Each night in the Dominican Republic, our mission team of superintendents, principals, and Lifetouch employees gathered together to reflect on the day. The day's work had been long and took it's toll. Quick showers and filling meals helped replenish our bodies, but it was the Evening Reflections that renewed our spirits.
It was tough to be surrounded by such overwhelming poverty everywhere you looked. Knowing that some children did not attend school because they were sent out into the fields to work or because the parents could not afford the small entrance fee hurt. Hearing stories of girls who were married off by the age of 13 and having babies themselves really drained us as we sensed a missing hope for the future. As we looked around and saw the ravages of extreme poverty, it would have been easy to sink into a depressed state ourselves. Nightly reflections though, combatted the negative visuals and stories.
During the nightly reflection our group members shared stories from the day. The stories tickled us, warmed our hearts, and sometimes, yes, broke our hearts. In sharing the big moments of the day, we encouraged each other. We reminded ourselves of the hope we were building in bringing a school into the community. On several nights tissues were passed around as tears flowed. Yet, sharing sad moments became uplifting as arms went around shoulders and hugs were given.
After the sharing of stories and reflections, we had poignant words of encouragement from our team leader as well as a review of the next day's activities. We had relived the day through our stories, been uplifted through a positive message, and were given a focus for the upcoming day. We would leave each night tired and ready for bed, but also excited to continue the work.
During one evening's session, David Loeslie, a Vice-President with Lifetouch, asked the question, "Why can't we do this at home?" The question might have referred to the mission trip - Why can't we build a school at home? Why can't we go into our communities and help others? Those are important questions, but there is a third question, "Why can't we sit down with our families and loved ones each night and simply talk about the day?" That question stings a bit.
I am married to my best friend . We have four amazing teenagers between us. The kids are bright and academically successful. They participate in school sports and are involved in their friends' lives. They are wonderful, interesting people. Yet, in this role of principal, I spend much more time with others than I do with my own family. I am at school almost every night for different academic, athletic, and artistic events. While that truism explains the greatest barrier I have to repeating our Daily Dominican Evening Reflection here in my home, it does not completely preclude it.
One small take-away from this incredible trip, that I was blessed to be a part of, is a renewed commitment on my part to be more a part of my family's lives by having a real conversation with each one on a daily basis.
I have been amazed as this trip has continued to resonate within me. If no school had been built, if no school supplies, toys or clothes had been donated, if no new professional and personal relationships had been birthed, and the only outcome was my having more reflective conversations with my family, then it would still have been a worthwhile, life-changing experience.
Why can't we? We can! Why don't we? Well, that is the question, isn't it?
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