A FEW DAYS IN A SANTO DOMINGO ORPHANAGE: Much Joy, Many Needs

I first heard of San Salvador School (SSS) and its 32 orphans through a friend I visited in Santo Domingo four years ago. At the time, I was looking for needy children for a French charity, La Maison de Sagesse (House of Wisdom). I had brought along with me bags of clothes and shoes (probably 300 lbs. all together); through the largesse of friends and good-hearted people, I sent another 500 lbs., along with money from sponsors. I also barraged the orphanage directors with tons of questions, so that La Maison de Sagesse would know what was most needed. But nothing prepared me for my experience of actually living among those kids and sharing their daily life for six days.

They are so HAPPY! They have virtually no material possessions, and yet are so cheerful. What they have-- a lot of love-- is better that what they left: no parents, or parents who abandoned them. And who is responsible for providing the loving care that brings smiles to these young faces? Meet Dominica (34) and Alexis (28), a brother and sister who are orphans themselves. Alexis was 18 when the orphanage where he lived was shut down. The younger children had nowhere to go, and as they wandered the streets, they looked to Alexis for help. Alexis began helping to feed and shelter them. That was ten years ago. Now both Dominica & Alexis run the SSS orphanage, which cares both for the orphans who live there and another 150 desperately poor children, 2 to 8 years of age, who come daily to attend their school.
The government not only provides zero assistance, but it even manages to make things more difficult. David, for instance, had AIDS and was often sick. The government repeatedly threatened that he would have to leave the orphanage, and was told this year that he could not attend public school because of it. He is 10 years old now and, during the latest tests has been miraculously found to be free of the AIDS virus. Drunvalo and Gregg talk on my website (Back Issue: April 99) about the new generation of kids who have a DNA pattern of 24 codons (normal is 20) giving them complete immunity to diseases.
How did I happen to make this last trip? When a large group of French FIAT dealers were taken to Santo Domingo as a reward for sales performance, the FIAT director very generously sought to contribute to the well-being of the island so badly damaged by hurricane Georges. At the time Marie Claude Pichot, director of another charity, Femmes et Présidents, had been raising funds for Dominican children and heard about the orphanage, and so the orphanage became the happy recipient of a brand new FIAT PUNTO! When I heard the good news about FIAT donating the car, I immediately knew that someone had to find insurance, and put some money aside for repairs, gas, etc. My wonderful friend, Denise Fouin, Director of la Maison de Sagesse, asked me to go on her behalf. So I arrived very late on March 23 and was met by Rev. Roberto Guerrero (another terrific soul).
The next day I went to the orphanage (19 kms from SD on the airport road). Dominica and Alexis were there and wanted to know about the car. Marie Claude had been at the orphanage with a TV crew for the previous two days. We talked about the orphanage's needs and discussed another piece of good news. Thanks to the organizing efforts of Denise Fouin, 6 tons of clothes, school supplies, etc., will soon be on their way from France.
Alexis told me that I could use his room upstairs when I came back. I accepted, in order to save on board and taxi money.
At 4:00 pm, I was off by local bus to Punta Cana to join the Fiat group. An anecdote for all my friends constantly in a hurry in the US. About halfway there, the bus stops and someone leaves, saying he will be back and to save his seat. Two, three, four minutes pass. Everyone is waiting. Five minutes later he returns, whistling. He had probably just been to the toilet! But not a single complaint from the 60 persons on the bus, which is like a taxi as the bus driver will stop whenever people ask!
I arrived at Hotel Paradisio at 8pm. It could not have been more different from the first part of my trip. Le Grand Luxe! Here was a huge hotel with many beautifully designed bungalows in an exotic tropical setting of bougainvillea and jasmine, with fountains everywhere, ponds and flamingos. Large rooms, fully air conditioned, with the luxury of being able to open a door to your own patio. I was overwhelmed! Dinner beachside à la Club Med consisted of a huge buffet. Two days of the life of a millionaire--drinks à gogo (all included), the sun, the beach, pristine turquoise water. I was in heaven. It was interesting to watch the French women (more than a 100 in our group) take over a beach and go topless. There were quite a few LONG looks from the vendors walking down the beach! I also saw a man proudly wearing a string bikini!
I personally loved the massage I got from one of the 7 very professional masseuses ($30 for 45 delicious minutes; they get only 20% of that). You could order your drink from the bar inside the huge pool, stools were in the water. Then aerobics, water gym, merengue class, and la dolce vita.
Thursday night, grand gala for FIAT: the 220 members officially donated the car to the orphanage (via me, as Dominica and Alexis were busy nurturing the orphans). So there I was with the keys to a brand new green Fiat Punto. Now my real job began—to make the most of this terrific present to the orphanage. Insurance was my first urgent goal. Five phone calls with promises to get a fax that never came. Forget it, we are in the tropics. The next day, I decided to leave, after asking for super protection from God, as Dominicans drive FAST and extremely erratically! With very few signs on the roads, and plenty of hitchhikers, I finally made it back to the orphanage.

