any kind of orientation in school or at home about their bodies.

Cue a huge brainstorming session on how we, as an education-focused organization, could help. Three years ago, we began working with our partner school to offer "reproductive health" workshops to middle school girls. 

In December, we celebrated a full circle moment.
A number of the students in the workshops this semester were girls who had graduated from Futuro Lleno de Esperanza in our very first pre-school graduation. 

It might seem insignificant - but for us, it fulfilled our expectations of working with our preschool kids through elementary school. We have watched these girls (and boys) grow and learn since they were five years old, and now we get to watch them, and help them, transition into a new period of their lives. 

The program has morphed and transformed over the three years, and is completely adaptable to the girls in each group. All of the workshops have components of female biology, information about how their period works, feminine hygiene. Most importantly, the workshops focus on each girl's self worth, her value as a human being, her power - and the power of women all over the world. We want these girls to know that they are special, that they are loved, and that they have a future full of hope. 

Haitian Youth Ministries

Our center is just one of many in the Futuro Lleno de Esperanza Foundation. The history is that "our" Futuro was conceived and built based on a need conveyed by the people of our community, and once it began to "run itself," the founders felt called to expand. While we work closely with the foundation, our ministry is a little different than the rest of the foundation since we work in a purely Dominican community and other other centers - more than 50 small churches and 20 learning centers - are situated in purely Haitian migrant communities.

This December, we all had the opportunity to put together a 3 day retreat for high school students involved in our Haitian community ministries. The team at Futuro helped to put together the schedule and leadership activities, and the pastors and leaders of the churches helped to run the show.

40 teenagers took part in the retreat from 5 of the church communities. We had a great time developing leadership skills, studying the Bible, playing games and fellowshipping together. The leaders of the retreat identified some teen leaders who, if they accept, will take part in more leadership training and be in charge of future retreats and youth activities - making it a locally, youth led ministry

Short term teams will have the opportunity to join in this leadership training this year! We are looking for ways to increase authentic, meaningful, mutual learning between our teens and the teens who come to share with us on short term trips.

Emmanuel.

I am a last minute packer. I often forget important things like my toothbrush... or once, when I forgot to pack any tee-shirts at all for my oldest son on a three-week trip to visit family. I throw things into the bag, and hope for the best.

On Tuesday morning, I ran into school for an hour or so to leave everything in order. I'd be leaving for a week, gone during the pay period for students and payroll time for employees. I left all of the food and payments and said goodbye to the kids and teachers. The plan was to get things ready at home and finish my day teaching at the university. When I got home, I would pack my bags, snuggle my kids and get a good night's rest before heading to Florida on Wednesday morning.

You know what they say about the best laid plans, right? Well, I got home and my daughter had been throwing up since I left. She needed to go to the doctors to make sure it was nothing serious. Her dad came home from work to take her, and I organized my class plans and got ready for work. He called and told me that they were now in the emergency room where she was getting rehydrated and having a blood panel and other tests run.

The test results said she had not one, but two lovely parasites - each of which was resistant to one of the two anti-parasite meds, which meant she'd need to get both. Intravenously. Overnight. In the hospital.

On a normal day, this wouldn't be an concern - parasites are fairly common on the island and we are lucky to have good medical insurance. But, I still hadn't packed or prepared anything for my trip. I shot off an email to my mission partner letting him know what was up. He wrote back quickly, saying he's praying for our daughter. It then said Emmanuel.

My mission partner is Korean. He uses at least two names when he signs - I call him by his last name, but Dominicans and Haitians call him Santiago, but never Emmanuel. I was confused. Did he change his name again?

I rushed home after my last class and threw all of my things in a suitcase, grabbed some sheets and a pillow and called a taxi to take me to the airport. I ran into our neighbor's house and kissed my youngest son goodbye while he slept. I arrived at the hospital and had to convince the security guard to let me in since it was well past visiting hours, and my husband and oldest son left for home.

In the morning, my stomach began to hurt. I knew what was happening - I had the parasite! And needed to get on a plane in a few short hours. The pediatrician graciously wrote me a prescription with instructions to drink plenty of fluids. I opened my email before I left the hospital to check in for my flight and saw the email from my partner again - signed Emmanuel.

