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April 6th: More and more volunteers contact us to help Dominica and
the children. Dominica appreciate A LOT those helpers as she does not feel alone
doing the work. I just sent 6 suitcases = 300 lbs Shoes, towels, garbage
bags and medicine and essential oils were a hit. Here is what Dominica had to
say:
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"We just received the bags of clothing, shoes and medicines. As soon
as Armando arrived from Punta Cana, all the children were very anxious to
see their clothes!!!!! Few of them got teddy bears and few toys for girls.
You have always made the kids so happy. Athenas got her birthday cds and
she is just jumping of joy. Tomorrow few of the kids that were not going
to the school because of lack of shoes will go back to class!! Thank you
deeply for being aware of our needs here. In Godīs service, Dominica"
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February 1st, 2009:I just made it back and have lots of pictures to edit (3
to 400). So please be patient. Kids are in good shape and
Allana and her group of 16 volunteers just did an amazing job with water (coming
from a well now, no more expensive trucks coming 2/3 times a week), the new gas
tank upstairs is functioning - no more trips twice a week to get a new portable
gas tank); new earth in the park/garden so vegetables could be planted; new
ceramic project; some kind of credit so women in crisis can work on their own
project; new trash area, separate from the kids playground, etc. etc. Bravo
Allana and your group.
I took 3 + 4 children for a week each to the hotel, + 4 days at Jean and PB
for a fabulous new year celebration, + 9 kids for one day .
at the beach (see the ones left behind!) and the fun for the 9 we took
Magical Allana is working on many projects with her team of 16: from current
water from a well to gas tank installed upstairs to save time and $$ with
cooking. Financial help is definitely needed. Just updated the wish list.
for some photos click here:
http://www.4dshift.com/Orphanage06/2009photos.html
More to come soon - Marie
 
Dominica and Patrizia with Keith, a caring visitor, in
December and Nikos and his back pack
December 8, 2008 : Dominica and the children send their gratitude:
"During the whole year, many prayers
and thoughts were sent to you.
With the year 2008 pretty close to an end,
our mouth need to open to thank all of you for your magnificence and
timely support you gave us when we needed you.
Our large program including the orphanage,
the school, the Social Plan children from the community, the Circle of
Women in Crisis, and the humble and homeless people from the community
who come to this place looking for hope, all of them want to thank you
very deeply. We all want you to be aware of the love that we all carry
in our souls, because you make us feel like part of your family,
part of your hearts.
We will continue praying and working hard
for your good health and for the love, funds and encouragement you
give us. They allow us to keep working with our young children,
and adolescents. as they learn and feed their bodies day by day.
With your new year support, we will continue
emphasizing academic rigor in all areas. We all know that the best
opportunity we can give to this group of humble Dominican children
is to achieve a good education that can change their own lives and allow
them to expand their principles and values in the community and the
dominican society. We need more values, more respect, more people
willing to give back what they have learned and received for free.
Once again, our students were recognized in
the school district --and the first school period is not yet finished--.
Our orphanage and school did not participate in the English Song
Festival as they chose to give this opportunity to another school. They
asked me though to be one of the judge with one of my college student.
I ask them to write about their compromises
(challenges?) for next year and many of them wrote that if it were not
for this Oasis, (the school and the orphanage) and for the angels who
are sustaining us with prayers and funds, they would not be alive and
feeling God in their hearts. So on behalf of our children, please
accept our deepest gratitude. Dominica"
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November 11, 2008: Accomplishments in 2008 and Urgent Needs for next year
- in 2008, the biggest efforts and
rewards were around the new dormitories now hosting 56 new children
desperately in need of a home: a fantastic cooperation between the donors
- mainly Blue House Effect and Jean Dye and their supporters. See the
pictures on the web of those happy faces who moved in in July.
- And a very necessary multi-room
where children do home work, computer classes, music, and are able to
meet.
3. A wonderful six
week visit to MD by 7 from the orphanage. Those are never going to be the
same!
4. The park turned into a garden to
feed the children: 9 eggs/day; bananas, zuccini and melons, tomatoes etc
5.
A dining room back, as classes are limited to the school side and this room
is mainly reserved for the orphans and the meals.
6.
Taking care of 77 + children thanks to all the donors.
7.
And Dominica who works 24x7 so the children have a chance to study and
be fed etc.
8. Patrizia
Pierantoni is back!!! Teaching English, working on the curriculum for the
older children and being a true right hand for Dominica.
