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Calendar Oct 29th, 2008
Mission Trip
July 17, 2008 Committee Meeting
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Latest Update - July 3, 2008
If this is your first visit to our Web Site we invite you to visit our Welcome page to learn more about our focus and our mission. May 2008 Mission
Project Reports - Photos - Observations - Current Events - Special Cases - Special Cases II
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May 2008 Mission - Report
Our May 2008 Mission included six Young Adults; Nick Bichanich, Chandler Halladay, Ryan Henke, Peter Schindler, Katie and Kelly Tunder. Four others participated, John and Terrie Gallo, Don Kabara and Mike Weber (not in photo). It appears that Los Toros has recovered from the Tormentas of the past year and is making good progress. The farmers are having success with their crops, a number of people have started improvements to their homes, hopes are high for having some of their streets repaired and paved and they are on the “to do” list for getting a high school facility. At the same time, poverty continues to overwhelm some of its residents and concerns over illness and rising costs worry some people. There are still many homes with dirt floors and many that need water filters. As you read through these pages you will see some dramatic instances of very poor living conditions and people struggling to make a living. Gas is up to $5.58 a gallon in the Dominican Republic. The average income in Los Toros is under US $2,000.00 per year. As we were handing out toothpaste and toothbrushes to the children there was a poor barefoot kid about five years old standing at the back door, Dominicans will never enter a public building without shoes; finally Israel Mateo noticed the poor kid and asked if we could please get him a toothbrush and toothpaste. Nick and I went to visit Misael the young boy who had the enlarged stomach; his health is now much better, however his father is deceased, his mother is seriously ill and they had to move into a smaller house. Their house is now one room about 10’ X 12’, it has a dirt floor and Misael was sitting by the door deveining tobacco leaves. After tobacco is picked and dried it needs to have the veins removed from the leaves and then it is cured. Farmers pay people piecework for pulling off the veins, they give out bundles of 25 lbs and pay RD $80.00 per bundle – that comes to about US $2.30. A good worker can do a bundle in 8 hours a child the age of Misael takes about 15 hours, that means he is working for about .15 per hour. A small chicken costs about US $4.50 that means Misael would have to work 30 hours for his supper. Our mission philosophy is centered on perception and understanding, compassion with solidarity, service that enables the poor to help themselves and holding ourselves and the people of Los Toros accountable for the resources that we both have in our lives. The people of Los Toros embrace this philosophy and have started their own outreach in Las Guanabanas – see current events. We are making progress with our mission in a number of ways! We are grateful for those who are so generous with their time and resources to join us on our Mission Trips!
How To Make A Contribution - Go
Compañeros is a program to initiate friendship and support between young people in Los Toros and young people in Grafton, Wisconsin. It is an opportunity to learn about a different culture and to develop and to teach language skills. There are some guidelines...........................
Please Visit Los Toros Foundation.com
For More Information about the Los Toros Mission Committee...... Please
contact: mailto:lostorosmission@lostorosmission.com
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lostorosazua - video link
links
Los Toros Foundation
www.maplegrovetreatmentcenter.com
lostorosazua
www.redhorsegrill.com
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*** Compañeros ***