Playground dedication

The Thursday before Christmas we held a dedication of the new playground behind our school in Don Juan.
The playground was the gift of an anonymous donor from St. Mark's parish in Greece, New York.We also received support for the playground construction from our national government senator, Charlie Mariotti.

The playground is named in honor of St.Francis of Assisi.
This school now has over 480 students, the majority of whom are disadvantaged children.

The best way to celebrate Christmas

The best celebration of Christmas I had this year was on the weekend before Christmas.
Some families from Santo Domingo came to put on a complete and generous meal for all the people in a very poor campo, Los Lanos.
Some 77 persons took part who have known a great deal of hunger this year, as well as three there dying from cholera.

Thanksgiving in the DR

Around Thanksgiving time people often ask me if I celebrate it in the Dominican Republic and the answer is YES.
This year was especially gratifying as I had three Americans with me at that time.

My guests were Patrick Ferree and his adopted son Yeison, who is from the DR, and our Peace Corp Volunteer Alicia Manteiga, recently recovered from a bad case of Dengue.
I cooked the turkey with dressing and the rest of the fixings with the help of Chicita. We had an American imported turkey and Patrick brought the cranberry sauce and the dry stuffing mix from the US. All in all it was a very satisfying meal and day.

Painting the New Chapel in Pilancon

Pastor Ted Freeman and George Bodine, friends that grew up together in Auburn, NY, arrived on Columbus Day (by the way he's buried in Santo Domingo, we have DNA, no one else does) for a week of work in the parish of Don Juan.
Most of their valuable time was spent painting the new chapel in Pilancon.The people of Pilancon are very proud of their new facility. In the previous post you can see what the previous chapel looked like.

Interior of the chapel
Pastor Ted grew up as a member of the first black catholic family in Auburn. He considers himself now to be Catholic and Baptist. He is a product of total Catholic education.

Remember what Jesus said to his disciples when they complained about someone who was not a member of their company but curing in Jesus’ name? ‘Let them be if they are not against us.’

Pastor Ted is a go-getter and has fallen in love with the people of Pilancon. He has great ideas for projects there as well as other campos of the parish.
Mass attendance in the new facility has tripled. Let's hope that trend continues!

New Chapel in Pilancon

The current chapel in Pilancon

My anniversary gift to myself was completing the structure of the new chapel in Pilancon.
We still lack doors and windows, which will cost about $1000.

Front view of the new chapel in Pilancon
Then with the grace of God, we will have the funds to purchase pews, an altar, a lectern, a and celebrant's chair, which will like cost about another $1500.
Bit by bit we will get there.

Inside view of the new chapel
Prices here continue to climb with the outrageous cost of transportation. Diesel fuel, which is the cheapest fuel here, now costs more than $5.10 per gallon.

Our first Community Bank

Our first Banco Comunitario is off the ground with its Directive Board elected and its first three loans made!
A Community Bank is a form of micro credit but differs in this important way, it insists on participants having savings accounts and saving each week. Loans are based on a formula that is a multiple of what they have saved.

Directive Board Members

First Loan: Rosalia Rodriquez was loaned $211 to buy supplies to make sweets and snacks as street vender.


Second Loan: Margarita Castro was loaned $264 to buy supplies and more cooking utensils to make snacks and personal articles to sell to schoolchildren on the break.

Third Loan: Emperatriz Carrasco was loaned $400 to buy a small generator to keep working as a beautician when there is no electricity, which is about half the time.

Fr. Luciano Perez Rivera

Fr. Luciano Perez Rivera was ordained a priest on July 23rd.Fr. Luciano Perez Rivera is native of San Juan Bautista parish in Don Juan and is from the community of Bosque Abajo. Bosque Abajo is one of our campos, which is a what we call a very small rural village. The ordination of Fr. Luciano Perez Rivera is our third ordination to the priesthood in the last five years.

The happiness of a new priestFr. Luciano Perez Rivera is member of the Carmelite Order and a good friend of mine.
Please remember him in your prayers as he will you.