9. A cemented ground so Kids can stay cleaner longer!
And Dominica's 6 most urgent needs
A. $5,000 /month to feed and
take care of the kids on a regular basis. They just lost a major food
contributor and Jean and Don (who assumed this donation since July) are
not sure if they can find commitments to support the orphans
for 2009! I told Dominica to stop giving chicken, fruits, etc and go
back to rice and beans only. And no Christmas dinner is planned at
this time as there are too many bills to catch up with.
B. The water project $2600 need $1600 or more for the pump and the well,
so Dominica has unlimited water to bathe the children, wash their clothes
and cook their food.
C. The installation of a big
propane gas upstairs (for safety) and cheaper in the long run as the
current set up lasts only for a week . This system will last 2.5 to 3
months.
D. Buy an industrial stove (Allana
group bought new burners), but the problem is the stove and there is a
need need for an industrial stove About $1,000.
E. A commitment for $450/month
for telephone and electricity. There are 3 telephones disconnected right
now because 2 months are due = $600 or so. Also staff taking care of
orphans are at least 2 months behind.
F. Down payment for a newer jeep as the current one is 10 years old and
often in the shop.
So we need
donors and magicians to help her and the 77 children. Thank You!
October 22: What happened to the older children Dominica
raised?!?!
Dominica explains: "Everything goes under daily plan,
and we just trust so much our Heavenly Father and welcome him to be permanent in
our life and to give us the strength, love and capacity to do his work here in
the orphanage. Is it possible to send us funds for last month urgent needs like
bread (the owner stopped delivering last week, until we pay the last bill),
the garbage, the telephone will be disconnected. The truck to put water
into the cistern, made six different trips, with three trucks each. Nice man,
but asking for his money. Also four staff person expecting their September
salary.
The funds under monthly basis received from Don and Jeannie go to feed
the children. It does not include fruits. The higher cost here in the orphanage
is to feed the children, but we also need $$ to have everything cleaned, washed.
Our orphans are treated like real children but the costs are much more
expensive than our adolescent group.
The rent of the house where I live has two months behind now. The electricity in
my place, isn't paid either. I had to take my small salary and an advance to a
company for installing a well, which is an emergency so we stop buying
those expensive truckloads of water. When the well is in place, we will have
our own water and will be able to share with our close community if they need
it. This water will be good for cooking, cleaning, bathrooms, washing the
clothes and uniforms, but not for drinking.
 The
cost of this well is $2600. The company comes, digs a deep hole until they find
water. It should take one day to dig the hole and install the pomp which will
solve a very difficult and costly situation. The regular water from the
government is a real lottery.
.
I am using two addresses to receive emails. I think dominica@tricom.net is not
working correctly or i need to pay it. Please send to this new address: <dominica_rosario@yahoo.com>
and send it to the old ones as well.
Now, I am so proud of our children David, 7, is a good leader; he is
assisting many of the younger children. Erika, 8, is one of the
best disciplined children and helping as well. Pena Gomez (= Junior), 13,
is responsible to clean the whole area of the new park and the side of the
school, on Saturday and Sunday. He needs to broom all the area. Antonio. 16.
is responsible to clean the dormitories, fix all the beds, sweep the floors, the
bathrooms and the whole area, just on the weekend.
Armando is in charge of maintaining the jeeps, and
giving some assistance to the computers and equipment for the Art and Cultural
classes twice a week. Very soon Armando is going to organize short videos in CD
format for the orphanage and school to pass to you and the donors, so they can
have an idea of who we are. Antonio and few of the older children are part of
the team.
Julissa, 16, is working every afternoon with homework given by the
teachers. Also she sleeps two nights of the weekend replacing the women sleeping
in during the week. Athenas, Justin and Cheitania, 11, are working really
hard around the dining room and the meals, cleaning all the time to keep away
the flies. Making sure the little kids are getting well behaved etc.
Paola Patricia, 14, (in green) is working with
special children in the afternoon who have learning difficulties and
following the psychologist's recommendations; who is coming twice a week
now. Also she
 is
feeding the babies who drink bottle milk, making sure that they all do.
Rosanna, 16, is now, a good supervisor to make sure that
everyone is doing their work, including the women that are under monthly
salary. Rosanna will be a good leader and she has all the keys to assist
and take care of the items that we have in the storage room.
