What’s your goal in Life?

I’ve told some of my friends that this is the only year I’ve felt like my Lenten sacrifices were worth it. My work speaks for itself. It’s funny to call it a sacrifice because I love it so much. I think Mother Theresa once said that for true love to be true, there must be sacrifice… just like Jesus did for us in the Cross: the best love story ever told.

Living amongst the poor in Banica is both a blessing and a challenge. It is a blessing because you can understand poverty, as you are experiencing it yourself. You don’t have clean running water, a steady power source, a toilet, spare money to spend. You eat the same food every day (yep, rice and beans) and drink water because soda is too expensive. You can relate to the locals when they complain about paying too much for electricity and certainly not getting enough of it. You understand when they freak out about not getting water for 5 days. You share their joy when it rains for 48 hours because it’s good for farming. You share their pains when food and other material stuff is too expensive to get.

This year I didn’t give up as many things for Lent as I did last year; yet, I felt like I was sacrificing so much more. I miss my home, my family, my friends. I miss the unrepeatable deliciousness of my Peruvian food. I miss the comforts of a warm shower. I found myself offering everything up during Lent.. Oh, and it made it so much better! I LOVED spending time with Jesus in prayer…sometimes just complaining about my day to day. All of a sudden the discomforts didn’t seem so bad. Jesus reminded me of the real reason I am here: not to be comfortable, but to be uncomfortable enough to get up and do something for His glory, for Eternity.

My sister came to visit this year. She spent Holy Week in Banica. Everyone said we looked like twins. It was funny: This little girl, Marisol, came into the volunteer house and started asking Valeria all these questions about Easter Sunday thinking she was me. When she looked at her face, and then realized I was in the room as well, she let out this high pitched sound. We laughed so hard! Even though Valeria only spent a few days here, she loved it. The warm affection from people, daily Mass and prayer, the ribbon-dancing girls, all the events for Holy Thursday and Good Friday (not including the whip fighting, of course). When we left to the capital, I saw her crying on the review mirror. It’s hard not to love this place.



During Easter weekend, my dad and grandmother traveled from Peru to spend 5 days with me and my sister. We went to a nice resort in Punta Cana, about 4 hrs from Sto. Domingo’s airport. My dad said he wanted to show me the “vanities of life”.

On Easter Sunday, my sister, grandma and I went to Mass. To my disappointment, Mass was celebrated at a conference room. There was a cantor, and one lector. The attendees were 99% foreign-born, American or European. The Mass was celebrated in Spanish, so no one knew the responses. I was the only one singing along with the cantor. It just made me sad. I wished I was in Banica, celebrating Easter with my people, my students, my volunteer-family. I came out of Mass almost in tears. I couldn’t believe this multi-million resort did not build a decent chapel for its clients. I couldn’t believe they didn’t bring a bilingual priest knowing most of the Mass attendees do not speak Spanish. I was frustrated and disappointed at the lack of joy people had toward the fact that Christ had resurrected.

Serving in Banica for the past 8 months has changed the way I see a lot of things. Growing up in a Peru, a Third-World country, and then moving to the States taught me to be ambitious and to want a better lifestyle. People in the States are mostly self-centered and money-driven. I thought that was the norm. Yet, going back and living in a third-world country, amongst the poor, has showed that there’s more to life than just material riches we call “success”.

Even though the Baniqueros don’t have the financial means to build a cement house, or a bathroom, they have the time to talk to you, to ask you how you are, to care about your problems. They have the faith of a mustard seed, the kind of faith that moves mountains. Even though they can’t read or write, they compose love poems and tell stories that make you laugh til you hurt. They enjoy every bite of rice and beans and tell you to eat more or you’ll get sick.

Thinking back, all the sacrifices I’ve faced were worth it. I’ve learned comfort is only temporary, because humans have a tendency to get used to things (even if they’re not pretty). Even though when I go home I will strive to have a good life, I’m not focused on money, but rather quality-time. Value your friendships, the wisdom of an old person, the trust and faith of a child.

Last year, when Craig’s dad asked me what my goals were after graduation, I told him I wanted to be happy. I think I have accomplished it.




