This spring break I was afforded the opportunity of going on a service trip to New Orleans, Louisiana. During this week-long trip, we worked alongside the United Saints Recovery Project to serve within the communities still affected by hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters. Our first project was working on a house belonging to Maria … More Reflections from New Orleans

Motivated Purpose We’re all human Grateful Changed Awakened Aware Sponge Investing Loving Transformed Family Drop in the bucket Agua   These are all words/phrases volunteers on the Wine to Water winter break trip in the Dominican Republic used to describe how they felt after a day of service. Wine to Water is an international nonprofit … More Wine to Water words

Blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer with Wine To Water, an initiative that helps to provide clean water to deserving people in the Dominican Republic. A problem has really been the way in which people go on trips to motivate them to do more. Service trips are not for you, they are for the … More Service trips are not for you, they are for the people that you serve

Today was the monthly follow-up, where we got the chance to interact with the people in the community. Some stories really stood out to me. Being able to be apart of the process, I realized that there was a common theme in the interviews I listened to, and that was the impact of the water … More 1 month water filter follow-ups in the tight knit community of La Finca

Belkys’ story is one that reflects how the water crisis can severely interrupt a family and their daily lives., Belkys told us that when she was growing up she spent up to 6 hours a day walking and waiting in line to collect water from a natural spring. Today her family no longer has to … More Belkys’ story of water and family

We also went on to meet with Elisa and check on her water filter. She was willing to disclose her incredible story to us that shifted our perception on the water crisis.  Elisa has spent 12 years in the community.  She currently fulfills her water needs by collecting rain water for her filter as the … More Elisa’s water filter is a “miracle from god”

Today we went into Carmen’s home to check on her water filter. While we were in her home, we were able to capture many aspects of her life that impacted not only me but the whole entire group. Carmen shared with us that she has a very large family and that the water filter has … More Carmen’s love of coffee

Today Lydia had her eighty-eighth birthday surrounded by all her family and her community in La Finca, Dominican Republic. As we entered her home, her daughter exclaimed “My mother is blessed today!” and she asked us to sing Happy Birthday to her and celebrate with them. In a normal day she wakes up, cleans the … More Lydia’s Blessed 88th Birthday