NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
JUNE 2003
Saludos a todos y todas:
I first want to apologize for taking so long getting my newsletter out this month,
there have been technical difficulties in Barahona in the computer department. So,
this month's message is late, but that means it is full of more information:o)
I am very happy to report to y'all that Albergue Infantil Jesus Peregrino (Jesus
the Pilgrim Children's Shelter) has opened its doors. We celebrated open house on
the next to last day of May, and began working with 30 excited kids and their just
as excited mothers and fathers on June 2nd!! Since that first day, we have
already been able to add 8 kids, bringing us to 38 children between the ages of 4
and 8 years old. During the summer or break from school, we are
offering nutritional meals as well as "orientation" which means leading the kids in
Bible studies, singing songs, coloring, arts and crafts, etc. Our goal is that by
September, when classes resume, we can provide formal education taught by either
professional teachers or trained young adults in areas like mathematics, reading,
writing and so on. What we lack right now are the financial resources to pay
professionals for their work.....but that will come in time. One of the aims of the
shelter is to provide orientation/education to those children who cannot attend
public school because they do not have Dominican republic birth certificates. In
the D.R. you must have a birth certificate to attend school, to get a drivers
license, and to receive your "cedula" or national I.D. card. For some of our
children, they were born in Haiti, not in the D.R. and don't have legal citizenship
here. For others kids, their parents don't even have documentation (and thus never
went to school themselves), which presents a whole other problem. We have
several lawyers on the "Board of Advisors" that have committed to helping us get
children documented and ready to attend school!
One thing that Inès, Patrick, and I have learned in our first month of work is that
the hardest thing we will have to do is change the way the kids think about things.
The majority of the children in los Bloks are used to living in survival mode. That
is to say, they have learned to fight first and ask questions later. We are going to
have to work very hard to share Christ's love with them and hope that
through Christ they can love their fellow brothers and sisters enough to not hit
them every five minutes!!
Besides our work inside the shelter with the children, June has been a month of
visits. First we had a medical team down from Louisiana. This particular group
have been coming for 5 plus years, and it was nice to see the friendships that they
have made. I of course was running around translating where ever I was needed.
Originally I was going to work in the pharmacy, but I got moved to work with Dr.
Chester an Ears, Nose, and Throat doctor for children by profession. It was lots
of fun translating for him, but I know he got just a little frustrated because my
friends in the community kept pulling me away from his table so that I could
translate their own ailments to the other docs that were part of the team. It was
also interesting because at times I was called over to the dentistry section to
explain to patients that they had to calm down, or that yes the doc was only going
to pull one tooth, but he had to give them two shots of anesthetic. I even got
called over sometimes just to hold hands and say "va a estar bien" to some of the
more scared patients.
During the same week we had a short visit from a group of adults and children who
live in Jarabacoa. They are from an organization called The Ark. This is a
children's home that works with kids in need.......like Patricia. And I will explain
more later.
Then when the doctors were on their ways home, we received a wonderful visit from the
organization "Food For the Poor." This group have been working for years and years in
central and south America, as well as Haiti, but now are expanding their activities in the
Dominican republic. They sent a writer and a photographer to get to know our
community, asking to see the "poorest of the poor" in order to make a brochure and help
us raise funds not only for the children's shelter, but also a water ministry that the church
has been trying to get going for the last couple of years. It was yet another chance for
me to meet face to face the reasons why I am here. We walked through the community
for the entire hot morning, and then into the afternoon meeting with some families of the
children in our shelter as well as other members of the community who are struggling just
as hard to make ends meet.
Speaking of friends struggling, the real reason that the group from Jarabacoa came to
visit was not just a chance to see our work at the shelter and give their children a
learning experience about life in a Batey....no, they also came to visit Patricia. At the end
of May, Patricia's sister told me that the family was going to move. That saddened me a
little bit, but I thought it might be for the best, seeing as the house where they stay is not
their own and the real owner would like them to leave. But then, Nelsy(the sister)
explained that her mom was going to carry the two little girls and Nelsy to live in a new
house with the mom's current boyfriend(and father to the two smallest,) but leave Patricia
in the Batey with an Aunt that does not want her and a grandmother that thinks the only
way to correct her is to beat the child. The reason why Patricia won't move with her
"family" is because with all of her growing up unmothered on the street she has picked
up much independence and lots of bad habits, which the mother's boyfriend can not live
with.......so she has been cast out of her family. Well needless to say that that worried
me, and when I talked to Marivel(padre Smith's wife) about it, she said we needed to
pray and maybe start looking for answers outside of the community. And the both of us
went to talk to Minga, Patricia's mom, who gave us permission to find a way to move
Patricia out of los Bloks. First we talked a little about a children's home in Barahona, but
it was decided that that was too close to home. I sent out an email to some friends here
on the island and received some replies: there was an orphanage for street kids in the
capital, there were spaces in a new home in San Pedro, and there was a slight
possibility that there were openings in a home in Jarabacoa. Well I went to the capital
one Friday, walked in the hot midday sun and was told upon arriving that the orphanage
there had no openings and furthermore only worked with children whose parents had
died(not Patricia's case). Then while I was in the Diocesan Office, I received a phone
call from the place in Jarabacoa. I began talking about Patricia and her situation and
the director kept saying that she sounded like they could help her. Then as the
conversation was winding down, the director asked me about our program in Barahona
and before I knew it we had made plans for some of their people to come visit and to
meet Patricia...................well the meeting took place and as of last Monday Patricia is
still on the list of children who might enter into a new house in July!!!! I truly believe that
God was opening doors for this little girl, and now my prayers are that He keeps opening
them until she reaches a family with a mom and dad, brothers and sisters that will love
and cherish her....and that house is waiting in Jarabacoa.
I hope that next month's letter can get out easier and is filled with good news about the
shelter as well as little Patricia, vamos a ver.
In His Service,
Carole
Carole Louise Bennage
Iglesia Episcopal Jesus Peregrino
Apartado Postal 89
Barahona, Dominican Republic
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
JULY 2003
Just a little update from the convention.......
Today, Wednesday was the first day of Legislative Meetings and voting. We opened
with an Eucharist and bible study, which will take place every morning. Then the house
of deputies started with the business sections, votes on approval of bishops(we haven't
gotten to the controversal elections yet.....I think we tackle the bishop of New Hampshire
tomorrow).
I personally have been representing my missionary program, Young Adult Service
Corp(YASC), through attending legislative hearings and swanky dinners to meet people
that are interested in us. I went to the church periodical club dinner for overseas
bishops on monday night, where we YASC were introduced, and the whole event was
hosted by the one and only Bishop William Skilton......I mean Fr. Bill.
Starting tomorrow I will be translating for the Dominican Republic Women who are
attending the Altar Guild Convention, which is separate. So I will come to Charleston full
of information on the art of flowers, the art of tapestries, and the art of
banners...........among other things. Even though I am working, and therefore not able to
share in parts of the young adult festival, I will get a chance to learn something new!!
plus I really am looking forward to being with my friends from the Dominican.
I'm sure that y'all are hearing all kinds of things about the convention, all I can say is that
so far so good. The controversy is coming, and big things could very well happen. The
presiding Bishop Griswald is trying to use "inclusive" language in his addresses to the
masses. He wants people to listen to one another instead of closing ears and closing
minds........but there are some things that are hard to wrap your mind around. And so all I
know is that on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this city is most likely going to be explosive.
We will have to watch and see what God has instore for our beloved Episcopal church!!
in His service,
Carole
Carole Louise Bennage
Iglesia Episcopal Jesus Peregrino
Apartado Postal 89
Barahona, Dominican Republic
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
AUGUST 2003
hello everybody:
I apologize for not getting a letter out in July....but I ran out of time. That just means that
this month you get twice as much "intriguing" information with half as many words!!
During July we continued the work in the Albergue, and with the help from a teacher who
goes to our church, came up with a system to start teaching the kids. We are
working with the younger ones on their colors and numbers, learning songs and rhymes,
and how to behave in class. With the older kids we are working with the alphabet and
will be incorporating mathematics soon. We hope to finally finish the construction of the
stairwell (which I use to reach my apartment) so that there are handrails and the stairs
are even. Then we can start having classes upstairs, which will allow us to better control
the children. And if we can monitor them better, that means they can actually learn
something and we can take care of them better, too.
Also in the first part of July we held our annual Vacation Bible School. We were able to
provide this with the help of a group from Clearwater, Florida. They divided themselves
into two teams, one worked on the construction of the second floor of the church
building, while the other group worked with the children in the bible school classes.
Normally we have children from 5-14 years old, and have about 90 kids everyday. This
year we had 175 kids everyday, and they ranged from 6-10 years. That is to say that we
had almost double the number of participants.........which is always a good thing. Even
though the wonderful saints in the kitchen had to literally invent meals that were
appropriate, easy to cook for so many, but also nutritious. The women arrived at 7:30
a.m. to start the preparations for the rice, beans, chicken, platains, etc. for the children
at 12p.m. On top of the food for the kids the ladies also prepared the meal for the
visiting team that was working. It was a hard task, with much complaining, and hair
pulling in between, but it was accomplished, and with God's help I do not believe a
single child went hungry that week! My favorite part of the week was when we went to
the park with all of the children and just played.....they were able to run around, play ball,
and just be. It was definitely worth all of the stresses of the logistics of the week just to
see that!