And Yeli, 16, is teaching in the morning with grade first, she is
my assistant. I am the one behind Yeli and mark the needs of each one of
the kids in first grade. I plan the curriculum so she can follow it.
Mairenis, 17, is following the 6th grade curriculum and working with
this group of children. She is an excellent teacher and is putting
all her energy to teach this group of children. Stephanie Martin, 16,
is working with the curriculum of Kinder Garden children. Giving these
children just what they need.
I am so proud of them, Marie! They multiply the work I can do so we can
meet our mission goals. They are passing on and giving back what they
received, just like me! I knew that it was possible, if I give all my time
and efforts, like I received when I was growing up in the old orphanage,
giving a few hours as well.
 Thank
you and all the dedicated sponsors for allowing all this to happen.
You have pushed our ministry to be a true one and able to serve the
special children of the Universe. the orphans, the abandoned and bitten
ones. They will always love you here on Earth and in Heaven. Blessings,
Dominica"
in red photo of latest who joined, Adrian, locked in all day while his
father worked!
And Thank you LeAnne for the fundraising you just did in your Maine
restaurant. As always it came just in time of urgent needs to be
addressed so we could continue taking care of the little ones. Thank YOU
to the hundreds of your clients who made it possible!
 October
21: "Dear Marie, I spoke to you in August about the money my son
Michael,15, raised for the Dominica Orphanage. In his 9th grade
social studies class he was asked to find a way to
help someone in need outside of the United States. He selected the
orphanage in Santa Domingo in honor of Davis Ortiz who plays baseball for
the Boston Red Sox and because he wanted to help needy children. He
contacted a family friend, who donated 2 Red Sox tickets that he raffled
off to students and staff at his school. And here is a photo of Michael
Bilynsky with the $350.00. that he raised." - Bravo
September 22: Thank you Ali and Celine for your timely help. Even though
many of the children got conjunctivitis and other skin problems after all
the rain in the island, Marie's oils like. Virus-out, Tiger, Immune Up
and Mosquito out have helped the children really well.
September 15: Update on the hurricanes -
"I had to borrow US$2,100 to pay for the emergencies caused by the
hurricanes and storms: water, food and medicines as I opened the doors to a
group of women living in the shanties.
May I remind you that I am still paying the interests for the $10,000
check that I cashed from a donor and spent in March. But the check bounced and
the bank wants its money back!!.
The orphanage with the 54 children at this point are all well and having three
meals and two snacks per day.
We are trying to do our best feeding the little children. At night there are two
women plus two of our older
orphan girls that sleep with them for the nights. Most of these children are
between 2 and 6 years old with
few babies. Milk is very needed most of the time. Pampers as well.
As far as our children in the middle school who are on our Social Plan,
they come half of the day and few gather
for breakfast and lunch. They all require our help every single day as they are
the poor and needy children of this
community, though we rescued children from different provinces of the island who
were roaming the streets looking
for a safe place.
 The
kids two years and older are attending classes in the morning and they really
love to be involved in their Pre- School
for the first time. I would like to invite all of our friends to come and
take a look at the major improvements
we provide now for the benefit of these young souls. We are calling upon all
the supporters who in one way or another have
been helping us in the past. Their love and financial support show in every
corner of the orphanage as we invested those
donations in the education and health of the children.
We ask and pray for continued support for this wonderful cause. If it were not
for you, our Angels, many of this things wouldn't
be possible Marie. You and they know who they are. The grace of our Divine God,
will re-pay them back with happiness,
peace and health. Thank you again for being our "mouth" and able us to improve
lives of the little ones here in the D.R.
Much blessings, Dominica"
September 6: Hurricane season started. Please pray. Here is what
Dominica just sent:
"Dear Marie, Thank you for thinking of us just as first hurricane hit us. I
need to get prepared with enough food,
water and blankets, for my children and the people from the Cry of La Urena who
live in the shanties. These are the group
that the major office told us to protect and provide safety for. The public
school gives shelter to many people stranded and all the few strong buildings
need to open their doors and protect against this hurricane.
I am planning to use your funds for the emergencies caused during and after
those hurricanes.
I am able to send this email with a small battery that I still have in the
computer. We lost all the communications,
including uncharged inverters, and cell-phones etc.. Electricity usually gets
back after a month. Many things are out of
service for a month or more. If you and your friends could first pray
for the island, it has a lot of possibilities and
God watches over us. Pray with your circle of friends please. Thank you.