P.S. More on Spiritual vs. Material Riches, come to Theology on Tap this Monday, April 18th at 7pm. Fr. O'Hare and Samantha Kepler will be talking about our mission in Banica.

"How Far is Heaven?"

Once again, I apologize for not posting new blogs very often. I try to write whenever something meaningful has happened and I couldn’t quite remember if we had experienced anything of such nature since my last post… until today.
First: we have experienced over 5 funerals within the past month. I remember back in September, when I was sad I couldn't attend a funeral that Isaac told me not to worry because he would experience many more. Oh, he wasn't wrong.

The first one was the grandfather of two of the girls involved in our parish activities: Marlenis (Teresitas) and Rudylania (Magdalena's Bible Study). The second one was the grandfather/uncle of two Bible Study girls, Yoryina and Migueli. The third one was the brother of one of our parish leaders, Mora from Sabana Cruz. The fifth one was my neighbor and former pharmacy director, Berihuete. The sixth one and most recent one was the stepfather of my good friend and parish catechist, Kuky.

These events led me to think of the meaning of life, death and heaven. I’m sure the kids were wondering the same. Thus, for our last youth group meeting in Sabana Cruz, we had the teenagers think about death as a result of our fallen nature. We talked about Adam and Eve, their separation from God after they disobeyed him, and how their decision affects us today. Of course we brought Jesus into the picture! We told the kids that God didn’t stay angry at humanity; rather, He loved us SO much He sent us His only son to redeem us from our sins. Not only did Jesus forgive our sins, but He also opened the gates of heaven for us. So, now we are able to go to Heaven!

But what is Heaven? Their responses were what you would expect: a place where there is a lot of love, and peace; a place where you can rest, and meet those who have gone before you. If heaven is the ideal place to be, then what are we doing to be worthy of entering such a place? We asked them to think about all those things that are preventing them from going to heaven and to write them down in small pieces of paper. After a few minutes, I played a song called Te Extrañaré by Tercer Cielo which is a dialogue-like song between a guy who tells the girl that he misses her, and she tells him not to worry, that she is in a better place where she can finally rest (it’s a beautiful song, I recommend it!). We then made a fire where we burned the pieces of paper with those things preventing us from going to heaven. It was one of my favorite youth group meetings!

Second: It was DR’s Independence Day on February 27th. Mairin and I have been working on a Ribbon Dancing Club since late January (with no previous experience!). I had the privilege to pick our first song which is called El Amor by Tito el Bambino.



The girls worked so hard for about a month, which paid off during their performance on February 26th. Everyone loved it! Mairin and I were so proud of our girls! Here are a few pictures and a short video of their performance :)










Finally: We have hosted three college groups so far: Marymount, Christendom, and Coast Guard. Marymount and Coast Guard spent their week up in the mountains with Fr. Murphy’s parish. Between both groups, they were able to build and paint chapels. Christendom, on the other hand, made latrines for one of our communities called Mamoncito. They did an amazing job, and now 7 families get to use a bathroom! It’s really neat seeing college students serve during their Spring Breaks. I now it first-hand it is a rewarding experience.

Please pray for those girls who have experienced the loss of a loved one, especially Marlenis, Rudilania, Yoryina, Migueli, and Kuky.

Also, pray for our future team of volunteers. We currently have two people who have expressed interest in serving within the next year, but they need our prayers and support!

Banica's Newest Volunteer Coordinator... Me!

A New Semester: Primavera en Bánica

We arrived to Bánica on January 4th 2010 after a two-week vacation in our beloved U.S. Like Fr. O’Hare would say “we didn’t arrive alone”, we came with two new volunteers: Laura Folse and Nicky Bell. Although Samantha and Brendan returned to the States this past December to continue with their studies and professional careers, our team of volunteers remains the same number-wise. Please continue to pray for Isaac, Mairin, John, and now Laura and Nicky.



This semester, we will be teaching in two public schools: Higuerito and Los Memisos. Fr. O’Hare wanted all volunteers to teach in the same schools, so Isaac and Laura will be teaching 2nd grade, Mairin and Nicky will be 3rd Grade and John and I will be teaching 4th grade in Higuerito. We are blessed to have new students who care about their catechesis and are interested in knowing about God (I think they also see us as really cool teachers!)