The same day that this work team left for their homes, I also caught a flight to the states.
I was on my way to the General Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota and I took a short
detour (before and after to visit with family). My time with family was much needed and
as always too short.....but such is the life when you live out of the country. My time in
THE convention was a bit more stressful. I was saddened by the extreme divisions that I
found in MY church. But what saddened me more was that the majority of the
participants were not willing to have a true dialog about the issue that was causing the
division. Most people were screaming their views, without taking the time to listen, truly
listen, to the stance of their fellow brothers and sisters. I saw this on both sides of the
argument. And what saddened me most of all was the arrogance of the Episcopal
Church of the United States of America. I say this as Carole, not necessarily as an
employee of EC USA, which I am. It was really horrifying watching imperialism at its
best(worst) happen right in front of my eyes. I watched as the Bishops of the two-thirds
or developing world pleaded with the leaders of the church that they too BELONG to,
and they were ignored. I watched as priests from these counties, where they don't
speak English, were torn up because the Church that they had given their lives to, with
much personal sacrifice, was making a decision that would dramatically change their
lives forever. I can basically say that I watched, and observed, and prayed a lot for MY
church, which was and still is suffering. I do not know how the leaders plan to sort out
this mess which they have created, but I know that the decision that was made in the
"tiny" city of Minneapolis has and will continue to affect the rest of the Anglican
Communion and the Episcopal Church in the rest of the world......and as the General
Convention tried to teach (but i believe failed to get the true message across) "We can
not say to one part of the body, I have no need of you," we are all essential members of
the family of Christ!! Nor can you push your personal beliefs onto a people that are not
ready or willing to accept them. Mission means transforming people though the spirit of
God, not attempting to change their world vision in one large blow. Basically you can say
that I left the convention very sad and kinda mad.....but such is the life of a crazy
missionary named Carole.
In other more happy news, I returned to Jesus Peregrino on the 14th of August. I have
been back for about a week now, and things are almost back to normal. The kids are
crazy and troublesome as always, Patricia still comes by unbathed and asks for food,
we are still fighting the sugar cane ash, and still having to struggle to have water. We
hope to start a "little school" at the shelter in September, including formal classes,
teachers, and text books for the older class. We are looking to have a total of 45
children by the time we start. We will have to purchase desks or child-size tables,
chalkboards, books, and even uniforms for the children. Don't worry I will be sending a
wish list out to everybody very soon, hopefully next week, with all of the things that can be
donated.
Patricia is still in the Batey, but it is possible that she will be receiving help from people
right here in Barahona. The government has begun over the last few years, something
they call "internados" these are schools were children live and are fed. Some of the
schools require a small yearly payment and are subsidized by the government. Other
schools are completely free and provide a way for "street kids" like Patricia to have a
real chance in life. Some of you may ask, what happened to the children's home that I
was talking with about Patricia.....well the truth is I don't know. No one from the
organization has talked to me in about a month, I called the other day, and am still
waiting for a reply. Above everything else, it looks like the school here in Barahona is a
good place for Patricia, and they have already come by and asked about her
specifically, so now we are just waiting.....most likely until the first of September.
That's about it for now. I hope that all is well where ever y'all may be. We here in the
Dominican continue to pray for our SISTER church in the United States. And those of us
here, still need prayers....so keep praying for us as well.
I do hope that I did not offend anyone with my words about the church, but I felt moved to
write what I did. I have a tendency to always think of America(the great machine) as
arrogant, and for me this was just one more example. Some day, the leaders of the
country, may be when the next generation starts to lead, we will eventually learn to love
our neighbor as ourself and think about him or her before we take actions or make
decisions. I do apologize if anyone was hurt by what I said.
In His Service,
Carole
Carole Louise Bennage
Iglesia Episcopal Jesus Peregrino
Apartado Postal 89
Barahona, Dominican Republic
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
SEPTEMBER 2003
hello all:
I find myself in the middle of a very, VERY hot September on the island. At
the shelter we are trying to get the "escuelita" or little school up and
running. The first thing we have to do is complete the stairwell (which yes, I
have been talking about since......February). But we also need to raise
funds!!! We need classroom furniture, notebooks, pencils, more staff, and the
continued purchase of food. We have begun up a sponsorship program, where
individuals may sponsor a child for $300.00US a year($25 a month). Or those
interested can sponsor the Shelter it self, donating funds for the purchase of
food, the employees salaries, or the maintenance of the facility. If anyone is
interested, I can send you a brochure....or several so that you can share with
a friend!
As I mentioned, we are trying to equip our classroom space with tables, chairs,
chalkboards, etc. All of these things cost money, and we need help!! If anyone
is able to offer us help, here is a list of estimated prices(in US dollars):
wooden table $65.00 --we need 13
wooden chairs $20.00 --we need 35
chalkboard $30.00 --we need 2
message board $25.00 --we need 3
notebooks (for 50 kids) $30.00
pencils (for 150) $18.00
wall fans $15.00 --we need 4
television $60.00 --we need 1
VCR $70.00 --we need 1
bookcase/cabinet $150.00 --we need 1
computer(for the office) $700.00 --we need 1
file cabinet ( " ) $65.00 --we need 1
reem of blank paper $10.00
reem of notebook paper $15.00
text books (student activity books) $4.50 each
we need 50----$225.00
uniforms shirts $5.00 --we need 50--$250.00
pants $8-10--we need 50--$400-500
shoes $8-10--we need 50 pairs--$400-500
If anyone is in a position to help us out at the shelter in anyway, please get
in touch with me and I will let you know how and where to send money. If you
are not able to send financial aid, you can really help us out by keeping the
shelter, our children in los blocks, and our staff in your thoughts and
prayers. The power of prayer is amazing, and is needed just as much or more as
the monetary support!! THANK YOU.
In light of the added expenses and the continued decline of the Dominican
Economy, we still plan on adding 15 children to our ranks, at the end of the
month. That means that we have to look for ways to save money and new ways to
raise money here in Barahona. We will be making the rounds to the businesses
in town, and see if this time
they are willing to help. One thing that I have learned this year is the
reason why in the Dominican, the rich get richer and the poor stay poor; the
rich Dominicans (at least in Barahona) do not give. My friends in the batey,
barely getting by, help each other out so that all can eat something that day.
But if you try to explain the purpose of the shelter to the owners of the
hardware stores of shopping centers they could care less. So we have a two-
fold mission before us: put food on the table for soon to be 50 children, and
teach the business men and women in the area that blessing come to those who
give of themselves unto others. The people in the States could teach Barahona
a thing or two about opening up their hearts and their treasures. That's why
most Dominicans have the misconception that all Americans are filthy rich.....I
had to explain to a friend in the Batey that not everyone is wealthy. It's
just that it is an amazing part of the culture to share, even if you have to
make sacrifices to do it.
I mentioned the downturn in the economy. I can freely say that life is pretty
hard for most of my friends right now. All of our conversations start
with "los precios están subiendo" or "the prices keep rising." and then we
discuss what particular item(beans, rice, chocolate, bread) has been targeted
that day. Chicken, which had been $10RD per pound for many years, is now up to
$25-27. Eggs which were .5 peso when I arrived in February, are now $3RD. A
60lb tank of cooking gas, which had always been around $300RD is now up to $625
and may go up again. While most may not know that the peso/dollar ratio is
$32RD/$1US, I am sure that you can see that the "prices keep rising." Families
are having an even harder time than before putting food on the table. Almost
no one is traveling to the capital, because people don't have the fare. The
buses, even the little tiny ones where yes...you can ride with your chickens,
are leaving half-empty. While all the prices around us are going up, and you
get sticker shock from a trip to the market, no one's paycheck(if they have
one) is getting any bigger. Thus families have to dig a lot deeper to just get
by. But we are still "luchando" or battling against hunger, anemia, and illness
here.
After that not so happy note, I thought I would change tunes and leave you with
some happy news. Patricia, mi amiguita, has been doing really really well over
the last 2 weeks. She is still hanging out in the Batey, but she knows for
certain that in January she will be going to live at the government boarding
school here in Barahona. The school is on an amazing piece of property, with
lots of trees and green spaces to play. There she will get three meals a day,
be helped with her school work, have a soft bed to sleep on, and people to care
for her.
She came to me a week ago and said she needed a certain book so that she could
learn how to read, but that her mom did not have the money. I asked Patricia
if she was going to attend school this year (she has a spotty record). I told
her I would only get the book if she went to classes everyday.......It turned
out that neither Patricia nor her older sister,Nelsy, had been registered for
school because their mom had not saved the $20 pesos that was needed. So I
told Patricia that is she would go home, get bathed, and put on her shoes that
we would go down and sign her up. Well, when I got to the house, lo and behold
Minga(her mom) was home. So the three of us went the the public school(a small
hike) and registered Patricia and Nelsy. I got a chance to talk to Minga about
Patricia and for the first time really, see how they are together....always a
struggle between giving piggy back rides and yelling because Patricia has done
something she shouldn't. Ever since that day, Patricia has been super-
contented. I don't even think she has thrown a rock at anybody for a whole
week (a record I think!) and she came to me all excited because she had learned
her "1's" times table. All I can say is that this week, at least, life is good
for Patricia.........so everybody who has been praying, keep it up!!!
