Our trip to the Dominican Republic to see our Compassion sponsored child Jose Henrrique Reynoso.
Henrrique lives outside of Santo Domingo with his mother and father and 5 brothers (yikes). Henrrique (his first name is Jose, but he told me to call him Henrrique) is the one crouching with the white t shirt on. His mother just had twin boys right before we arrived.
His father works as a taxi driver using a motorcycle. His mother sometimes works, but stays at home most of the time.
Henrrique's brother Miguel is also a Compassion sponsored child. He is the one crouching with the red t shirt on.
They have no plumbing. I did not even see an outhouse. They have a 55 gallon drum of water dropped off at the road for them to use. Their "house" is just two rooms with a kitchen with no cupboards and a stove with no propane. More pictures of the house to follow.
We are Compassion Volunteer Representatives because we have seen how Compassion actually administers the program. They are incredible and almost all the money you contribute goes to the child through the local church and student center. Click on this link to go to the Compassion web site.
Click on this LINK to see the latest letter from Jose Henrrique.
Email us about questions. Thanks and God bless.
click on picture to enlarge
click on pictures to enlarge them
Could
you
imagine
6
boys
and
2
parents
sleeping
in
this
house?
The
bedroom
had
a
regular
size
bed
for
the
parents
and
2
infants,
and
one
single
bed
for
all
4
boys
to
sleep
on.
We brought sheets thinking they would use them for the beds. We were told they would be hanging them on the inside walls because the slats did not keep bugs out.
That blue 55 gallon drum that you see out by the road is the water they use for everything.
This is me and Henrrique playing catch with the ball we brought him.
This is a picture of Bernard Okeke(our Compassion interpreter) and the director of the Compassion Student Center. The blue building is where the children meet for tutoring, having a safe place to play and are fed 2 meals a day. The Student Center director( I cannot remember her name) was a Compassion sponsored child in Santo Domingo years ago. She now has a college degree and runs the Student Center with hundred of kids under her direction.
This
is
the
church
associated
with
the
Student
Center.
Compassion
always
partners
with
a
local
bible
believing
church
to
administer
the
programs.
The
Compassion
field
offices
have
people
always
reviewing
and
evaluating
the
churches
in
the
program.
Church members tutor the kids and watch over the program along with Compassion representatives. All children receive not only academic education but also bible teaching and all get a chance to respond to the Gospel.
This
is
us
at
our
hotel
in
downtown
Santo
Domingo.
Quite
a
difference
from
the
living
conditions
of
Henrrique.
But
we
don't
begrudge
the
gifts
God
has
given
to
us.
We
are
thankful
and
understand
that
"to
those
much
has
been
given,
much
is
expected".
We
can't
make
a
difference
in
the
whole
world,
but
we
can
make
a
huge
difference
in
the
life
of
ONE
child.
And
so
can
you.
Our lives will never be the same because of sponsoring this child. Neither will yours if you decide to.
Connie at the oldest street in North America. Calle Las Damas. Christopher Columbus had his headquarters here and visited often. At night the ladies of the town would parade down the street...thus the name "Street of the Ladies".
We went on an excursion into the mountains and saw a guy roasting chocolate. First they lay the white cocoa pods out in the sun for a few days, then roast them. The roasting gives them the brown appearance.
A
local
meat
market
on
the
way
to
Santo
Domingo.
Don't
think
we
will
be
buying
anything
here.
Click
on
this
picture
to
see
a
pictoral
of
many
houses
like
this
in
a
village
inbetween
Santo
Domingo
and
San
Pedro
de
Marcoris(where
Sammy
Sosa
is
from).