Showing posts with label El Portal de Belen Daycare Center. Show all posts
Showing posts with label El Portal de Belen Daycare Center. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Cornell Men's Hockey Team Visit
May 27th to June 3rd some members of the Cornell Hockey Team, their coach and my very good friend, Mike Schafer, and five friends of the hockey team came down to build a chapel and community center in the community of Bosque Abajo. The group also visited the Portal de Belen Children's Center.
Mass at Bosque Arriba
This group photo is at the beach celebrating my 53rd anniversary as a priest
Lunch at Pizza Hut SD on way to the beach hotel
Friday, January 18, 2013
Christmas and Catching Up
You have not heard much of anything from me because of a wedding and two deaths of family members. As a result, this fall and early winter I traveled back and forth from the Dominican Republic several times. I am just now able to play catch-up here on my blog.
Below are some of the Christmas pictures from the Portal de Belen, Hato Nuevo, and Don Juan Christmas children's celebrations.
The Census and angel at El Portal de Belen
Below are some of the Christmas pictures from the Portal de Belen, Hato Nuevo, and Don Juan Christmas children's celebrations.
The Census and angel at El Portal de Belen
The stable at Hato Nuevo
Children receive gifts at Don Juan
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Board member visit
On May 28th three members of the board, Greg Galvin, Peter Koch, and Juan Arroyo arrived with Fr.Joe Marcoux, pastor of St. Catherine's Ithaca, and Fr. Dan Mc Mullin, chaplain at Cornell University.
They visited the daycare at Portal de Belen, which St.Catherine's has support now for 13 years, as well as the school at Hato Nuevo, and the school and convent in Don Juan.
Also they went to the site of the new chapel and multi-use building which Cornell Hockey raised the funds for and helped raise the walls.
The group made a whirlwind, 3 day visit to the prominent projects of the foundation.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
The Daycare Center at El Portal de Belen
The good work that the sisters do at the Daycare Center, El Portal de Belen, from which the foundations takes its name, is beyond belief. When we first became involved in the Dominican Republic some 12 years ago we started with the very first group of 50 children in Portal de Belen daycare center.
In this post I would like to introduce you to four of the children we are currently serving at El Portal de Belen.
Gordani (in the middle with his mouth open)
Gordani’s father died and his mother is a prostitute who takes no care of him. He lives with an aunt. As you may know, they all love their picture taken.
Ivania
A couple of weeks ago Sr. Iris presented me with a darling little girl, Ivania, whose father, a drug dealer, was shot and killed by the police. The little one told Sr. Teresa that the police shot her father like a dog. The mother took up the family business of selling drugs, and was just released from jail. Ivania’s mother also has AIDS, as does one of her four children.
Christian (middle)
Christian's father died of AIDS but his mother did not find this out until after his death. Christian’s mother works to support him. If this does not melt one's hearts, nothing will.
Enyer
Enyer’s mother died days after his birth. His Father has been in prison and has not been responsible. Enyer lives with an aunt who has tuberculosis and whose husband does not have work.
Mahatma Gandhi said “For so many hungry children in the world , the face of God appears as a loaf of bread.”
In this post I would like to introduce you to four of the children we are currently serving at El Portal de Belen.
Gordani (in the middle with his mouth open)
Gordani’s father died and his mother is a prostitute who takes no care of him. He lives with an aunt. As you may know, they all love their picture taken.Ivania
A couple of weeks ago Sr. Iris presented me with a darling little girl, Ivania, whose father, a drug dealer, was shot and killed by the police. The little one told Sr. Teresa that the police shot her father like a dog. The mother took up the family business of selling drugs, and was just released from jail. Ivania’s mother also has AIDS, as does one of her four children.Christian (middle)
Christian's father died of AIDS but his mother did not find this out until after his death. Christian’s mother works to support him. If this does not melt one's hearts, nothing will.Enyer
Enyer’s mother died days after his birth. His Father has been in prison and has not been responsible. Enyer lives with an aunt who has tuberculosis and whose husband does not have work.Mahatma Gandhi said “For so many hungry children in the world , the face of God appears as a loaf of bread.”
Friday, December 18, 2009
Feliz Navidad from Portal de Belen
Christmas scene at Portal de Belen
Hi Everyone,
Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo from Portal de Belen.
The photos below are from the Portal de Belen Christmas Pageant and Dia de los ninos.
Jesus' birthday cake during the Day the of Children celebration
Day of the Children with Sr. Teresa as a clown
Iris instructs parents on Christmas
~Padre Ron
Hi Everyone,
Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo from Portal de Belen.
The photos below are from the Portal de Belen Christmas Pageant and Dia de los ninos.
Jesus' birthday cake during the Day the of Children celebration
Day of the Children with Sr. Teresa as a clown
Iris instructs parents on Christmas
~Padre Ron
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Signs of success
People frequently ask me to describe the benefits of supporting the Portal de Belen daycare center, as well as the other projects of the foundation; the school in Don Juan and the daycare center and school in Hato Nuevo. Through the following photos and text, I hope to share just one example among many of the positive outcomes from your support of my work in the DR.
