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Medical Mission Trip to Haitiand the Dominican Republic
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Every year for the last eight years, Chandler Barnes, a member of Grace, has traveled to the Dominican Republic to donate a week's work to the Ark Orphanage in Jarabacoa. The last two years she has also traveled to Haiti where, she says, life is much more difficult; it is a fight to survive.
Originally, I wanted to show my kids that the world didn't live like we did. . . . Once the orphanage directors learned that I was a doctor, my jobs changed from painting, building and sorting to child and staff care. These orphanages are special. They have individual homes where eight to ten kids live as siblings and are raised by local Christians who commit to at least two years with the program. The kids go to a school, also started by the orphanage, in the mornings. They arrive home for a midday meal of rice and beans plus salad; then they have chores to do and later is recreation time. Dinner may be hot chocolate and bread followed by studies and homework. Soccer is a favorite game and the orphanage has placed second in the Dominican Republic Coca Cola Soccer Match which is in part, because these kids live, study and play together. They know how to get along.
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