After all of the hugs and goodbyes at the FGCU parking lot, I dropped Ann Marie, Tom and Jenna off before heading back to Naples. Tom remarked how clean everything is. As we drove along trying to warm up from the unseasonably cool temperature, home feels somewhat cold and sterile (both literally and figuratively). I’m already missing Santiago even with its dirty, littered streets, diesel exhaust fumes, hard to maneuver curbs and unevenly-cobbled and crowded sidewalks. It was much warmer there but not just because the thermometer said so.
As I process all this sensory overload, I still vividly see the eyes of the children at Accion and Ninos - big, beautiful, soulful eyes. I’ll never forget the unending bear hugs from the boys of Accion and those smiles from the children at Ninos as one by one they asked each of us to sign our names on a piece of paper. I felt the same as Sheila about it being a humbling experience seeing children with so little finding so much joy in something so simple as getting our signatures.
I was touched by so much, whether it be the multitude of physical hugs when greeting anyone Dominican, or smooshing together on crowded buses, or to be deeply emotionally touched by stories we heard from the children and the staff at Ninos and Accion and by our own group members during reflection.
There’s lots of poverty in Santiago yet there’s a richness in the spirit of the people.
It’s way too quiet here.
Deb R.
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