You can probably imagine my anxiety - using the airplane bathroom is not fun in ordinary circumstances. You have to climb over your seat mates, wait in line and then feel bad that people are waiting for you to finish. It's not ideal. When I got on the plane though, it wasn't even half full! I had no seat mates to climb over and no lines to wait in for the bathroom. It seems like a small thing, but it was a real gift.

I made it to Florida without a hitch. I rented a car and headed to see my grandfather in central Florida. I then traveled on to the coast for a weekend full of meeting and organizing and planning and more. I was able to meet with people who are interested in supporting Futuro, people who are coming to partner with us, and people who are helping us become a legal foundation in the US. Through it all, my parasite did its thing, but I didn't feel terrible.

On Friday, we filed articles of incorporation in the state of Florida for Futuro, and it was thrilling. I opened my email to check for the receipt and saw the email from my partner again - Emmanuel. I realized he wasn't signing his name. He was telling me God is with us. It was tacked onto an email about praying for my daughter and for my trip. God is with us - Emmanuel.

I believe that God is with us. God is with us through the good and the bad, through the parasitic infections that threaten to derail our plans and through the healthy times as well. There are big things in store for our community, I can feel it and I choose to continue to believe in Emmanuel - God is with us.

"These kids made the experience a lot better and manageable throughout the heat."

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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I am Changmin Yu, but everyone calls me Alex because it is a lot simpler. I am currently 17 turning 18 very soon. I am attending Rowan University located in New Jersey. Last year, I was approached by the Head Pastor of my church, Pastor Doh, right after I came back from my fourth one week mission, this time from Mexico. He told me that I should think about going on missions for an extended period of time. At first, I did not think it was for me. I loved kids, and I loved doing God’s work, but I did not think I would ever be able to go on missions for more than a week. One week was tiring itself, how would I hold up for a month? So, at the time, I shook it off and played it as if he was joking around. However, I always kept it in the back of my mind. After college apps were done, Pastor Doh approached me again. This time I agreed to go to… Mexico?!!! I needed someone to go along with me to keep my sanity in tact, and luckily Chris agreed to go with me. We planned for months trying to figure out what we can do, and how we can do it. However, the biggest blessing was probably when we found out that the place in Mexico we were planning on staying was not ready. Our plans changed to going to the Dominican Republic. This change was probably the best thing that has ever happened to me.

For two weeks out of the four we were there, Chris and I joined the Futuro Lleno de Esperanza team as interns. Here we met such great people. Lee, Anni, Hayes, Chris, and I spent most of the two weeks together even when we weren’t working with the kids. Together we became “#yo_soy_team”, and together we attacked every obstacle in front of us head on. And the person who made this all possible for us, Melanie. Before arriving, Chris and I only knew Melanie by her voice and her profile picture on WhatsApp. However, when we got there, she totally passed my expectations of who she was. She welcomed us with open arms and treated us like adults. She is the cool principal that every wants running their high school. The one who talks to the kids in a loving fashion, yet can discipline when a kid goes out of line. Melanie was the biggest help from the team, and she was the motherly figure for all of us to look up to.

I can never forget about the kids. They have been on mind the whole time ever since coming back from the Dominican Republic. I wish I was able to communicate with them more. However, with my broken Spanish and hand signals, I was able to get my points across. From playing basketball with the older guys to just sitting down and watching kids, I will treasure every moment I was able to share with them.

           Since this was the third time coming to the Dominican Republic, I was already used to the names they called me because I know that’s just a way to get closer to people. I miss the kids constantly calling me “gordo” (fatty) or “chino” (used as a reference to all Asian people). These kids have hearts of gold. They just need attention that they may not get from their parents. These kids made the experience a lot better and manageable throughout the heat.

Finally, I would like to thank anyone I wasn’t able to mention. Everyone I met at the Dominican Republic will hold a special part in my heart. I really encourage potential interns to just really enjoy every moment when you’re there, especially those with the kids. And if you are on the fence on whether you want to apply or not, I hope this really helps you decide. So, to the Futuro Lleno de Esperanza team I wish you good luck! Also, I hope that the future is bright for the program. Thank you for the moments we shared and thank you for reading.

"We don't want to be a fortress"

I arrived at the school at 9am. I was stopped by our intern, Lee, who was trying to communicate something crazy to me. Something about popcorn and the kitchen and I don't even know what else. Then, Raquel, our vice principal, comes around the corner.

