Thoughts from Marc

Today we went to two Bateys. These are very poor and poverty-stricken areas. Famous baseball players like Sammi Sosa, Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, and Vladimir Guererro came out of similar bateys. Baseball is one of three options to leave a life of poverty in a batey; the lottery is another and the word "banca" is seen very frequently. The last option is education. In both Mojarra and Fao, we met with the local school's principal, in each case a woman. They each told of the difficulties of trying to educate children of extreme poverty. In Mojarra, the principal told us that many children live on their own for most of the young part of their lives. There are a large number of single mothers and they usually go to work in the city as maids and housekeepers, leaving behind their children during the week to fend for themselves. Their children are cared for by neighbors or relatives some of whom are as young as 12. Mario, who grew up in a batey, told us how he lost a year of education because he would leave his house each morning, without breakfast because there was no food, and go work on the streets to earn a little money or food. He would leave his house in the morning hungry and come home at lunch, only to find no food waiting for him. He could tell when he got home if there was food by the state of the kitchen. If it was dirty, pots and pans were out, and there was smoke and coals, there was a good chance there was food that had been cooked. If the kitchen was clean, and it very often was, he would burst into tears.

The schools were once fully funded by CRWM (?) through a partnership with COCREF, but have switched to receiving approximately 15% support and relying on tuition. Parents pay 50 pesos a month, the equivalent of $1.25, ($12.50/yr) and most are unable or unwilling to pay that amount. Christian schools in West Michigan charge approximately +/- $5,987.50 more per student. Assuming the subsidies are the same (and they're not, but both are subsidized), U.S. Christian schools charge 4,80% more per student. Subsequently, the school have next to no resources, desks that are in terrible states of disrepair, and have greatly exceeded their capacity. To provide some context, I have probably the smallest classroom at WMC and I have 20-24 desks in it. I was told by an administrator that I could not have class in there because it was too cramped for space. My class room dimensions at WMC would be the equivalent of 2 classrooms here and each classroom here "accommodates" 40 students. Granted, they are elementary school students, but 40 students in a 15' x 15' room is way too much...especially by WMC standards! Many children stop going to school or ask to leave in the middle of class because they are so hungry and want to go home and see if there is food. In America, I am always concerned if my students got their homework done on time or how their relationships with their friends are going after reading their status of Facebook; in the D.R., teacher wonder if their students have eaten that week.

Today was a information, both intellectual and sensory, to begin processing. Words and phrases are becoming increasingly inefficient at articulating the heart and mind.