We’ve just finished up our second day of work and are about to head home after a surprise swimming pool field trip! Unfortunately, earlier today we had a lot of rain so we had to leave the worksite early which was very sad for all parties concerned. But we are praying for better weather for the next few days and will send more updates later (when we have more time and wifi). Know that all is well, and the trip has been an amazing experience for everyone.
– Julia Dickenson
A beautiful home made available by a friend of Rita with a large outdoor kitchen to the right.
– Julia Dickenson
Just had a good breakfast and ready for the trip to Cotui, a 3 hour drive through beautiful country side and amazing scenes.
– Julia Dickenson
This is our outdoor kitchen with view
– Julia Dickenson
We’ve now packed up all the bags (barely!) on to a shortbed pickup truck & all 16 of us bunched into a van w/ packs and driving west along the Caribbean before heading north to Cotui. Gorgeous colores todos…flores, la mer, azure de cielo. Todos muy bien! Hasta la vista!
– Julia Dickenson
In the car, but still sorting what to keep and what to leave w Bob (Millers Dad!) We’re all excited to be on our way & next time Ellen & I see daylight we’ll be in santo Domingo!
– Julia Dickenson
Tracy Smith had the idea to create a t shirt for our trip – we have 2 designs – the DR logo and our US website. On the drprojects.org design, we will have people add their own handprints – if they like. Tracy will bring ink and the screens to create more t shirts in the DR.
It was a fun evening – we’re getting ready!
This Saturday, Feb 2 noon – 3pm, we will all meet at the Norwich Congregational Church to begin packing for our upcoming adventure.
Our group is a combination of strangers, acquaintances, families and friends all ready to get to work…pictures will follow…
– Julia Dickenson
Tom Kidder, the videographer who traveled to Cotui with the medical team in March, 2012, has recently completed a video about that trip. Here are the chapters of that video.
A final update while waiting at the Miami airport for our flight to Boston…
On our way out of Cotui yesterday, we stopped by one of the local medical clinics to drop off one last bag of supplies. The director of the clinic told us that many people had come down from the hills with our hand-written pieces of paper to get prescriptions filled or to seek further treatment.
This was deeply satisfying for the clinical members of our group, who had worried that the people they had seen in our screening clincs wouldn’t follow through on their recommendations.
As Jenny had said earlier, while we weren’t equipped to *fix* many medical issues, we hoped that our presence would contribute to a process of building improved health.
And it seemed like that process was indeed moving forward.
We drove to Santo Domingo pleased, tired, relieved, and ready to return home.
Dominican Republic Projects 