This is the community shower. Those are mosquitos all over it. Can you see why we were on antimalarial meds?!?!
The villages where we worked were in the middle of sugar cane fields. The people will chew on this woody sugar cane, resulting in lots of dental decay. This man was amazed that I had never tried sugar cane, and insisted that he "peel" some for me to try. Tasty...NOT!
A boy chewing the sugar cane...
The kids loved having their pictures taken, and would do about anything to catch my attention for a picture!
The kids were more than happy to finish up our lunches each day...
The white residue you see around many of the children's mouths is mabendezol, a medicine given to all the children to treat intestinal worm infections. I couldn't believe how well they took it, when mixed up with a little Gatorade!
This is the kind of decay that our dental team was facing. Hundreds of teeth were extracted while we were there.
Can you imagine how this young man feels about his new smile?
Before:
After:
This baby is 3 months old and belongs to a 13 year old mother. Unfortunately, our team was unable to treat her hernia.
Look at the reaction of the kids when Erin, one of our volunteers, was blowing bubbles for them...
The Young Women of Dr. Abram's ward made these bracelets for the children, and they were a huge hit.
The EYELASHES on this boy were unbelievable...
I feel like feet can tell you a lot about a place and culture...
As I was walking through the village, I came across this boy writing his name on the ground with stones...
This was one of the saddest cases we saw while we were there. These two twin boys are 9 months old, and only weigh 10 lbs each. They are not rolling, sitting or crawling. They were so unbelievable malnourished...it breaks your heart. They were so CUTE, we all thought they were girls at first, since they came into the clinic dressed in pink!
The bathroom...yikes...
Fresh squeezed limeade, anyone?
This was a typical "kitchen".
We saw multiple kids with 6 fingers.
Here is another set of 9 month old twins...so chubby and healthy!
A typical "stove".
I couldn't believe this dog...
We had a huge rainstorm everyday that we were there...the boys loved to play in them...
And the women and girls covered their heads with garbage bags... :)
At the end of our trip, we were lucky enough to be able to enjoy the beauty of the Dominican Republic beaches. We stayed at a beautiful resort. It was a little difficult to see such a stark contrast between the resort and the village life. Makes you realize how truly blessed we are...
Anyone want to get married in the Dominican Republic? I'd be happy to go along as your wedding photographer! I couldn't believe how many weddings we saw on the beaches!
This was the sunset on our last night in the Dominican Republic. A beautiful and fitting farewell...
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14 comments:
Janae, those pictures brought tears to my eyes. You were able to capture so much emotion! You are a wonderful example of using your talents to lift others. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing, Janae. Those are heartwrenching, although there were many that also brought a smile to my face. You are such a great photographer. Thank you for sharing your talent with me.
Janae - WOW. These are amazing. It looks like you had a fantastic experience!
These pictures are amazing! My husband served an LDS mission in the DR and we went there this past summer! Amazing experience. Although we spent most of our time in the fancy resorts it was humbling to see the places where people live in very tough conditions. And I couldn't agree more that they are fun, beautiful people. These pictures remind me to be thankful each day for the blessings I have, but also to remember that happiness can also be found in the most humble circumstances as well! Thank you!
-Sheena
(ps I was sent your site thru a family member that knows you)
I thought I had already looked at a lot of these pictures, but I'm so glad I took a few minutes to peruse these also. They are an amazing glimpse into the people there. You truly do a great job!
Your photos are beautiful. Greg sent me your link and I've been waiting to see what you would post. They are amazing!
What a great experience for you to do what you love doing most, taking such beautiful pictures.
It is sad to see how little they have compared to how much we have.
You are right we truly have so much to be thankful for.
I am glad you had such a great trip! :)
Janae, these pictures are AMAZING!!! What an incredible experience. Talk about about eye-opening. It breaks my heart. We are so truly blessed. You are right about the children's eyes - amazing! And some of these children are SO STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL! Thanks for sharing!
WOW Janae! I cried when I looked at these photos. I was thinking "how do I stop the music so I don't get so emotional looking at these". I freagin loved these photos!!!! You did an amazing job.
Alright, I am going with you next time. I cannot believe how beautiful and happy the children are. Someday when I'm a gozillionaire I'm buying the Dom. Rep. and giving these people everything. Thank you for those photos, Janae. Breathtaking.
Janae,
These are absolutely amazing. You have captured every aspect of their lives; the challenges and their amazing heart. Thank you for sharing these. It makes me feel so blessed (and spoiled).
Janae,
As one who was fortunate to travel with you and IASK this year, you've done a wonderful job capturing the lives, that each of these kids live, through pictures. You truly have a gift that will touch many who witness these pictures for themselves.
Thanks again for sharing these with us!
Hello Janae,
I don't have words to tell you how much these pictures have touched me. I have seen many scenes like these in person, and yes, it can be real humbling when you open your eyes and wake up in your own reality, which is nothing like theirs. How do we dare complain that it's too hot or too cold, or that we don't like this food or that one, when we realize that others must do without? Beautiful pictures indeed !!! You did an amazing job capturing the reality of so many beautiful children. I hope that through people like you, more of us can open our eyes and hearts and give a little bit more of ourselves, and be truly thankful for what we have. I know I certainly am! A warm embrace for you and your beautiful family.
Julie Giordano
(the Bolivian gal who lives in Miami, a/k/a Scott's girlfriend)
BTW, it sure was nice meeting you at the Olson Christmas party.
Those children are beautiful. You can learn a lot from them just by looking in their eyes. You are an amazing photographer. Next time I go to Peru, I want you to come :)
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