Care Center vs Ark

I have spent a lot of time trying to clarify what I am doing in the DR and for people that are familiar with Kids Alive and the Ark just what exactly the difference is. I figured I would just do a quick clarification post to help out.

The gate to the complex, it is in front of the care center

and during the day there is a guard to control

who has access to the complex

The Care Center an Ark share a large plot of land where the Ark is essentially 2/3 of the land and the Care Center takes up the other 1/3.

CARE CENTER

This is where I am primarily working. Basically it is a 3 room school where Kids Alive identifies children in the community who need extra schooling/care/meals and they come for half a day. This works well because the public/private schools are all only half days, so if the child has school in the afternoon then they are able to come in the mornings and vice versa. The children are also able to eat lunch there.

Here is a good picture of the Care Center. Right now there are

3 classrooms that are used and once the roof is put

on the 2nd floor will be huge for growth.

The Care Center is run by a man named Alfredo who has been a real blessing for me as we get along great and work well together. It is always fun to come to work. The academic side is run by a woman Leandra who is incredible with the teachers and children and has developed much of the academic curriculums and plans for the Care Center.

A small playground behind the Care Center.

My role is basically to serve as a gym teacher in the morning Monday-Friday and then teach an english class in the afternoon. On thursday they have OANSA (awanas) with the younger kids in the morning and older kids in the afternoon which I am also involved in. It is a great set-up and I really enjoy eating the meal with the kids every day after their classes in the morning.

OANSA out in front of the Care Center. Alfredo is the on

the right with the camera. The other man in the red shirt

is Giovanny, a house parent at the Ark who is very

involved in OANSA.

OANSA inside for a bible verse competition. This is one of

the classrooms at the Care Center.

ARK

This is the 2nd ark in the DR from Kids Alive. The ark in Jarabacoa was very successful so this is the same thing only in a different location. Right now there are 3 houses each one with 2 Dominican house parents and about 7-8 kids. Each family usually has 2-3 biological children and then the rest are children that have been rescued from really tough situations.

One of the Ark houses, one in construction in the distance

Here is the other side of the Ark. Big soccer field in the middle and

Basketball court in the distance. The other 2 houses to the right.

The children usually remain on the complex with a few exceptions such as school, church, "ark activities," and other special occasions. I am also in charge of sponsorship for the Ark, which involves a few projects a year and helping keep the sponsors from the US connected to the kids and the other way around. It is fun to work with the kids, but also can be a little difficult to get them fully motivated when they are trying to do projects for 9-10 sponsors!

A few of the kids hard at work on my first sponsorship project,

a little christmas card. Arts and Crafts have never been my

strength, but I'm giving it a shot!

The directors are Arsenio and Belkys who are very very good for the ark and have helped tremendously. They also serve as house-parents at the Ark and have 2 sons who live with them. I have really been able to get to know the kids at the Ark very well as I spend a few hours there every day whether it is to help with homework, read, or just play with the kids. It is a great experience and I am really enjoying everything about it!

Hope this clears it up a bit, if you have any more questions don't hesitate to contact me.