Back in December my parents and I decided to go to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic for a 10 day family vacation. Our trip began January 21. For some reason I was prompted to google orphanages in Puerto Plata and came across one called the Mustard Seed community. I had sent out a Thanksgiving email to many of my friends to raise money for some beautiful orphans in Cambodia and we raised more than enough money for their provisions.
I had received one check for $1300 the last day of December after all the funds we needed had been already raised. I told the donor that we had more than enough for the children in Cambodia, but that I would use the donation for the orphans in the Dominican Republic.
When I got to Puerto Plata, I realized that even though the idea to help these children was an admirable one, the task of getting to them seemed impossible because the orphanage was in a rural area and to get there would be very expensive and difficult.
I had met the assistant manager of the hotel that we were staying to see if they could assist us in getting to the orphanage, but did not hear from him for several days, but in the interim the orphanage sent a driver for me and brought me straight to the orphanage.
The ride to the orphanage was bumpy, dirty, and hot but as rough as the trip seemed it was quickly forgotten as soon as we saw the bright yellow building came into sight.
It was easy to tell that youth groups from the United States had been there before us and that youth had enjoyed painting the building and rooms in all the primary colors and decorated the walls with rainbows, clouds, sunshine and children’s characters.
We walked through a beautiful room with 25 bunk beds and turned the corner to see a 20×20 foot room bordered by mattresses on the floor. Lying upon those mattresses were 22 severely handicapped children from ranging in age from 12 months to 22 years old, many fully aware that they had visitors, unable to lift any part of their body, but their sparkling brown eyes. These were children who were suffering from severe cerebral palsy, epilepsy, down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, you name it.
I have never suffered a heart attack, but that is the only way I can describe the thrust and pounding in my chest as I entered that room. The oldest girl, 22 and the size of a 12 year old, crawled over to me on her distorted knees and reached out her hand to greet me, unable to lock her eyes on mine, smiled from ear to ear and exclaimed “hola”. So happy to see me.
Honestly, I could not get out of the room fast enough to contain the thrust of emotion that was overtaking me. I scurried to the office as soon as possible to sit down with the orphanage director who, thank God, spoke English. I asked her to address the needs of the orphanage and here is where the miracle takes place.
She told me the one, single biggest need she had on her heart. I was thinking of the $1300 gift and that was what I was prepared to spend as she exclaimed that there was a pharmacy bill from December and January that she could not pay and that she was worried the pharmacy would cut off the orphanage’s credit to get the medication for February that the children needed for their seizures and other medical needs.
I asked her to go get the bills and she came back with a stack a half an inch thick and added up the invoices. She gave me the total in pesos and when I asked her how much in US dollars she keyed in the exchange rate and exclaimed $1300. I asked her to have the driver take me to the pharmacy directly and I would pay the bill.
Can you believe it? What is the chance? She told me through tears that she had been praying for this night and day and that God had answered the prayer. And you know what? He had.
I later was introduced through the hotel manager to two men by the name of Tim Turchelli and Rev. Paul Moore, both Americans. Paul is the founder of Citihope and Tim runs their Caribbean office based in the Dominican Republic.
Citihope has been favored by at least four of the top pharmaceutical companies in the United States to receive surplus medications to be distributed to those in need throughout third world countries.
For four days I was able to see the amazing things they are doing all over the Dominican Republic for the Haitian refugees. I know now, first hand, the effectiveness of this organization and that the money donated to them is being used on the ground level and the return on investment is extraordinary. Last year, one small clinic ran on a budget of $25,000.00 treating 462,000 poor people.
Here is where the next miracle begins. After seeing the ministry Citihope provided in the Dominican Republic, I again asked what their single greatest need was, beside the need of paying the pharmacy bill.
Tim Turcelli, told me of a school that was built on the border of Haiti and Dominican Republic that serviced orphans and Scuba kids. Scuba kids are children who live in garbage dumps who eat the trash of others. I believe there were something like 500 of these children who lives depend on what others throw out.
Tim had gotten word that very day that five of these children had died and that 30 other were definitely malnourished and in need of high protein food supplements or they too would die of hunger.
Tim said, “We need food!”
At that moment I recalled a conversation about the nutritional food packets made by Memorial Mission in Asheville for the hungry and right there in the meeting called Bill Murdock at Eblen Charities.
Tim and Bill spoke and organized a plan to get the food that these children needed to survive. With great joy I was told the food shipped yesterday and because of the efforts of a small group of people who care, children will live to see their children grow. God is good and He does provide. Thanks for being a part of today’s miracle.
Carol Day McKown
March 17, 2011
