A few reflections and first impressions from one of Makarios’ Summer Interns, Angela De Courcy…
It has been almost eight weeks now since I met this beautiful island. And now as I prepare to leave, it is funny to reflect back to my first impressions of the Dominican Republic. I remember the initial embrace being hot humidity. That to say, it was a warm welcome indeed. From the moment our plane touched down, sweating became as natural as blinking and swallowing. Now, I barely even notice that we are all pretty wet, all of the time.
Another initial memory of this island was beholding Dominican transportation for the first time. I vividly remember feeling simultaneously shocked and impressed when I crammed into my very first gua gua (small bus), and when I say cram, I mean cram. Let me tell you… all space is utilized, including the floor. Every nook and cranny is occupied with someone or something. A space that would usually seat one, seats two, or maybe even three. In other words, you know that whole American concept of one’s personal space… well it doesn’t exist here. The more the merrier, they say. But that’s not all! Lest you think that a gua gua just for human transportation, I report that I have now sat beside a man and his chicken, and another man and his parrot. Now, after all these weeks, I am no longer shocked when we pull to the side of the road to squeeze in one more person and their basket of bananas, but I admit to still being very impressed. How the four tires survive the weight, remains a great mystery to me.
On a more serious note though, I have come to enjoy and appreciate this country very much, its little quirks are all. I have found the slow pace of life wonderful, the fruit delicious, the nature diverse, the community strong, and the people friendly. I have enjoyed many beautiful skies, painted the colours of sunset. The heavens certainly do declare the glory of God here! And I have seen a few powerful tropical storms, with more rain at once than I ever thought possible. Most of all though, I have fallen in love with the simplicity of life in this place, where people genuinely enjoy each other and appreciate a good meal of rice, beans, and chicken. On a number of occasions, I have been the recipient of kind hospitality from strangers, for which I am grateful. I am leaving this country with new friends and sweet memories.
Best of all though, I am leaving the Dominican Republic with a bigger view of God and His family. Amidst the difficult poverty of this place, He has shown Himself to be the true treasure… which is precisely why I’m so excited about the ministry of Makarios. It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege serving in the school, seeking to provide an education for children who would otherwise not to be educated, and in so doing sharing the Gospel in word and deed. Funny though, how I came as a teacher’s aide and ended up learning far more than I taught. Honestly, I cannot even begin to recount the lessons I have collected working alongside the staff here. Some of these lessons include: the priority of love, the sufficiency of God, the motivation and implications of the Gospel, and viewing discipline and structure as a way of loving the students. In sum, sharing Life (pun intended) is what He has called us to do here with these people.
This has been a summer that will influence the rest of my life. To the praise of His glorious grace!
