LE MOYNE COLLEGE LEAD-LEARNING COMMUNITY SERVICE TRIP TO DOMINICA
About a week ago I returned from a ten day service trip to Dominica, a small island in the Southern Caribbean. There is no doubt that this service trip which I embarked on with about 20 others from Le Moyne College was life changing. Every time I do service work I feel a great connection with both my fellow neighbor whom I am serving and most of all with God. However, there is something truly remarkable about doing missions trips abroad. For those of you who read my reflections on my service trip to Kenya, you already know how much that trip impacted me and gave me the burning desire to do yet another trip abroad. The opportunity that I had in Dominica was awesome. I was able to live simply, connect with Dominicans, serve some of the children there, and experience love in a profound way. Ultimatley, I learned that when we do all things for the glory of God, goodness and love are present, and when these two imperative factors are ever present in our lives we experience God.
Below are some journal entries describing the trip
5/19 To being with, after about twelve hours of travel we arrived in the Commonwealth of Dominica. The first person to greet us was our van driver Francis, a delightful man who drove us half way around the Island to Roseau, the city where we stayed. Francis had a smile on his face that meant a whole lot after such a long day and from the start showed the friendlyness of the people in Dominica. When we arrived at the Youth Center we were greated by Sister who had beds and rooms for us to stay. While laying in bed that first night I hoped that this trip would help me connect with my fellow students, the local people, and most of all God in a dynamic way. My goal during this trip was to be constantly open and available to others, whether it be my group or my neighbor in this new country, in hopes of encountering Love, namely God in all that I would do.
5/20 Today has been pure joy and just awesome. In the morning I went with four others on a thirty minute walk to the Alpha Center to work with the handicapped children. This is where we would spend the bulk of our time doing service. Each day we helped at the Alpha Center from 8:30-1pm when the school closed. During my time at the Alpha Center I worked one on one with a couple of students, Richcarde and Tyrone. When working with Richcarde, I helped him with his numbers from 1 to 100. I also helped him with understanding the days of the week, months of the year, and writing some basic facts about where he was born (Haiti) where he went to school, and where he lived. My time with Tyrone was focused on helping him write his name, especially writing his last name ALEXANDER, of which he struggled especially writing the letter "X". Both of these boys were an absolute joy to teach, they both got very excited when they accomplished the task ahead of them and were appreciative of my help. With that said, I also assisted some of the teachers in their classrooms. Each class is broken down into the ability of the students. Therefore a few days I helped with the younger students or those who are at the first grade level of learning. I also worked one on one with a boy named Michael and another boy named Navaldor. These two boys could not do too much when it comes to academics because of their mental capacity, however they enjoyed playing sports and working with blocks and counting. The staff at the Alpha Center, led by Sister Ruthena is outstanding. Their love and dedication to the students was clear from the start. I can say that the kids are certainly in good hands. Each morning before our daily activities we started the day with Assembly, where the children recite the national anthem and pledge. In addition, they sing a number of songs to begin their day with smiles, laughter, and fun. Some of them stood out for me such as LORD of the Dance, Good morning to You and all that you do Good morning Good Morning, Good morning to you..., Lean on Me, and Fill it up.
The handicapped school is a place where the children could come together and reallly have hope and just smile. It was a simple and at times unstructured, but gave them a purpose and allowed them to learn and
have friends. Certainly the presence of Christ was in these children.
After going back to the Youth Center at 1pm, we had lunch which consisted of PB& J Sandwiches and then prepared to help in the after school program. Each day from 2:30-4pm, students from the Roseau Primary school came to get help with their homework. I was fortunate enough to help some students read, others work on their math, and even quiz a student while she studied for a test. Jelani, Precious, and Darlon were some of the kids that stand out for me. After we finished with the academics the kids would go outside and play. They taught us how to play cricket which is similar in some ways to baseball. We also spent time playing futbol, as well as listening to them sing Hannah Montana songs and Carry Underwood. This afternoon in particular we had spelling and Math contests on the blackboard for well over an hour, the kids eager to sharpen their skills and compete against their friends. In all that we did with the children, the smiles on their faces and knowing that they were having lots of fun was worth everything--it was priceless. Each night after simple dinners of rice, beans, vegetables, and fruit, we had class for a couple hours to reflect on our experiences and talk about them. By the end of the day I was tired, but always spent time with my group members in conversation or by playing apples to apples. We truly enjoyed each others company and I established nice friendships with all of them, of which I am truly grateful. 
