Lord, make me an instrument of your peace… St. Francis of Assisi

Bánica, Dominican Republic. –Living in Bánica for the past 10 days has been both a blessing and a challenge. Before I arrived, I was expecting my life to change drastically and painfully; however, I have discovered that change comes in different ways…some are unexpected.
The first night we arrived to Bánica, I was actually feeling a mix of joy, excitement, uncertainty and anxiety. The drive there was beautiful: an orange sky and green landscapes welcomed us, as well as some live stock J I was excited to see Bánica after five months of my departure. As we were getting close, I recognized certain houses, colmados (equivalent to 7-Elevens) in every corner, and of course the old rusty “Bienvenidos a Bánica” sign. I couldn’t stop smiling. The recuerdos from my Alternative Spring Break trip with the Catholic Campus Ministry in March began to flood, while my heart rejoiced at the thought of spending 10 months in this place that I like to call “God’s lost paradise”.

The gua-gua (or truck) stopped in front of a fenced house, a block away from the San Francisco de Asis parish. It had white walls, a black fence protecting the front of the house, and a lovely front yard with lots of flowers and different kinds of plants. I got out of the car hesitantly, when an older gentleman of dark skin complexion rushed to unlock the door. “Bienvenida! Pase, Pase!” were his first words, along with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. He introduced himself as Arturo, and told me this was going to be my house for as long as I want. And at the end of his sentence, he added: “Si Dios quiere” (a very common phrase said by many Dominicans implying that they are in the hands of God or at God’s will) Appropriate, I thought. His wife, Maria, greeted me inside and showed me my room. It had a queen size bed, with a comforter! As I began to scan the house, I noticed how many decorations, sofas, and curtains it had… even a nice color TV! Well, I thought, so much for being uncomfortable! Father O’Hare came to drop off my luggage. When he got to my room he said, “wow, I wished I had a bed like that!” I smiled and was relieved to be in a nice, comfortable house.

As I began to unpack, I noticed how much space the bed took. I love that it is big (bigger than my bed in the States); however, I wished I had more storage and closet space. They had a table where I could place my toiletries and jewelry, but there was no closet or shelves or any other space for me to sit. I noticed there was a small space between the window and the wall, which I now use as shelves. There I placed my family pictures, books, a mirror, and my Bible. Arturo came into my room and explained that I could use the curtain as a door, or I could unlatch the door from the wall. I said the curtain would be fine. I didn’t want them to feel unwelcomed in my new room/personal space/life!

Arturo let me unpack, and then he called me out to the backyard. Woah! I thought. It had more plants than in the front yard: beautiful flowers that they call “Coralillo”; mango, cherries, lemon, and “guandule” trees; etc. I was impressed! Then Arturo took me to what they call bathroom. He opened the door, and a terrible smell came out. Oh Gosh...my first encounter with an outhouse! I didn’t want to be rude, so I held my breath to keep myself from vomiting. He then took me to another outhouse, which they use for showering. Maria showed me how they do it: take a small plastic jar and dip it in the huge tub of water. Pour it over your head at your disposition. She said they don’t have running water; however, they collect water (when it comes) and store it in those tubs. There were like five of them! She washed her face in front of me to show me that the water was refreshing and clean. I took a deep breath… “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…Lord, bless Arturo and Maria for their generosity. Help me see You in them and the rest of the Baniqueros I will encounter. Teach me to be generous and kind like they are. Give me your strength to overcome these initial discomforts in order to make Banica my home, as well as a workplace in Your name. Bless and keep my family and friends safe back home. Amen”