Los Memisos is a different story. Ever since we sent our catechesis to that school, we’ve encountered all sorts of problems. Their class schedule is interrupted almost every week. Their teachers are not responsible enough to have classes on a daily basis. The students’ attention span is short to non-existent. Finally, we can’t keep track of their Mass attendance because they only have Mass once a month. I always get butterflies in my stomach when we’re on our way to that school. I don’t think it’s because I’m nervous… I’m just expecting the worse.

After talking with Father about this last school, we came to the conclusion that we can’t give up on them. Instead, we’re “joining efforts” with a young catechist named Kuky (pronounced cookie) who lived in the campo for a short while and does a really good job motivating the kids. She just recently began to come to that school and the results—although not excellent—were better than I expected. She had the kids talking, participating and learning their catechism against all odds! Now, her teaching technique is different from mine: she raises her voice to the point of yelling and she is not afraid to tell it like it is, whereas I only raise my voice until they can hear me, and I try to be condescending of their slow learning process.

I’m not sure how much progress Los Memisos will make, but I do ask you to continue praying for them, especially the 6th and 7th graders.


Confirmation of Faith 2010: Sabana Cruz and Hato Viejo

After four long months of preparation, my catechesis students from Sabana Cruz and Hato Viejo received their Holy Sacraments of Confirmation and First Communion. The ceremony was held on Wednesday, January 13th in their respective campos. We counted with the presence of Bishop Jose Grullón, who made his yearly pastoral visit to our parish in Bánica and sister parish in Pedro Santana.



We started out early in the morning and headed to Hato Viejo. Isaac and I could not contain our excitement to see our students complete their catechesis preparation by receiving their sacraments. During my visit to U.S, I got them prayer cards with their respective saints including Joan of Arc, Therese of Liseaux, San Martin de Porres, and St. Augustin.

When we arrived, I saw my lovely girls dressed in white. They looked like little angels. I immediately wondered how much their families had to sacrifice to get them their dresses, shoes and hair-dos. The boys were all dressed alike with a white shirt and black pants. Father O’Hare says that such an outfit is typical for “rezos”—a time when the town gets together to pray for a special cause such as funerals, sick people, etc.






The ceremony lasted three hours! It was a combination of sacraments and annual meeting with the bishop. Furthermore, Bishop Grullón is known for his long, charismatic homilies! Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing my students receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and sponsoring almost half of them!


Pastoral Juvenil (Youth Ministry)


This past weekend, we were invited to attend a diocesan Youth Ministry event at the nearest city called Las Matas. Our Pastoral Juvenil from Banica and Sabana Cruz, along with the most faithful church attendees from Higuerito hopped in our newly repaired school bus for what seemed to be a celebration of St. Juan Bosco’s feast day. Simultaneously, six high-schoolers from Bánica and Sabana Cruz (carefully selected by Hecfredes—the Youth Ministry coordinator in Bánica—and myself) attended a three-day retreat in the capital of Santo Domingo.
When the seventy-plus youth, the five American volunteers and I arrived to Las Matas, we began to sense a lack of coordination. The event was scheduled to begin at 9am. Instead, we processed to an arena at 10:30am. Once we got there, they told us Mass was going to begin shortly. Unaware of the required Eucharistic Fast, most of the youth were snacking and drinking sodas before, during and after Mass. Our group stayed together, except a handful of Baniqueros. They refused to move with the rest of the group, which forced me to leave them where they were. During Mass we kept looking over at them and realized how much they lack respect and veneration towards Mass: they remained seated throughout the whole ceremony.

What was the purpose of the event? I have no idea anymore. Besides Mass, there weren’t any motivational speeches, Christian music or anything of that nature. Was it Christ-centered? Nope. Where the youth enjoying it? Nope. Are we going to attend next year? I hope not.

I was so disappointed at the whole thing (event coordination, kids’ behavior, content) that I told Father I had no hope in our youth. He seemed to agree with me and swore he wasn’t going to send our youth to diocesan events unless he receives a program and detail explanation of what the event is about.