God bless!
About a week ago I returned from a ten day service trip to Dominica, a small island in the Southern Caribbean. There is no doubt that this service trip which I embarked on with about 20 others from Le Moyne College was life changing. Every time I do service work I feel a great connection with both my fellow neighbor whom I am serving and most of all with God. However, there is something truly remarkable about doing missions trips abroad. For those of you who read my reflections on my service trip to Kenya, you already know how much that trip impacted me and gave me the burning desire to do yet another trip abroad. The opportunity that I had in Dominica was awesome. I was able to live simply, connect with Dominicans, serve some of the children there, and experience love in a profound way. Ultimatley, I learned that when we do all things for the glory of God, goodness and love are present, and when these two imperative factors are ever present in our lives we experience God.Below are some journal entries describing the trip
5/19 To being with, after about twelve hours of travel we arrived in the Commonwealth of Dominica. The first person to greet us was our van driver Francis, a delightful man who drove us half way around the Island to Roseau, the city where we stayed. Francis had a smile on his face that meant a whole lot after such a long day and from the start showed the friendlyness of the people in Dominica. When we arrived at the Youth Center we were greated by Sister who had beds and rooms for us to stay. While laying in bed that first night I hoped that this trip would help me connect with my fellow students, the local people, and most of all God in a dynamic way. My goal during this trip was to be constantly open and available to others, whether it be my group or my neighbor in this new country, in hopes of encountering Love, namely God in all that I would do.
5/20 Today has been pure joy and just awesome. In the morning I went with four others on a thirty minute walk to the Alpha Center to work with the handicapped children. This is where we would spend the bulk of our time doing service. Each day we helped at the Alpha Center from 8:30-1pm when the school closed. During my time at the Alpha Center I worked one on one with a couple of students, Richcarde and Tyrone. When working with Richcarde, I helped him with his numbers from 1 to 100. I also helped him with understanding the days of the week, months of the year, and writing some basic facts about where he was born (Haiti) where he went to school, and where he lived. My time with Tyrone was focused on helping him write his name, especially writing his last name ALEXANDER, of which he struggled especially writing the letter "X". Both of these boys were an absolute joy to teach, they both got very excited when they accomplished the task ahead of them and were appreciative of my help. With that said, I also assisted some of the teachers in their classrooms. Each class is broken down into the ability of the students. Therefore a few days I helped with the younger students or those who are at the first grade level of learning. I also worked one on one with a boy named Michael and another boy named Navaldor. These two boys could not do too much when it comes to academics because of their mental capacity, however they enjoyed playing sports and working with blocks and counting. The staff at the Alpha Center, led by Sister Ruthena is outstanding. Their love and dedication to the students was clear from the start. I can say that the kids are certainly in good hands. Each morning before our daily activities we started the day with Assembly, where the children recite the national anthem and pledge. In addition, they sing a number of songs to begin their day with smiles, laughter, and fun. Some of them stood out for me such as LORD of the Dance, Good morning to You and all that you do Good morning Good Morning, Good morning to you..., Lean on Me, and Fill it up.