"They didn't steal anything."

I'm still confused and wondering what is going on. I have a Korean-English-Spanish story in one ear, and Raquel's simple words in the other.

"Stop. What?"

Apparently, during our long weekend break, a group of people decided that the schoolyard was theirs and jumped the fence to enter. Not only did they jump the fence, they broke the locks on the kitchen door and helped themselves to our facilities. They burnt all of the popcorn, consumed all of the ketchup, and then disconnected the hose from the gas tank and filled the kitchen with the sooty black oil of propane gas. As if they wanted to waste everything, they then opened the spigots and let the water flow freely until the water tank was left empty.

Beyond the popcorn and ketchup, nothing was technically stolen. The gas and water were "used" but not taken from us. The police weren't willing or able to do much to help us.

It might seem simple - some "kids" jumped a fence and vandalized our space. But it's not simple, and it has been eating at me all week. We have tried so hard to create a space that is safe and welcoming to the community. We've tried not to cover our walls with broken glass (a common defense mechanism for cinderblock walls) or line the periphery with barbed wire. Last year, we had cameras and an alarm installed, but these do nothing to the aesthetic of the school. We didn't want the safe space to have to look like a prison to be... well, safe.

Since the beginning of the summer, our neighbor has been siphoning water from our holding tank. Water is expensive, and it's necessary for the school. Numerous times kids have jumped our fences and spread our trash all over - probably looking for "treasures," but creating chaos in the schoolyard for our staff to clean up the next day: time spent away from the true job of teaching and loving our students. One of the cameras got pulled out of its socket, and there's just been a mess of things going on.

Luckily, these occurrences have all been inconvenient, but not terrible. Annoying, but not life threatening. Budget bending, but not breaking. Even still, the popcorn party has bothered me a lot. I haven't been able to get out of my own head because this violation - the breaking of locks and sheer waste of resources - to me, has been worse than if they perpetrators actually stole something.

I've looked to friends for support - but I try not to talk too much about the undesirable parts of our community for fear that our visitors won't feel safe. It's also hard to understand my frustration without understanding the community and our role in it. I've searched in the Bible for wisdom, and everything I've found doesn't seem to apply in this situation.

We do not want to be a fortress. But it seems like, in order to protect our resources, we will have to build higher walls and buy stronger locks. Proverbs tells us that we have to trust wisdom and she will never let us down - and so wisdom is saying we need to protect the safe space so that we can continue to provide a refuge to those who come to us. It means we will have to work harder to be more welcoming, to open our doors more frequently, and to be the light we have always desired to be.

It is hard to find a balance, a balance between being welcoming and protecting ourselves and those we love. Open hearts lead to open hands, but - I'm learning - just because I open my hands doesn't mean I should not protect what I hold for those who most need it, and to protect it from those who would damage it.

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." -- 2 Corinthians 4: 8-9

"We all need someone to help us up onto the swing"

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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It’s been about a 50 days since I returned from a long, exhausting, unpredictable and wonderful trip to the Dominican Republic. Looking back at the substance of the time spent there is easy: I can list off what I did, the camps we put on with Futuro and the cultural norms that I picked up on.  A panoramic view of my time there looks exciting, but all in all, fairly simple. But that doesn’t feel right. It’s difficult to describe precisely what I learned with Futuro, and as a new college, new town, new friends, and a new life have begun for me back in the States, the feeling from the DR has faded a bit more. But, it’s not gone. And it is worth talking about.

            For those unfamiliar, Futuro Lleno de Esperanza (FLE) is a not-for-profit, faith-based organization in Santiago, Dominican Republic. I spent my time specifically at the Cienfuegos chapter of FLE, in the largest urban subsector of Santiago. Futuro’s primary ministry is based in service and mission work towards Haitians in the Dominican Republic. The reasons for that are many, and the current issues surrounding Haitians in the DR is worth looking into, if you’re interested. However, FLE Cienfuegos is a bit different and has evolved, as a function of its location, into a preschool and community center serving a Dominican population. FLE Cienfuegos supplies early educational opportunities for children, nutritional programs and much more to its adjacent community. Most of all, however, it’s a safe place to play and a glimpse into something more.

