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Nov. 16, 2006
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Pastoral leaders fighting poverty, history |
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Immediate, long-range responses
needed in Dominican Republic |
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Fr. Marti Colom, above center, pastor of La Sagrada Familia Parish, explains to visitors from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee the purpose of an experimental vineyard that the parish is overseeing in Los Ladrillos. Fr. Colom said that helping local farmers to diversify their crops can be one way to improve their income. (Catholic Herald photo by Sam Lucero
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Second in a three-part series
SABANA YEGUA, Dominican Republic — Standing in the center of a well-manicured vineyard in the town of Los Ladrillos, Fr. Marti Colom, pastor of La Sagrada Familia Parish, tells visitors about an experiment of growing grapes. If this horticultural trial is successful, it could give local farmers a new crop to sell.
The experimental vineyard began in February 2005 with vine cuttings brought from Spain, Fr. Colom’s homeland. Today there are more than 60 mature vines spread across the field.
Traditionally, farmers in this region grow bananas and plantains, a fruit similar to the banana used for cooking. The soil around these plants is flooded to facilitate growth. “They basically water their land in a way that takes all of the richness of the soil away,” explained Fr. Colom. “So after some years they have to invest more money in fertilizers.
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Rosa Maria Cueva Paniagua works at a computer in the parish center in Sabana Yegua. Computer education is a new program offered to adults at La Sagrada Familia Parish. (Catholic Herald photos by Sam Lucero)
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“In an area like this, some farmers could start diversifying and planting grape vines, which don’t need as much water, and maybe producing wine. That could be a real (boom) for this area 25 years from now,” he added. “Not everybody would be depending on the banana. The land would be better for the use of water and they could be more competitive.”
While the discussion — and the sight of this experimental vineyard — seems more appropriate for a college field lab, it’s an example of the creativity parish leaders are employing at La Sagrada Familia to improve the lives of this country’s poor.
Yet with all of the successes the pastoral team has had, they still battle another enemy: history.
The history of the Dominican Republic is sprinkled with periods of domination by outside forces. Located on the Caribbean island of Hispanola, it shares the island with Haiti. From the time of Christopher Columbus’ landing on May 12, 1492, native residents have submitted to the demands of foreign governments, which often sought to exploit the island’s natural resources.
After gaining its independence from Spain in 1821, the country was invaded and occupied by Haiti for 22 years. In the 20th century, as the country’s sugar cane industry prospered, U.S. influence began to grow. In 1916, U.S. Marines invaded the country and installed a puppet government to protect U.S. interests. The military occupation lasted eight years. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson ordered the Marines to occupy the Dominican Republic during another political upheaval.
“Invasions have caused a lack of self esteem among Dominicans,” according to Dominican Sr. Rosa Reyes, director of education for Centro Dominicano de Asesoria y Servicios Legales (CEDAIL), a human and legal rights office created by the country’s conference of Catholic bishops. She said that even the most educated Dominicans look for ways to flee their homeland and find work in the United States or in Europe.
Statistics verify challenges the Dominican people face in life.
The Dominican Republic, with a population of 8.9 million people, has one of the lowest levels of education investment in Latin America, said Sr. Rosa. Only 1.9 to 2 percent of the country’s budget is spent on education. Fifty percent of students finish only four years of school, and only 10 percent finish high school. These numbers extend to the parish, where 22 percent of adult parishioners are illiterate.
According to Sr. Rosa, the Dominican Republic is the fourth worst country in Latin America for meeting the nutritional needs of children. Next to tourism, the highest source of income in the country (estimated around $3 billion) is remittances, money sent home from family members who live and work abroad. Fifty-six percent of the people who do work are self-employed as motorcycle taxi drivers or food vendors on the streets.
The cost of living is high. Fifty-four percent of wage earners earn the equivalent of $150-$180 a month, said Sr. Rosa, while the cost of basic food needs for a family of four is $210.
“The bottom line is people want to leave the country because they cannot earn enough here,” she said.
Symbolizing the struggles of the Dominican people is the country’s electrical power outages.
“In a country of 8 million people, that doesn’t have power for everyone, it’s a big weight that keeps the country from flying,” said Fr. Colom.
Power outages are a daily occurrence, sometimes lasting much of the day. “The reasons are not that clear,” the priest added. Alternative power sources, such as portable generators and power invertors, are a necessity for businesses.
Fr. Colom said that changing negative attitudes is part of the parish’s broader mission.
“As in so many other poor regions in the world, many of our parishioners grow up with the mentality that in our region there is no future,” he said. “Therefore, to leave the area becomes the ideal, the dream, the hope for many, especially the young people.”
“Our role is to demonstrate in daily life that there are actually opportunities to make a living right here in the parish territory,” added Fr. Colom.
The task begins early and it focuses on education.
In addition to operating an adult literacy program and offering classes in computer processing, sewing and cosmetology, the parish is investing in its youth. La Sagrada Familia sponsors nine high school students from the parish who are attending private Catholic high schools.
“We’re also helping several university students (with tuition), and sponsoring 21 children through primary private school,” said Fr. Colom. “These are small things, but in the line of keeping these future professionals in the area.”
Fr. Colom is aware of the need to meet the immediate needs of the parish through such programs as the health center and nutritional center, as well as helping construct latrines in the poorest areas of the parish. But without a vision of the future, he said the staff would only be spinning its wheels.
“You could spend all of your life running the nutritional center, and 50 years from now we would be old and the same kids would be coming,” added Fr. Colom. “You need to do that immediacy thing, but it’s good to have some programs in place that will help in the long run.”
For more information about La Sagrada Familia, contact the World Mission Ministries Office at (414) 769-3404, or visit <www.archmil.org/sagradafamilia>.
View audio slideshow from Dominican Republic at this link.
Next week: Archdiocesan support for sister parish comes in many shapes, sizes. |
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