We are getting everything prepared like taking down some of the things that can
get blown away (the winds have
been horrendous and the shade and post flew away with the rain four days ago).
I am giving special attention
to few of the kids that are in Athenas's room to spend two days in my house. I
will write to you, if I can charge
my computer battery in some place. Thank You for your timely support.
Blessings, Dominica".
September 1, 2008: Another school year started today with 250 children
enrolled. One class less because of lack of room so the 20
students go to a different school (8 are covered by the Florida church and
Junior = Peno goes to a private school thanks to his new sponsor). There
are 2 classrooms operating with the orphans living there out of the dining room.
(instead of 4 last year). Dominica is thrilled because Allana manifested an
inverter for the orphanage side and Jean Dye's friends took care of making patio
covered in cement for both the orphanage and the school side. Niko's
picture, this is why Dominica work so hard.
 Now
the biggest concern is paying for the 8 teachers and helpers taking care of the
little ones. The $2500/month she receives from Jean Dye's friend is covering the
food and emergencies, but NOT the extra staff those children need 24/7. She told
me the 51 new orphans are now trained and well behaved.
July 22: Message from Connie for the Michigan group
"We rode home in 2 separate cars with my husband, Russ, driving one vehicle
and his friend Mike driving the other one. We talked their ears off the entire
3 hour drive home. Thank you so much again for your lovely hearts, your
hospitality, your beautiful God centered ministry and for sharing all of the
lovely children with us! I have been praying where God may like me to move and
get involved next. I will continue to pray for each of you, the children, the
staff and the community.
Please continue to keep me informed of the immediate and ongoing needs of the
orphanage and I will continue to seek God's will and where I may fit into the
picture to assist you in your ministry. I love you both! You are amazing
women of God!
Dominica, continue to follow Christ with your strong amazing faith! In Christ
alone is our strength!"
July 15:
"Marie, Here are a few pictures of what is
happening this week. A Mission Team of seven from Michigan who found us
through your Web page, is sharing such delightful and cheerful moments with
all our children, who will keep in their memories for a long time. The
children love all these tender and bright faces when they stare up and hold
them in their arms. This group remind me the history of Jesus Christ living
here on Earth. Every time when we receive these special beings here in the
orphanage, it gives us a lot of strength and hope to continue God's work.
They are talking about coming twice a year and it just make us extremely
blessed!
Thank you dear Connie, (the leader) Mama Evie,
Miss Josie, Dawn, Lorrie, Eddie and Raquel.
With the completion of the new dorm and life skill
center, God bless the two TRUE ANGELS Jeannie Dye and Allana Rose and their
contributors, as many children now have a REAL home, where they are completely
secure. Now I do not have to worry about hurricanes or storms!! Please know
that this facility will be a safe haven for many orphans and under-priviledged
children, and for the future generations who will benefit of good
values, respect, wisdom and being raised with discipline in the love of Papa
Dios.
Muchas bene diciones,
Dominica"
Celine just got married in Provence. Instead of presents, she asked her
friends to donate to Dominica. What a fabulous idea. The total collected is
3,000 euros!!! Bravo. I have friends here too who write a check for Dominica
instead of buying a presents for their friends. Lets spread this habit.
Another group of 7 from Michigan just arrived for 10 days to help and
teach the children.
New beautiful dormitories opened June 26!
Dominica's dream for 4 years to be able to rescue
the children at risk was accomplished. Thanks to the contribution of Allana and
the Blue House Effect from Canada who have been with Dominica for 10 years at
least. They are coming in August and will have a nice shock to see the happy
faces sleeping in now. Dominica has 5 people taking care of the 50+ children,
Roxanne, 14, and her sister are doing a fabulous job. She was raised by
Dominica. We need another washing machine and an inverter as this side does not
have electricity which is open lacking still. Cost with batteries about $1500.
Click on photos and Dormitories to see lots of pictures of the kids and their
new surroundings. They are so happy, as they feel secure for the first time in
their lives.
http://www.4dshift.com/Orphanage06/08Dorm.html or http://www.dominicaorphanage.com
And Multipurpose Room too
It was a joint effort to support the groundwork which Allana and the Blue
House Effect began with the second floor project. Donations from the newly
organized Dominica Orphanage and School, Inc., in Fort Myers,
Florida, contributed $30,000 toward the finishing of the orphanage
dormitory and multi-purpose room. Jean Dye indicated what a
pleasure it was to work together with the Blue House Effort to accomplish the
goals set out to house and feed these sixty children who now have a bed in
which to sleep. It is so good that organizations can work together with
a common goal to support children and their needs.
