Rainbow Families Foundation Newsletter - June 2001

June 2001

The distribution continues everyday.  I have not taken any days off until today, spending it taking care of me (the weather has been incredibly hot, the facilities are like an oven, and infested with mosquitos).  I would say we are 2/3 finished.  With Grimaldy consumed with his exhibition he is not available at at this time. Jahnny is feeling morning sickness and helped on Sunday only. Nena is working part time and helping in the afternoon. Jacobo is working full time and helping with distribution at night, however, it has been very slow.  My new friends Jose and Thaorka are helping. We are able to make progress but their help is not full time either.  I am pushing hard to finish by next week and will let you know as soon as my flight arrangements are made. Today I spent the day in Puerto Plata.  I had been having bad back pains.  I thought it was from the heat and lifting the boxes.  The pains did not stop so I went to the doctor at the private hospital.  They took blood and urine samples. The doctor gave me pain pills and antibiotics. Quite an experience.  So, I had to charge the prescriptions at two different pharmacies.  One pharmacy did not have the antiobiotic and the other pharmacy only had 6 pills so I had to find another pharmacy to get the balance the prescription filled.  They keep no records of anything -- it is incredible.  Other than that, I am tired and look forward to coming home.  I was hoping to be finished by now but this is taking more time than I thought.  I told Jacobo and Nena that we must work harder and finish, but unfortunately I am working as hard as I can and Jacobo and Nena both work day jobs so their time is limited. Yes, Jacobo's wife Janny is pregnant.  They got confirmation on Friday.  Jacobo told me and Corrina at the same time.  Corrina asked if I was going to be the Godmother.  Jacobo sheepishly said he did not want to promise anything until the baby is due -- and I appreciate that.  I have never been a Godmother before. The distribution is continuing.  Last night I got to my room at 11 pm after making deliveries with Jacobo in the dark.  He realized it was not a good idea since the people in Mozavi, Severe and Caraballo go to sleep at dark since they have no electricity.  He had to wake the people to give them their packages.  Needless to say, we were exhausted too after him working 8 hours at his day job and me working in the warehouse all day.  It is very draining and I look forward to this project being over. Tomorrow I finish the packages for El Choco and make deliveries in the afternoon with Hugo and Gabriella, his wife.  They own the "Funny Bike Tour" at the hotel.  They are from Argentina but lived in Canada for many years before coming to the DR.  I want to keep in touch with them when I return home as they are lovely people like Jacobo and Janny. Penelope, Jacobo's daughter, is feeling better and on medication for hepatitis.  Margaret, the other daughter, has enough energy for everybody in the family and more.  She is the boy that Jacobo should have had.  Nena asked me if I can stay two more weeks and I said absolutely not because I want to finish and go home.  As we always say, there is no place like home.  There are many paradises on earth but there is no place like home.  I think I told you last time that the little school next to the pastor's house closed for the year because it has been so hot.  So the school has allowed me to put the last 25 - 30 boxes on the school floor and take everything out of the boxes.  So I am going back and forth to complete the family packages. The computer at the pastor's house has not been available.  Monte Llano has had blackouts almost every night the past week or else Grimaldy is using the computer for his exhibition planned for mid June for his art show.  Srry I have not been able to communicate often.  I went to call a couple times late in the evening (about 10 pm) and Codetel, the local telephone company, shuts down their pay phones.  It makes me realize just how lucky we are as American citizens. I think until someone actually spends time in a third world country it is totally incomprehensible what lies ahead.  I hope that I am making a difference in some small way. I am tired every night from the heat each day.  It is not like I can duck into an air conditioned office or store to get a quick relief.  The Polanco family continues to be very kind to me, feeding me and keeping me hydrated.  Corrina gave me the juice from the coconut and said that it is good.  They recruited 2 more ladies to help so I am hopeful the process will go more quickly. The distribution continues and all the boxes are now empty.  I am working out of the furniture warehouse and also out of the school next door to Grimaldy's parents, Corrina and Andres. Hopefully I will be able to bring everything from the oven, I mean warehouse, to the school and make the packages from one location.  The warehouse is hot as an oven, and the school house is dark with no light.  Absolutely incredible how these children can learn.  This is the school that closed the year early since it has been so hot. This morning I watched our two baseball teams play.  The older team is pretty good but the younger kids need much more practice.  Jacobo and I then went to Puerto Plata to buy the face, chest and knee protectors for the catcher and also a bag for the equipment.  I have marked everything RFF so Jacobo can keep it all together.  He gave me 500 pesos toward it and I paid the rest, about $95 USD.  The pitcher from the other team in the smaller team pitched so fast I could not believe it.  I know he could not be more than 10 years old.  Absolutely incredible.  The other team was very disciplined.  Jacobo has a coach, a young boy who is still in high school but is going to baseball school as well.  He is very good but I do not think he is tough enough on the kids.  I told Jacobo that the kids need to stay in the dugout and watch their team play and not be goofing off and be available when it is their time to bat.  I told him that this is where Chiche can help him manage the team.  I have seen Chiche with the kids and he is good but has not received any direction.  Anyway, this is my third time to see the kids and I am happy that we are able to make a contribution towards these kids and give them something to look forward to. Previously the teams practiced and after practice we distributed the uniforms and equipment.  They were so happy.  A few days later I saw one of the boys and he was wearing the uniform to play.  Very proud of himself. Yesterday at 4PM was the graduation for the kindergarten kids at Mozavi School.  I presented one of the boxes full of school supplies.  We had previously delivered the furniture but had not separated the school supplies for the 4 schools.  So, at the graduation the Directora wanted me to speak in front of all the kids and parents and administration but I declined.  Instead, I gave a small presentation to the Directora and 3 administrators privately and took pictures.  It was very nice and they were very grateful. Yes, Jahnny is pregnant, about 2 months.  I sorted through the maternity clothes and gave her several outfits.  They have mixed feelings about it but now accept the reality.  Jacobo said he will have to build an addition onto his house since they have no room for another person. I have not called the airlines to make my return reservations.  I thought when I am down to consolidating the two different facilities I will be able to commit to a return home.  I am certain I will be home by June 25th.  I cannot believe myself how long I have been here and I think about the things I have gone through.  Incredible! Today was a difficult day.  No one at Grimaldy's  spoke English and I had no volunteers available to help.  What is really incredible is when the people who do speak Spanish get mixed up on what the other person is saying.  Yesterday when making deliveries the one volunteer speaks enough English to communicate.  When he was speaking to the girl who does not speak English they were having difficulty communicating.  She wanted to help very much but she is 22 and I think a bit anxious.  She is pregnant and also has a 6 year old.  I was concerned that she was helping and in the hot heat. Yes, Jacobo is still very generous with his truck when necessary.  He always wants to wash it and it does not make sense because we go back out into the jungle and it gets dirty again. Yes, Father's Day and Mother's Day are celebrated but at different dates.  I know that Mother's Day was the following Sunday after the American Mother's Day.  I do not know when their Father's Day is.  Thursday they had a holiday, Monte Cristo or something like that.  Many businesses were closed.