Two days later, Father asked me to gather the 6 young people who attended the retreat in Santo Domingo in order to share their experiences. We met yesterday, and to my surprise, they all grew so much in their faith—and like my seminarian friend Thomas Gallagher would say—“they were ON FIRE for our Lord!”. They talked for about two hours about their favorite memories, ideas to improve their youth ministry, and how much they loved their retreat. They had so much to share with the group that Father decided to make this group a Youth Ministry Council. He gave them an awesome analogy to understand their role in their larger youth ministry: Before a house gets built, you need to lay the floors. Eventually, you put up the walls and the ceiling. These six young people will be the floors to our “Casa de la Juventud” (Youth House). Our job is to continue to feed the fire in their hearts and help them grow in their faith. I told them that those who have great faith can accomplish great things. But most importantly, it will be contagious to those around them.
Just when I started losing my faith in the Bánica youth, my Lord surprised me with these 6 young people. Father and I commented on how happy and grateful we are that we still have faithful youth that not only love our Lord with all their hearts, but they are also willing to improve their communities—especially their young peers.



Today I ask you to keep your prayers in the youth around the world, especially those from Bánica. Lord, despite all temptations, keep your young people close to your heart so that they may truly find happiness in you. St. Juan Bosco… pray for us!

“Solo me basta que sean jóvenes para amarlos” –St. Juan Bosco

…Mid November, a Thanksgiving to Remember, and December… OMG, it’s December!

22 years ago, on November 17th, I was born to a beautiful young family in Lima, Peru. I had a happy childhood with loving people all around me. Eventually, my mother was called to begin a new life in the U.S where, a few years later, I had the opportunity to rediscover my faith—thanks to some faithful people from MC and GMU. My re-conversion to the Catholic Church opened my eyes to the love that God had for me. In return, I felt the calling to love others like Him by serving in a country where I had only spent 10 days during my Senior Spring Break in college.

22 years later, I am found in the Dominican Republic, a country I have made into my second home, spending my birthday with Baniqueros and a sweet group of fellow volunteers with colorful mustaches. Even though I couldn’t see my family on such an important day for me, I felt loved by the people next to me. Samantha and our Bible Study girls baked an “earthquake chocolate quake” the day before. We ate it with some kids that smelled it from our volunteer house! We finished the day dancing and eating the remainings of the chocolate cake. The next day Arturo and Marina congratulated me for turning 22, my teammates and I met with Jesus in our usual morning prayer and received Him at Mass. I taught catechesis, guitar, practiced with the choir and went home where the most delicious home-made rotisserie chicken that Marina prepared awaited me. We later went to the volunteer house to watch Enchanted, and my teammates surprised me with another delicious cake and my favorite Ferrero Rocher chocolates! My friends, family and relatives from the U.S and Peru called me all day to wish me a Happy Birthday. I went to bed with a tummy full of chocolate and heart filled with joy and love!

Happy 22nd year of life!

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November 26 – 27, 2009

Thanksgiving, a holiday to remember what we’re grateful for with the people we’re grateful of. This year, I spent Thanksgiving away from home for the first time. Even though the Thanksgiving holiday is new to me (because we don’t celebrate it in Latin America), I still appreciate it because it gives us a reason to gather with our families and enjoy delicious food, while meditating on all the graces we’ve received thus far.

Being in the Dominican Republic and celebrating Thanksgiving was a little odd at first. When we least expected it, it was Wednesday and we had to begin prepping our meal for the next day. Obviously there wasn’t any excitement with the locals because they don’t know what Thanksgiving is, nor celebrate it. Furthermore, my culinary skills are not very good, so being in charge of the pecan pie made me nervous. Thank goodness Sam was there to assist me because it would have been chaos otherwise!
Meanwhile, my family was planning a trip to Indiana, where my stepfather’s family is from. We don’t go to Indiana very often, only because it’s really far from Virginia—as well as expensive! Nevertheless, I enjoy going there and seeing our American family. Unfortunately, this year I had to miss a family vacation that we don’t get to experience much, and family time with my loved ones.

