Hello friends. Today was quite an impactful day because we all got to experience what true poverty is like. Everyone woke up at 7 and had breakfast at 8, which was a ham and cheese sandwich with mango juice. After breakfast we attended a seminar about poverty with our health coach, Tim, who led us through the five P’s of poverty (people, place, politics, past, peace). In this seminar, we were given a variety of different facts about events that have happened here in the DR. We were then instructed to organize them into the 5 p’s of poverty. After this seminar, we were supposed to go to a school in a poor community but we received news that there were no kids there today and there wouldn’t be a point in going. Instead, to make use of our time, a handful of glimpsers went out to buy supplies for our CAP project. The people who didn’t go out to buy supplies decided that some food would hit the spot. We found ourselves at a Dominican fast food café/restaurant down the street. We ordered different things and some of us weren’t quite satisfied with the food while others (like me) were. When we got back to the hostel, we had lunch and then got on a bus to go to the Constanza dump. When we got there, it was truly an impactful sight. It was a large space of land with every inch of it covered with some type of trash. We could see people looking through the garbage for anything useful as we approached the area. We were then split into different groups with each group having someone who lived in the dump as their guide. It was really a life changing moment after hearing these people’s life stories and seeing how they live. Personally, seeing all this has created a great sense of appreciation for what I have in the U.S..The man I was with told me he has been living in the dump for 22 years. It’s hard to even fathom how he could do that. It started raining pretty hard and it was time for us to go back to Dilenia’s. At Dilenia’s, we had dinner and then discussed the day in the nightly meeting. That’s all for now, goodnight folks!
- Eugene
Good night fellow Glimpsers, family, and friends today we learned and experienced poverty in the Dominican Republic. We first learned about poverty in the DR lead by our GG leader Tim. Where he taught us about how unfortunate the people in the DR are. A statistic that really surprised me was in 2010 “approximately 34.4% of the Dominican Republic falls beneath the poverty line.” When I realized that there are people living in worst conditions that the people have already visited made me realize that I have not truly seen poverty yet. Which made me want to see the gap between what we have already have seen. We were going to go to a school named Cecaini, however, the trip to the school was canceled because the students were not available to the moment. Although we did have a chance to visit the dump in Constanza which was honestly extremely hard to believe that people were living in that dump. There was millions of flies flying around, dogs eating what ever they can find and kids no older that 8 year olds picking up trash. When I saw that it just broke my heart seeing the children living in those conditions only wearing what they can find in the dump and some not wearing shoes while there was broken glass everywhere. The people work morning till night to make a living for their families and make just enough to feed their families. While we were there we met a guy named Juan Carlos where he has pick up plastic for a living and has been doing that for 12 years. He also told us he makes about 1300 pesos on good day which is really not much. After a small tour around the dump we asked him if he goes to church and he said no he does not because he drinks. The people that drink are not accepted in church. Which lead to us asking why don’t you just stop drinking then and he responds by saying that he wants to drink to forget about his life at the dump. When I heard that i realized that their life are 1000 times harder than ours and that we just do not realize that there are people are trying to feed their families by picking up trash. Around that time it started to rain which was also difficult to see because we had the luxury to leave while they had to stay and continue to work. I even saw a guy get some plastic and put it around himself to continue picking up that garlic off the floor. That visit to the dump was just drilled into my head. Which makes me value the food and clothes that is offered to me because they have to work all day to get almost nothing. I would like to thank you guys for reading the blogs and wish you a good night.
- Ivan
Hello again, Glimpsers! Another very educational day! I’m glad you had the opportunity to interact with people living in such unfortunate circumstances. It’s hard to really look at the discrespancies in the world. Now, what to do about it all . . .
I can’t believe we’ll see you all in just a few days. And we’ll get to meet the other families at the airport.
Enjoy the CAP. Sounds like a good way to end your time there.
Lila, still missing and loving you! Mom
Hello my compassionate friends. Appreciate your deep concern and how you are being impacted by the condition these fellow Dominicanos are living under the so called poverty line. Nobody can tell you stories now, you’ve seen it with your own eyes, smell it with your own noses, perceived it with your sense of quality of life being lived in your homeland. Let’s stop right here. We can “blog” all we want, but their sense of hopeless will remain. The sense that nobody cares enough to do that little something. That little change in the direction of the wind. These people live, have high hopes for having a small business, or owning a car for their families, or jumping on an airplane that will go over the clouds and take them where they never been before. They dream that food will be on their tables every day, that decent clothing will be available somehow and also dream of a decent life for their kids, as they know one of these days they will depart this life and wonder who will take care of their sons and daughters. —–Whether you think there is worth in the following or not, here it is: “1.Those who help the poor succeed will get many blessings.
When trouble comes, the Lord will save them.
2.The Lord will protect them and save their lives.
He will bless them in this land.
He will not let their enemies harm them.
3.When they are sick in bed,
the Lord will give them strength and make them well!” (Psalms 41)
With all due respect, please ask your GG Leaders what is allowed to do on your part and if found in your heart lighten up your luggage weight.Give with a smile. By the way, if my comments don’t reach you I understand as it’s probably against Global Glimpse’s policy and I respect it and abide by it. Thank you for your attention. Love you Bianey.
Eugene, I enjoy reading and thanks for sharing your blog son. I’m glad that at least you had a chance to try some DR fast food at café/restaurant so you can have the same experience of what the locals have as well.
It is unfortunate and sad to hear people rummage through the dump as a living. I believe it is not their choice but the unfortunate circumstances and poverty that lead them to that route. It is great to know that you had a chance to interact with the folks that made a living at the dump to hear their hardship stories and see how they live. Just conjuring up those imageries really bring tears to my eyes. I am so glad that you’ve experienced what true poverty is like and so proud of you by knowing that you have a great sense of appreciation of the things that you took for granted before. Poverty is a complex issue and hope you keep on thinking how and what to do about it. Hope you enjoy the rest of the trip and we all are anxious to see you back in a few days. Love you.
Eugene’s dad, Raymond
Hello Glimpsers, what sad day. It’s easy to forget or turn a kind eye to poverty. I am glad this was party of your trip. I hope that you were able to see past the poverty and were able to see the humanity on the people who live there. Brianna sending hugs:)
Thanks for the blog guys. Breakfast sounded delish! I’m glad you guys had a chance to mingle and relax before your trip to the dump. That must have been hard to see all the people “working” in the dump and then having to leave them there to continue their labor day. Unfortunately there is Poverty everywhere in the World. Some places are more impoverished than others with harder living conditions and tons of civil rights violations and children working because there is no other options to make ends meat. I know that each and everyone of you will come back a changed “global citizen” and make better choices for yourself and others around the globe. Poverty is just one of those evils that we wish didn’t exist but now that you guys saw it first hand, You have a better understanding of peoples plights and how their lives are impacted by forces that are far from their reach. Anyway without getting too heavy here…Good night guys. Love you Angel, and i can’t wait to see you.
Moira
Well done, Eugene and Ivan, for writing from your hearts and describing so well what you experienced at Costanza. It brought tears to my eyes. I am sure you felt overwhelmed and wonder what you can do to help. When you get home check out worthy non-profit organizations and the work they are doing to help the poor. Remember, from small beginnings come great things.
Eugene- So glad that you have experienced GG to the fullest. I know the dump day is a hard one and it seems like you and your GG cohort learned a lot. Can’t wait to hear about all the experiences you had when you get back. Proud of all of you!
Thanks for sharing your story, Eugene! I would love to hear more about your experiences. You are the future and through experiences like this, you will have a heightened awareness of your compassion and empathy for other people and cultures.