Overview W ork T ea m In fo . Pac ke t

Makarios exists to share the gospel of Christ by providing educational and vocational opportunities for impoverished Haitian and Dominican children. We are currently educating 100 children in our early childhood education program, and have 60 kids in an after-school program. The students attend our school from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and receive two hot meals a day, along with clean drinking water and medical care.

Through our educational programs, we develop relationships with the kids and their families, and we follow up with them regularly. While helping to improve the educational opportunities of the youth, we also desire to point them to the loving message of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Luke 4:18). We believe that one of the best ways that we can communicate the love of God is to address their physical needs (Prov. 31:9, James 2). However, while education is valuable, we believe the most important thing we can do is introduce these children and their families to a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Makarios has also partnered with Dominican Joe and Doulos Discovery School in a coffee venture. Makarios purchases coffee to use at Dominican Joe coffee shop in Austin. The sale of the coffee provides scholarships for Doulos students and helps support Makarios’ educational initiatives.

 

 

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Group Member Information Group members, We are excited that the Lord has called you to join us in our efforts to do His work in the Dominican Republic! The following is a list of information you will need to know as you prepare for your missions trip with Makarios. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. In Christ, Sharla Megilligan Executive Director

Res po ns ib i l i t i es (w hat you do ) • You will receive the following documents from

your group leader. Please read them thoroughly and let us know if you have any questions.

o Short-term trip information: This covers the basics about your trip to the DR.

o What to Bring: Please pack according to this list. It is more than a list of suggestions - it tells you exactly what you’ ll need for your trip to the DR!

o DR-Haiti History: Take a quick look; the history between the two nations still affects the way things happen today and the way people respond to one another.

o Fundraising Cover Letter: Please use this letter when raising support from friends and family.

• You are responsible for raising support and/or covering the entire cost of your trip. Below lists the timeline you will need to have the money for your trip to Makarios:

o Send out fundraising letters 3-4 months prior to travel

o $100 deposit due 12 weeks prior to travel

o Half of the total cost of the trip is due 8 weeks before you leave

o Total cost of the trip due 4 weeks prior to travel

• Money tip: It is important that the money you raise for your trip is sent directly to Makarios. Makarios can only write receipts to supporters who make their checks out to Makarios. If a check is written out to you, we cannot offer a receipt.

Don’ t forget! You must turn in your trip contract signed and completed to your trip leader 3 months prior to the trip.

 

 

W hat to B r ing The DR basically has two seasons: warm and hot. It’ s in the 70s and 80s from December to March and the 80s and 90s from April to November. It cools off at night, but most people never need anything heavier than a long sleeved t-shirt.

Please Note: These are not suggestions; these are things you will need.

• Passport and a 2 paper copies of your passport

• ATM card and/or cash or travelers checks (ATM withdraws are fastest and easiest)

• Bible, journal

• Toiletries, including sunscreen, bug spray and a towel

• Flash light or rechargeable camping lantern, batteries

• Swim suit, beach towel, and whatever else you want at the beach

• Sunglasses

• Hat to keep sun out of your eyes

• Work gloves

• Work clothes – shorts, jeans, or khakis and t-shirts are the norm (no short shorts or tank tops, for anyone). You might want to consider bringing shoes that can get very dirty as well.

• Church outfit: guys – khakis and nice shirt, girls – long skirt and shirt covering shoulders

• Classroom clothes: if you will be helping out in the classroom, bring some nicer outfits (khakis, capris, casual skirts)

• Athletic shoes or some sort of closed toed shoes

• Sandals (if you have any Teva or Chaco type sandals with a back strap, that will be ideal for certain adventures) and flip flops to wear around the house

• One or two nicer shirts for when we hit the town and a few long-sleeved t-shirts for “cold nights”

• Camera

• Water bottle – we drink bottled water there, and you will be able to refill your bottle at the Mak house and on the work sight

• Hand cleanser – either the gel or disposable cloth wipes, or both (you will use them!)

• Backpack/bag to carry stuff around during the day

EXTRAS:

• Books, games, stuff to do during your down time

• Any snack that you think you won’ t be able to live without while down there

 

 

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Its Good to Know…

It’ s very dusty in the DR, so if you wear disposable contacts, you’ ll probably go through them quicker than you do in the U.S. ClearCare contact solution gets the gunk off.

Start drinking plenty of water as soon as you get on the plane! If you need motivation, we can put you in touch with a guy who got kidney stones because he was dehydrated!

