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.