I do hope this letter finds all y'all with joyful hearts and energized spirits!
The daily battle to find happiness in the little things can be a hard fight! yo
estoy luchando con los demás!!
In God's Love,
Carole
Carole Louise Bennage
Iglesia Episcopal Jesus Peregrino
Apartado Postal 89
Barahona, Dominican Republic
MESSAGE FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
SPECIAL NOTE
OCTOBER 2003
Hello all:
Just a note to say thanks for the prayers. We had only one day where individuals were burning tires in the streets(a protest for the lack of electricity) and only three times when the police came to our community. The tear gas canister that fell on the church grounds was from a group of police several hundred yards away, but the wind carried it to us. Nothing happened on my street, and thankfully this year no one from the community was hurt. Last year when there were similar but more violent protests a young man(17 years old) who was from the church was shot and killed by police because he was walking past the protestors. But nothing of the sort happened this year. Also the protests were nation-wide, not just in the south. The brown outs have been a lot worse lately, mainly because with the failing economy the government can not afford to keep handing out the power. But we are getting by, adjusting to the new schedules we have to keep.(when we can do laundry, when to have meetings, etc.) Hopefully, the electricity will get back to normal sometime soon.....
again, thanks for the prayers and concerns. the kids really need them! i will be sending out my newsletter soon.
en Su Nombre,
Carole
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
OCTOBER 2003
Saludos a Todos:
Well this will be a shorter than usual email because as I was typing the first beautifully written newsletter for this month, wouldn't ya know it, but the electricity went out and erased my work. So this is the second, less impressive version.....
The last part of September brought quite a bit of excitement to my community. The power had been extremely unreliable, sometimes we had electricity for only four hours a day. Thus the people in Barahona and other towns in the region had enough. They decided to have a "huelga" or a strike on the 23rd of the month. The protests around the Batey have a tendency to get hot, but fortunately no one was hurt this year. I did however learn how to get the sting of tear gas out of your eye: use an eyewash mixture of water, lemon juice, and vinager. This was helpful when one of the canisters fired by the police into the air to disperse crowds, landed in the church grounds; otherwise known as my front yard.
No worries! We had a day warning so the kids were safely in their homes, along with our staff. The protest/riot lasted for only four hours, and we only had that one encounter with tear gas in my part of the woods. I kind of look at this experience as a learning opportunity: first I learned that I really am no longer considered an outsider (I was allowed to stay in my home by my bosses, instead of being pulled out of danger) and I learned that I can run really fast when I have to!!
In Shelter news: WE HAVE STARTED THE STAIRCASE!!! Did I shout that loud enough for all to hear?? Yes I am a bit excited because with the completion of this stairwell, we can put more children at the table. And Godwilling, that will happen at the end of this month! We are trying to balance the programs growth, stability, and the needs of so many families in the Batey. We do not want to have a financial problem because we added to many children too soon, but at the same time, there are SOOO many little ones that need our help. And the little school that we are attempting to build will be a great asset to those who can't go to public or private school for a miriad of reasons.
I have received several emails asking me how individuals can donate to our program. Well here is the answer: You can make checks out to St. Thomas Episcopal Church, with a note in the memo section that says "Jesus Peregrino Shelter." Also if you have a specific purpose in mind for the funds, i.e. purchase of a television or salaries, please send a note along with the check. The funds will be collected there, and then sent directly to the church in the Dominican Republic. Notice will be given when a donation has been recieved. The mailing address is: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1150 E. Montague, North Charleston, SC 29405. Thank you all for your support, and the kids say muchas gracias!!
Tomorrow I am off to paint Jesus on the wall of a church in Bani. (This will make my artist touch present in three churches here on the island). I never even thought that I had any talent at painting until I had a friend (who will remain nameless but lives in Romania) tell me that I should try to put some of my endless designs on canvass. I owe her a million thank you's because she helped me to learn to create in more meaningful ways, including putting Jesus playing with kids, or talking to his people on the walls of a church.
I hope this finds all in good spirits. Tonight we have had a very cleansing rain....for 3 hours. Driving will be fun tomorrow. Tonight it will be cool, and we will enjoy,but in two days will come the Mosquitos .....and then we will dance and swat!
In His Amazing Name,
Carole
Carole Louise Bennage
Iglesia Episcopal Jesus Peregrino
Apartado Postal 89
Barahona, Dominican Republic
From the webmaster:
You can contact the church office for information or to make donations at (843) 747-0479 or e-mail to office@stthomasofsc.com...e-mails can be sent to missionary@stthomasofsc.com but because of intermittent electrical service and the cost of internet time from the Dominican Republic, a reply is not always possible.
Thank You
webmaster@stthomasofsc.com
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
NOVEMBER 2003
Saludos Todos y Todas:
I write this month's newsletter with mixed emotions. As some may already know, I return to the states next month, on December 10th. As the day gets closer, I am realizing just what "leaving" means this time. After living in the Dominican Republic for just about two years I have adjusted many things in my life to fit the norms here. For example, I marvel at the large houses and wealth of the capital city, Santo Domingo in the midst of great poverty of the Batey, I am used to going shopping and only finding two things on my list, and I am very accustomed to the warm greetings that I receive from friends. I recently told someone that the way that I feel right now, on the verge of returning "home," is the same way that I felt in August 2001, when I was preparing to leave Charleston for San Pedro: I am leaving a comfort zone and setting off on a new, unmapped stage of my life.
I do plan to return to Charleston, SC for at least a year, after that I hope to enter graduate school to earn a degree in Social Work (or something similar). While I'm in Charleston I plan to work with St. Thomas, my home parish, on projects that they wish to begin, and volunteer with the existing Hispanic Mission on John's Island. And of course probably find a part time job somewhere in there to pay the bills! So I'm still in my own discernment process; I'm not headed to seminary yet, but I am closer to understanding the direction in which I am called to serve God in His church.
Okay, so now back to business. During the middle part of October, we were visited by an American team from Clearwater, Florida. Most of the 6 people had been to Barahona on previous visits, but for what ever reasons could not make the summer trip. Anyway, their work goal was to paint as much as possible of the newly constructed second floor of the church, which will be the very active Parish Hall in a few months. The spiritual or "people side" goal was to share with the community in ways that they had not had the chance before. I think they were pleased by their accomplishments in both areas. They painted (even with one day of rain) most of the huge salon, a good bit outside, and the two rooms in the second floor of the shelter. As far as sharing with the community, they were able to go down to the local beach...a little peace of heaven that is not on any tourist's itinerary (thank God). They got to see the children of the shelter in action, and meet their parents one evening, and we had an "adventure" walking around in the open air market and the rest of town. All in all a Good time was had by all.
In shelter news, we have received many warmly given donations from people and churches across the United States. We will be able to purchase uniforms, a television and VCR, text books, a few tables and chairs, FOOD, and increase our staff's salary to a true "working wage." Thank you very much to all who have shared with us...know that you are in our prayers. This will help us tremendously in our very first year.
At the moment we are putting the finishing touches on the stairwell, which they tell me should be done by Wednesday of this week (we will see). So starting next week, November 10th we should be able to use the upstairs classrooms..por fin. In the meantime we are trying to get a better handle on the weekly schedule. Padre Smith is going to try and work with the kids every Monday, we hope to take the kids every week or so to a nearby park, and every Friday we have Physical Education "class." These are just a few examples of ways we are trying to improve the services that we provide to the children.
As I sit here writing my news and happenings, I realize that it is easy to get caught up in the day to day business of things and to forget why I am here: to speak for the children who are suffering in poverty and hunger but don't have a voice. More specifically I wish to tell y'all about one of our little boys who is lucky enough to be in the shelter's program, Reginaldo. At the same time that I was translating, running around to hardware stores, food warehouses, etc I became worried about Reginaldo, who had not shown up for meals for two weeks. One of the ladies who works in the kitchen is the aunt of Reginaldo's Mother. So I arranged to go visit the mom, one afternoon..after the work team had left. I had never been to Reginaldo's mom's place because when I met Reginaldo in March, he was staying with his father. Gina told us that she was separated from the Father, he lived with a new woman, and that this new girlfriend had sent Reginaldo back to her (mom). The reason that Reginaldo had not been to the shelter for two weeks was because he had gotten sick, apparently thrown all his close all over the place, and thus had only one pair of pants, one shirt, and one pair of underwear. Gina felt that her son could not come to our program because he didn't have enough clothes. When I explained that we usually had clothes at the shelter to give, and would help her find more, she said the real reason that she had not sent Reginaldo was that she was embarrassed to ask for help. Gina does not have a job, is still not emotionally well after the separation with her husband, and is trying to somehow raise 4 boys. After Yvette (the aunt) talked to Gina some, they agreed to have Reginaldo come live in Yvette's house which is much closer to the shelter. That way he would be able to eat at least twice a day, and be looked after in the mornings. This worked well for 1 week. But I was told on Wednesday by Yvette that Reginaldo left the shelter on Tuesday afternoon, threw off all his clothes, and went wandering around the neighborhood in his underwear. This is a quite normal behavior for young boys here, but what was strange was that he never came home. Apparently Reginaldo went to visit both his Mother and Father (in different houses), neglected to tell Yvette anything, and ended up spending the night with his dad. Yvette has had to tell the parents that she cannot keep him anymore, so now Reginaldo is back to a tug of war between mom and dad, neither which really take care of him. I am worried for him because everyday that he is not at the shelter is another day that he does not eat, and thus another day that his anemia gets worse. It is another day that he spends wandering the streets and not learning his alphabet or his colors. It is another day that he spends with out hearing the words "I Love You" or "give me a hug."