            The idea for me to intern at Futuro first originated towards the end of a week long mission trip at FLE with St. Marks Venice youth group (shoutout to the amazing Jackie Overton). Towards the end of that week, the idea of me returning, alone, to intern for a longer period of time came up. Then it disappeared for a while. Eventually, months later, after much conflict and indecisiveness, I decided that I would in fact spend most of July interning at Futuro. High school ended, summer began, and soon enough I was on a plane to Santiago.

            This post isn’t meant to be an aggregate composite of many daily journal entries. I could spend pages on many days of corner store trips, adventures around the country, nights at the car wash, flagging down rides and more. If you’re interested, give me a shout! (or better yet Melanie - she has far better stories than me) I’m also sad that I’m not going to devote pages to the fabulous other interns I spent time with - Anni, Lee, Chris and Alex. They rock. I also won’t try and delve into explaining the culture of poverty and the cycle of need. Instead of all that, I want to focus on one big idea that dominated the trip: dependence.

            Many of the children in Cien Fuegos, specifically the boys, look hardened. Not just in their thick calluses but in their swaggering walk, scrunched up faces and rough shouts. It seems like they use everything in their being to exude toughness. They start fights, yell at each other and lose their tempers quickly. They’re also mostly less than eight years old. However, despite how independiente they work to appear, there’s always moments where the dependent child gleams through. I remember one day, a 6 year old boy named Angel sauntered into the playground. He stopped upon entering, taking a moment to stand tall and survey the area. Then, with fists balled tightly, he walked all the way over to the swing set and said, in a high pitched, earnest voice, “arriba!” and jumped up and down, eagerly asking for help getting onto the swingset.

I entered into this experience feeling pretty good about myself. I was a young, independent international traveler who was doing service in a foreign country. I was going to have all of these cool experiences of adventuring and exploring. What I had forgotten about was how utterly dependent I was, and that my independence didn’t look exactly as I had imagined. Time in Santiago slapped me in the face with my inadequate Spanish, my cultural confusion, my shyness in talking to strangers, my lacking cooking ability and vast failure at mastering public transportation. I was not and am not independent. I am so dependent on others (thank you Melanie) to help me.

My exit from the Dominican and enrollment in college has heightened my understanding of dependence in my life. And I’m being reminded that, ultimately, Christ is the only one that can fulfill my needs. Dependence on Him gets me through the school day, puts social and career anxiety to peace, leads to abundant life experience. Dependence on Him, prevents resource scarcity in the Dominican from driving us insane. It reminds us that we are just a part of Him, and the little that we can do has infinite meaning that we cannot see. Dependence on Him reminds me that the very act of going to the Dominican was a gift from Him, and not of my own doing. I’m still struggling with my desire to be an independent adventurer in life, but my time at Futuro taught me that, at the end of the day, we all need someone to help us up onto the swing.

Growing Pains.

When Futuro Lleno de Esperanza opened its doors, the neighborhood it is located in what much different than the neighborhood that we see today.

The land Futuro is built on was "tierra invadida," or invaded lands, what was once open and vast fields was taken (mostly by brute force) and parceled out and then sold to people looking for something to own. This process is common in cities in the Dominican Republic, and as long as no one comes forth as the legal owner of the land, there are often very few problems once structures are built on the land. Our foundation has since been legally registered as the owner of the land our school is on.

In the beginning, there were no roads, no sewage system, no sidewalks, no light posts, no running water. The community would work together to connect to existing infrastructure in the closest "formal" neighborhood - piecing together PVC for water, running wires for electricity, building septic tanks for latrines. Slowly, the city services came in and mounted power lines and formalized water distribution and installed sewage lines. The water is still iffy and electric power for our neighbors is unpredictable.

An empty field laid in front of the school which was used as a baseball field for local young people. It has since been transformed into a much needed public school. There are more businesses - small food shops and salons, barber shops, cafeterias - that are needed services for our community. We have (many) paved roads.

We have made physical progress. People have built their houses and now own something worthy of owning in a community that seems to be moving forward.