The handicapped school is a place where the children could come together and reallly have hope and just smile. It was a simple and at times unstructured, but gave them a purpose and allowed them to learn and
have friends. Certainly the presence of Christ was in these children.After going back to the Youth Center at 1pm, we had lunch which consisted of PB& J Sandwiches and then prepared to help in the after school program. Each day from 2:30-4pm, students from the Roseau Primary school came to get help with their homework. I was fortunate enough to help some students read, others work on their math, and even quiz a student while she studied for a test. Jelani, Precious, and Darlon were some of the kids that stand out for me. After we finished with the academics the kids would go outside and play. They taught us how to play cricket which is similar in some ways to baseball. We also spent time playing futbol, as well as listening to them sing Hannah Montana songs and Carry Underwood. This afternoon in particular we had spelling and Math contests on the blackboard for well over an hour, the kids eager to sharpen their skills and compete against their friends. In all that we did with the children, the smiles on their faces and knowing that they were having lots of fun was worth everything--it was priceless. Each night after simple dinners of rice, beans, vegetables, and fruit, we had class for a couple hours to reflect on our experiences and talk about them. By the end of the day I was tired, but always spent time with my group members in conversation or by playing apples to apples. We truly enjoyed each others company and I established nice friendships with all of them, of which I am truly grateful.
5/21
Today was another steller day. After a simple meal of oatmeal and peanutbutter and bread for breakfast I went to the Alpha Center. I spent a lot of time with one girl there named Yanela. We had a moment in teh morning during assembly after she arrived when she gave me a very long look and then an expression that told me she could use some extra love. Therefore, I decide to work in her class room and sit beside her. She never talked and was quite upset often, but when I sat next to her I could tell she liked have her back rubbed and this made her feel much better. One afternoon she just put her had on my lap and layed there, it was sad because you could tell she was in pain from something at home. This day we took the kids to the library in town where they had stories read to them, they all enjoyed this. When we got back it was snack time and Junior and some of the older kids made homemade cabbage soup, it was surprisingly delicious. Afterwards it was time for me and the rest of our group to teach some songs to the kids. We decided to teach them "Old McDonald Had a Farm" The children enjoyed singing and making animal noises; there wer many smiles and much laughter. The funniest thing was when Jamiem was asked what his favorite animal was and he responded, "A Dinosaur!!" Therefore, and on that Farm he had a....DINOSAUR...Haha that was great. Before leaving Alpha Center I spent time with Navaldor, a very small seven year old boy from Haiti doing the alphabet. He was so cute and loveable. When we got back to the Youth Center I worked with Jenali and each day helped him with his homework. We then were taught to play cricket and also played soccer. To cap off the afternoon we walked to the Botanical Gardens and then up Jacks walk, named after Jack Sparrow as Pirates of Caribbean II was filmed in Dominica. At the top of the hike we had a breathtaking view of Roseau.
5/22
Today we woke up and found out there was no water. Fortunately Dominica has good water and you are able to drink it from the tap. At first having no water was tough, but it was good becasue it made me appreciate and be thankful for something that I take for granted every day. Walking to the Alpha Center today I felt more welcomed than ever in Dominica, as we were no longer being viewed as intruders or tourists, but people began to see what we were doing and greeting us on our way. This was very important for me and the rest of our group. Although, we did come to realize that no matter what people thought about what we were doing, as long as we did it out of Love for God and our neighbor then we were doing the right thing. At the Alpha Center, we taught the kids to play "Duck Duck Goose." They absolutely loved running and chasing one another and had a thrill during this game. Today we took 12 of the older students to the River, where they charted the good and bad things, such as pollution or the beauty of nature. Then the kids went swimming and had an absolute blast. I really enjoyed talking to and spending time with Junior and Tyrone at the river and at Alpha. I also did activities and exchanged many smiles with Carissa who always was happy and happy to see us each day. In the afternoon I went to the Homeless shelter, this being the third and final part of our service project. The experience at the homeless shelter was my first and was good. We walked around and visited some of the people there. Then I sat down with another member of my group and talked to a lady and a gentleman for about an hour. I learned how important it was for the people there to have visitors and to take time to spend with them, especially because of the trivial dull life they live. It is sad because many of the people there have a mental disablility and it seems as if some of the Alpha Center kids will more than likely end up at the Shelter when they are older.
