Thoughts

 

My name is Daniel Docherty and I am a brother at the University of Rochester Gammi Pi Chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity. This winter I will be participating in the Sigma Chi service trip to the Dominican Republic. Having traveled in the past, but never experiencing real poverty first hand, I'm excited to obtain a better understanding of the world and what needs to be done to improve it. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to accompany my brothers in undertaking such a noble cause, and I feel as though we will be making a tremendous impact on the lives of the people in L'Elmo. Unfortunately, not everyone is as fortunate and capable as living as comfortably as much of America does, and I feel as though by pursuing this type of philanthropy we will be promoting good will and the spirit of charity within our brotherhood and the community. 

In Hoc,

Daniel Docherty

Thoughts from Aasheesh Paliwal

As a college junior and Sigma Chi brother at the Gamma Pi Chapter of the University of Rochester, I have found that my fraternity has given me a myriad of opportunities to help both myself and others; whether it is volunterring at a soup kitchen, tabling for a charity event, or throwing a philanthropic spaghetti dinner, our fraternity always seems to have helping others and promoting a truer sense of justice in the world at the forefront of our ideals.  That being said, very rarely do any of us get to actually put ourselves in firsthand situations where we can truly help others in person, and that is exactly what I think our service trip to the Dominican Republic this winter will provide.  Thus, I am very excited about the prospect of actually placing myself in a situation that clearly needs my help, and doing so with my fraternity brothers will only make this experience more special.  Thanks to all who have supported this trip financially and logistically; together we can all make a difference.  

-- Aasheesh Paliwal

Thoughts from Father Brian Cool

It is hard to imagine but just two months ago the brother’s decided to put together this trip. It has been another world wind pulling it off with fundraising, organizational meetings and securing travel arrangements.  Unfortunately the flights are costing us an additionally $600 which we did not expect…all this because JetBlue changed their schedule from last year and we needed to get everyone back to Rochester by the first day of classes.  The brother’s have all paid their deposits, gotten their shots and a safety course, gone over the basics of the trip and taken their exams! I am still trying to get them to help raise the last of the needed funds for the second half of the materials and supplies.  Apparently, supplies are now very expensive because of the rebuilding on the other side of the island (Haiti)…supply and demand! I am certain everything will come together and we will have another great trip.  I can’t wait to see the brother’s discuss how life is completely different just some 90 miles from the shores of the United States.  As I have traveled the world and see much poverty, I can tell you the conditions in the Dominican Republic are as bad as anywhere I have ever gone.  The simple fact we are building outhouses tells us exactly the primitive conditions we will live and work under. I am very grateful for everyone’s generosity.  It certainly speaks to the support for this project but more so about the need to be one human family.

Peace, Fr. Cool

Getting Excited

Our flights have been purchased and we are currently in the process of several important steps, namely:
     -Immunizations and drugs (Anti-Malaria and Traveller's Diarrhea)
     -Setting up homestays in the Dominican Republic
     -Getting supplies like DEET bug-spray, mosquito nets, work gloves, etc.

We are very close to our fundraising goals and are confident that we will raise enough money to build our latrines.  Both those of us who have and have not been to the Dominican are getting excited for the impending trip, and we look forward to giving you more updates as well as accounts of the work we do.

Thank you again.

Why I am returning to the Dominican Republic for a second year By Siyani Fullerton

      This will be my second year in a row heading down to the Dominican Republic for our service trip. Many people have asked me why I am going again when I could be relaxing at home over break, sleeping in and playing video games. To that I simply respond, this is what I would rather spend my time doing. Life experiences such as this help you to mature as an individual and understand what is truly important in life, and it was not until I went to the Dominican Republic that I finally understood the magnitude of my blessings in life and how lucky I am.

    Constructing a building basically from scratch for one of the poorest communities in an already poor country opened my eyes to a world we all overlook. The work we did was taxing and required us to put in long hours in the heat and humidity of the Caribbean, but looking back all that didn’t matter because what got us through it was knowing that what we were doing was unheard of for these people and will still be in use long after many of us have left this world. The feeling I got when the young children were laughing and smiling and wanted to help by picking up the branches and rocks in the construction site, because they were going to finally have a safe place to play makes any pain I felt from the work seem non-existent. To them, this was a big deal and a luxury for the community that, without our doing would never come to fruition. Amazing how a project that we would simply hire a contractor to do in a weekend could mean so much to so many people. 

     So when people ask me if it was worth it, I most certainly say yes. I choose to give up my time to see old friends and unwind from the semester because the impact those people made on my life. In a way, I feel like I have known these people all my life. They took me into their homes and gave me shelter, food and welcomed me into their community like family. I get excited just thinking about seeing my host family again and sitting on the porch with their bird “Cucka”. I can still remember the feeling of the dirt sticking to my skin as I ran around the baseball field with the school children and joking around while listening to music at the barbershop, all things that I do here at home. I truly feel as if we became more than just a group of Americans to the people of L’Elmo, we became family, and there is not a better way I can think to spend my break then to go see my second family.

Why go back?

     I am going back to the Dominican.  The reason is relatively simple.  Living in the developed world makes me take my life for granted, and assume that the rest of humanity enjoys many of the luxuries that I do; food, water, a bed, etc.  The reality is far different.  Two billion people live below the UN standard of absolute poverty ($1/per day).  I've studied in Europe, I've experience many different cultures - but poverty does the same things everywhere: crime, domestic violence, broken families, starvation, despair.
    There is something visceral, some deep experience, that is gained from being transplanted from your comfort zone and dropped into an environment where everything is different.  When I came back from the Dominican in the wake of the Haitian earthquake (something that's faded from the world), I felt like a different person.  While I and my family regret that I have very limited time at home between coming back from Belgium, the Dominican, and going back to school, they understand that this is important to me.  Digging outhouses might not seem like much, but it's far better than the alternative - digging a hole.  Can you imagine doing that every day?  I know I couldn't.  If you haven't given any money towards this endeavor, please consider it.
Thank you.

-David Levy