Except, physical progress doesn't mark actual progress, and a number of events over the past few weeks have shown that we, as a community, still have so much work to do. There have been robberies and fights and children not attending school and.... the list goes on and on. It's not necessarily different than things the community has been experiencing forever, but sometimes the change of appearance leads us into a sense of complacency - that because people are no longer living in wooden shacks with latrines instead of flushing toilets things have changed. When we see the shiny outside of things - especially things that haven't always been shiny - we think that the inside is shiny as well. There is so much work to assure that our children are growing up in a nourishing environment because they are worth the investment - they deserve both a "shiny" outside AND a shiny inside and, we believe, that working together our children will have that.

"It has completely changed my perspective"

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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Six months before I moved to Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic, I couldn't exactly pinpoint the island on the map. I knew near to nothing about the DR and my Spanish had been rusty after nearly two years of infrequent use. So what possessed me to go do an internship at Futuro Lleno de Esperanza?

Let me introduce myself! My name is Anni Schleicher, I am a 21 year old senior college student at Maastricht University in the Netherlands studying European Studies. I was born in the United States but raised in Germany, living nearly exactly a decade in both countries before moving to the Netherlands for university. Thanks to my bilingual upbringing and my passion for working with children, I had gathered lots of working experience teaching, tutoring and camp counseling in various different learning environments prior to my arrival in Santiago, so I was very motivated to go!

Melanie, the director of Futuro Lleno de Esperanza welcomed me with open arms into her home for the entirety of my stay in the DR as exchange for my services as a camp counselor. It was the first time Futuro had ever held camp during summer vacation, so we were eager to entertain the neighborhood children by conducting simple scientific experiments, doing various arts and crafts projects as well as other various outdoor activities. We held camp every weekday from 2 to 5PM, giving us the mornings and weekends off.

The first week I was only accompanied by Futuro`s current long-term intern and my now good friend Lee (South Korea); however, during the next two weeks three US-American interns, Chris, Alex and Hayes arrived from New Jersey and Florida. The extra hands were surely needed since the word had spread about camp and more and more kids showed up at Futuro each week. We quickly turned from intern buddies to good friends, exploring the northern beaches of Puerto Plata, jumping off the 27 Charcos and throwing a sleepover “party” at the mission center in Navarrete. All my intern friends and Melanie even joined me to visit the capital in Santo Domingo on my return journey home. In hindsight, I can say with much gratitude that my internship experience not only improved with adjusting to the culture with time, but mainly upon the arrival of the other interns.

Before arriving in the DR, I really only expected the language to be an obstacle, but there was so
much more I failed to take into account. I didn’t consider the culture and the climate of the island to be as impacting as they were: the heat, the Dominican concept of time (very contrary to my German upbringing!), the water crisis, the daily cold showers, the corruption and poverty, the young mothers, the food and cuisine, the sense of community, the role religion plays in society, the cat calling, the street talk, the incredible selfless willingness to help others...everything! Everything was new and completely took me by surprise so that my first two weeks I felt like I was immediately thrown into cold water and was told to swim.


All of this sounds strange and perhaps frightening, and although it really was in the beginning, I
came to enjoy the island culture and mentality very much. I often missed my German structure and
“Ordnung”, but I also wouldn`t trade the warm sense of community that I experienced nearly daily living with my host family for anything. Everyone is everyone`s child, parent, friend. Everyone cares about everyone, everyone shares everything. It is something I wish colder climate countries, for example my home country Germany, could learn from and adapt to.

To those who have any experience working with children in learning environments and have an
interest in working outside of a developed country, I can highly advise this or a similar internship! It has been more than three months since I left the DR and I still talk about my experiences there on a weekly basis to family and friends. It has completely changed my perspective on education policy, my sense of time and community and stance on material consumption. Oh, and I improved my Spanish as well, which was initially my primary goal but I learned so many new things along the way!

Thank you to everyone working at Futuro for an amazing summer experience, thank you to my
intern friends for every inside joke and every smile, thank you to Melanie personally for every hand drawn map and every ever so little piece of advice that made navigating the island culture easier, thank you for everything! ¡Muchas muchas gracias!

Back to School

After a well deserved summer break, the preschool at Futuro Lleno de Esperanza is back in full swing. This year we have 63 students enrolled in our morning preschool program, and 32 others of those students benefit from our full day care program.