I tell you this story because Reginaldo needs our prayers. He is a small 6 years old that every time he sees me, calls out my name and comes running to give me a hug. Reginaldo needs to know that he is loved, if by no one else in his life other than Jesus. His mom and dad do care about him, but at the moment they are not thinking of him. They don't communicate well because of hurt feelings, and neither one has a job, so they are always trying to invent some way to get together money to eat. Reginaldo needs prayers so that some one in his life can take the time and really care for him, and so that he himself can realize how to accept that love! "Naldo" is just one example of why the Children's Shelter needs to someday reach its full dream: the temporary housing of children with over-night stays. Giving parents and relatives enough time to look for solutions, without having children getting lost in the shuffle!!
I have also sent some photos (click here) in an attachment. They are of the mural I drew and helped paint in Carratón and more of the little ones here! I hope you enjoy.
In Christ's Name,
Carole
There might be many different churches in the world, you have the freedom to choose the way in which you worship, but there is only ONE God, ONE Jesus Christ, and ONE Holy Spirit. The teachings of Jesus have not changed, just man's interpretations of them...
Carole Louise Bennage
Iglesia Episcopal Jesus Peregrino
Apartado Postal 89
Barahona, Dominican Republic
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
EXTRA
November 2003
hello everybody:
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2003 09:22:06 -0800 (PST)
Saludos todos y todas,
Well my days have been extremely packed, but i have been doing a lot of "good" in the process. I have done everything from running to town to buy amoxicillin, to getting gum out of a child's hair, to painting more in the shelter. Tired, yes......having fun, yes.
We have been trying new things with the children at the shelter to make their time a little more worthwhile. We have successfully gone on two outings, one to a nearby park, and another to the bay (beach) in our community. We didn't loose anybody!!! And most were really well behaved. Our next adventure will be next week, when instead of walking we will hop in minivans and go to town...they have a wonderful children's park there with swings, slides, and lots of other amusements.
Besides the fieldtrips, we have begun using "friends for the day." Every morning the kids draw names to see who will be their friend for the day, with this special person they have to sit, share, play well, and in general; be a friend. At the end of the day, all of the children evaluate the pairs, and those who receive applause from their peers, get a surprize. So far this has worked well, and the kids honestly rate their fellow compñeros.
In other shelter news, we have received a wonderful donation from St. Mark's Cathedral in Louisiana, St. Thomas Church in South Carolina, and other sources that will allow us to purchase uniforms and tennis shoes for the children, as well as a television, and VCR for the shelter!!! A great Christmas present for all
An even better gift was that over the last two weeks we have added 9 children to our tables. The majority of whom live a little further away, and are in real need. So we now have 44 children at the shelter, and there we plan to stay until the end of the school year.
In other news:
A couple of Sunday's ago some of us were handed envelopes with money inside. Then we read the parable of the ten talents, and were told that the church was giving us these talents, in order to collect an offering for the Episcopal Church in Cuba which is going through harder times than us right now. It was up to us what kind of laborer we wanted to be; the worker who grew the money ten fold, the worker who was able to increase a little, or the worker who did nothing with his money and returned what his employer had given him. At first I was at a loss as to how I would make money. I thought of making some craft projects and selling them, but that would be too costly. I thought of just putting cash in my envelope, but that doesn't require a big enough sacrifice on my part. I thought and prayed, and decided that I would sell my clothes, or most of them anyway. And so today after church I layed my clothes out, and sold jeans t-shirts, dresses, skirts, etc, etc for $5 pesos each. All in all i raised over $100.00 for the church in cuba, and I still have one more week to raise money. The women went crazy for my clothes, and were disappointed when I had sold out. Other members in the Church are making food to sell, others are collecting one peso a day to add to their envelope, others still are asking their friends to contribute something for the church in Cuba. I personally really liked this activity, and hope that maybe I can bring it back to the churches in the states. It helps to demonstrate that it is up to us how we care for and grow our treasure, and our faith....an even more valuable gift. If we keep our personal faith guarded, and don't share it with those around us, how can we grow as Christians? as human beings? We have to share our faith, put it out in the world, in order to learn, stretch, and grow.
Well this is my next to last newsletter from Barahona, but I plan on continuing to work in the name of the shelter.....so don't wory, the updates won't stop in december. Padre Smith will keep in touch, and I plan on returning for june and july next year. We are working out the details.
I hope this finds everyone well and that where ever you may be, that you have a wonderful and loving Thanksgiving.
In His Name,
Carole
Carole Louise Bennage
Iglesia Episcopal Jesus Peregrino
Apartado Postal 89
Barahona, Dominican Republic
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
DECEMBER 2003
Saludos todos y todas:
Today is Monday 8, 2003 and in two days I will be back in the U.S. of A. It will be quite a shock for my system...in many ways. First, on the island we are running around in tank tops, shorts, and sandals while in Charleston it is 30 degrees at night! Second, I am going to have to switch my brain back from Spanish to English, which is not an easy task. Third, I am returning to a place where there will be more white faces in an elevator than I see on any given day in Barahona! And on top of everything I will really miss the drum playing during our Sunday morning services. But I always try to live with challenges in my life, this will be one more: How to re-acculturate myself to being an "American Citizen" again.
My last official day of work at the shelter was this past Friday(dec. 5) and we had a grand party. I made chocolate cake for the kids (straight from the box) we took pictures and I was able to say goodbye to everyone of "mis niños" with a big hug. I must admit that it was hard to get through the list of 44, but I managed....without letting them know that I was crying on the inside. It is still hard to think that I won't have to battle with Johnny to do his work, or get Angi Paola to stay inside with the rest of the kids, or put a band-aid on one of the cuts from Paola, or try not to fall over as Ana Julia or Juan Andres attack me with running hugs.
Before I handed over the keys and my job to Patrick and Ines, we were able to make some grand improvements to the Shelter. The first being the purchasing of uniforms. We had a special parents meeting and were able to happily give each child two polo shirts and a set of pants. In the next two weeks they hope to find tennis shoes for everyone. Father Smith, Marivel and myself also made a trip to the capital where we bought a T.V. and VCR. Now they have been installed in a wall frame, and we try to use them at least twice a week to show educational programs. There are continued plans to move the children to the rooms upstairs, but we are STILL waiting for the construction workers to finish the stairwell. I think God invented construction workers as a test of patience, and to see how long it takes before people start screaming........I don't think I lasted much more than two weeks!
Well Friday night I had a wonderful Farewell Party with the young people of the church and the employees of the shelter. We shared, talked about my plans, and dreams for the church and shelter, and danced everything from Bacharta to Merengue, to American Freestyle. It was a very nice chance to share with friends, and overpowering at times to be in a room with so much love.
Saturday, was a bit more exciting. We had heard reports of Friday afternoon that a storm was coming through the area, but we did not know how serious. In the Morning all was fine, i was painting in the Albergue, until Padre Smith and Marivel arrived to do computer work. So we went upstairs and typed away until about 1:30pm when the electricity went out. The rain had begun to fall by then, and we had the tiniest bit of wind. By 4:30 the rain had started to fall harder and the wind picked up, when Padre called saying that the shelter would be opened up as a refuge if any families were in need. So Ines and I trekked out in the fledgling tropical storm to reach the people that we knew could use the shelter. We had to cross a few "rivers" caused by the day long rain and brave ankle deep mud, but we made it to the homes. When the wind started to howl a bit and the sky turned very black, Ines and I headed back to our own houses...before we were without shelter. Two families arrived at about 5:30/6pm looking for refuge. I got them situated downstairs and realized that they had not eaten, possibly all day. So I hunted for things to munch on. There were Popsicles in the freezer that were going to melt without electricity, so i handed those out. Later I went to my apartment upstairs and found crackers and we made juice. We lit candles and the two families kept vigil downstairs, while I did the same upstairs. The real storm in all its fury arrived sometime after 8pm and lasted until 3 or so in the morning. We had really high speed winds, and sideways rain, which helped to allow the water to enter everywhere. When I awoke on Sunday morning, the sky was clear and the sun was rising on a water logged community. There were and are many trees down, branches broken, a few houses received substantial damage, but most families just have water everywhere. The church building itself received no damage, but one of the plantain trees out back fell, and the large tree out front was turned up. Many of our church family came to church, still sopping wet, as they did not have dry clothes to put on. But the good news is that what came and passed was just a bad tropical storm. Thank God that a hurricane in all its power and destructive strength did not arrive! At this moment in time, with the economic situation as bad as it is, Barahona nor the country could resist a bad storm. I know that many hear and other parts were praying for us. Thank you.
I will end here. I plan to give all a quick update at the end of the month with my plans for the near future. Please do keep the children and community of Los Blocks in your thoughts and prayers!! To those in Charleston...I will see you soon.