June
28: The 5 children are home safely. I am heading there so you will have
photos. the 5 youngsters here had a ball. They had red carpet everywhere they
went. A big thank you to the host families and Maurice who organized it all. The
families are now there for 9 days of teaching and sharing.
 The
12 teachers and parents helped and taught. 2 teenagers had a real hard time to
readjust to their surroundings.
June 6: I went to the Signing
Ceremony linking Dominica School and Orphanage to James Madison Middle School in
Upper Marlboro, MD. I was very impressed by the amount of work involved to make
this happen. Paola Santos, 14 spoke for Dominica in perfect English. The
children were very much honored and appreciated it immensely. See the pictures.
Here is the talk I prepared about Dominica. We seem to forget how
unbelievable she is and the work she continues to do 24x7! Above the 6 lucky
one!
- "Orphan,
and 10 years old, Dominica
started to teach other kids.
As orphanage closed, kids went back to the street and Dominica, invited by
the Rotary Club studied 4 years at Kean's University in PA to get her BA in
bilingual Education. The
idea was, for me to learn and be educated in the States in order to bring hope
and give back what I received, to all my brothers and sisters living in another
world. Years later, while working for the orphanage, she also managed to work
on her master in Psychology in Santo Domingo. Maurice Kingle to right who
planned it all.
 -
In 1994, her brother asked for her help as he took in a dozen orphans from the
street. She immediately started a school
In 1995, I met Dominica and promised to help.
In 1999 My family and friends bought the land., then built the walls
In 2000, we started the foundation of the school
In 2002, we opened the 5 classroom school where now 325 children attend
In 2003, we opened the computer room Paola in green delivered speech.
 In
2005
Dominica was invited by the vice president of her country to find out HOW she
produced the best students of the island!!
In 2006, Dominica School was ranked as No 4 in her school district, after 3
catholic schools (and plenty of $$$)
In 2007, Dominica School and Orphanage was ranked
No 1 over 400 schools in
her district<<Lizardo & Delgado to right, Emmanuel and with Peno/Jr. below.
 This
year, she received a
big REWARD
for good work
as a private school. The Minister of Education said:
"We need 10 more Dominica Rosario on the island!!"
In 2008 Allana built again dormitories. We
now need 4 more classrooms upstairs.
.MAY
29: Great news as 5
children are here in MD with teacher Delgado for a month but Dominica's
visa was not granted.
"The
Embassy considered that it was not necessary for me to attend the
signing ceremony. They already granted a visa to our teacher
who is already there, and did not consider it an emergency and I should
have applied the first time around!
Sorry to miss your open house on June 7th and meet all our loyal
sponsors.
 Here
things are not well. As you know, there are many problems to solve to
function properly and allow the daily routine to keep on going for the
whole orphanage and school. As I always say, it is so difficult to keep
the program running without a
stable amount of funds coming every month. This is an organization
like everyone else and people do not realize it. I have a staff of 19
and a large group of children and adolescents who constantly have
needs. I have to deal with maintenance, food, and drinkable water costs,
and the foster families hosting so many of our children also requests $$$
for food etc..
There are many people and organizations that
know us and represent us in different places and it would be very helpful
if we
could count on them to help with contributions every month. If they were
like City of Joy or
Blue House Effect, we
would not
experience those difficult end of the month needs. We were able to pay
severance pay to 3 employees we had to let go after
3 years of service, buy food for 2 months and pay urgent bills thanks to
Mr. George's friends. THANK YOU! kids waiting for dormitories to open
I will be sending you the cost per child and
per month of each lucky child going to the new dormitories. We should have
the $$$ to
cover these costs before they arrive in June or July so we know we can
take care of those little kids 24 hours a day.
 Well,
this is enough for now and in the meantime, we keep up working hard and
dealing with all the responsibilities until someday
soon we receive steady donations to help us plan better. We pray and hope
that more people hear about our needs. Thanks Marie,
Dominica"
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The small children in the orphanage are doing well, except for few of them who
get sick once in a while because of different virus. Your essential oils are
always useful for any kind of sickness here in the dormitory. Most of the
children from the Social Plan and orphanage send a lot of hugs and kisses to
you. They cannot wait to see you in December. They keep asking how many days
are you going to stay. The high school children are studying French and they are
very excited to talk to you when you come here.