Thursday morning, back in Banica, all the volunteers and Fr. Murphy were responsible for one dish. Since I made the pecan pie crust the day before, I was free to brainstorm about the decorations. Brendan and I decided to make turkeys out of “papel foame” (foam paper). It was fun! We spent all morning designing personalized turkeys, pilgrims’ hats, boats, etc…

We gathered with some Americans that are serving in nearby towns. I had one of the best turkeys ever (smoked by Fr. Murphy) and enjoyed it with great people! We played croquette after our meal and even though Isaac and I finished 4th, we had a ton of fun! I went home and had to shower in the dark but it was ok because our day had been amazing and I truly felt like I was spending Thanksgiving with my family!

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December 8, 2009

Wow! It’s December! According to Isaac’s count, we’ve been serving in Banica for over 100 days!

December brings me both joy and sadness. Joy because in only 12 days I’ll be in Virginia, hugging my family and friends, spending hours telling stories about my Adventures Baniqueras! I’m also happy it’s Advent, meaning Christmas is coming soon and we get to celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus as a baby. Nothing can bring more joy than meditating on our Lord’s coming as a tiny infant, falling asleep on His Virgin mother on Christmas day. Amazing!

I’m sad because we’re wrapping up our catechesis classes, filling out baptismal and confirmation records and saying good-bye to two of our teammates: Samantha and Brendan. Samantha has served in Banica for over a year, and worked with the volunteer team as the volunteer coordinator. Sam has been an amazing example of true Christian femininity to me. I have learned to be a better, stronger person through her example. I’m gonna miss her, but I hope her return to the States helps her become the person she wants to be and enjoy the fruits of her service in Banica. Brendan is returning to the States after 3 months of service. He taught English and led the Sports League with Mairin. He made me laugh every day while he’s been here! I admire his optimism, love for children and endless humor! Please keep Sam and Brendan in your prayers!

I’ve been so blessed to receive the calling to serve in Banica with amazing people! I have enjoyed my time thus far only because God has placed me in a place where I can feel loved and give love without restrain. God called me here to experience a glimpse of His own love. I have learned that TRUE love hurts because so much of the self is given; yet, it is true and no one can take that away. The ultimate demonstration of TRUE love was given by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins, expecting nothing in return.

I want to love like Jesus. I AM called to love like Jesus, which is what I intend to do during my mission here in Banica. There is no true love without sacrifice and suffering, but… I am ready. Guided by the example of our Lady today on her Immaculate Conception, I want to say YES to God for the rest of my life.
Lord, allow us to love like you loved us on the cross. Help us get rid of our selfishness and fear so we can give our alls for your sake. Thank you for making us to love and be loved!

It was Dengue Transitorio!

To those of you who have been disappointed at my lack of blog updates, I’m a deeply sorry! I’ve been carried away by my daily activities, and I’ve neglected you by not updating you on the sweet life in Banica. I’ll try to write a blog at least once a month!

Let me give you the latest news:
Last Thursday, Nov 5th I woke up with a sudden exhaustion and lack of energy. I went to morning prayer like usual and noticed Mairin wasn’t there. Sam told us she wasn’t feeling well, so she wasn’t gonna come to Mass with us. I began to feel sick as she was telling us what had happened to Mairin, and I thought to myself “wow, I can really feel how she’s feeling!”. After Mass, I told Sam I wasn’t feeling well. I went home and slept all morning. I thought it might have been that I was tired, but I couldn’t find the strength to get up. My muscles ached, and my head hurt really bad. I had a really high fever, but since no one carries a thermometer in their homes, I will never know what my temperature was. My host parents insisted on me eating, but I would look at the food and lose my sense of hunger. Arturo had to feed me like a baby at one point because I couldn’t find the strength to hold the fork to my mouth. Isaac had to go to Sabana Cruz on his own because there was no way I could go with him to teach. I wrote down what he needed to do and gave it to him before he left to class. We had a seminarian named Carlos that day, so he went with Isaac to Sabana Cruz and taught the kids about priesthood. Isaac told me it was a good day, so my heart was at peace and I went to bed thinking tomorrow everything was going to be all right.

