The Sublime and the Meticulous
We arrive to a rainbow.
As our flight approaches the Santo Domingo airport, heavy cloud cover begins to thin out and a rainbow appears outside the plane windows. I consider this an auspicious beginning.
We spend this first evening settling in the Casa Roja, a comfortable house that, despite its name, is not red (its front gate and inviting kitchen are, however). The house, in the small town of Consuelo, is home to the Global Health teams during their stays in the Dominican Republic.
We busy ourselves with unpacking and sorting out dormitory-style sleeping arrangements, in our case five people to a room. There is electricity from approximately 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Water is precious, meaning that in a house full of people, showers are limited to a minute or so.
First thing Sunday morning, we attend services at the Santa Ana Catholic Church, a short drive from the house. The church, which is open to the breeze, is beautifully kept and alive with color and sound. Flower beds surround the small structure and along its outer wall is a series of vivid murals depicting religious scenes. Inside, the mass is punctuated by the lively singing of a choir, accompanied by guitar, drums and handclaps.
At least a third of the congregation present are children. It is striking to note their good behavior and active participation during the long service. Our entire team is welcomed with great warmth.
Church over, it's on to the Centro De Salud Divina Providencia next door. This local healthcare clinic serves the Consuelo community and includes a pediatric practice (Ninos Primeros). For the Global Health team, the clinic is a base from which its daily outreach activities originate.
All of the medical supplies we toted from Philadelphia have been transported here, and we spend a good chunk of the day meticulously inventorying, sorting and packing the items the team will take along for our first visits to the bateyes, or small villages, tomorrow. It is tedious work, but all of us are excited to meet the children who will benefit from these medications and nutritional supplements. And I will be excited to share that story with you.
Posted at 05:09PM Nov 01, 2009 by Linda Lightner in Health | Comments[0]