Bishop Ryan students build DREAMS
On February 1st, the Bishop Ryan DREAMS (Dominican Republic Education and Medical Support) team embarked on a 3rd missionary journey to the Dominican Republic, this time to build a home for a father of three young boys in the small village of Los Corozos. Led by teachers Brian Grajales and Kara Savas, and child-life therapist Tamara Krbavac, the 13 students were involved in every aspect of building the house, from digging the foundation to laying brick. “The sense of community was awesome,” said Savas.
Thoughts from two student participants:
“This trip was an experience of a lifetime! The memories and bonds that we made are something that we will carry with us forever. As I developed a strong friendship with the locals, I began to see their strong sense of community and happiness that they have. Our intentions were to make a difference in the Los Corozos community, but we never imagined the impact that they would have on us.” ~ Mikayla Penner
“As students of the Catholic faith, we’ve been taught to cherish what we have and help others. During this trip, we had the opportunity to put these words and thoughts into action. Not only did we spend our days working hard with the people of Los Corozos, but we also got to hear their life stories and connect with them in ways we never could have imagined.” ~ Camilla Gomez
“The entire trip will resonate with me forever; I am sure of it. But there was a distinct moment on the trip where the reality of the experience really hit me. I was getting quite upset because I saw how little the community of Los Corozos had, yet how happy and grateful they all were, and I began to feel ashamed for how much I took for granted in my own life. I went back to where we were staying and hid at the side of the house crying. I did not realize that Oristella (the beautiful women who stayed with us to take care of us for the week) was around the corner and she came out to me. She gestured me to stand up and took me into her arms. She held me and she sang to me. When I looked up she told me not to cry. Then, she gestured to the wideopen night sky and touched her heart, and then mine. She said she loved me and that she was a mother to me, that her heart was my heart. This moment broke my heart in a beautiful way and I experienced the unconditional love of a stranger. The whole trip was memorable, but this moment gave me hope and showed me the beauty of humanity.
The cliché that this trip would “change my life” most definitely came true in one (too short) week. I learned more about the world and its people than I ever have in my 17-years-of-life. It was a blessing to meet the people that I did, and my eyes were open to the harshness of the world. Yet, no matter their daily struggles, they were continuously the most genuine, sincere and grateful peoples I have ever met. Every little possession they had they were endlessly grateful for. The children cherished every toy we brought. The adults cherished every bit of clothing. They all cherished our little bit of help, even if they did not really need our manual labour. The D.R.E.A.M.S trip made me see how much I have in life and humbled me completely. I also got to see how much the world needs people’s effort globally even more than there is now. This trip is hopefully the beginning of my missionary support around the world because I really see how needed it is. Whether it be though D.R.E.A.M.S again, other groups, through my university or church, I know that I will participate in a meaningful trip like this again!” ~ Taylor Smith