Despite our best efforts, electricity and water are not always reliable. If the idea of skipping a shower one day and/or taking a bucket bath is upsetting to you, you might want to bring some of those body cleansing wipes with you. A hot water shower is a luxury, so don’ t count on it!

As you prepare for your trip to the DR, Makarios asks that you become a present and active member of your team. Your commitment to your team begins before you even set foot in the DR. We challenge you to spend time with your team prior to travel, getting to know one another, praying together, and preparing for your trip. We are here to support you in any way we can. Please let us know how we can be of help!

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General Policies & Guidelines for Visiting Teams

1. Colegio Makarios’ s mission is to first and foremost prayerfully lift up and live out Christian values illustrated in the Bible. We want to be sure we are always illustrating Christian principles in everything we do. We try to utilize the Bible in all we do.

2. Please use only positive words and refrain from using unwholesome or discouraging talk.

3. Please dress appropriately (students and staff wear a uniform each day). Visiting teams do not have to follow this same standard but please refrain from wearing clothes with disrespectful phrases or images. Shorts or skirts above the knee are not permitted. When in the classroom, we encourage wearing close-toed shoes or sandals with backs (no flip flops please). Girls will need to wear shorts that are to their knees, capris or pants. Guys will need to wear nice shorts, not athletic shorts. Tank tops are not permitted for anyone. When you’re in the villages there's more flexibility because you may be going to play basketball or soccer. Therefore, be sure to ask the staff which day they are planning to take you into the villages.

4. You will notice that our classes have a wide range of ages, showing that our students, although the same age may be at different academic levels. We are working hard to help them receive the best education that will give them a chance at a better life in the future. Due to many of our students coming from unstructured home environments, they often have trouble focusing during class. This is important to know as your group interacts with them during your visit.

5. Your team will visit at least one of the vi llages throughout your trip. We’d love for your team to come up with different activities/games to play during these times. If you need help with any, please be sure to contact us.

What to Expect

 

 

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Christopher Columbus and his men arrived in eastern Hispañola in 1492, and they encountered the island’ s native Taino residents. The Taino population decreased dramatically in the years after the Europeans arrived.

Spain settled on the eastern side of the island, and by 1503, the Spanish settlers were bringing slaves from Africa to work on the sugar cane plantations.

In the mid-1600s, French colonists settled on the western third of the island, and by 1697, Spain officially ceded the eastern half of the island to France.

Dominican Republic & Hait i – Past to Present

Haiti

Years of tension between African slaves and French colonists led to a slave rebellion, and in 1804. The French left the island, and the former slaves gained their independence.

The newly independent Haiti faced ongoing civil war between 1807 and 1820. After easing division within the country, Jean-Pierre Boyer became president of a reunified nation in 1820.

Boyer and his reunified Haiti quickly expanded its control outside of the French third of the island, and from 1822 to 1844, Haiti controlled the entire island, including Santo Domingo.

The US occupied Haiti and controlled its ports from 1915 to 1934.

In 1957, Francois Duvalier became president of Haiti, but he rejected democracy and named himself dictator in 1964. Duvalier, also known as Papa Doc, led a corrupt and violent regime until his death in 1971.

Upon Papa Doc’ s death, his son, Jean-Claude Duvalier, Baby Doc, became Haiti’ s leader. Baby Doc was corrupt as his father, and he attempted to repress all forms of dissent. In the midst of ongoing protests, Baby Doc fled to exile in France in 1986.

Between 1986 and 1990, transitional leaders tried unsuccessfully to maintain control of the country. Failed elections, military leaders, and coups marked the path to democratic elections in 1990.

In December 1990, Haitian voters chose Jean Bertrand Aristide to be their first democratically elected president. Less than a year after Aristide took office, a coup forced him to flee to Washington DC

Despite international sanctions, a military government ruled the country until threatened with the arrival of international forces. Aristide returned to Haiti in October 1994.

Aristide remained president until 1996, when his Prime Minister, René Preval was elected president. After Preval’ s presidency ended in 2001, Aristide was once again elected president. He led the country until political turmoil, controversy, and violence forced his exile to South Africa in March 2004. Aristide remains in South Africa, and an interim government ruled Haiti until elections in February 2006.

 

 

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Dominican Republic

In 1795, Spain gave control of the western third of Hispañola to France. When the Haitians forced the French from the island, Haiti expanded and eventually governed the entire island until 1844.

