A Day of Service Throughout the Caribbean

On November 2, 2013, throughout the Caribbean, the members of the Church performed a day of service called “Hands and Hearts.” It is the first time that this international day of service has occurred here.  Since it was a Public Affairs event, we had spent a lot of time contacting the stakes and districts in all of the countries about what was involved and to report back to the Area Presidency us and copy us the on their results.  Some of them were very responsive, but others were so slow.  It's the kind of thing that in the States we would have started organizing six months in advance.  Many of the places here decided on the Sunday before what they were going to do.  But, there was an incredible turnout  with thousands participating.   

And one of the great things that happened besides helping many little branches become more unified, other people saw what they were doing and wanted to help.  The house in the first two pictures below belonged to two elderly brothers, one of whom was in a wheelchair.  The local Lions' Club had told them about them. The little congregation of thirty, including the kids, cleaned, painted, and put in a ceiling fan for them.  Right across the street is a Seventh-Day Adventist Church.  When church let out for them, because they meet on Saturdays, they stood and watched what was being done.  After a while, the minister walked over and told the members that this was such a great thing for them to do and asked them to invite him and his congregation to join them in any future service projects - isn't that great?  If everyone was interested in serving others without any attention to their religion, income level, or the color of their skin, wouldn't the world be a better place? 

Among other activities, the units undertook projects such as painting schools and hospitals; cleaning and beautifying parks, roadways, cemeteries, beaches, and other public areas; visiting with the elderly in rest homes; and preparing kits to be used for cholera and dengue prevention. There were a ton of pictures, but these were really good ones that we wanted to share with you.  

Two boys painting during the same project 

Women cleaning the home of two elderly handicapped
men in the Cayman Islands.

Youth surrounding their bags of trash after a roadside cleanup
in Guyana.

Man cleaning up undergrowth
in Haiti.

Man cleaning out his paintbrush after work in Jamaica.

Men repairing a fence in Barbados

Painting a school in Barbados

Repairing a broken cistern drain in Puerto Plata, DR

Cemetery cleanup in Villa Mella, DR

Youth cleaning a beach in Tobago

Carts and Trucks and Things that Go

We could not leave this wonderful country without blogging about all the interesting sites we have seen on wheels.  We did post early on in our mission about trucks, but this one will include carts and motos (small motorcycles).  There are a lot of photos, but it should still be a quick, interesting read.

One note, in spite of our amusement at their modes of transportation, we really do admire how they try to use their humble resources well.  When we get into our cars, drive to the grocery store, and just load the bags in the trunk or backseat, we have no idea what it must be like to have to use a little moto to get your family anywhere or to transport things. Several times, we saw families with just little newborns snuggled in front of their mother in the back and hoped that there were any accidents in store for them.  We are so blessed to have all that we have...

Truck cornucopia - we remember seeing this kind of display at the Utah State Fair, but not on a truck.

 Cow hauling - our friends the Ruckers took the picture of this truck with two trussed cows inside - but, guess what, they are alive.  They saw the tails move, and the cows kept trying to get up.  So, how did they get them in and on their sides and to stay still enough to wrap their feet?  

 There are at least 18 kids in the back of this truck driving down the road.

 Here's a truck emergency vehicle.  The fellow in the center is sitting on a lawn chair with a swag pillow behind his neck.  The guy to his right has an arm all wrapped up.  We wonder where they are going?

Eleven on board

So did the man get on first and then they loaded everything in front of him?  

 Some of these 13 people in the back of this truck look like they could just slip right off!

 Do you notice amongst all the bags of potatoes, rice, etc. that there are some rolls of toilet paper?

With a quick stop, it looks like these onions, peppers, and tomatoes will just come tumbling out the back.

 We couldn't figure out how the truck can move with the heavy machinery loaded on the back.

 Wow, does this guy have an attitude!

 Don't get too close or you'll have a surprise on your hood!

Instead of fancy tie-downs, just plop some people on top.

 So how do you like your eggs?

 Driving your steamroller to the grocery store to pick up a few things.

 There really is a man under all of these mattreses cycling this cart!  So instead of Two Men and a Truck, it's One Man and a Cart.  Hope it doesn't start raining.

 Pillows, dishracks, a bedspread - what else do you need for your new home?

 Riding side-saddle - we worried that she might fall off with that little one when they took a corner.

 Delivery from the hardware store or your neighborhood recycler?

 We saw this dad pick up his three boys from school.  Do you notice one of the 

book bags hanging from his rearview mirror?

 We loved the homemade wood base for these crates and the Christmas table cloth.

 A sweet family from our church branch heading home after after meetings- all dressed up.

 Six on one bike - the family mini-van.

 Here's the baker making deliveries - we hope he can balance everything.

 Here's the milkman with his big milk cans.

 A big bag of potatoes - wonder if he's heading to McDonalds to make fries.

 We don't know if this propane tank is empty or full, but still a tricky load.

We are wondering what happened when he met an oncoming car or had to go down a narrow street.

Aqua Blancas

 One of the places that we have wanted to visit for some time is a waterfall near Constanza in the heartland of the Dominican Republic.  When we investigated it, we learned that it was a little difficult to get to up an "impassable" trail.  But then we learned about another couple having visited it with a local member as their guide, so we contacted him, grabbed Ray and Jill Johnson, another senior couple here who have climbed to the base camp of Mount Everest and up Mount Kilimanjaro several times.  This was not Mount Everest, but it was a nice little trip.

The falls is visible from quite a distance nestled
near some fairly tall mountains, Dominican-wise.

As you can see from this closeup, there are pine trees and scrub oak up here.

As we drove up the very rutted highway, you can see the lovely
countryside below and the amazing fields that go right up the mountain side.

Another picturesque shot.  They have made good use
of every bit of the land. The dropoff is a little steep if we
miss a turn... no guard rail.

Getting closer.

And closer...

The sign to the White Water Waterfall - I stole this
from the internet because I forgot to take a picture. 

When we were about a mile away, the road turned another way, so we parked the car to begin the "hike" - let's say that we thought it would be a hike, but instead were greeted by a paved path including a bridge to cross to the falls side of the river.  This is an improvement that has been made fairly recently.

Here we are at the little covered patio before we begin our "mighty" trek 

A view of the falls from the bridge.  

Cute Rob, sitting on a rock
 by the waterfall.

Rob on a rock, taking a photo of the falls
with the rapids going on either side.

Rob with our guide

I love this little fall that was opposite
 the big one.  The water just danced
into the pool.

Because of the time of day, you can't . really tell how tall the waterfall is - about a 270 feet drop - because there's a little break above where we are looking.  You can't see the whole thing from down below.

The pool below is supposed to be frigid - apparently,

some folks have run into trouble swimming too long.

You can see what the road was like - very bumpy, rutted,and rough.
We couldn't have done it without our Toyota Rav.

These are typical of the homes along the road -
 these folks work in the fields here. 

Men playing dominoes, even up here on the mountain.

Blankets and sheets our drying on the line.  It must get colder
up here at night because it's way too hot for blankets in Santo Domingo

Two little girls getting water from the village spigot.

Here we are at lunch afterwards with everyone. We wish that we could say that our hike which was under a mile each way was more strenuous!  But we did love seeing this pretty little falls - the highest in the Dominican Republic.