Dominican Republic Service Trip

Another family Humanitarian trip has come in gone for us!  Each year, it gets harder and harder to make it on these trips, but in turn, each year, it is harder and harder to leave.

 I learned so many beautiful life lessons this summer in the short week we spent in the Dominican Republic. I pray that my children did too. Even if they didn’t in the moment, I pray that they will look back and it will all make sense to them one day.

All over the world, there are those who suffer; people looking for temporal relief because of their circumstances, and people looking for someone to help lift their spirits. I believe this was the Lord’s call for help to each of us who have plenty; “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” (Matthew 19:21) I know that the Lord does bless us for our service, however, I am positive that what he meant by having treasures in heaven, meant that the relationships we build while doing this service far surpasses any earthly thing we can own. It’s those relationships, and memories that are our treasures. I can’t think of a better thing to be rich with.

This week has surely brought that to our family. I have loved watching my kids teach me lessons. Watching my son hand deliver his hard earned dollar bill to a woman who needed a new home, watching my daughter feed all the animals bread instead of the humans-giving it with all her heart, watching my husband reconstruct the mouths of the Dominican people and leaving them with more confidence then they could have ever dreamed. I loved being with my nephew, brother-in-law, best friends, and old friends from previous years. I loved watching my son take selfies with the locals, my kids experiences Primary class in another country, painting and taking down homes for those in need in the Dominican, delivering baby packs to the hospitals, watching childhood at its best with races in the streets and piggy back rides from “the big boys”. I loved playing baseball in the middle of the mountains with the sweet Dominican boys who had no idea how poor they were. Mostly, and above all, I loved that each and every member of my family could give all that we had and be taught in return. I am so thankful for this experience we had. I know that love is not measured by language, by color of skin, by money, or by status. All love is your time and sincerity. I am not an eloquent writer, but I hope my thoughts and feelings can be conveyed in just a small way.

Here are my favorite photos from our trip. I came back with over 2,000 pictures. Photographs are my words. They express what I’m thinking and seeing better then I can say it. Here are some of the memories (and people) I hope we can always remember from this trip to the good old island of the Dominican Republic.

And for next time: Some of the games I want to bring to play with the children and things that worked best are: 

-Hot wheels cars, and chalk to draw tracks and race down ramps

-Pie face game!

-Polaroid camera & Film

-Super soakers

-Church bags for sacrament mtg with coloring books, crayons, and CTR rings

-Treats, toys and things for the animals…I want to get more involved with helping the animals next time as I have a major animal lover for a daughter and there is such a need for this

-Punching balloon balls

-UNO

-Beads