It was play day. Dominica and Alexis gave the use of their space for a BIRTHDAY PARTY. There were balloons, hats, clowns, Mickey Mouse, popcorn and snow sugar. Lots of laughing, shouting, screams, and songs and special treats for the 6 birthday children. Each and every kid got a package of sweets, a hat, food.  It could have been anywhere in the world. Absolutely lovely.
I had a long discussion that night with Dominica and Alexis about the car and what to do.
Dominica thoroughly investigates the family and the situation of prospective residents of the orphanage. At the present time, there are at least 100 children who would qualify for residence at the orphanage, but there is no more room—unless we make some more.
The SSS now has taken on 32 orphans, more than ever before, thanks to a friend living in the U.S., who allows them to use his house when he is away (11 months of the year) for the cost of $333 each month (half of the going rate).
Monday morning, we went straight to the insurance co., and two hours later we had a card with one month paid by Fiat’s director (with the value of the car at $12,066). Wow! A true miracle. We then went to see the FIAT representative to find out what the resale value would be if no money comes for the insurance ($735 for the other 11 months). We had a long discussion and reached the conclusion that a car was needed, especially for the children when they got sick, and to get food etc. Perhaps we could find one more appropriate for their needs, like a van. (I suggested selling the car and placing the money in a CD with their government, which offers 20% on their bonds, so they would have a monthly income for 5 years, 10 years, 20 years from now).

And this was right because Tuesday we took half of the kids to the beach, 15 kms away ( it was holy week and vacation time--look at the pictures!); and the most we could take in 2 trips was 16 kids. While at the beach, the insurance company called and said that, if the whole amount for the year’s insurance was not in by 5 pm, it would cancel that day! What can you say? I faxed Marie Claude the amount the night before, but a check (without a bank account) could not possibly arrive overnight!!!
After another discussion with Roberto and Dominica, Alexis decided to keep the car at the orphanage until it is put up for sale, while still in good shape. (I was terrorized by the way Dominicans drive with their ancient cars that don’t matter. So a bump or an incident with this car, and $10,000 would disappear in minutes). We took a one-way street going the wrong direction. I must say I felt a lot more peaceful knowing that we would be leaving the car at the school and using one belonging to a teacher’s brother.

 We also went to the Ferreteria, the local Home Depot, to price a vanity, shower, and sink ($204 with installation) for the kids’ bathroom to replace the 11 year old, broken toilet, which had to be flushed by adding water with a scoop.
And then $1,207 for 1,000 cinder blocks to raise the walls around the property, as kids had already jumped over and stolen a television, food, and so on. With computers hopefully arriving via la Maison de Sagesse, a higher wall is a necessity. I ended up paying for both of them. I don’t know why because I don’t have the money in the bank, but I followed my intuition that I needed to. (I have the receipt for anyone who wants to contribute!). We also need 500 more cinder blocks to finish the project.

Alejandra, the woman who raised Dominica and Alexis, was hoping that I could magically erase her debt of $1,100 for the teenagers' house (photos of before and now). She supervises the 13 teenagers, including a 33-year-old who became deaf and dumb after receiving a family shock at age 12. We contributed to that project before when I did a fund-raising for them 2 years ago. When the kids become sexually active at 12 or 13, they can no longer stay at the orphanage and are left to their own devices in the streets. On a previous visit I had seen the shack Chico was living in. It was just awful. Chico had been hit with acid in one eye that his Papa was aiming at his mother. One floor of the teenage house is now practically completed with 4 bedrooms. Alejandra wants to build a second floor and enclose the property. The cost is $3,067 (45,000 pesos).
We tried to open a bank account (at Citibank with a $500 minimum, interest at savings less than 3% with a month to clear US checks). For French francs, we had to go through two exchanges. No good. I wanted double or triple signatures, so no one gets tempted above a certain amount!
You will find a list of the current needs of the orphanage and the teenagers’ home next page.
Physical help is also welcome. Four French scouts spent 1 month there in July 97, teaching the kids, playing with them, building the house, etc. They left a wonderful memory and some sheets and toys for everyone.

