There is a new video entitled “One Word” which journeys through 2009. Check it out and spread the word…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8hyxf3_VS0

Check out our video on You Tube. It travels through the families and houses from the summer of 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT2vd9HfVgY

• be responsible.
• be willing to work independently.
• have experience with simple building (preferably block).
• have a desire to love the Dominican Culture.
• have experience with the Spanish language.
• work well with people.

Responisibilities may include but are not limited to:

• taking stock of building materials during building process.
• handling money for excursions, day to day procedures, etc.
• mediating and facilitating the relationship between Dominicans and U.S. participants.
• reporting to In-Country Coordinator and Executive Director.

If you think this is you, then download our application below, fill it out and email it to villagemountainmission@yahoo.com. Thanks for your interest.

Questions? Call us at 1-888-410-4108.

Click here to download the application.

Thanks to the help of Patrick Bond, we have created a Facebook group. Please check it out and make a comment on your experience with us here in Luperon. Also, upload any photos you took while on your trip.

But most importantly, add us to your profile so we can continue to spread the word of “The Village” and keep our web growing.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=99164998571&ref=mf

Downloadable Version

“The Village” Mountain Mission Newsletter

Volume 1 - Issue 2

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Mission Statement

We at “The Village” Mountain Mission are committed to the service of those in need. Our goal is not only to simply build homes or provide care for their health needs, but to also build lasting relationships with people that will last for years to come. We seek to provide life-changing experiences for our participants and the people they come into contact with.

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Words with “Wild” Bill

Hello Everyone!

   I wish we could have a group hug but you’ll just have to imagine it. Feeeeeel the LOVE !!

      Often as I go out to make presentations I have a chance to once again tell the story of “A Handful of Berries.” As you may recall it tells about my early travels in the DR to understand their needs and determine exactly what I/we could do to help.

The search brought me to the town of Buena Vista in the South West corner of the country, close to the Haitian border. It stands high on a hill close to the city dump of Enquilla. Many villagers forage through the dump for daily sustenance…very sad.

After I visited many homes and was about to leave, I heard a woman calling. I went back to speak with her, realizing I had not visited her home. Upon entering, I noticed it was like all the rest; a chair, a table, a mattress, a dirt floor…nothing else.  She held out her hand and gave me a small handful of berries.  As I again looked inside, I quickly realized that it had to be the only food in her home. As a guest in her Village she wanted me to have the only thing she had to give. I would not shame her, so I ate all eight of those very bitter berries.  As I was shedding tears, I gave her a huge hug and I knew then that I would return to these gracious, humble, children of God.

    Thank you for helping me keep that promise.

                 Bill   B.

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Focus on a Family - Nicolá Diacheri, Juli de Jesus Florentino, y Nicoli

Spending his whole life in Luperón, Nicolá Diacheri married Juli de Jesus Florentino from Nagua, a town outside of Puerto Plata, just five years ago. They began their lives together in Luperón living in what is known as a posila, or a small shack where the water is constantly penetrating, and have lived there ever since. With only one child, Nicolí was born just under two years ago.

“Cuando vinieron las personas de la iglesia, yo les dije, ‘Ustedes son hijos de Díos? Yo también soy. Ayúdenme con esta casa, ‘” dijo Nicola. (When the people from the church came, I said to them, “Are you all children of God? I too am a son of God. Help me with this house.”)

It was Chris Nichols and the group from First Community Church from Madison, CT who broke ground on the house. Followed by Troop 555/Crew 6 and Crew 26, the house was near the end. The finishing touches were put on by George Schneider and the Dirt Dawgs from Norwood, Ohio.

When asked about the biggest change in their lives alter receiving their house, both Nicolá and Juli responded that “ahora tenemos más orgullo.” (Now we have more pride.) “La gente mira a nosotros diferente,” said Juli. (The people look at us differently.) That pride is noticed as Nicola now leaves each day to tend cattle or search for lemons to sell to local buyers. Before, the two just sat at home, “looking at the ceiling.” Now as they lie in bed at night, Nicola commented that “[he] feels as though he is on the moon.”

“Esto es, como una bendición de Díos. Agradecemos mucho esta ayuda. Esperamos que Díos les de una buena felicidad.” (This is like a blessing from God. We give many thanks for this help and hope that God give you all happiness.) - Nicolá

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The School Project

     Eighty-eight percent of children enroll in primary school education in the Dominican Republic. By the time they reach college age, only 33% continue on to study. The government spends a mere 1.3% of its Gross Domestic Product on education leaving it as the 162nd nation out of 168 in the world.

     This Fall we had the opportunity to distribute much needed school supplies to various schools in the campo area surrounding Luperón. An interesting study on the dynamics of the region, we found that many of the schools only had one teacher. That teacher would interact with students ranging from grades Kindergarten up to as high as sixth grade. In the case of Las Cruces, all fourteen of those students are in the same one-room-schoolhouse at the same time. In El Canal, there are twenty-five children to one teacher. Some of the schools are privileged enough to have two rooms with two teachers, as is the case in Novillero, Pueblo Nuevo, and El Estrecho Abajo.

When all was said and done, over 500 students were supplied with school supplies ranging from pencils, pens, notebooks, coloring books, crayons, erasers, pencil sharpeners and much more. As with everything, we thank you for your donations and continued support of this piece of “The Village” Mountain Mission Project.