5/23
Today was a fulfilling and rewarding day, Saturday, we had a free day and I went with Andrew to hike the boiling lake. The boiling lake developed in the dormant volcano in Dominica, as the crater filled with water over the years and is thus boiling/bubbling due to the sulfic gases and heat coming from the earth's core. The five hour hike was awesome, pretty physically taxing and an adventure. It was a difficult hike as we had to scale some rock cliffsides and jump over sulfic bubbling streams/rivers. When we hiked the nature we expreienced was awesome, it was quiet and beautiful. When we got to the top it was well worth it to see one of the biggest crater lakes in the world. While hiking I talked to Andrew about many different things, the importance of my Faith, my relationship with God, and where I could see my life in the future where it was heading. My friendship with him has continued to increase which has been great. After returning we met up with the other half of the group which was staying in Portsmouth and did a short swim before dinner.
5/24
Today we went to Mass at the Cathedral. It was nice celebrating the Eucharist in Dominica. Today was a day of rest as we went snorkeling at Scottshead and spent time as a group for the entire day. When we got back I played a competitive game of futbol with two group members as well as 5 Dominicans who invited us to play on the Prime Ministers lawn. After dinner we wrote thank you letters to those who helped fun our trip and then shared stories and talked for hours with one another.
The rest of my time in Dominica was great. I kept going to Alpha Center in the mornings until 1pm, then tutored and played with the kids until 4pm and a couple other afternoons spent time talking to Clement a homeless man at the shelter. Each night we had class and then talked afterwards.
Leaving Dominica was difficult and emotional. We had made some good connections with the kids at the Alpha Center, the Youth Center children, as well as some people at the homeless shelter. During this trip I know that I did not change Dominica, nor in any way change the world. What I do know is that I experienced Love and in that Love I felt the presence of God. I learned how to live simply and how fulfilling this life can be. This trip put many things in perspective for me and I hope to do more service work this summer in my own community to impact the life of others. Ultimately, If we do all things for the Glory of God we cannot go wrong and will be filled with a deep JOY in our lives. I am grateful to have been able to go on this wonderful trip and hope that I will have many more opportunities such as this one in the years to come. I fell that this trip helped me get in touch with a part of my humanity that had been lacking. It is not always easy to serve and to be selfless but what I do know is that this makes us truly humble or human and in that we can love, receive love, and in this love connect with God in a dynamic way. We can therefore sing the song of the children at the Alpha Center, "Fill my cup let it over flow, now fill it up. Fill my cup let it over flow, fill it up. Fill my cup let it over flow, let it over flow with Love."
Today was another steller day. After a simple meal of oatmeal and peanutbutter and bread for breakfast I went to the Alpha Center. I spent a lot of time with one girl there named Yanela. We had a moment in teh morning during assembly after she arrived when she gave me a very long look and then an expression that told me she could use some extra love. Therefore, I decide to work in her class room and sit beside her. She never talked and was quite upset often, but when I sat next to her I could tell she liked have her back rubbed and this made her feel much better. One afternoon she just put her had on my lap and layed there, it was sad because you could tell she was in pain from something at home. This day we took the kids to the library in town where they had stories read to them, they all enjoyed this. When we got back it was snack time and Junior and some of the older kids made homemade cabbage soup, it was surprisingly delicious. Afterwards it was time for me and the rest of our group to teach some songs to the kids. We decided to teach them "Old McDonald Had a Farm" The children enjoyed singing and making animal noises; there wer many smiles and much laughter. The funniest thing was when Jamiem was asked what his favorite animal was and he responded, "A Dinosaur!!" Therefore, and on that Farm he had a....DINOSAUR...Haha that was great. Before leaving Alpha Center I spent time with Navaldor, a very small seven year old boy from Haiti doing the alphabet. He was so cute and loveable. When we got back to the Youth Center I worked with Jenali and each day helped him with his homework. We then were taught to play cricket and also played soccer. To cap off the afternoon we walked to the Botanical Gardens and then up Jacks walk, named after Jack Sparrow as Pirates of Caribbean II was filmed in Dominica. At the top of the hike we had a breathtaking view of Roseau.
