Doug described the complete experience as
a blessing. “I felt so fortunate to have this
opportunity. It’s something you cannot fully
describe. The children are so bright and
talented…it’s so hard to understand how
they function with the little that they have,”
he explained.
Emily Malleis, SHU
associate campus
minister, organized the trip. She worked
for months with the group to develop lessons, fund-raising efforts, and travel plans.
Malleis anticipates the trip will become an
annual event. In fact, she is in the initial
planning stages for a spring ‘05 journey.
Norma Dell, OP ’57, said she was amazed
at the reaction the group got from the students at Fe y Alegría. “Children are often
fearful of what they don’t know…the Siena
group gained a greater understanding of
the people and culture in the Dominican
Republic and the villagers and students in
El Cruce gained an even greater understanding of Americans.”
Malleis says the planning is well worth it
when she sees the smiles on the faces of the
students at Fe y Alegría and witnesses the
way in which the journey affects those in the
SHU group. She went on, “Our day-to-day
interactions and the power of the experience
were beautiful. The emotions we all felt are
almost indescribable.”
Renée Richie, OP ’60, returned to the
Adrian area after having helped establish
the school a decade ago. However, she
accompanied the group as they traveled to
the village and school she knows so well.
She said it was a pleasure to watch two
worlds come together, adding, “It was beautiful to see the transformation of people as
they began to understand another world.”
Sister Renée explained that the people of
El Cruce are always honored to have guests
in their community. “They are proud of the
school and medical clinic that have opened
in their village. Maurine and I were there to
help get the projects started, but it was the
people’s commitment and hard work that
brought the dreams to fruition,” she said.
Heather Hardcastle-Miller and Emily Malleis take a break
with students after completing an art project.
A group of the school’s youngest students line up for
“snack time”. For many of these youngsters the snack
they receive at school may be their only meal of the day.
The school in El Cruce teaches 1,300 children the basics of reading,
writing,
and
mathematics, but extras like art and music
are not a part of the daily curriculum. That’s
why the art-centered visit from Siena was
extra special. SHU students planned and
taught a variety of art-related classes. Ann
Boyak, a SHU senior, taught students
origami. M