Our lives are in our gods' hands, but the choice to live is within our own. Yesterday was much more than merely a coincidence. Initially, a few friends and I decided to go for a walk throughout a city that will be our home for the next four months, Santiago de los Caballeros. We browsed many shops and stores until we decided it was about time to head back to our homes. It seemed god had other plans for us. Long story short, we ended up being a bit turned around, lost in the city and walked until we could see the monument in the further distance. During our walk home, we came across a building that had several people outside sorting cans, water bottles and other items. Turns out, we were standing in front of “Cruz Roja,” which translates to the well-known Red Cross. With the aftermath of the earthquake that rocked Haiti this past Tuesday, several individuals stepped outside of their comfort zones to help those in need. My friends and I encountered someone that told us to go inside the building and sign up to volunteer. Of course, we did this, but unfortunately, it yielded no immediate response until we exited the building, faced our fears of speaking Spanish and began to ask the Cruz Roja locals if they needed help. They said yes and everything from there is history.
Today was our second day going back to help with whatever was needed. Although I enjoyed helping with everything, the final hour of the day proved to be most fulfilling for me. After assembling canopies that took much longer to build than they should have, we constructed a man-made assembly line to get cases of water from the Cruz Roja building into a truck which would later turn out to be a hell of an adventure. After packing the truck with every case of water, a volunteer began screaming at me, “Sube! Sube,” as I quickly climbed into the flatbed. We waved goodbye to other volunteers as we headed for the highway. Little did I know that I was about to embark on an adventure of sitting and talking amongst locals, riding on a water truck for a great cause, watching young children playing basketball and simply living ‘la vida dominicana.’ It is definitely a blessing when an individual realizes that he/she is not only helping others in need, but that they are also helping themselves. In one day, we can work towards overcoming our fears of speaking Spanish with locals. In one day, we can meet several individuals and begin progressing towards long lasting friendships. In one day, we are able to assist and help hundreds, maybe thousands. In one day, we can attempt to make a change. We have yet to get deep into the action of helping face-to-face, but we realize and understand that our contributions will help some of those in need, although not all. But, BUT if we continue coming together as one, we can aid and help a world of Haitians who are suffering gravely and searching for hope. Let us be that hope, let us be that help. Go forward.
“If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!”
-If by Rudyard Kipling
