My time in the Dominican Republic

My time in the Dominican Republic was more amazing than I ever expected. It was challenging, it was difficult, it was incredible. Every minute of the trip challenged me and made me work harder than I ever had before. I was tired often, if not always. I was nervous all of the time.
My time with my students was so hard. It was so rewarding, yet at times I felt as though I would never break through their barriers. As though I would never have any way of communicating with either of them. I spent the first half of the week mentoring Manuel Gomez, a 13-year-old in Capotillo. And the second half of the week was spent in Los Tres Brazos with 17-year-old Leandro. Both of these boys had the heart of God. They were so easy to have fun with. Manuel took the longest to share his story, as he was the youngest student mentored on the trip. But once he opened up, he was a hard book to close.
The trips to the prisons were incredible as well. God opened up amazing doors with the youth there. The girls’ prison was difficult and the girls in my group didn’t want to share much about their lives, of which they had lived incredibly hard ones. One girl let her friend share that her father had sexually abused her her whole life. She was too afraid to share her story because her father had ruined any part of her that would open up to anyone.
At the boys’ prison, I met Jose Luis. Jose Luis was a 16-year-old who was in prison for murder. He was the kindest boy I had ever met, and he had killed someone. He was in prison because he was forced into living a hard life that he shouldn’t have ever lived. He was peer pressured into fighting and killing.
My heart has forever been changed leaving the DR. I will always have a soft spot for Manuel and Leandro. I pray that I will always remember them and what they have done for me. I am so thankful to have got to learn how to mentor through photography with these two students. I couldn't imagine having a better experience.

History of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is located in the island of Hispanola, and takes over most of it. Located next to Haiti, the DR was “founded” by Christopher Columbus in 1492. The next year Columbus returned and began to settle in the country and in 1496 his brother Bartholomew Columbus settled in Santo Domingo, what became, and still is, the capital of the Dominican Republic. In about 10 years the population which had started at around 400,000 had dwindled to about 50,000 and in the next 20 years, became only 6,000.
In the early 1800s, there was a 20-year time period in which Haiti occupied the DR. During that time whites weren’t allowed to own land. The Haitians also confiscated church properties as they had been slighted by the French Catholics and decided to associate all churches and religion with the terrible treatment given to them. In 1844, the DR had its first Constitution drafted, as it continually was updated until now.
In 1916, the DR was occupied by American Marines and after much disaster, withdrawl began in 1922. 1924 ended the US occupation. Today the country is liberated.
There are many Dominican communities all over the world today. Many in the US, including those in Miami, Boston, Rhode Island and over half of American Dominicans living in New York.
The Dominican Republic is a very unique country with an incredible amount of culture.

Mentoring, photo style

by Pedro by Kevin
by Kevin by Sacha
kevin
sacha
Yesterday we went down to Silver Lake to mentor some children on how to take photos.
I got to teach Sacha, Pedro and Kevin how to photograph.
Pedro wanted to take photos "from that tree," "from that person" and "from you."
I realized through the day that he meant of that tree, of that person and of me.

Pedro was so excited to get to hold a camera and to take a photograph. He was so excited to play with me, a visitor coming to know him.

We weren't allowed to take any photos of the children, to protect them. That is difficult. To not be allowed to take photos of our subjects proves to be more and more difficult and quite frankly, annoying.
I want to tell the stories of students in the DR, but I want to show them, all of them, their spirits, their faces and their hearts.

Half of the kids photos had to be erased since they wanted to take the pictures of their friends, but their eyes are still there, peering into the camera, trying to share what they know to be true.

Beauty in Santo Domingo

Beauty is all over the Bible. It is in all the nooks and crannies of every sentence and every revelation God gave to the writers of His book. I have seen a lot of beauty in the photos that I have made before. I have never taken photos cross-culturally, and am excited to do so. The Lord has made beauty show up in some of my photos and in my life.
I want to share so much with the world.

I pray that beauty will be revealed to me in Santo Domingo. I want to see the love of the Lord in the Dominican Republic. I pray that we can impact the children and young people that we encounter. I pray that we can be lights to them. I pray that I am revealed His peace and His comfort while there. I want Him to strengthen all of us student journalists. God, please be with us as we grow and change, and let us share you with the people of Santo Domingo.