Last Sunday I met with some of the first children who entered the Portal de Belen program back in 1998. When they began the program in 1998 they were just 3 and 4 years old. I wish I had pictures of them then to compare with these young adolescents now. In the pictures that I took last Sunday they are now 15,14, and 13 yrs old. Not all of our first student could attend our gathering as some were participating in a program at the High School that took place at the same time.
14 and 15 year olds
As a side note, it is important to remember that one of the criteria for entering Portal is that the child must be from the poorest of the poor families in Monte Plata. My driver, Eddie, has children that are not eligible for the program as Eddie earns too much. When he is able to find work full time, his income is $400 a month.
What struck me was how bright, normal, healthy, engaging and engaged these young people now are. Nowhere in their current selves can be seen the marks of their poverty as children.
13 year olds
This is one of the principal goals of early childhood programming at Portal de Belen. Children are first enrolled between 18 months to 2 years old, a new group of 30 each year, and remain in the program for three years. We provide the children with healthy, balanced nutrition at an early age, and believe that this will help them to develop with healthy bodies, minds and attitudes, and to become contributing young adults.
Youth Group
This also the belief of the foundation.
What I can see today is how successful this program has been since I first met these children 11 yrs ago. These images of healthy, well-adjusted teenagers demonstrate the success of our philosophy.
Additionally, the sisters at El Portal de Belen meet regularly with the parents to train them in parenting and caring for their children, including the topic of hygiene. Keep in mind that in the DR water can be difficult to come by, for the poor especially.
some members of the folk choir
Most of these young people continue to be involved in their parish as members of the young group, as well as some missionaries to other young people their age, and a few sing in the folk choir of San Antonio de Padua, at their parish in Monte Plata.
misionarios
I congratulate the sisters at Portal de Belen for all they have accomplished so far, and I thank all of you who help support all the projects of the foundation!
Below are four progress photos of the construction of the new classrooms at Portal. The new classrooms will become the new home of programs for the mentally challenged and for preschool children.
The school, Santa Maria Josefa Rossello, opened in Don Juan in the fall of 2005 and the project in Hato Nuevo began in the spring of 2007. As the program at Portal de Belen started eleven years ago, we are able to record and share data on the history of programming there. As time progresses, I hope to share with you many more success stories from all three of our locations!
Que Dios siempre le bendiga
~P.Ron Gaesser
Last Sunday I met with some of the first children who entered the Portal de Belen program back in 1998. When they began the program in 1998 they were just 3 and 4 years old. I wish I had pictures of them then to compare with these young adolescents now. In the pictures that I took last Sunday they are now 15,14, and 13 yrs old. Not all of our first student could attend our gathering as some were participating in a program at the High School that took place at the same time.
14 and 15 year olds
As a side note, it is important to remember that one of the criteria for entering Portal is that the child must be from the poorest of the poor families in Monte Plata. My driver, Eddie, has children that are not eligible for the program as Eddie earns too much. When he is able to find work full time, his income is $400 a month.
What struck me was how bright, normal, healthy, engaging and engaged these young people now are. Nowhere in their current selves can be seen the marks of their poverty as children.
13 year olds
This is one of the principal goals of early childhood programming at Portal de Belen. Children are first enrolled between 18 months to 2 years old, a new group of 30 each year, and remain in the program for three years. We provide the children with healthy, balanced nutrition at an early age, and believe that this will help them to develop with healthy bodies, minds and attitudes, and to become contributing young adults.
Youth Group
This also the belief of the foundation.
What I can see today is how successful this program has been since I first met these children 11 yrs ago. These images of healthy, well-adjusted teenagers demonstrate the success of our philosophy.
Additionally, the sisters at El Portal de Belen meet regularly with the parents to train them in parenting and caring for their children, including the topic of hygiene. Keep in mind that in the DR water can be difficult to come by, for the poor especially.
some members of the folk choir
Most of these young people continue to be involved in their parish as members of the young group, as well as some missionaries to other young people their age, and a few sing in the folk choir of San Antonio de Padua, at their parish in Monte Plata.
misionarios
I congratulate the sisters at Portal de Belen for all they have accomplished so far, and I thank all of you who help support all the projects of the foundation!
Below are four progress photos of the construction of the new classrooms at Portal. The new classrooms will become the new home of programs for the mentally challenged and for preschool children.
The school, Santa Maria Josefa Rossello, opened in Don Juan in the fall of 2005 and the project in Hato Nuevo began in the spring of 2007. As the program at Portal de Belen started eleven years ago, we are able to record and share data on the history of programming there. As time progresses, I hope to share with you many more success stories from all three of our locations!
Que Dios siempre le bendiga
~P.Ron Gaesser
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