Cuidense todos y pasen una Feliz Navidad,
Carole
Carole Louise Bennage
Iglesia Episcopal Jesus Peregrino
Apartado Postal 89
Barahona, Dominican Republic
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
JANUARY 2004
January 6, 2004
Hello everyone,
This is one of the updates I promised I would send .
Just before I had left Barahona the bishop infomed us that we had received a donation, which was to be used to give the kids a Christmas Dinner. So Father Smith, Marivel and the staff of the shelter started planning a wonderful feast for the children!! These fotos are the result of all their hard work. And it looks like the kids had a good time, too! The traditional christmas foods include apples, grapes, roast chicken. Which, thanks to this donation, we were able to give some of these kids the first real christmas that they have ever had.
This past Tuesday, January 6, we celebrated epiphany. The day when we celebrate the arrival of the wisemen to Jesus' manger. In the Dominican, gifts are given to the children just as the kings gave gifts to the baby Jesus. (gifts are not traditionally given during christmas) On Tuesday, Father Smith held a service for the children of the shelter and their families. Then they shared breakfast and handed out some toys to weach child!! Father Smith tells me that all were quite excited that day .
I hope this message finds everyone well, full of the holiday spirit, and not too upset that they have to return to work or school!
con mucho carino,
Carole
January 11, 2004
Hello again:
I just received these fotos from Father Smith Milien. They were just so adorable of "my babies" that I had to share them with all of you:o) I hope you enjoy them.
the pictures are of the same christmas dinner, like the other fotos i sent.
Combined pictures Jan 6, 2004 and Jan 11, 2004
take care-Carole
Carole Louise Bennage
Iglesia Episcopal Jesus Peregrino
Apartado Postal 89
Barahona, Dominican Republic
e-mails can be sent to missionary@stthomasofsc.com
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
FEBRUARY 2004
hello everybody:
i have a very serious prayer request to pass on. some people may have been aware through my past newsletters of how the economy in the Dominican Republic was slowly quickly worsening. When I left in early December the peso was losing value and was controlled at 43 pesos for one u.s. dollar. eggs were starting to become a luxury, the usual generous slice of bread for one peso was then smaller than a balled up fist. Well in the two months since i left things have gotten really really bad. The peso is now "down to" 57rd to 1us dollar. the stores and mini marts, as well as the fresh produce markets are running out of food. i just talked to a friend tonight, who said that one piece of bread is 3pesos (something very unthinkable) and that a single plantain is 4pesos, you used to be able to get 3 for 5 pesos. Also the country's power sources are extremely unreliable, there are blackout all over the island for many, many hours each day. Because of this, most businesses and private wealthier homes are using their generators, which run on gasoline......and even this supply is running out. Another missionary who lives in Azua (an hour from Barahona) said that unleaded gasoline is starting to become a problem to find, and she had to forgo a trip to play music this Sunday morning in Bani. Even the public buses had stopped running, first because of a riot, and then because of a lack of gas.
I am writing all of this so that y'all can understand just a little bit about what is going on down in the Dominican right now. My personal desire is to get on a jet plane and go be with my friends and family down there and try to help. but i know that at this time, that is not possible. nor would it be wise, because with the unstable government situation right now, i might open my big liberal, social justice mouth and get myself into an international incident. What i am asking for is that everyone please keep the people, the men, women, and little children of the d.r. in their prayers, thoughts and hearts. When I get information on how the shelter is doing, I will be sure to pass it along. I have not been able to communicate well through email with Father Smith as the blackouts do not let him check his email very often. I plan on calling, tomorrow (sunday). If I find out if there are any concrete ways that individuals can help, i will pass that along as well.
In His Name,
Carole Bennage
(843)303-0963
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
APRIL 2004
Newsletter from San Juan-Noticias de San Juan-Newsletter from San Juan
Saludos (Greetings) from San Juan!
I am writing to you with two purposes in mind. The first is to introduce myself: Hi! I am Carole Bennage, the newly appointed Hispanic Missioner to Iglesia San Juan. I joined the team here on John's Island in mid-January after returning from two years on the mission field in the Dominican Republic. The second reason for the letter is to let everyone know the happenings at San Juan. We hope to be sending out newsletters monthly, so if you know of anyone who should be on our list or who would like to receive the newsletter via email please let us know at (843) 303-0963 or at clbennage@yahoo.com.
San Juan Mission is continuing to work with God's people on John's Island by feeding them spiritually and helping them through various services such as English classes, transportation/translating for medical or legal assistance. We have been blessed with a congregation, though small, that are extremely faithful and are eager to welcome new faces to the church. So please feel free to come out and worship with us, or invite someone you know (whether they speak Spanish or English)!
On December 12th, San Juan had an early morning service with beautiful music in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Father Dow Sanderson celebrated for the 50 or so people in attendance! This service is very culturally important and San Juan is one of the few churches in the area to celebrate the holiday.
We celebrated Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) and began the wonderful season of Epiphany. It was during Epiphany that I (Carole) came on board. It has been exhilarating and "exhausting" learning from and about Iglesia San Juan. Now that we are a true Mission (meaning that we have vote and voice at Diocesan Conventions) we are having to all learn new things. For example we as a church are learning how to use our "consejo paroquial" or vestry board to make decisions. As well we are now able to start programs and projects without having to wait on approval from the Diocesan Office. One such project is the possible creation of a Food Bank or "Dispenseria de Comida." We have become aware that many newly arriving immigrants to the islands are in need of food. Our idea is to provide temporary relief to the new arrivals until they can get their homes established. When details are worked out, I will be sure to send all y'all the information on how people can help.
As Lent is coming to an end, I have just a few moments before the grand celebration of Easter arrives. In these spare moments I sit and think about how God has me in the place and job where he wants me. I was working with poor children and their parents in a Sugar mill town called Barahona, D.R. I witnessed weak, skinny, parasite-ridden children transformed into healthy, happy, and strong kids at our feeding and education shelter in "Los Blocks." While it was difficult to leave, God saw to it that I was brought back home to Charleston and put to work here in his "viñedo" or vineyard. There is a lot of work to be done and the ground is very fertile. I am thankful everyday that there are many, many friends and volunteers tilling the soil with me here at San Juan. Please keep all of us in your prayers and thoughts as we go about the work of God! And if your Church's Outreach Committee feels called to help support us financially, checks can be made out to "Iglesia San Juan" and sent to Iglesia San Juan, P.O. Box 125, John's Island, SC 29457.
Con la Paz y el Amor del Señor,
Carole L. Bennage
***Important Dates to Remember*****
April 10, 2004-(Saturday)-Easter Vigil Service Starting at 7pm. Bishop Suffragan William J. Skilton will be celebrating, accompanied by Father George Tompkins.
April 25, 2004-(Sunday)-At the 6pm Eucharist special guests Father Smith Milien and his wife, President of the Episcopal Church Women in the Dominican Republic, Marivel Naterra will be joining us. Father Smith will be celebrating and Marivel will be preaching.
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
April/May 2004
hello everybody:
Newsletter from San Juan-Noticias de San Juan-Newsletter from San Juan
Saludos a Todos y Todas:
This is just your Hispanic Missioner filling in the Diocese on the latest news and events of Hispanic Ministry in our midst. Besides our weekly services on Sunday Evenings at 6pm, we have been busy. During Holy Week we had a very special Maundy Thursday service at Ann's house, which provided our parish family an opportunity to recall the last supper of Jesus with his Disciples in a very intimate way. We shared blessed bread and wine, prayed together, had a short discussion on what it means to be a servant and how we can be more Christ-Like, and we sang songs until the stars came out. It was a wonderful way to enter the holiest of weeks, and made the services of Good Friday and Easter Vigil just that much more important!
A big part of our Ministry is serving as a bridge between the Hispanic and Anglo worlds. Most notably, translating for those individuals who do not know English. In the last month I have gone to criminal court with a victim who lost her brother in a car accident, and to traffic court with a friend from English Class. I have learned a lot about the legal profession in the last few months because of my work on John's Island. Simple traffic tickets become serious issues when you do not understand the language of the police officer, judge, or the clerk. English-speakers, unless they have lived outside of the country (in non-English places), can take for granted the ease at which we "glide" through daily life. For the Hispanics and other immigrants who find themselves in Charleston it is a constant struggle to fully understand what is happening around them; "Did I hear the boss right?" "How much did you say?" "Where should I go?" "What did you say Doctor?" At San Juan, we have understood that while our church services will always be in Spanish, we cannot forget that our parishioners live in an English Speaking world outside their homes. So one of the earliest ministries of San Juan was the English as a Second Language classes. This ministry is run by amazing volunteers who not only care about their students, but also empower them to improve their lives by obtaining better and safer jobs!
I also had some Diocesan duties this past month: attending a LARCUM committee meeting about "Welcoming the Stranger" and hosting/translating for Father Smith Milien and his wife Marivel who were visiting from the Dominican Republic. Some may know that LARCUM is an ecumenical group with representatives of the Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic, and United Methodist churches. I attended the meeting with Bishop Skilton and Father Dow Sanderson (LARCUM representative) on April 23, 2004. The committee focused on Hispanic ministry, but also spoke about other groups that are refugees or marginalized from the church. We found ourselves struggling to understand the unique immigration issues of many Hispanics, and decided that there was a need to continue meeting on a regular basis. It was a great chance to share information and experiences with other denominations/organizations in the state and an opportunity for me to make contacts to better aid the John's Island community.
