Buenas Noticias ...

Adventures in Spanish 123 believes in giving back. Our first philanthropic project has been to sponsor Junior Javier, an eleven-year-old boy living in poverty in the Dominican Republic. Junior lives with his mom, maternal grandmother, and sister, and their small family could use a helping hand. We are that helping hand. Part of Adventures in Spanish 123's profit goes to supporting a family in a Spanish-speaking community.

Maybe you are like "pollas en vinagre" with giving back, but as a person that has visited many parts of the world and have seen what a little bit can do to help others, I must say that is important to me. If you do not like it, don't worry I do not push anyone to follow my example and will not be asking for donations.

Thru donating to Compassion International we are able to provide medical care, education and much needed assistance to Junior Javier and his family. In 2019 I traveled to San Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic (D.R.) to meet Junior and his family. I was able to visit the Compassion International Education Center that Junior attends, and, of course, to dance a little bachata. Batcha is one of the local music and dance genres that originated in D.R. Surprisingly, dancing bachata is more popular than baseball in the DR! And, yes, I have a video of Junior, his friend and I dancing bachata.

I was impressed with the Education Center run by a passionate and welcoming director.

The teachers were loving with students and all of the food was homemade (they do not allow processed foods in the center).

I asked Junior's mother and grandmother what they needed, they were extremely polite and didn't mention anything, but Junior spoke out and said "¡Necesitamos una nueva estufa!" (We need a new stove!). So off we went to buy a new stove, new pots and pans, clothing for the family and a month's worth of food. Junior's mom worked at ice cream store, she is the only breadwinner in the family, and she had just lost her job that week. ¡Qué buen momento para mi visita! (What good timing for my visit!).

If you would like to sponsor a child in need, check out Compassion International.

https://www.compassion.com/