But big plans were scheduled for this day, the inauguration ceremony for the project. The Club Rotario Salcedo, Host Club, District 4060, Dominican Republic, members were all there. They were wonderful hosts.
This orphanage is 28 years old and the Director has been there for all of those years. The facilities are rather dated. So the Director really appreciated all of the new equipment that we installed.
The Director formally introduced each of the children who then entertained us by dancing and singing. This was followed by introductions of the two Rotary Club members and brief speeches. Then came picture taking, lots of them. And finally we viewed the children's paintings of amazing quality and then had treats. The smiles on the children's faces were precious and priceless and worth all of the paper work that went into planning the project.
Just think that if we reached just one child at a time (in this case 18) and persisted, what could we do to positively influence the world "Building World Understandings" through "Service Above Self"? The rewards would be out of this world. And it will change your life forever.
Between this activity, the Salcedo Rotarians gave us a tour of all of the other five projects we have sponsored where we again met staff members who were all excited to see us again. These included the Computer classroom at the Escuela Primaria Maria Josefa Gomez, the Physiotherapy Center now relocated into their own beautiful building, a Computer Classroom at the Mirabal HIgh School, books at 3 schools and the municipal library and an adult Computer Classroom for the City of Salcedo unemployed and financially impoverished enabling they to raise their standard of living
And we squeezed in a visit to the Mirabal Sisters Museum. These sisters husbands protested vigorously against the tyrannical 30 year regime of the dictator, General Trujillo. And when they were imprisoned, then the sisters led the protest. The general lured them to the prison on the false pretext of visiting their husbands which they did. But on the trip home, the general's henchmen stopped their car at a remote spot, drug them out of their car and clubbed them all to death including the driver, then placed their bodies back into the car and pushed it over a cliff. This act proved to be the catalyst of a National uprising that eventually led to Trujillo's death by his own henchmen and independence for the Dominican Republic. The Mirabal Sisters are honored all over the nation and seen as the symbols of freedom for their country. Their remains are buried at the museum. The people there relate to our beginnings and sacrifices in the USA.
Well, there you have it, a whirlwind week, that takes a week to rest, but a life changing experience not to be missed for all the world. We were 24 hours non-stop enroute home including immigration and customs. And they confiscated my special preserves, a gift! Oh well.
Norm Malmberg, IS/PP
Project Primary Contact
Rotary Club of Scott Valley, D5110
International Sponsor Club
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