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Las Policlínicas

“The main objective of our clinics was to educate the healers.” - Dr. Roy Bontrager, August Medical Mission Director

This goal was not only realized, but put into full action this Fall as Suni, Sila, Lira, and Romanita traveled with myself and a boater twice a week to give continued medical care to the people of our villages. On Mondays, we set up a policlinica in the building alongside the church in El Canal. People traveled from the neighboring town of Pueblo Nuevo and from as far asCambiaso to receive care. Thursdays found us in the middle of three communities, Novillero Abajo, Novillero, andBarrancón. Families would travel at least a mile each way, paying sometimes as much as 50 pesos for a motoconcho.

This was all made possible by the generous donation of not money, but time, that was given by Dr. Frik Utzer from South Africa. Docking his boat in Luperón for Hurricane season, Frik is an accomplished doctor having practiced in South Africa for a number of years and moving on to Canada to run an emergency clinic. Here in the Dominican Republic, he not only dedicated his time twice a week to help us, but also volunteered in the local hospital performing minor surgeries.

As noticed by Dr. Utzer, “the ability and willingness of the local people to come to the clinics shows that there is a strong need for it.” When asked about the reception of our patients in the hospital, Frik responded that, “the doctors are quite glad to receive a referral letter from [the Mission] knowing that we have worked out the patient as much as we can.”

The most amazing part of the experience and the key to seamless work was truly the ability of the Healers to prepare patients for Dr. Frik. Each would take a different position whether it was registration, vital signs, hemoglobin and sugar checks, or the pharmacy, and work without questions.

“The confidence of the healers has risen dramatically…and they are truly an asset to the program. The healers play the most important role in the whole project. They are the bridge between us [and the communities].” Dr. Frik.

Our efforts were so appreciated that people began bringing breakfast not only once, but at times twice a day.

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Story Corner - “A Chalice of Porridge”

It was my first time in a Third World country.  I was excited to be a part of building modest houses to encourage the lovely people in the Dominican Republic.  I went there to give … and I did!  It felt good, but then the unexpected happened.  I received a blessing far greater than any blessing I could have given.

We were working at Carmen’s house.  She is a wonderful, Christian woman, and a hard worker.  She and her family lived in a very dilapidated wooden hut that was being consumed by termites.  I had never seen such sad conditions before.  They had nothing!  One day Carmen prepared a milky porridge for us to eat.  She had to pull out all of her cups to serve us; some had no handles, some had chips or cracks.  I held back.  Could I really eat something that came out of this kitchen?  My prayers seemed to be answered!  She was one cup short.  Being polite, I let everyone else go ahead of me to be served.  But then, Carmen came in with a huge chalice filled to the top with porridge.  She presented it to me and said, — “for the Pastor.”  She was so pleased to honor me with the biggest serving of all.  My mind was racing.  What could I do?  I accepted the offering and swallowed hard.  Whoa!!  The porridge was delicious — a wonderfully sweet combination of coconut and oatmeal.  I loved it!

But then I was humbled.  You see, Carmen had given so generously to me.   From her heart, overflowing with love and gratitude, she gave about all she had just to say, “Thank You”.  And to think, I almost missed it! 

I was changed that day.  I never expected to receive; after all, I thought I was there to be the giver.  But God used that moment to bring so many things into perspective.  Carmen was not poor at all.  She just didn’t have many things.  Carmen is very rich in spirit and eager to share with anyone open to receive.

-Pastor Tom Beckstrom

Covenant Community Church

Fairfield, Ohio

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What’s New?

• We are now accepting applications for year-round Construction and Medical Trips. Contact Director Bill Benson to set up your dates.

• We received a donation of a 2003 Ford F-150 and an International Harvester, 18′ flatbed truck.

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SPONSORSHIPS:

     We are sad if you will not be able to join us this year, but you, your family, church or club may still have a serious impact on the Mission through a Sponsorship. 

1. Home Sponsorship:  Believe it or not, for $1,950 we can pay for all the materials and local labor needed (roof) to help us give a family a very needed home.

2. Village Clinic:  A gift of $650 will cover the costs of medical supplies, transportation, and meals to conduct one clinic in a remote Village.

3. Healer Scholarship:  $450 allows us to pay one of our Healers for the two half day clinics, per week, for seven months. In many of the houses, this is their only income.

4. School Supplies: A $350 gift would help us defray the costs of delivering school supplies to 500 children in 12 remote schools where we are the only provider of materials.

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Stay Involved

•        ** If any group has had a newspaper article written upon their return to the States, please send it to us so we can include you on our website. **

•        Medical Team Volunteers: We would like your help in identifying persons retired or not, who are fromANY Medical background and may be willing to join one of our Med Teams.

•        We are constantly updating our website and looking for pictures and stories from past participants. Email any pictures and/or stories you are interested in sharing to villagemountainmission@yahoo.com or thechrispercy@yahoo.com.

•        Talk to potential groups. Share your experience with other groups and be a live testimonial. Contact Bill Benson at villagemountainmission@yahoo.com.

•        Check out the new and improved website - www.villagemountainmission.org

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

- Buddha

Here is an article written about the group from New Jersey, Jersey G.O.E.S. ‘08, and their trip this summer.

Check out this interview with Director Bill Benson, Medical Mission Director Roy Bontrager, and Jackie Wolf from WOUB Radio. Look to the right for the link and interview.

If your group has had an article written, please send us a link so that we can include it.

Volume I: Issue 1