How does the orphanage function? With faith, total faith, trust, and love. They went through terrible hardships 3 and 4 years ago when they could provide the children with only one meal a day (sometimes less). The arrears at the local store were 3 months old. Things are looking a bit better now with regular support from one church. Out of the 16,000 pesos they receive each month, 5,000 goes towards rent, 2,000 towards the teenagers’ food, and the rest divided between the teachers, cook, nanny, and for electricity, water, food, medicine and doctor bills, etc. (last month 2 children were in the hospital for 2 weeks, requiring transfusions, etc. and the 5,000 pesos needed were taken from the teachers’ pay. In fact, local hospitals are free, but you have to wait all day and there are very few drugs available. We took one kid to the hospital one day as he had severe pains in the apendix area. In March, they were 16,000 pesos in arrears for teachers which is why they had to let go two excellent teachers in December. Dominica and Alexis take absolutely no money for their 24 hour a day job.
Fortunately, people do stop by and bring food or cash. Like an American who comes when he wins at the casino and always leaves part of his earnings (10,000 pesos this time, 3,000 the time before). When I took 7 children and Dominica to Burger King (see pictures, the next thing to heaven for them), people began asking questions and offered some money and drinks and promised to help.
Marie Claude also brought in a huge cantine (chest) full of medicine. It was mainly antibiotics, with no instructions. Although Dominica and Alexis speak perfect English, everything was written in French! Even I could not figure it out, as there was no product name or indication on the box.
  The most moving scene for me: when Peno Gomez--my new 4-year-old love-- got sick. He is ebony black and has HUGE eyes that miss nothing, and never says a word. He got a cold. There are no blankets, no cover, and it is cool at night. I looked for some medicine to give him. Oops, he vomited immediately. There was no towel, no handkerchief, kleenex, not even water, as they had just installed the toilet and it needed to dry. Peno did not say a word, but my heart sank. I took him upstairs to my room and gave him water, put him under my towel, rubbed his feet with essential oils. He was in heaven, smiling ALL the time at the attention he was getting. I wanted to take him out to dinner along with Dominica and Alexis to celebrate their coming birthdays to a chic restaurant, but he was coughing too much that night. He was much better by the next day.
For them, going out happened only once before, 6 months ago with their American sponsors. I told them to pick the place. Well, we must have spent one hour driving around SD, enjoying the different possibilities. They were like two kids, laughing, thoroughly enjoying the choices offered them. We ended up at the casino. They had fun, and, with a glass of wine, they could have talked all night! At 11 p.m., Alexis was concerned, since there was only 1 helper with the kids. They never go out together because one of them always has to stay to care for the children.

When I came home, everything appeared too big --my house could have contained a whole SSS, and I have so much stuff I don’t need or use which would be magical there: pentels, color pens, paper, blankets, sweaters, food and so on. I lived there perfectly happy, with absolutely NO COMFORT, but so much love from the children, Dominica and Alexis etc. They hug you, kiss you, smile at you all the time. I must say it was quite nice to drive again here with lights and people respecting stop signs.The flowers were everywhere to greet me as Spring had finally decided to show its face.
I made a promise to help them. Would you please help me reach my goal of $5,000 within a month and $11,000 before Christmas? I may do a fundraising in my home, but I think that I will try Internet first as it is faster. When you  buy our products (Essential Oils, tools, detox...) before August 1 we will give 10% to the orphanage. Please pass this on to someone else.

I have a dream of opening new orphanages, where the children receive love,  where they are held and hugged when they need to. Dominica and Alexis have not thought of their personal future. They are living in the present only, creating love every minute. That is why I decided to put this story on my website because they are all living in the 4^th dimension. In the West, most of us are still attached to the third dimension --our structure, our things, our ideas. There kids with AIDS are cured, and David is showing us that nothing is impossible, if we receive love.
Have fun with your projects and let me know if you need more information. Every $5 and $10--or $100-- will do so much for them. The good news also is that a telephone is going to arrive at SSS soon and connection --to us and to the world-- will be so much easier.

1. Send packages to me in Virginia for the next goodwill person leaving for SD (or in Paris c/o Denise Fouin for her future containers).

2. Send a check to the orphanage directly (but special delivery ($15) is the only way it will reach them) to :
San Salvador School, Alexis & Dominica Rosario, P.O. Box 8216, Los Jardines #27, La Urena - Aut. Las Americas, Km 19, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Do not send a package via the mail. It will never get there, or there will be 60% duty to pay on it.

3. Or send dollars to City of Joy Aid, Inc. (tax deductible No. 54-1566941). I will acknowledge each contribution. We also need to buy another 500 cylinder blocks to finish the orphanage’s outside walls ($700), plus to cover what was already spent in building supplies ($1,400).