Father Smith and Marivel Milien arrived in Charleston on Thursday April 22. Marivel is the out-going President of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of the Diocese of the Dominican Republic. She was invited to attend this years ECW convention at St. Philip's Church, downtown. Marivel and Smith both participated in the convention; Marivel spoke to the ladies during the business portion of the meeting, and Smith read the gospel in Spanish as well as celebrated Eucharist with the clergy at the closing service. On Sunday Father Smith preached and celebrated at St. Thomas, North Charleston (I helped in the translating) and Marivel preached at Christ St. Paul, Yonges Island (with the lovely Carmen Rivers translating). We were able to reunite the couple to attend Iglesia San Juan in the evening, where Father Smith accompanied by Bishop Skilton celebrated the Eucharist with us. It was a labor of love translating and driving Smith and Marivel around. That is because I spent a year in their mission, Jesus Peregrino, in Barahona, D.R. Marivel and Smith took care of me like another daughter, and during their trip I was able to repay a little bit of the favor, and show them my great hometown.
The next thing on your Hispanic Missioner's agenda is a Conference entitled: Labradores en el Viñedo-Workers in the Vineyard. The Episcopal Church Center (815) Hispanic Ministry is offering the conference for Episcopal as well as other denominations that are working el Viñedo. One of the keynote speakers will be the Bishop of Mexico, Carlos Touché. I along with Carmen hope to take away many new ideas from the talks and workshops, and most importantly, bring them to San Juan and the Diocese of SC.
As always please continue to keep the family of San Juan in your prayers. We need prayer support to keep us strong, help us grow in spirit as well as in size, and to make us brave Christians so that we can go out and proclaim the gospels to others!
Dios les Bendiga (God Bless you),
Carole L. Bennage
Hispanic Missioner
(843) 303-0963
If you or your parish feels called to support our ministry donations can be sent to:
Iglesia San Juan
P.O. Box 125
John's Island, SC 29457-0125.
Thank You!! Gracias!! Thank You!! Gracias!! Thank You!! Gracias!!
I know that many parishes are planning mission trips this summer. If you are in need of an "Intro to Latin America" class for your group, I might be able to help. Apart from my years in the Dominican Republic, I also have a minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the College of Charleston. Please don't hesitate to call if your group would like some cultural, political, or language background before they head out. My number is (843) 303-0963
-Carole Bennage
MAY 26, 2004 URGENT
Hello all:
Many people have asked me about the flooding in the D.R. Below is a Companion Diocese email that was sent out yesterday. If you feel called to help and feel comfortable contacting the Dominican Development Group, please do so. Emergency supplies of sheets towels, clothes, etc can be sent through the AGAPE address. If you would like to help and want to send support through the Diocese of SC that is possible too. You can contact me at (843)303-0963 or clbennage@yahoo.com or the Diocesan Office at (843) 722-4075 ask for Bishop Skilton or his assistant Randy Mcphail.
Thank you! Dios les Bendiga-Carole
JOINT CD
BULLETIN
A Communication of the Companion Dioceses of Georgia, South Carolina, Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida, and Western Louisiana with the Diocese of the Dominican Republic
26 May 2004
Flooding & Death in the DR
A report on the national news this morning stated that 325 persons had lost their lives and 800 or 900 are missing in recent flooding along the Haitian border in southwestern Dominican Republic. Some 150 Haitians are also reported dead. Late last week a tropical wave passed over the island of Hispañola, where it rained four days straight, with especially heavy rains on Sunday May 22. Eight or nine hundred persons are estimated as missing, and thousands more are homeless. This morning, Wednesday May 26, Bishop Holguín said by phone, that it was doubtful that many of these missing persons will be found alive, the devastation was so terrible.
The Silie River, just outside the city of Jimaní, and which has its source in Haiti, had not flooded since 1912, and many poor families had built their homes along the edge of the dry river bed. Heavy rains Sunday resulted in a mud slides and a wall of mud-filled water carrying logs and rocks that crashed down on the community of La Cuarenta around 2:30 am Monday morning. Because of the decomposition of bodies, people are being buried in mass graves.
By phone, Marivel Milien in Barahona, about 65 miles from Jimaní, says that Barahona is very wet but not flooded. Many families in the Batey Central, where Jesús Peregrino is located, have leaky tin roofs, and got very wet, and Fr. Smith would like to help them with new roofing sheets. Sunday He will participate in an ecumenical mass for flood victims.
Flooding of fields and homes also occurred in the area between San Francisco de Macorís (Jesús Nazareno and El Buen Samaritano) and Nagua, the DR's breadbasket. Eighty percent of the rice crop is reported to be flooded which may have severe repercussions at harvest time. It is reported that four persons lost their lives there.
In low lying areas around Santo Domingo there has also been considerable flooding. We have a small mission, San Pedro & San Pablo in La Barquita, in one of these low lying areas. Bishop Holguín wants to mobilize the seminary students going down to La Barquita to see how they can help.
Bishop Holguín plans to travel up to Jimaní tomorrow, Thursday. He will assess the situation and would like to respond with emergency aid: medicine, potable water, clothes, mosquito nets, beds, mattresses, sheets, etc. However, the Dominican Episcopal Church does not have the resources to purchase such items.
Citing I Cor. 8:13-14, "I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need," Bishop Holguin says "We are turning to our friends to help us reach out to those affected by this tragedy."
You may send contributions to the Dominican Development Group (P.O. Box 661, Ellenton, FL 3222), which will forward them immediately, or directly to the Dominican Episcopal Church's mail service (c/o Agape Flights DMG 13602, 7990 - 15th Street East, Sarasota, FL 34243). Gifts made through the Dominican Development Group are tax deductible contributions.
Carole Louise Bennage
Saint Thomas Episcopal y Iglesia Episcopal San Juan
1178 Camden Street
North Charleston, SC 29405
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
JUNE 2004
Newsletter from San Juan—Noticias de San Juan—Newsletter from San Juan
Saludos a todos y todas:
I along with Bishop Skilton and Carmen Rivers spent Cinco de Mayo (5th of May) up in the mountains at the Kanuga Conference Center. We had the opportunity to share stories and music with others who are also working in Latino Ministry. We had the chance to listen to Obispo Carlos Touché Porter, the Bishop of Mexico speak about the complexities and paradoxes involved in ministering to people from Latin America. We also attended workshops on topics like Immigration, Community Leadership, Community Centers, Health, and Education. But I think the best part of the whole event was the festive mass followed by a great night of music and laughter. We were blessed with the presence of Hernan Astudillo, an Anglican priest from Toronto, Canada who with his voice, guitar, and pan flutes made beautiful haunting music. The most exciting part of the conference was meeting people from all over the country and the world who are also working in the Viñedo (Vineyard) and to know that the family of San Juan is not alone in its efforts to serve and follow Christ [en español.]
Back home in Charleston, I have been trying to make connections, and get the name of San Juan out in the community. I recently graduated from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Program: Citizen Academy. This was a Spanish language 9-week course about the programs and services offered by Charleston County for all its residents. Through the classes I met police officers, victims’ advocates, and other Latinos from the tri-county area. Also this past April, San Juan was the host of a Spanish information meeting for Renters Rights and Responsibilities, which was held by Fair Housing and The Trident Urban League. Maritza Zeisel and her boss George Bresnihan (from St. Mark’s, Charleston) gave a talk on what a renter should expect, and also answered many questions from the 20 (más o menos) participants. Because many Latinos do not have written leases, their landlords are able to get away with many abuses like overcharging for rent and not making repairs to the homes. Maritza is trying to work with the Latino Community to stop these types of mistreatment.
At San Juan we have been up to some new things. We recently received a donation of new songbooks to use during the services. They are the “little green books” that are commonly used in Episcopal churches in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Costa Rica, as well as other countries. Now we are introducing new songs, as well as singing old favorites, when we raise up our voices to offer a joyful noise to the Lord! We have also recently commissioned several members of the Congregation as Chalice Bearers. Fr. Dan Messier commissioned Enrique Martinez, Ann Edenfield, and myself on May 30th. It is a blessing to know that we now have Enrique and Ann ready to aid in the Eucharist celebration!
The other “new thing” that we are trying is a by-monthly outing with the women of San Juan. Four of us met at 7:00am for coffee and then we made a day of it. We went downtown and walked around the Market Place and Waterfront Park. It was a great chance for fellowship and sharing. By the time we headed home, it was lunchtime so we stopped at Med Deli for some food. Everybody seemed to have a good time, and we plan to keep up the outings. Our men folk have gotten a little jealous though, so we are planning some events in the future for them as well!
Also I wanted to update y’all on our Food Pantry. The vestry of San Juan decided that because the need is most urgent in the winter months, that they would begin collecting food in the fall. So around September I will be sending out more information as we organize the San Juan Food Pantry.
Please keep the San Juan Family in your prayers. As we enter the summer months, workloads pick up for all of us, and it is easy to loose sight of our Christian calling in the midst of labor and stress. I ask your prayers for steadfastness and the ability to keep a Jesus-centered life in this busy season. Thanks so much!!
