We have been putting together another volunteer dream team to visit the Dominican Republic this April, and there is still room for three more volunteers. Every year we take a group to the D.R. we find ourselves getting more ambitious with what we think we can accomplish.

The Caribbean has been pummeled this year by tropical storms, and fortunately, the D.R. did not experience the destruction felt on many of the other islands. Rain has been excessive and with that comes flooding. The last five years have seen unprecedented rainfall which leaves many people in destitute situations.

Fresh drinking water is one of those issues. The areas we serve are impoverished with poor living conditions. Homes built with what appears to be scrap tin, pallet boards, with little to no electricity, or running water.

We found a company who produces gravity fed water filtration systems that are easy to use and maintain while removing 99% of the bacteria in the water. It only costs $45. My fridge water filter is more than that and has to be replaced every year. This water filter we use in the D.R. is good for ten years and is portable.

I must admit it was a great find! Drilling wells is not always a viable option.

This year our projects will consist of replacing 3 roofs for local churches, run 3 medical clinics and provide clean drinking water for 40 families. We only have 8 days to do all this so it will be full on once we hit the ground.

The average wage in D.R. is still around $10 a day unless you have a college education and then the pay scale rises significantly.

The government in the D.R. is doing it's best to increase the quality and availability of their education, but there is a shortage of high schools and teachers. Knowledge is a huge part of helping people out of poverty.

We are in communication with a local vocational training center trying to determine what areas we can be involved. Last year we
took 23 students through a culinary course. The students loved it so much they did not want to stop.

If you would like to donate to our activities, please do so on the donation tab on the website. You are welcome to come with us on any of our annual trips as well.

The world will be a better place if everyone takes some time to volunteer and give of their time and talent to assist others. You don't have to travel across the world to make a difference. Just do something. There is a myriad of opportunities all around us every day.