MOTHERS STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY

 

In the far off town of Barrera (Azua, Dominican Republic), where men subsist by fishing, burning coal and farming, many women try, often in vain, to help with household expenses.

A few years ago we began to provide scholarships, especially for young mothers who wanted to improve their lives and those of their children. Up to this point, ten women from Barrera have pursued and completed a college degree; some are teachers, others nurses and others accountants.

Recently, Yudamaris and Yomaira Méndez, two sisters who are already licensed nurses, were able to earn a degree in teaching at the Catholic University in Santo Domingo. They finished a few months ago, and then Yomaira obtained a position as an educator in the high school in her town. In Barrera, due to the efforts of the government to extend the school day, they built a new school that has classes for seven hours daily (as opposed to four hours in the past) and the old primary school is now a secondary school. Before, young people had to travel to other communities for secondary studies. Because the government needs many teachers for the new extended education program, the two sisters, both nurse graduates, decided to earn a degree in teaching and transfer to the education sector to find work. As we mentioned, Yomaira has already found a job, and we hope that Yudamaris can do the same soon.

We encountered Yomaira a few days ago at a meeting to initiate microloans for women in Barrera. She continues to take care (as a volunteer) of the small first aid pharmacy that the parish runs in her town, and as you can see in the attached photo, she looked very happy and grateful as she showed us her newly obtained teaching degree. Congratulations, Yomaira!

 

 

Zika Virus in the Dominican Republic

At the end of January, the Dominican authorities confirmed the first ten cases of zika virus in the country. As it has been reported in the media, the disease, transmitted by the mosquito Aedes Aegypti, which also transmits dengue and chikungunya, is spreading in Latin America and the Caribbean.

There has been a lot of alarm about the disease, which provokes fever, rash, joint pain and symptoms which are similar to those caused by chikungunya. The most serious threat is the reported microcephaly in children in Brazil.

The Health Ministry has started an awareness and preventive campaign through talks, cleaning garbage, and advising pregnant women about the risks of this virus.

In the province of Azua, where our parish is located, there have been no cases reported so far. However, we are starting talks about zika. For us it is a good opportunity to insist on sanitation in the villages and houses, thus creating a culture of cleanliness. It will serve not only the zika prevention but also to avert future cases of dengue, chinkungunya, and so many gastrointestinal and skin diseases that normally affect the population.

It will also serve to educate young women about the risks of unwanted pregnancies. Azua is one of the provinces in the country with a higher number of pregnancies among teenagers. Awareness about the zika virus can help an always necessary awareness about pregnancy at a young age.

To sum up, we want to turn the zika threat and its extensive impact on the media, into an opportunity to keep talking and working for a better health of those we serve in Azua.

 

 

A new year is a new opportunity to see better!!!

Every year in January, Saint Mary’s parish coordinates a group mostly of people from the Kenosha area, with some others, for a week in the parish of La Sagrada Familia, run by the Community of Saint Paul, in Sabana Yegua, Azua. This year 29 people came for a threefold mission trip: eye surgeries, eye exams and a building project. They performed 122 surgeries, saw more than 900 people during the four day clinic and built a house for a family that has some members with disabilities. 

The people of La Sagrada Familia are grateful for the effort of these 29 missionaries who every year take some of their valuable time to share with us their talent and love.

These mission trips started eleven years ago and we have seen from the beginning that it was above all about creating relationships and creating partnerships that have lasted for several years. This has been a blessing for both parishes La Sagrada Familia and Saint Mary’s in Kenosha - with some relationships that have been be growing for over a decade. 

Thank you very much to all those who participated in Mission 11, and in missions past!

GRADUATION OF STUDENTS IN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Jansel Corcino, of Sabana Yeguar, is proud of having graduated from the Computer Science Degree at the University UTESUR of Azua (Dominican Republic). Another student from Sabana Yegua, Hugo Alquejay, also graduated, in his case from as an Agricultural Engineer. We rejoice in the fact that he completed his studies with Honors.  Both Jansel and Hugo are examples of the more than 70 young people who have received scholarships from La Sagrada Familia parish. The success of this program gives us great satisfaction, since we know that to invest in education is the best we can do to offer a future filled with hope to the young people in our region.

SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY IN AZUA: "FOR A LAITY WITH ADULT FAITH"

On Saturday, August 10, theology classes for laity began in the Buen Pastor School in Azua.  Members of the Community of Saint Paul embarked in the initiative, which is new in the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana, in collaboration with the Dominican Episcopal Conference.  They were able to coordinate the beginning of studies towards a Diploma in Theology for laity in the area of Azua (an ecclesiastic district made up of 14 parishes).  The diploma consists of 22 modules in total. The day began with two modules, and the response from various parishes was very good: there are 59 students with a desire to deepen in their faith through study.  Instructors and students have begun together a learning process that will fortify their faith and at the same time will give fruit to a group of formed and dedicated laymen and laywomen that will be able to accompany their parishes and ecclesial base communities.

END OF COURSES AT THE NAZARET LABOR TRAINING CENTER, LA SAGRADA FAMILIA PARISH, SABANA YEGUA

The Nazaret Labor Training Center offers courses in beauty and hair-styling, computer skills and sewing for persons of low income living in Sabana Yegua, as well as sewing courses in four more rural communities: Ganadero, Proyecto 4, El Rosario and Los Toros. These courses are coordinated by the Parish and run from August to June.  This past June brought the end to yet another year of the Center's classes and on June 21 there was a festive graduation ceremony for the participants who had finished the different courses.