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| Scraping and Pinting Apartments |
Three Catholic Sisters are in charge and provider overall management. There are about 25 to 30 residents who live there. It's a small compound with the dormitories in a circle with a courtyard in the middle. At one end of the courtyard is a kitchen and at the opposite end is a small infirmary.
On the outskirts there is a laundry, and a small bowery, and grotto. An asphalt driveway encircles the area, with a large garden area outside of the living area. Most of the compound is covered with grass and plants. It's quite nice and well kept.
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| San Cristobal Member Providing Trimming Service |
All of the housing units are concrete with two to four apartments per building. Our task was to scrape the old paint off and repaint the outside.
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| Scraping Old Paint |
We also cleaned all the rain gutters out and cleared the drains. After painting, we swept all the old paint up and cleaned up the sidewalks. Many of the young men who were there from the San Cristobal Stake cleared the garden area and prepared the ground for planting.
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| Preparing Garden Area for Planting |
Our friends, Elder and Sister Benedict, the welfare missionaries, were in charge of the project. Before we arrived, they had delivered two new washer and dryer sets and a large commercial stove. They had previously only had one washer. LDS Charities donated the appliances. Carlos Zometo representing the Asociacion Dominicana de Rehabilitacion (ADR) and the Club Rotario, a Dominican donated a dozen wheelchairs and "Charities Anywhere,," volunteers from Utah and Washington, put them together and fitted them to the patients who needed them.
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| Donated Wheechairs |
It was really touching to watch as they placed the patients into their wheelchairs. Some of the bed-ridden patients will now be able to be mobile because of these chairs.The Benedicts arranged for Charities Anywhere to bring medical supplies to stock their infirmary. They brought several large suit cases full of supplies, then left most of the luggage with the young adults from the San Cristobal Stake to take on their future missions. The young adults were thrilled, to say the least.
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| Organizing Medical Suppies from Charities Anywhere |
It was a spiritual experience for us to visit with the residents there. Of course, since we don't speak a lot of Spanish, our conversations were short, but heart-felt nevertheless. Leprosy is a debilitating disease that destroys the nerves in the extremities as well as other symptoms. Many of the residents there had fingers that were shortened from the cartilage absorbing into the bloodstream. Some had deformed feet, hands, and legs. Most had the scaly sores that are typical. However, all were friendly and appreciative of our service.
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| Resident Receiving a New Wheelchair from Charities Anywhere |
At about 12:30 pm there was a "Closing Ceremony" where Sister Innocencia officially accepted the supplies and the appliances given to them. It was really cool and many souls were touched. San Cristobal Stake President Eurison Herediua and Charities Anywhere Founder John Clark spoke.
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| Sister Innocencia Closing Ceremony |
Afterward we had our friends take a picture of us by the sign with Sister Innocencia.. She wanted one also.
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| Elderr Park, Sistter Innocencia and Sister Park |
What beautiful Nuns these two angels are. It's amazing how these Sisters will sacrifice their whole lives for the Lord. There's no doubt in my mind that they will be in the Celestial Kingdom. (Of course after they receive all the ordinances of the Gospel). If I could be half as selfless as these amazing women, I believe I could be transtlated! (I think the only reason why they're not, is because they're needed to desperately.)
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| Sister Geralin, Sister Christy Benedict and Sister Belkis Receiving New Stove |
We thank the Lord for our opportunity to learn from others and to serve those who are in such desperate need. A better person today because of yesterday, Peggy
