Fr. Maldari & Le Moyne Students together with REACH staff at Soufriere
This May, a group of 18 students from Le Moyne College in New York came to Dominica for ten days for a service-learning trip. They were accompanied by Father Donald Maldari, S.J., and Dr. Nancy Ring, both religious studies professors at the college. While they were here, they worked at various locations, including Roseau Primary School, the Social Center day nursery and kindergarten, the Alpha Center, the Grotto Homeless Shelter, the Dominica Infirmary and REACH.
The trip was an opportunity for the students to experience the culture of the country and form relationships with the people. This trip helped the students to see that all the people in the world are connected far more than they had previously thought. Working with the children showed them that it really is of paramount importance for them to have a good education and upbringing because they are truly the future of the world.
Assisting the older persons and listening to their stories helped them to gain respect for their elders, which they cherish and will take back to America. The Stories and wisdom that the older persons passed on to the students is not something that they will soon forget.
Working at the Grotto really opened the students’ eyes to see that there is a call to extend a helping hand to those in need here Dominica and in their own towns back at home. It inspired many of them to look for other ways to give back and help in any way that they can. Before they left, the group made donations to each of the institutions that they worked with.
After ten days, none of the students were ready to leave. Stepping out of their comfort zones were difficult for some of the students, as they had never been exposed to some of the situations that they saw here in Dominica. But, they left all saying that it was worth the heat to have the experiences that they had. The people that they met here in Dominica will forever remain in their memories and hearts.
According to the students, this experience inspires them to do more work around the world.