Dios Les Bendiga,
Carole L. Bennage
Latino Missioner
(843) 303-0963
If you or your parish feels called to support our ministry, donations can be sent to:
Iglesia San Juan
P.O. Box 125
John’s Island, SC 29457-0125
Thank you!! Gracias!! Thank you!! Gracias!! Thank You!! Gracias!!
Carole Louise Bennage
Saint Thomas Episcopal y Iglesia Episcopal San Juan
1178 Camden Street
North Charleston, SC 29405
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
September 2004
August 25, 2004
Saludos todos:
Attatched is our newsletter from the desk of San Juan for the summer months.
Sorry it has been so long since I last sent out a newsletter....there has been a good bit of work to do. As well I was able to go to the Dominican Republic for a couple of weeks at the end of July. I helped a medical mission team with translating and then headed over to Barahona. It was a great chance to visit friends and family over there, as well as a rejuvinating of the spirit seeing how the church there is still moving forward in the community!
I hope y'all enjoy.
Paz y Amor-Carole
***************
Saludos de la Iglesia San Juan:
Wow! It is hard to believe that we have already reached September! The year just seems to be flying by. But, that was probably helped by the fact that we have been kept busy with the work in God's Vineyard.
In June, Ann Edenfield and I (Carole) volunteered as translators for the Our Lady of Mercy Wellness Center's Medical visits to the work camps on John's Island. The Wellness Center provides medical, pre-natal, and dental care to any low-income family, but during the summer when more Migrant Workers are in the camps, an effort is made to reach out to them. We visited Campo Marcela, which is down Abapoola Road. At first the young men where a bit shy, even though the nuns and outreach workers had been announcing the team for a week. To reassure nervous minds, I went along with Cindy (a Johns Island native who grew up in Migrant Camps in Hollywood, SC) and we encouraged the men and women to take advantage of the free services. Before we had arrived at Campo Marcela, Ann had told me to be on the lookout for a gentleman by the name of Salvador, who had played music before at San Juan. Well, in one of God's blessings, I was introduced to the very same Salvador and little by little he has rejoined our family at San Juan. He now brings a friend and they play guitars for every other service on Sunday nights.
We had an interesting July 4th. We celebrated that Sunday with an Agape Meal instead of a Eucharist. Slowly our gathering grew from 5 to 20. We blessed the bread and grape juice and quietly began reading the lessons for the day. They were not out of the calendar, but lessons that talked about freedom and liberty. After the Gospel lesson we all sat back and had a discussion on what liberty meant. We touched on the idea that with freedom comes responsibility and that the greatest thing about Christian Liberty is that through it you break free from sin and death. It was enlightening to hear our family share its ideas on these topics. The Latino community has a different take on liberty, and considers it very precious.
During the month of July the Diocese sent a summer medical team to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and two of the members were from San Juan. The "operativo medico" was at La Sagrada Familia in a barrio in Santo Domingo. We worked with Padre Hernan Villelba and his wife Janet to provide medical and dental services to his congregation and the neighborhood. It was a great opportunity to strengthen the relationships between Iglesia San Juan and the Episcopal Church in the Dominican Republic. While our representatives were on the island, we delivered a check for $400.00US to the Diocesan Office of the D.R. The money was collected for 6 weeks from part of our plate offering, in response to the images of severe flooding in Jimaní and the border towns in Haiti. One of our parishioners suggested that we should send some sort of show of support to our brothers and sisters, and so we decided to raise up a love offering for them. This is one of the first times that San Juan has been able to do its own outreach in the worldwide Latino Community.
In the month of August we received a phone call from a Latino Mother asking for help for her son. When I returned the call, it was to a hospital room at MUSC. Sra. Castro had been given my number by her nephew who is a Roman Catholic priest in Mexico! Somehow he received my cell phone number and was able to pass it along to his aunt. Sra. Castro's son, Gustavo was in an accident and had fallen head first into a pool. He had sustained neck injuries and was slowly recovering at MUSC. They had been in the hospital two long months before we were contacted, but since then we have been able to visit, talk with her, set up regular times when the doctors can communicate with the family, and provide a little bit of financial help along the way, thanks to some friends at Our Saviour, John's Island. Gustavo may not ever be able to walk again, but Thanks be to God, he is well, eating again, breathing on his own, and more importantly smiling again! I am grateful to whoever gave Padre Toño my number, because it has given San Juan a chance to meet and minister to Gustavo and his mother. They will be returning to Guadalajara, Mexico soon and we will miss both of them dearly.
Our English as a Second Language classes have recommenced after a short summer vacation. We have some students from last year as well as four young men who are new to San Juan. These classes are about more than just learning new words and grammar; we talk about work, family and even sometimes the church. Most importantly it is a way to get to know our parishioners and the community better, to find out what is important to them in their daily lives, and how as a faith community we can better serve them. We all look forward to Monday nights and the friendships that they strengthen each week.
During the next few months we will begin our preparations for our 5th Anniversary Celebration, which will be Saturday October 16, 2004. As details become available I will be sure to pass on the information to the Churches in the Diocese.
Iglesia San Juan sends out this newsletter-on a periodic basis. We would like to include any and all Hispanic Ministry events that occur in the Diocese. If your parish sponsors or participates in any type of Hispanic Ministry please call or send us such information and we'll gladly include it in this newsletter. I hope to be hearing from y'all soon!
Dios Les Bendiga,
Carole Bennage
If you, your family, or your church feels called to support Iglesia San Juan through prayer, volunteering, or financial gifts please contact us at (843) 303-0963 or through the mail at:
Iglesia San Juan
P.O. Box 125
John's Island, SC 29457
Thank you! Gracias! Thank you! Gracias! Thank you! Gracias! Thank you! Gracias! Thank you!
NEWS LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS'
MISSIONARY TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CAROL LOUISE BENNAGE
JANUARY 2005
January 13, 2005
Saludos a todos:
I have attached the newsletter that we sent out for San Juan, but I also wanted to give some updates on the folks down in Barahona. Father Smith and Marivel (and the three kids) are doing well. They send much love to the St. Thomas family.
The Albergue is back in session from Christmas holidays. The children had a party on the 22nd of December, complete with a visit from the Clown Ministry of Jesus Peregrino.
Look closely because one of the clowns is Marivel!! Also in the photo we have Jean (Padre's son), Antonio, Nubia, Marivelcita, Heidi, Francisco, and some clowns by the name of Yanel, Yuliza, and Isaura.
They have been able to replace the TV and VCR that were stolen back in the summer-and with the night watchmen have had no problems.
The number of kids receiving meals and education is now up to 70, the original goal, which has made Padre Smith ecstatic ☺ And the Deanery of Clearwater Florida is helping with the long-term support of the shelter, which has helped Padre to increase the budget and increase the salaries of all the workers, as well as increase the number of staff.
It warms my heart to know that my friends and family are doing better after such a hard economic time last year. They are still struggling, but at least now things are improving and the political situation is more stable.
For those that always ask about little Patricia; I have no new news to report. Last I heard she was still in the community, raising a little less heck than in times past, and growing up just a little. She turned 11 years old this year, so I think for all the disadvantages she has had in this life, it is a miracle that she has reached that age. I pray for her all the time, and wonder what mischief she has gotten herself into recently. But she is an expert at survival, so I know that what ever she gets mixed up in- she always finds her way out!
I love you all. Thanks for your prayers and letters. Even though I am here in Charleston, the mission field is still a demanding place. I might know the roads and the systems here better, but I learn something knew everyday about the life of Latinos here in the Low country. The hours are long and haphazard, but the reward of knowing that we have helped somebody in the community find a church, get insurance for their child, learn English, make it to a Doctor's visit, rent an apartment, find a job, or simply feel like they are not alone in their struggles……that is enough to get me out of bed in the morning and to feel honestly proud of the work we do at Iglesia San Juan.
Thank you again for the bibles. When I announced that we had them available, five hands went up the first night asking for copies. And we now have a set of bibles for a bible study, which we hope to start this Lenten season! Thanks again to the friends and family who supported the VBS and in turn, supported Iglesia de San Juan
Dios Les Bendiga,
Carole ♥
Noticias de San Juan-San Juan News
(as printed in the Jubilate Deo)
El Quinto Aniversario de La Iglesia Episcopal de San Juan
El Sábado 16 de octubre del año 2004, la familia de San Juan tuvo una fiesta para celebrar sus primeros cinco años de ministerio en la comunidad latina de las islas de Johns y James. Estuvo presente para predicar el Obispo Sufragáno Guillermo Skilton. El Obispo y el Padre Daniel Messier celebraron la Santa Comunión. Tuvimos más de cincuenta personas compartiendo con nosotros, la mayoría de la gente fueron de San Juan, pero tuvimos invitados de St. John's Parish y St. Thomas, North Charleston. ¡Fue muy bonito ver el apoyo de los Padres Charlie Walton, Greg Snyder y Jim Taylor!
Desde que comenzaron las misas en la Iglesia de San Juan hemos tenido varios músicos que han dado sus talentos de voz, guitarra y piano para hacer música bonita, alabando a nuestro Señor. En el festival eucarístico, mostramos la diversidad de talentos y dones con tres grupos distintos que tocaron las canciones favoritas de la congregación. Salvador y Efrain tocaron en su estilo lento y tradicional de Méjico. Baldemar tocó la música cristiana contemporánea, que en los Estados Unidos conocemos como "música de alabanza." Randall y Frank tocaron favoritas de la congregación como "Te Doy Gracias," la cual fue escrita por Héctor Martínez, uno de los feligreses de San Juan. Y para acompañarles a todos, Sharon vino para compartir su voz angélica con nosotros. Al final de la misa terminamos cantando "Pescador de Hombres" la cual es una favorita del Obispo Skilton y de San Juan. Fue un momento muy bonito ver que todos los músicos se juntaron para tocar y cantar unidos en la última canción.