Childcare is expensive. Quality childcare, in our community, is hard to find. Because of the scarcity of this service, many mothers are unable to enter the workforce to help provide for their families and, unfortunately, wages in the Dominican Republic for under-educated and under-skilled laborers are not enough to sustain a family. Since the beginning, Futuro has had a full day after care program for a fraction of the cost of what local care centers charge. The students in this program receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch which not only helps to alleviate food costs for their families, but also works towards prevention of illnesses that are more prevalent in under-nourished children like respiratory illness, anemia, stomach issues, and more.

Our students are being prepared to love learning. Their classrooms are full of learning opportunities - each center set up for exploration. The beginning of the school year is often hectic and messy as the kids get used to our routines, but in a few weeks everything will calm down and peeking into classrooms will offer a glimpse into how much the kids grow. Watching them engaged in meaningful play, discovering new ideas, and observing their progress is amazing!

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We are currently looking for meal sponsors for this school year. For $11 dollars a month, you can help offset our costs for breakfast for all of our students for 1 day. For $24 dollars a month,you can help offset our costs for breakfast and lunch for all of our students for 1 day. For more information, check the donate link here on our blog!

"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!

Preparing the Soil

Development work is never ending. It's not the same as disaster relief - where the end goal is to get back to a functioning state after a horrific event. Development takes time and commitment. It requires forming relationships and empowering the people to take responsibility for their communities.

There are different types of development, too. I've struggled a lot with how to justify what we do at Futuro Lleno de Esperanza, Cienfuegos, because our work doesn't fall into the "hip" categories - like sex-trafficking or refugee services. But I do believe the work we do is important and necessary.

The Dominican Republic has consistently placed at the bottom of all educational testing in the Americas and the world. Only 14% of Dominican children receive preschool education. Under educated parents, under nourishment, under employment... Our children are set up for failure by a system that doesn't provide the services they need to thrive. Add in government corruption, lack of infrastructure, inadequate public services.

This past summer, I spent a lot of time reflecting on Futuro Lleno de Esperanza's importance and what our future looks like. I wasn't convinced that what we are doing is necessary. After 7 years in our community, I see the same problems, the same conflicts, the same "lack of" that has always existed. It is easy to get frustrated.

As I was preparing a little presentation for our partners in New Jersey, I was trying to rectify my doubts about our importance and the idea that I would be standing up to talk about how it is important to support us financially. How could I stand up and ask for support if I was unsure?

Last year, we spent a good part of the year working with the kids in our preschool program on God's creation - what did God create and how do we care for it. When we worked on plants, I did one of those vague Google searches looking for anything that I could tie in. It hit on the parable of the sower (Mark 4), and - thanks to the internet - we added types of soil for plants into our lessons. I hadn't considered the parable any more deeply than something to add to our unit... until I was preparing this presentation.

There are different types of development work - each organization (or program from one organization) plays a different role. I had myself convinced that if we weren't actively planting seeds, we weren't doing the real work. But, after some reflection, I realized that our work is just as important. Just like the farmer whose seeds fell on different types of soil saw, seeds that are sown in poor, rocky, thorn ridden soil don't grow. In order for our kids to get the most out of their formal schooling, they need to be prepared. They need the knowledge and skills that are acquired in preschool so that they can flourish in the future. They need the nutrients from our breakfast program so that their minds and bodies work properly. Their parents also need the low-cost option for childcare so they can work without worrying where their kids are.

Futuro Lleno de Esperanza might not get to see the fruits of its labor directly, but that doesn't mean the work isn't important. It just means we have to have faith that our labor is worthy and good.

-- Melanie

Director, FLE, Cienfuegos

Futuro Fashion Kids

On April 22, 2018, Futuro Lleno de Esperanza held their first kid's fashion show - Futuro Fashion Kids. It has long been the goal of the center to empower the community to take responsibility for their programming. This event was the first step for the parents of our preschool students to help organize events that generate funds for the school.

The students prepared for weeks - learning how to "model," but more importantly learning to exhibit self-confidence in a public forum. The girls involved in our classical ballet workshops prepared dances to present during the event.

Two outside dance groups - Threelogy Dance Crew and Ministerio de Danza Kadosh - and a local, Christian singer, Harold el Versatil, collaborated with the event by presenting their own art to the crowd. Nicole Espinal lent us her beautiful voice while Narlin Roman and Aletxa Mueses served as the masters of ceremony.