Background – Part 2

Two parishioners headed down on cheap ($98 each!) tickets the following winter to see the place first hand. They saw the good work that the Sisters and girls were doing at the home. They asked what the Sisters would want from a relationship with the Church of Saint Edward – money, supplies, clothing? No, they wanted to build a personal and spiritual relationship with parishioners through a Summer camp, or “Campamento”.

The girls live in the home because their families cannot take care of them. Many mothers have died in childbirth or due to malnutrition or other poverty related complications. Other mothers work long hours for very little pay and cannot supervise the girls while they are working. Many of the girls do have extended family. They are not “up for adoption”. The girls are well behaved, healthy girls with capacity to succeed in school.

The girls live in the home during the school year. They attend the Catholic schools in Azua. One weekend per month the girls return to their families. In this way the girls maintain a connection to their roots and the girls provide a positive influence in the community. Many of the girls return from these home visits hungry and dirty, but they are maintaining these important bonds. In the summer, the girls return to their families except for two weeks when they go back to the Hogar for “Campamento”. Before our relationship the Sisters ran a camp. In 2001, we started by running one week of the two weeks. Since then, we’ve held one, two, or three week camps, based on the number of travelers who volunteer.

We need 6 to 10 travelers per week of camp. Travelers spend one week at camp. Travelers pay their own way, including travel, passports, travel clinic, and other incidentals. Once there, we are hosted by the Sisters, including food, housing, and transportation within the country.

Betania missed her first camp this year to work at a daycare center in the Capital. She is so confident and beautiful!