In 1844, the Dominican Republic, led by Juan Pablo Duarte, declared its independence from Haiti.

From 1861 to 1865 the Dominican Republic voluntarily allowed Spain to control the country again.

Economic and political difficulties resulted in U.S. occupation of the Dominican Republic from 1916 to 1924. During the U.S. occupation, the demand for Dominican sugar grew, and it is during this period that Haitian sugar cane cutters begin crossing the border to work in the Dominican Republic.

Tension remained between Haiti and the Dominican Republic because of questions over the border between the nations. In 1929, the two countries finally established an official border.

Rafael Trujillo became dictator of the Dominican Republic in 1930. Corruption and human rights violations were plentiful during Trujillo’ s years of leadership.

In response to the Dominican Republic’ s political ideals and economic hardships, in 1937, Trujillo demanded that all Haitians in the Dominican Republic be deported or killed.

When sugar prices climbed in 1950s, Trujillo negotiated with the Haitian government to offer temporary jobs to Haitians willing to work in the cane fields. Haitian laborers worked long hours and receive low wages.

In 1961, Trujillo was assassinated, and transitional leadership and military coups plagued the nation for several years until Joaquin Balaguer acquired the presidency. Balaguer ruled for 12 years until he was elected out of office. He regained the presidency in 1986, and remained president for another 10 years.

The Dominican Republic holds democratic elections for the presidency every four years. Leonel Fernández is the nation’ s current president.

Resources Haiti source: http://www.haiti.org/keydate.htm Dominican sources: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35639.htm (does not agree with the above)

http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563569_8/Dominican_Republic.html

http://www.minorityrights.org/admin/Download/pdf/MRGCaribbeanReport.pdf

 

 

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Below are the policies and procedures for all short-term teams who visit the Makarios School.

School Schedule

7:30a – The staff arrives at the school (the cooks, Odilcia & Monica, sometimes arrive earlier). There is a staff meeting and devotional at 8:20a that meets in the Ranchito. Visiting teams who are serving that day at the school may attend.

8:00a – Students begin to arrive around 8:00a but are not permitted to leave the front porch until the end of the staff devotional (usually around 8:45a). At that time they can come back and get some of their wigglies out on the playground. Team members are encouraged to interact and play with the students, but please do not take out any of the recess materials.

9:00a – Student morning time begins. The Pre-Kinder grades meet in the Ranchito (gazebo) and the older grades (Kinder and up) meet at the front entrance of the school. Again, we encourage team members to split up and attend these. Students and staff will sing (okay…sometimes scream) a few children’ s praise songs and pray.

Students are then dismissed. The Pre-Kinder grades go and eat breakfast in the cafeteria and the older students eat breakfast in their classrooms. Visiting teams are welcome to attend but cannot eat unless it is worked out with the school leadership prior to the group’ s arrival.

9:30a – After breakfast, students then begin their day’ s classes, usually with a classroom morning meeting.

**NOTE: At this time, we ask that visiting teams do not enter the classroom (unless it is worked out with school leadership prior to group’ s arrival).

10:15a – Recess breaks begin and last between 15 and 30 minutes (depending on the class) and proceed throughout the day. Visiting team members are encouraged to play and interact with the students, but please review the “Recess Policies” document for the recess rules. Please note that all disciplinary action needs to be handled by staff members only.

Lunch is divided in two groups and takes place in the cafeteria. Pre-Kinder classes eat at 11:30 and the older grades eat at 12:05. Visiting teams may join the classes at lunch but are not permitted to eat the school food (unless it is worked out with school leadership prior to group’ s arrival).

Students return to their classrooms following lunch (bathroom breaks and tooth brushing breaks are included in after meal procedures at the school as well).

1:30 p – Students leave school for the day

Staff remains at the school for afternoon duties (writing out lesson plans, village visits, staff meetings/trainings, etc.).

4:00p – Staff leave for the day

The Makarios School

 

 

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Makarios Contact Information

Makarios House Internet access / Skype & Viber are possible Address: 49 Calle Frica, Los Ciruelos, Montellano, Puerta Plata Host couple (at the Makarios house in Puerto Plata) Doug Beck DR Cell: 829-540-9392 Maragaret Beck DR Cell: 829-540-9390 Makarios in Texas 3267 Bee Caves Rd. Ste. 107-71 Austin, TX 78746