Batey Algodon

Hello everybody! Hold on, because I think this will be a pretty long post. . . bear with me, and I'll thow some pics in along the way.

Well, I just returned from another ten day trip out to Barahona, where I was working with a youth group from National Presbyterian Church in DC, in a community called Batey Algodon. "Batey" is the word that folks here have to describe the small communities of sugar-cane workers here in the DR, who are mostly illegal Haitian immigrants. The majority of Bateys are rather small, with folks living in a state of desperate poverty. Sugar cane work is seasonal, only providing work for six months a year and to a small percentage of the community. It is back-breaking labor and pays 151 dominican pesos a day, which is equivalent to about $4.44 USD. That amount of money is barely enough to survive during those six months, and not enough to feed a large family. During the off season, there is virtually no work, and folks often go hungry. Many years ago, the sugar cane companies would bring over workers from Haiti to settle in these communities and work in the fields. The situation is convenient for the sugar cane companies, who have a neverending source of cheap labor (and hope to keep things the way that they are). To top it off, racial tensions between Dominicans and Haitians result in persecution of the Haitian immigrants. For folks who live in these communities, life is very difficult.

That being said, the folks in Batey Algodon are some of the most incredible folks I've met. Pastor Jacki has been through hell and back, growing up in a very tough home situation in Haiti, and eventually leaving to the DR. He taught himself to read with a Bible, and followed the Lord's calling to serve in Batey Algodon. He gives me such hope for his community. Not only is he an amazing spiritual leader; he also is an advocate for their community before the sugar cane company, non-profit foundations, and the Dominican government. One day we drove by the community early in the morning and there were about 50 young people with brooms and buckets sweeping up and collecting trash. I asked him about it later and he told me that every Friday he's organized the community to clean up the streets and the property around the church. Keep in mind that this is happening in a culture that typically has no sense of caring for the environmental. The Lord really has worked wonders through Jacki's ministry. I love that guy.

The Foundation has been working in Batey algodon for several years, and since we have come, we've installed a water purification system, and built 28 latrines in the community (before folks were doing their business in the sugar cane). Unfortunately, that system was robbed by some folks from outside the community, so the Foundation is in the process of looking for the money to replace the needed parts to get it up and running. This is a priority, as the people in the Batey are again drinking water that is unpurified (which means that they all have parasites). During the last ten days, the group from National Presbyterian Church helped to build 8 more latrines, which are greatly needed in the community. We only had two maestros (construction workers), but enough volunteers for many work groups, so one of the maestros taught me how to build walls and I ended up laying block and leading a couple of the work groups. They got a kick out of a white american kid with a bandana laying block, but even they admitted I was a fast learner. We'll see if the latrines I helped build are still standing the next time I visit : )

During the week, with the help of the community and a vanfull of Dominican doctors who volunteer to come out from the capital, we held a one day medical clinic, where everyone in the community was taken care of and recieved medication. Think about what it would be like to have a baby with a high fever, and not have the resources to buy children's tylenol. This is the reality for these mothers, and although a one-day medical clinic won't solve the situation immediately, it really is a blessing for these folks to recieve some basic medicine. We're hoping in the future to build a clinic in the community that would be staffed twice a week by dominican volunteers.

And of course, we played with the kids : ) How can you not, right? The kids in the Batey are often left completely unsupervised by parents who are out working in the fields or simply can't take care of their children. As a result of this, they haven't learned appropriate ways to interact socially. For example, they don't know how to resolve conflicts without fighting, because nobody's there to tell them that it's not OK to hit or throw rocks at each other. All that being said, any sort of organized interaction with the children is helpful in that it teaches the kids how to get along. We had two VBS type of activities and some organized sports as well. There is a school in the community run by Ninos de las Naciones, which is immensely helpful in educating and teaching the kids good behavior and life skills as well. I actually even met some folks from SPU who are interning for Ninos de las Naciones all summer long. Amazing where you find SPU students, isn't it?

So that was pretty long it turns out. Our time in Batey Algodon was of great blessing. I'm reminded to not lose hope by the Haitians, who have been abused for centuries, and still find a way to smile and carry on. They are a beautiful people and have taught me a lot, and I hope to spend more time there in the future.

Also, there's been an addition to the FFP staff at the house in Santo Domingo in the area of Security. I fell in love with a little puppy in Batey Algodon, and the owner was kind enough to give her to me and Kristin (one of the full time missionaries I work with). I named her Luna, which means "moon" in Spanish. We've been in the process of de-fleaing her here in the capital, and are trying desperately to train her (which is way tougher than I thought!). I know she doesn't look that ferocious yet, but she'll be huge and terrifying soon enough : )

My health has been much better lately (thanks for your prayers!), and I hope I'll be back to normal soonish. I decided to change my flight back to Seattle for the 26th to give myself a little more time to rest and recover before school starts back up. Please keep praying for health, patience with lots of work, and strength to do all of the things that the Lord has set before me. I miss you all and hope that this finds you well wherever you may be.

Peace and Blessings,

Nick