Little did I know that for the next five days, the array of symptoms I was experiencing was going to increase to almost every possible thing your body could ever do when you’re sick. From fever, to vomiting, to a rash, I felt I was slowly decaying into a really bad illness. By Wednesday, Sam and I got up really early to go to a private clinic in San Juan. They did all sorts of tests, and discovered I was carrying an ameba inside of me! Apparently an ameba is a parasite that you can get here by drinking dirty water, or eating a fruit that hasn’t been washed properly. The cardiologist examined me and saw my skin rash. Later he got the results of my blood test and found a small count of platelets. He was worried I might have dengue, so he prescribed another blood test. The Lord answered my prayers, and my dengue test was negative. The doctor said I might have had DENGUE TRANSITORIO, meaning I had dengue for a short period of time. Kinda scary, but I’m glad it’s gone!

During my illness, I missed out on so much! The sisters of the Restitucion visited us, there was a movie night in Sabana Cruz, a retreat for young girls at Rincon Grande Abajo, and just quality time with Jesus. I even got home sick because I realized no one would take better care of me than my own family. Every one around me was trying to make me feel better, but I just felt the desire to be in my own bed, with my family watching over me. I couldn’t even properly pray, so I was been deprived of my Heavenly Father as well.

Now I’m feeling so much better. My platelets are still low, so I guess that’s why I still feel weak. The doctor recommended guayaba juice with aji moron. It sounds gross but people tell me it’s not that bad. I have yet to try it.. we shall see.
The pictures I’m posting are from our fun trip to El Morro. Mondays are our day off so we often do fun things as a team. Two Mondays ago we went to a small waterfall about an hour from Banica called El Morro. The water was very cold, but we managed to get in and soak the cold water for a little bit. John, one of the volunteers found a crab, something very exotic for this area, I think! The second picture is from our little girls' group called Teresitas. The third picture is from my new guitar class. No, I'm no expert but Father says that since I know more than they do, I can teach!The last picture is me dancing with my Bible Study Girls. There's two of them not showing in the pic, but these three are the biggest dancers!

I’m praying for all of you, asking the Lord to keep you safe and healthy (as well as any other intentions you may have!) I ask that you may continue to pray for me, the volunteers, priests and mission in Banica. I truly believe God is gonna do great things with us here. There’s still a lot of work ahead of us, so we need all the prayers and spiritual health we can get!

May the peace of God be with you always!

A Note on Patronales y un "chin" Mas

October 4th is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Bánica. Preparations for this feast begin at least a week before the 4th and last about a week after. What a celebration! Although there is some religious component to Patronales, it is mostly a time when families from all over the country (and even Haiti!) gather to commemorate the “promesas” this famous Saint has fulfilled for them as well as enjoy any kind of events going on in town. Patronales would not be a celebration without music. The sindicos and regidores—equivalent to mayors—invite popular Dominican singers such as bachatero Joe Veras and merenguero Omega to get Baniqueros pumped and excited for this occasion. For about five nights in a row, there is an event going on down the street: music, singers, dancing, food, drinks, and tons of people!


I can honestly say I enjoyed a few of the events held down the street; however, I was disappointed to realize what a lack of understanding Baniqueros have in regards to saints. Despite Fr. O’Hare and Bishop Grullon’s efforts to explain that saints serve as role models and intercessors, Baniqueros often think saints like San Francisco have a god-like characteristic. They touch, praise and pray to San Francisco more often than they pray to God. Please pray that their devotion may be centered in Christ and that they may be able to comprehend the beautiful role of saints in the Catholic Church as role models and intercessors.

On a sadder note, a mayor committed suicide last Thursday. No one knows the reason behind his decision; however, his wife and three kids need all the prayers they can get. Their youngest child named Jairo is a student at our parochial school; thus, we will be sure to give him all the emotional support possible. For two nights, Banica and neighboring campos showed their solidarity by lighting candles along the side of the roads. It was so touching but beautiful at the same time! Often times you hear that Baniqueros are jealous of each other; but when it comes to sharing someone’s grief, they forget their differences and come together as one. Unfortunately for us catechists teaching in the public schools, our students had to miss another week (in addition to Patronales week) because most of the teachers were accompanying the mayor’s family during the viewing and burial.