5/22
Today we woke up and found out there was no water. Fortunately Dominica has good water and you are able to drink it from the tap. At first having no water was tough, but it was good becasue it made me appreciate and be thankful for something that I take for granted every day. Walking to the Alpha Center today I felt more welcomed than ever in Dominica, as we were no longer being viewed as intruders or tourists, but people began to see what we were doing and greeting us on our way. This was very important for me and the rest of our group. Although, we did come to realize that no matter what people thought about what we were doing, as long as we did it out of Love for God and our neighbor then we were doing the right thing. At the Alpha Center, we taught the kids to play "Duck Duck Goose." They absolutely loved running and chasing one another and had a thrill during this game. Today we took 12 of the older students to the River, where they charted the good and bad things, such as pollution or the beauty of nature. Then the kids went swimming and had an absolute blast. I really enjoyed talking to and spending time with Junior and Tyrone at the river and at Alpha. I also did activities and exchanged many smiles with Carissa who always was happy and happy to see us each day. In the afternoon I went to the Homeless shelter, this being the third and final part of our service project. The experience at the homeless shelter was my first and was good. We walked around and visited some of the people there. Then I sat down with another member of my group and talked to a lady and a gentleman for about an hour. I learned how important it was for the people there to have visitors and to take time to spend with them, especially because of the trivial dull life they live. It is sad because many of the people there have a mental disablility and it seems as if some of the Alpha Center kids will more than likely end up at the Shelter when they are older.
5/23
Today was a fulfilling and rewarding day, Saturday, we had a free day and I went with Andrew to hike the boiling lake. The boiling lake developed in the dormant volcano in Dominica, as the crater filled with water over the years and is thus boiling/bubbling due to the sulfic gases and heat coming from the earth's core. The five hour hike was awesome, pretty physically taxing and an adventure. It was a difficult hike as we had to scale some rock cliffsides and jump over sulfic bubbling streams/rivers. When we hiked the nature we expreienced was awesome, it was quiet and beautiful. When we got to the top it was well worth it to see one of the biggest crater lakes in the world. While hiking I talked to Andrew about many different things, the importance of my Faith, my relationship with God, and where I could see my life in the future where it was heading. My friendship with him has continued to increase which has been great. After returning we met up with the other half of the group which was staying in Portsmouth and did a short swim before dinner.
5/24
Today we went to Mass at the Cathedral. It was nice celebrating the Eucharist in Dominica. Today was a day of rest as we went snorkeling at Scottshead and spent time as a group for the entire day. When we got back I played a competitive game of futbol with two group members as well as 5 Dominicans who invited us to play on the Prime Ministers lawn. After dinner we wrote thank you letters to those who helped fun our trip and then shared stories and talked for hours with one another.
The rest of my time in Dominica was great. I kept going to Alpha Center in the mornings until 1pm, then tutored and played with the kids until 4pm and a couple other afternoons spent time talking to Clement a homeless man at the shelter. Each night we had class and then talked afterwards.
Leaving Dominica was difficult and emotional. We had made some good connections with the kids at the Alpha Center, the Youth Center children, as well as some people at the homeless shelter. During this trip I know that I did not change Dominica, nor in any way change the world. What I do know is that I experienced Love and in that Love I felt the presence of God. I learned how to live simply and how fulfilling this life can be. This trip put many things in perspective for me and I hope to do more service work this summer in my own community to impact the life of others. Ultimately, If we do all things for the Glory of God we cannot go wrong and will be filled with a deep JOY in our lives. I am grateful to have been able to go on this wonderful trip and hope that I will have many more opportunities such as this one in the years to come. I fell that this trip helped me get in touch with a part of my humanity that had been lacking. It is not always easy to serve and to be selfless but what I do know is that this makes us truly humble or human and in that we can love, receive love, and in this love connect with God in a dynamic way. We can therefore sing the song of the children at the Alpha Center, "Fill my cup let it over flow, now fill it up. Fill my cup let it over flow, fill it up. Fill my cup let it over flow, let it over flow with Love."
God bless!
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