medical mission travel to the bateys

suzgleason

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Feb 7, 2002
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Does anyone have advice for me as a nurse travelling out to the bateys? What small gift ideas do you have that would intrigue and delight the children? ie: candy? quarters? pencils? balloons?? pictures of themselves (Polaroid)? Is there any advice for me as I work in these areas of the DR with the Haitian people? thanks in advance for your ideas!!
 

Susan

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Jan 23, 2002
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don't know where the bateys are, but...

suzgleason said:
Does anyone have advice for me as a nurse travelling out to the bateys? What small gift ideas do you have that would intrigue and delight the children? ie: candy? quarters? pencils? balloons?? pictures of themselves (Polaroid)? Is there any advice for me as I work in these areas of the DR with the Haitian people? thanks in advance for your ideas!!

hello from another susan!

Most of the village and mountain children can't use an American quarter, or at least not get their money's worth for it. ALL the touristas hand out small candies, and many children stay out of school to get these hand outs along some roads... it's sad because they have so little in their schools, but as a fellow soft heart, may I suggest good food, packaged? Crackers, nuts, even cookies?
Even American fruit roll ups are better for them... some schools we visited offered no lunch.
Next time I return, when I visit certain schools, I will bring food as well... but when I first appraoched several, we brought school supplies. Crayons are rare - you should have seen some faces when I whipped out several 64 crayolas with a sharpener! It could have been GOLD!!! I hope to be able to offer several schools lunch programs in the months to come... a project of mine, as my hubby and I are moving to R.D. for several years at least this coming spring.

These schools do not have enough paper for kids to doodle, draw and waste! My teachers' heart was captured, so think of inexpensive books in Spanish as well! My first visit to a school in Maimon, I brought coloring books to children with NO CRAYONS. It was awful!! I felt 2 inches tall in my arrogance! I wonder if they make "Golden Books" in espanol? They would be perfect as presents...

Once again, I don't even know how many children you are talking about!! Sorry!

If you would like some photos of children at school on the North Coast (Maimon, Luperne, Boca Nueva, Puerta Plata, I have many, and perhaps it might help you to see with your own eyes... the schools ALL need help, some very much so... it will break your heart.

NICE to hear from a Good Samaritan once in awhile :)

...and I have no idea even what the bateys are! LOL!

susan
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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susan: Bateys are the barracks that house Haitians during the harvest. many of them have turned into small settlements of both Dominican and haitian folks. They are poor, seldom receiving public services, except electricity and that very poorly.

Are youthe ones that were going to build school in that area? i think we talked about this on the board last year?

As for a lunch program, uh-uh. Do a breakfast program or a "snack" program for the afternoon.
Why? Cause the students are not in school that long. The arrive at 8 and leave at 11:30 a.m. Another group goes at 2 and leaves at about 5:30...
If you get in contact withCARITAS (Catholic Relief Services here) or CARE, they might be able to help you...

I like a LOT of the 8 stick crayon packs rather than the gringo size 64s!!

HB
 

Susan

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Jan 23, 2002
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my friend

Hillbilly said:
susan: Bateys are the barracks that house Haitians during the harvest. many of them have turned into small settlements of both Dominican and haitian folks. They are poor, seldom receiving public services, except electricity and that very poorly.

then I must say it stinks that anyone wants to build more of them! Concrete and wood can be made in many shapes!!!

Are you the ones that were going to build school in that area? i think we talked about this on the board last year?

Roger and I, yes, and our plans have changed into a long term approach as opposed to a one shot, build a school.... you get the drift ! WE love D.R. After beginning to see and appreciate the Dominican "way" of doing things, I have opted to not align myself with any religious group per se. (I'ma cath!). Last trip I gave away around 300 Bibles (protestant ones!), and every school was happy for them. I have visited *in the neighborhood* of 10 schools that I want to be a "magic art and food fairy" for....

to give and do what the school will permit.... free art lessons, free pottery lessons, free wood working lessons, that would cover an eight to ten week periods of time.... rotating throughout the school year as I do here. (everything furnished by my litlle foundation, and hoping to distribute clothes as well.)

My dream is to bring in many *visiting* artists, musicians, maybe eventually a few computor geeks, and groups that want to come and work on a school that I can get permission to improve.... like a bathroom and clean toilet for the school! or a well, or more desks and tables! and supplement school supplies and food needs in any small way I can..... God will lead me, and don't go thinking I'm some HOLY ROLLER!!! I will prove when we meet to be a middle aged KY girl with a healthy appetite for Jack Daniels!!

I know it will be hard, and take time, my friendHB, but - that we have! (and enough cash to make it!) It's all good for now.... and I'll call you first if anything goes wrong!!! LOL!

as for the food programs, I will learn! Give me a week near one of those schools as a volunteer! I'll tell you who needs the food! (an international trait among children - they will eat almost anything!!!)

you'll be invited to a Texas style barbeque as soon as our casa is settled... I believe I saw some brisket cuts down at that butchers.... smile, I'll bring the sauce and margaritas!

we plan to be hanging around down there for a few years.... as I said, we've got time, a few steady voices like yourself, dear friends we have made, and patience! and pooh on those measley 10 packs!! there is no plata y oro! Girl also need lavendar crayons to develope properly psychologically!!! LOL!

enjoyed your jokes recently, thought of posting a few myself!! Couldn't be anything worse than the guys' coffee clatch going on here!!!

peace be with you, talk at you soon, susan

As for a lunch program, uh-uh. Do a breakfast program or a "snack" program for the afternoon.
Why? Cause the students are not in school that long. The arrive at 8 and leave at 11:30 a.m. Another group goes at 2 and leaves at about 5:30...
If you get in contact withCARITAS (Catholic Relief Services here) or CARE, they might be able to help you...

I like a LOT of the 8 stick crayon packs rather than the gringo size 64s!!

HB