Please pray for the soul of Javier Cedano, and the family and friends that grief his absence.

Me llaman "Profesora Jimena"

We’ve been here for a month and so many emotions, feelings, thoughts, experiences have happened so far!

I have been partnered up with Isaac, a graduate in Philosophy and Anthropology from Mary Washington University, to teach catechism in two public schools locates in two different campos: Sabana Cruz and Hato Viejo. We teach three days a week, using a picture method where students look at an image and then are asked questions that pertain to it. For instance, the first picture is based on the painting of the Creation by Michael Angelo. We asked them “Who is in this picture?” “Who is God?”. Eventually we form a class out of those pictures to help them prepare for the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation in the Catholic Church.


Ever since I was little, I dreamed of being a teacher. I would pretend I was a Language teacher, and I would prepare quizzes and tests for my little cousins which I would correct with my favorite red pen! Now, we can say that my dream has come true. A voice inside of me reminds me of the popular phrase:“Be careful what you wish for”. Being a teacher is a beautiful job, but I think being a catechist is even more beautiful. A catechist is able to not only share his or her knowledge about Catholicism, but also demonstrate her love for Christ and His teachings. Additionally, the challenges it brings along can make you a better person, as well as deepen your faith.


In Sabana Cruz, Isaac and I have two classes: one has about ten kids and the other one has fifteen. Our ten-student class is composed of younger kids (8-10 years old), who are just adorable. They all sit next to each other, forming a row right across from the board. Their eyes are often fixed upon their teacher (Isaac or myself), reflecting their eagerness to learn something new. The only problem we had with that class involved two kids, Francis and Suleidy, who would not care about the class at all. Since they were not disruptive to the rest of the class, we decided to leave them at their own mercy. To our advantage, Suleidy told us last week that Francis has left to the capital for good. What a relief!!! Now that she doesn’t have her partner in crime, she cooperates and participates with the rest of the kids.


Our fifteen-student class is a bit more challenging; specifically, emotionally and physically draining. About half of the class is Evangelical, meaning that they don’t agree with Catholic teachings, even though both religions belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Given that the Dominican Republic is primarily Catholic, we are able to teach in the public schools. Unfortunately for the Evangelical students, they have to sit through a class that they find disturbing and opposing to their teachings. During our first week, they managed unite against us. They would constantly alter everything we would to try to imply that the Catholic faith is a fraud. For instance, they would claim that the images we use to teach about God, Adam and Eve and such were objects of praise. Even though at times I would feel really angry at their wrongful and misinformed accusations, I would try to swallow my feelings and clarify to them—in a charitable way—some of the misconceptions. For instance, the images we use in the classroom are for teaching purposes, just as their books have images in them. Furthermore, Catholics don’t praise images! The only one we praise is God the father, son and Holy Spirit. During prayer, they refused to make the sign of the cross because they claimed the cross is damned, as well as the Our Father—a prayer interestingly taught by Jesus. I put up with them because living in the States has taught me to respect other people’s religions and beliefs. However, it got to a point where the kids disrespected Isaac and me disregarding our instructions and leaving the classroom without our permission. I got so frustrated I told the few kids left in the classroom that I wouldn’t put up with their misbehavior anymore, that I found it extremely disrespectful to us as their teachers—who travelled so far and sacrificed so much to be there and teach them—and if they did not care about us, we were not going to care about them. I added that I felt sad that those who needed to receive their sacraments would have to wait another year because I wasn’t going to go back. What a disappointment! One of the older Evangelical kid rushed towards us and asked us not to leave. Isaac and I were packing our stuff, but he took it away from us and placed them back where they were. He said he would go find the rest and ask them to come back. While he did that, I called the vice principal (because the principal is never in the school, since he’s running to be elected as mayor). She came in and all the kids rushed to their seats. I said I couldn’t deal with them anymore and that Isaac and I were going to leave. She seemed surprised but embarrassed, so she went in the classroom and had a talk with the students. She asked them to say sorry and to promise not to misbehave anymore. The kids did not seem to care for her nor me, so she told us we could leave and that she would talk to them and their parents. After that incident, there was tension between us and the students during the next class. I spoke with the Catholic kids, and I told them I was there to teach them about Catholicism and help them receive their sacraments. If they were not going to cooperate with me, then there was no point on me teaching their class. This wasn’t about religion anymore; it was about respect. They seemed sad and sorry for what they did. One of the girls, Marisol, told me she wanted to cry because she thought what they did to me was unfair. I almost cry with her too. At the end, they agree to behave well during class. Father O’Hare suggested that we remove the Catholic kids from that class and put them together with the younger kids in the smaller class. The vice principal assured me that it wouldn’t be necessary because the other kids promised to behave well in class. With my mom’s suggestion, the following week I told the vice principal I needed to make an announcement in the class and I would appreciated if she were present. She came in and I said something along the lines of…