Después de la misa, seguimos con la fiesta: las mujeres de San Juan prepararon un banquete. Tuvimos flores y decoraciones por todas partes y la comida fue más que excelente. Había tamales, sopa de tortilla, y hasta pollo mole en la mesa. ¡A todos nos gustó mucho y nos fuimos con estómagos llenos y corazones satisfechos!! Nos sentimos más de fiesta porque los músicos siguieron cantando. ¡Fue un evento muy especial y muy divertido para todos y esperamos con anticipación el aniversario de los próximos cinco anos!
The Fifth Anniversary of Iglesia de San Juan
On Saturday October 16, 2004, the San Juan Family had a special party to celebrate their first five years of ministry en the Latino community on James and Johns Islands. Bishop Sufragan William Skilton was present to preach. The Bishop and Father Dan Messier celebrated the Holy Communion. We had more than 50 people sharing the day with us. Most were from San Juan, but we had guests from St. John's Parish and St. Thomas, North Charleston. It was great to see the support from Fathers Charlie Walton, Greg Snyder, and Jim Taylor!
Since the masses began at San Juan we have had various musicians that have shared their talents of voice, guitar, and piano to make beautiful music, praising our Lord. In the Festival Eucharist, we showed the diversity of our talents and gifts with three distinct groups that played the congregation's favorite songs. Salvador and Efrain played in the slow traditional style from México. Baldemar played more contemporary Christian music, which in the U.S. we know as "Praise Music." Randall and Frank played our favorites like "Te Doy Gracias" or "I Give Thanks," which was written by Hector Martínez, one of the parishioners at San Juan. And to accompany everyone, Sharon came to share her angelic voice with us. At the end of the mass we sang "Pescador de Hombres" or "Fisher of Men" which is a favorite of Bishop Skilton's and of San Juan. It was a very beautiful moment to see all the musicians get together to play and sing the last song!
After the Festival Eucharist, we continued with the party: the women of San Juan prepared a banquet. We had flowers and decorations everywhere, and the food was more than excellent. There were tamales, tortilla soup, and even chicken en mole sauce on the table. Everyone had a good time and left the party with full stomachs and satisfied hearts! We felt even more "de fiesta" or at a party, because the musicians kept on playing and singing. It was a very special event and fun for everyone who participated. We look forward to the celebration of the next 5 years!
Diciembre: ¡Un Mes de Esperanza y... Fiestas!
En la Iglesia de San Juan, la venida del Adviento significa la llegada de cuatro semanas muy ocupadas. Todo el mundo está preparando sus casas y sus corazones para la Navidad. La primera semana cambiamos los colores en la iglesia del verde de tiempo ordinario para un azul real, que significa la preparación, la esperanza y el gozo de la estación de Adviento. El 12 de Diciembre es la primera celebración para nosotros. Celebramos y recordamos las apariciones de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe al pueblo de México con lecturas, canciones y una Santa Eucaristía. Este año los Padres Dow Sanderson y Daniel Messier nos acompañaron en el servicio.
El 18 fuimos como Iglesia para ver las luces en el Parque de James Island. Fuimos un grupito, pero disfrutamos mucho. Fue una oportunidad de dejar atrás las preocupaciones y los problemas de la vida y gozar en la celebración de las luces.
Luego, el 19 de Diciembre tuvimos el festival de Las Posadas. Tradicionalmente Las Posadas se celebran durante nueve días (el 16 hasta el 24) en los cuales niños y adultos recuerdan el viaje de Maria y José hasta Belén, como peregrinos ellos mismos. Aprovechamos que el domingo 19 cayó en medio de la celebración e hicimos el festival en San Juan. Los Peregrinos fueron rechazados dos veces cuando pidieron posada, o alberque, en los diferentes sitios cerca de la Iglesia. Durante la caminata los peregrinos cantaban cánticos tradicionales y escuchaban la historia del nacimiento de Jesucristo. Por fin, después de una jornada "larga" y fría los peregrinos recibieron posada en la puerta de la Iglesia, y la misa comenzó. Después tuvimos un convivio con comida y chocolate.
Y la fiesta más grande de todas...La misa de Nochebuena. Es costumbre en la mayoría de América Latina tener fiestas pequeñas en casas familiares y todos quedan despiertos esperando la llegada del 25, la Navidad. En la Iglesia San Juan, dejamos las fiestas por algunas horas y tuvimos la Misa de Nochebuena. Este año el Padre Jorge Tompkins celebró con nosotros. Tuvimos una liturgia de la luz en la oscuridad del templo y luego una misa muy bonita con un sermón en español por el Padre Gregorio Snyder. Fue un tiempo muy especial, y un momento tranquilo en el medio de todo para pararnos y pensar en el regalo que fue el nacimiento de Jesús.
December: A Month of Hope and ... Parties!
In Iglesia San Juan, the coming of Advent means the arrival of four very busy weeks. Everyone is preparing their houses and their hearts for Christmas. The first week, we change the colors in the church from the green of Ordinary Time to a Royal Blue, which represents the Preparation, Hope and Joy of the season of Advent. On December 12th we had our first celebration. We celebrated and remembered the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the Mexican people with readings, songs, and a Holy Eucharist. This year, Fathers Dow Sanderson and Dan Messier accompanied us in the service.
On the 18th we went as a church to see the lights at James Island County Park. We were a small group, but we had a lot of fun! It was a chance to leave behind the worries and problems of life, and enjoy the celebration of the lights.
Then on the 19th of December we had the festival of the Posadas. Traditionally, the Posadas is a nine-day celebration (16th-24th) where children and adults recall the pilgrimage of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, as pilgrims themselves. We took advantage of the fact that Sunday the 19th, fell in the middle of this celebration, and had the festival in San Juan. The pilgrims were rejected twice when asking for "posada" or shelter from the 'innkeepers' in different sites around the church. During the walk the pilgrims sang traditional songs, and heard the story of Jesus Christ's birth. Finally after a "long" and cold journey the pilgrims received "posada," shelter, at the doors of the church and the Mass began. Afterwards we had a "Convivio" or reception with food and hot chocolate.
And the biggest party of them all…. " La Nochebuena" or Christ's Mass. In the majority of Latin America it is customary to have small parties in family houses on Christmas Eve, where everyone stays up awaiting the 25th, "la Navidad" - Christmas day. In Iglesia San Juan, we leave the parties for a few hours and have the Christ's Mass. This year, as in the past four years, Father George Tompkins celebrated with us. We had a liturgy of the light, in the darkness of the sanctuary and then a very beautiful mass with a Sermon in Spanish by Father Greg Snyder. It was a special time, a tranquil moment in the midst of everything to stop and think about the gift of Jesus' birth.
¿Qué se avecina para la Iglesia de San Juan?
Vamos a trabajar con Trident United Way y Trident Urban League para abrir un centro de asesoro y ayuda para la preparación de impuestos en la Iglesia de San Juan. Trabajando con voluntarios de la misma comunidad latina vamos a proveer servicios gratis de cómo llenar la aplicación del I-TIN y después de enero trabajaremos con los impuestos sobre ingresos. La Iglesia San Juan será el único centro de asesoro y ayuda con impuestos en español en todo el área de Charleston.
What is next for Iglesia de San Juan?
We are going to work with the Trident United Way and the Trident Urban League in order to open a Tax and Advice Center at San Juan. Working with volunteers form the Latino Community we are going to provide free services to help individuals fill out the Individual-Tax Identification Number (I-TIN) application and after January we will work with income taxes. Iglesia San Juan will be the only tax and advice center in all of the Charleston Area that will provide these tax services in Spanish.
¡Necesitamos tu ayuda!
La Iglesia de San Juan necesita tu ayuda. Tenemos varias feligresas que no tienen transporte, y necesitan alguien para llevarlas a las misas de los Domingos por la tarde. Tenemos una van, que recibimos por una beca de UTO (Ofrenda de Acción de Gracias) en el año 2001, pero necesitamos chóferes voluntarios. Necesitamos personas que hablen un poquito de español y que puedan manejar una van de 12-pasajeros. Si piensas que tu puedas ayudarnos, por favor hablar con Carole a 303-0963.
We need your help!!!
Iglesia de San Juan needs your help. We have several parishioners who do not have transportation and need rides to make it to the Sunday evening services. We received a van from a UTO grant in 2001, but we need volunteer drivers. We need persons that speak a little bit of Spanish and can manage driving a 12-passanger van. If you think that you can help us, please call Carole at 303-0963.
Carole Bennage
If you, your family, or your church feels called to support Iglesia San Juan through prayer, volunteering, or financial gifts please contact us at (843) 303-0963 or through the mail at:
Iglesia San Juan
P.O. Box 125
John's Island, SC 29457
Thank you! Gracias! Thank you! Gracias! Thank you! Gracias! Thank you! Gracias! Thank you!