Volunteers with the Community of Hope International (COHI), in partnership with Today’s the Day Foundation (TTDF), recently completed a 7-day trip to the Dominican Republic (DR). We were able to build and completely furnish a tiny home for the Felipe family. After long, hot days of measuring, hammering, sawing, painting and plastering, we gathered to hand over ownership to the family. Each volunteer shared how this experience had impacted them. The Felipe’s then entered the home as the new owners. Imagine their joy as they welcomed all of the volunteers into their home by opening their new front door to their guests!
The next day we took 50 girls from the Fundacion Pasitos de Jesus orphanage on an outing to the beach. This wonderful organization is supported by TTDF, COHI, and other donations to foster abandoned girls from infancy to 20 years old, providing love, home, food, clothing, medical and dental care to these at-risk girls. All have a past of unbelievable pain and sorrow. They are a remarkable example of faith and hope overcoming fear and despair. We all were humbled by the joy, love, and gratitude they extended to us.
Our day with them began with hitting the Boca Chica beach for a day of waves and sun. Our hearts were full as they presented special songs and dances they had prepared for us. The following day we took 30 of the girls to the Community of Hope Clinic in Bayaguana for treatment of various eye, medical and dental needs. The remaining girls will be seen the following week. Many of the volunteers assisted in the girls’ care while others completed much-needed maintenance on the clinic. Dental care kits were donated by volunteers to the orphanage and the clinic.
Baseball is the national sport in the DR so, while in Bayaguana, we enjoyed a Little League baseball game where we also donated mitts, bats, gloves, and balls to the league. The average daily expenditure per day per person in Bayaguana is $1.65 so there are plenty of needs to be met.
Our free time, though limited, was spent socializing at dinner and touring Old Santo Domingo, the oldest city in the western hemisphere. We so enjoyed the fabulous food and spending time with one other.
Many thanks to all who attended and special thanks to Today’s the Day Foundation for being the perfect partner. We arrived in DR not knowing one another and left the best of friends. Our intent was to improve the lives of those whom we served but it was our lives that were impacted the most. We were all reminded that purpose and meaning in life are derived from extending ourselves on behalf of those in need. The human connection we enjoyed through this experience will never be forgotten.
Many thanks to all our donors for their support of Community of Hope International. We would like to especially recognize our corporate sponsor, Better Body Foods, for their ongoing support of COHI and for their generous donation towards the construction of the Felipe home. All donated funds to COHI are dedicated to those whom we serve. No donations are used to support the administration of COHI.