“We all know that in this class there are disagreements about what Isaac and I teach. I respect those who belong to a different religious group; but I am not going to neglect those who are Catholic from receiving their sacraments. I’m going to ask those of you who do not agree with our teachings to come to class prepared to listen. I do not expect you to participate in the class; however, you are forced to be here by your school’s regulations. I do not want any disruptions or demonstrations of disrespect towards us. I invite you to write any questions you may have about our teachings, for we would be happy to answer any questions you may have after class. We are no longer going to spend class time discussing why our religion is different from yours. Thank you for your attention”


The vice principal seemed to agree with my announcement and new class rule. She added that even though she is Catholic, she respects those who aren’t. She asked the Evangelical kids to show respect towards us and listen without disrupting the class. After she left, we began our lesson. I started asking the kids some questions. The Catholic kids were quiet, but the Evangelical kids wanted to participate. I ignored the Evangelical kids in order to go by what I had just announced. Eventually the Catholic kids began to participate and we had a successful class. By the end of class, the leader Evangelical kid named Jorge went up to me and said: Why didn’t you call on me when I raised my hand? I said, “didn’t you hear what I announced? You are in this class because the school wants you to be; however, this class is for Catholic kids only in preparation to receive their sacraments. I’m sorry it has to be that way, but your lack of respect towards me as a teacher has forced me to act that way”. He said he wasn’t gonna come to class during our teaching, and I said, “well, you’re gonna have to talk to your vice principal about that because she expects you to be here” he stayed quiet. I said, “I think it’s easier for you to come to class, listen to our teachings and ask questions afterwards”. Our conversation ended with him shrugging and leaving the classroom.


The following week, we went back to the school and pulled the Catholic kids out of their classroom and put them together with the smaller kids. Jorge came with a sorry face and said “Profe, (a short way of saying teacher) are you not going to teach us today?” I said, “Sorry Jorge, we were supposed to have class tomorrow, but since it’s a holiday, I’m teaching the Catholic kids today”. He looked sad. I asked, “Do you wanna be in the class?” He nodded. I was like, “OK, if you truly want to be here with the rest of your classmates, you’re certainly welcomed to. I only ask two conditions: do not disrupt my classroom with arguments about our teachings, and show respect towards Isaac and me. Is that clear?” He said yes. His friend behind him started giggling. I snapped “I’m not joking! If you want to be in the class, you have to be quiet.” They both nodded and went in the class. That day class went smoothly. I allowed the Evangelical kids to participate, and their answers were mostly correct with our teachings. Isaac and I were very pleased with their behavior. By the end of the day, I praised God for listening to my prayers and helping me reach the Evangelical kids to His will.


Sabana Cruz is a challenge, but I think God has placed us there to test our patience and help us strengthen our teaching skills. He is good!


Hato Viejo, to the contrary, is EXCELLENT! Our younger class (4th-5th grade) has about 30 students and the second class (6th-7th grade) has about 10. They all listen and actively participate. They show interest in the class, as well as faithfulness to God by attending Mass every Sunday. I absolutely love them! Every Wednesday after class, I tell Isaac if all kids behaved like Hato Viejo kids I would study to be a teacher in a heartbeat!!!

Please keep us in your prayers!!! More updates coming soon!!!