A Good Heart in Danger. Help is Needed!

Altagracia Pujols is a lovely 27 year old Dominican woman who has a critical heart problem: severe mitral valve insufficiency. This is a disorder in which the mitral valve does not close properly when the heart pumps out blood. Altagracia needs surgery urgently, but the family's insurance only covers 80% of the medical expenses. They need $3,500 in order to have the operation.

The Pujols family lives in KM 8 of Azua, a community of only 50 families, which belongs to the parish of La Sagrada Familia. The father, Alfonso, a mild-mannered but very active leader of the community, earns his living from a small produce farm and grazing a few cows. He has spent all of his savings on Altagracia's diagnostic testing. Now, humbly, the family is seeking financial help from businesses, public sources and private individuals so that Altagracia can have her operation.

Several generous people have already given financial support and, at this moment, only US$1,750 is needed to cover the cost of the operation. We hope and pray, with trust in the Lord, that this goal will be reached. If you can help, this is an opportunity to truly make an immediate difference in the lives of one family in need. You can contribute by clicking this link: DONATE

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support!

Do You Know How to Read? “un chín”

This is what an eight year old boy in the little community of La Altagracia, located in the southwest of the Dominican Republic, answered me recently. “Un chín” means “a little” and is a very typical Dominican expression. This particular little boy wanted to become a member of the new library we have started in his village. Although he hardly knew how to read, we accepted him, since it wouldn’t be long until he has learned. In the meantime, his mom and dad will read with him the books he gets out of the library.

A few weeks ago we inaugurated the Altagracia Library, that for now, consists of a big box full of children’s books, kept at the home of one of the young people of the community. It is the seventh in a chain of mini libraries that we are creating to promote reading for all ages, but especially among children in the region. We have been able to establish these libraries thanks to multiple donations, the last of them from the companies DHL and Ordesa Laboratories, and from several friends in Barcelona. The central one, that now has more than 600 members, is located in La Sagrada Familia parish in Sabana Yegua (Azua), where the project originated. Others are cabinets or closets in chapels in rural communities... and where there isn’t a chapel, the library is a book box in the home of a volunteer who looks after it, as in the case of La Altagracia.

A BIG PARTY: WATER FOR CAÑADA DE PIEDRA AND ALTAGRACIA (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)

It has been eleven years since Florinda Ramírez and Bienvenido Mancebo (who everyone affectionately calls El Ciego, “the blind man,” because of his droopy eyelids), set about to realize a dream to bring water to their communities. These villages, two little settlements called Cañada de Piedra and Altagracia, are located within the territory of La Sagrada Familia parish. Five hundred people live there. These people have never had accessible potable water for drinking, cooking and washing. Instead, while the men work in the nearby fields as day laborers, the women walk up to four miles round trip to get water from a well. In the process they must cross a main highway, with the danger of accidents and injuries, which they have suffered on multiple occasions. They carry 5 gallons buckets of water which, when full, weigh over 40 pounds.  At home, they carefully preserve the water because they know that the faster they use it, the sooner they will have to walk again under the Caribbean sun.

Today the dream has been made a reality. After years of visits to institutions and authorities, letters, commission trips and meetings, the communities have achieved their goal. A few years ago the Foundation for Development of the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana (FUNDASEP), together with Manos Unidas and Nuevos Caminos, two development agencies from Spain, and La Sagrada Familia parish in Sabana Yegua established a comprehensive development plan in which accessibility to water was an essential component. The Cañada de Piedra-Altagracia aqueduct was identified as the most pressing necessity.

It has been 18 months of hard work for brigades of volunteers building protection for the existing well, laying foundations, installing pipes, and building the elevated water tank of 50,000 gallons. 18 months of technical supervision by FUNDASEP and parish personnel and 18 months of much struggle.

Now both communities, totaling 123 families, have a sink and faucet at each home. They know the effort and money that the aqueduct has cost and have organized a system to assure its prudent operation, such as the distribution of water only every two days for limited hours. Everyone will fill all of their pitchers, pails and containers to make use of this precious resource and not let the water run uselessly. The water will change their lives and those of future generations.

We thank Florida, “El Ciego” and all of the community members for their tireless effort and faithful dedication to this beautiful project. And so today we are celebrating, with songs, dances, skits, and joy, the blessing of God who wants a dignified life for all. A great party to celebrate this wonderful achievement.