Fred Rogers, better known as Mr. Rogers, the beloved television icon for children, said, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" Lately, and once again, we find ourselves surrounded by news of hate and violence and tragedy. So I went looking for the helpers. Because, really, who doesn't need some sunshine after weeks of storms?
Luke Millard, a Towson High School student who lives on Glen Argyle Road, and Paul Smith, Regester Avenue, recently went on a pilgrimage to the region of Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, as part of a group with The Church of the Redeemer's Journey to Adulthood (j2a) class.
Nine 9th- and 10th-graders, as well as three chaperons (in addition to Smith, Elizabeth Tunkle and Cristina Paglinauan, the latter of whom is associate rector at Redeemer), spent six days in the Dominican Republic for a combination of reflection, adventure, and most importantly, service.
The team worked hard to level the ground in front of a village school built entirely by volunteers, with no government funding, to address a variety of issues but most specifically to provide an education for young girls from the nearby village of Callejon, which in one translation means end of the road.
Rains had caused the school to flood on numerous occasions, so the team worked with engineers to address drainage issues and determine ways to prevent further flood damage. This involved a great deal of digging, shoveling and wheelbarrowing. Moving the Earth is grueling, labor intensive work but the team was up for the challenge. The group was also able to tour a coffee plant, where they learned about how the local crop is harvested and processed, as well as enjoyed a visit to one of the country's northern beaches.
Luke had this to say about his journey, "Embarking on this trip with the j2a group taught me a lot about myself and the world. I experienced working through a school that wouldn't be there without tireless volunteers who worked without pay. I got to talk to the children of the village and learn their culture. I grew closer to people I already knew working with my friends and my leader. We got to see the beauty of the Dominican by venturing [to] the mountains, a beautiful waterfall, and a towering waterfall. It was a life changing week and an experience I will never forget."
These people are the helpers. Luke, Paul, Elizabeth, Cristina and the other eight high schoolers who traveled to a foreign land to help save a community school, these people are my rays of sunshine in a dark and stormy news world.
Do you have sunshine to share? Send me an email with the details.