CONTACT INFORMATION:

* Maison de Sagesse, Dr. Denise Fouin - 1 rue de la Pelleterie, 91780 Chalo Saint Mars - Tel. 0169-95-3023 Fax : 0164- 95-4022
** Femmes et Présidents, Marie-Claude Pichot, Tel.: 01 45 72 2873 Fax: 01 45 72 28 59
*** Rev. Roberto Guerrero:  who has 39 inner city children to feed fruits, clothe and educate. He was raised in the US; became co-pastor; and decided to come home to help the needy children. He is very efficient.Tel. (809) 682-1655. Fax (809) 682-7841 Corporación de Desarrollo Comunitario.  P.O. Box 4470 c/Duarte 154, Ciudad Colonial - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Email: iccacdc@hotmail.com
****Rev. Francisco Barrera Reyes (809) 593-5426 Carr. Mella, Km10,5 Calle 23 #86 El Tamarindo - Santo Domingo R.D. He started a school from nothing when the government relocated some families in the barren suburbs, with absolutely no help. (see photos at the end)

LIST of San Salvador School CURRENT NEEDS (April 1999)

- 20 blankets and/or covers for children and 17 for adults
- 10 shower curtains and 10 regular curtains to protect their clothes.
- 100 towels (small and large – there were only 3 towels for 16 kids at the beach when a storm came in.
- 100 tooth brushes and paste, shampoo
- clothes and belts for 100 kids --1 to 13 years, (most of them 2 to 8 years old) + underwears
- 100 tennis or regular shoes for children and adults. Dominica is size 8 and Alexis 9.5
- 30 tennis and/or shoes and clothes for teenagers and adults from 13 to 25
- 100 back-packs, tons of colored pencils, pentels, markers, paper, colored chalks, erasers
- Toys
- Miscellaneous to use their creativity : wools, manufacturers’ leftovers, strings, beads, paints, modeling clay, colored paper, music tapes, etc.
- Alls sorts of office supplies from staplers, scissors, and scotch tape to a file
cabinet with hanging files, some clear sheet protectors with 3 hole- folders to organize paperwork and save from humidity
- 3 sets of very large pots and pans in order to cook for 30 people minimum + large tupperware, paper and plastic plates (the strong kind) plus 70 steel forks, spoons & knives
- 3 emergency aid kits for the teenagers’ house, Roberto & Rev Francisco + tons of vitamins C & B + E as everyone has dry skin; Immodium (or other anti-diarrhea medicine), lots of cough sweets or syrup + 6 month supply of AIDS pillls, anti-parasites herbs
- 15 to 20 computers (for the 3 different schools) to teach teenagers, orphans, and street desperate kids turning to prostitution as they have no choice; a free teacher is available
- 2 photocopy machines (1 for SSS & 1 for Roberto) for duplicating kids books, as there are very few books around
- 2 fax modem (1 for Alexis and 1 for Francisco)
- 8 teachers desks
- 4 air conditionners 18 x 30. Mil BTU &/or 15 ceiling fans
- Large speakers and a microphone (plus a stereo) for fiestas and church services.
- $1,500/month  (2,500 pesos per month and per professor) for 9 professors & cook, nanny…), and $1,835 if we include a salary for Alexis and Dominica.
- Cash for sick children
- $400 to $450 for emergency to finish the children’s bathroom and $400 for repairs following hurricane George damage.
- Urgently need $750 to 800/year to insure the car
-10 double beds and 25 mattresses
- 25 sheets and pillow cases + 15 pairs for adults & teenagers
- 3 blenders for fruit juice (Roberto inner city kids, SSS and teenagers)
- 3 Cuisinart & 3 water fountains (for same)
- 3 electric knives (for SSS and Roberto)
1 to 3 potter wheels and oven, glaze, to create large ceramic coffee and tea cups, vases, etc. that kids could make and then sell to the many visitors passing by.

Hoping that you will listen to your heart and that sooner or later you’ll be able to contribute. My goal is to raise $5,000 immediately and $11,000 before Christmas for SSS and the other two shelters I visited. I also visualize Dominica & Alexis getting $166/month. Thank you for what you can do. Remember that it is not the governments job to eliminate poverty in Africa, Haiti and so on. It is our responsibility to help create a better distribution of wealth in the world. It will go a lot faster this way. It is important to share, not how much.

A BIG THANK YOU from all our precious orphans.

Marie-Benoite Allizon  7419 Lisle Ave.,  Falls Church, VA  22043. Tel. (703) 847-6147.  Fax: (703) 734-6956. E-mail: Kalumet@4Dshift.com

Most of the children are in need of a sponsor ($30/month). Here are the ones I took to Burger King . Look at my website if you want to see some clear  pictures. (http://www.4Dshift.com) :
Peno Gomez 4 years  
Berenize 4 years with the white beads in her hair
Jessica 6 years
Ana Carlin 8 years, extremely helpful, shoe size 3
Stephanie 8 years, very smart
David, 10 years et Johana, 14 years
plus the twins, 3 years old, always anxious
    Adoption is possible (1 to 5 years old), but paperwork is too time-
    consuming for Dominica and Alexis.