The late Jim Albanese, a longtime Full Member in Youth Apostles, in an article that appeared in the Winter 2000 edition of the Youth Apostles journal Light, shares his experiences during a June 2000 trip to minister to young people in Banica, a small town in the Dominican Republic. As many of our brothers and young people are preparing to travel to places of outreach, where they will experience their faith in a new light, we see how this trip was just a part of Jim’s beautiful legacy to young people and to the Youth Apostles community of which he long was a part, bearing witness to his love for Our Lord and to his propensity for putting love in action.

I went to Banica to experience a simple way of life and better understand the way most of the people in the world live on a daily basis. I had never visited a third-world country and decided to take the opportunity to visit a place and culture to which few Americans choose to come. As someone who like adventure and enjoys working with youth, I thought Banica would be a great experience.

During my two weeks there, I realized two things: Banica is a culture very different from our own, and there is a real need to help an exciting, loving people.

Three things really helped me get the most out of my visit.

1. The most important was living wjth a Dominican family. I was able to share their meals, play cards and socialize with them in the evenings, help their children with their schoolwork, and learn what it’s truly like to live as they do.

2. I was also able to spend time in the smaller neighborhoods near Banica and see its environs. I took two days out for a trip to some small nearby neighborhoods to share our faith and socialize. These locations are sometimes only accessible by mule path and therefore not often visited by people form the church.

3. Finally, my basic knowledge of Spanish helped me get more out of my visit. While I’m not fluent, I was able to communicate with the majority of those whom I encountered (after I asked them to speak slowly).

Without the ability to communicate, I would not have been able to learn about their lives and have meaningful conversations about faith, family life, and other things important to their culture.

Our culture in Northern Virginia is very different from that of our brothers in the Dominican Republic. Many of the differences are directly related to the huge difference between the wealth of our countries and people. In Banica there is no running water, electric service is discontinuous and cuts on and off for days at a time, and roads are unpaved and wash away with the rain. Roofs have leaks, floors are concrete, and fans cool homes when electricity is available.

These conditions are typical of what is found in the Dominican Republic and are not considered unusual. Banica residents know there are better conditions elsewhere in their country and the world, but they are resigned to their circumstances. Due to inadequate finances and lack an able government, they expect only to be able to improve certain things. Sometimes, however, advancements do take place.

The biggest difference I saw was not readily apparent and was not readily apparent and was the one that most bothered me: the difference in educational opportunities for youth.

In Banica, the children go to school for a scant four hours a day and school is only open for eight months of the year. Through the Church, there are a few CCD classes or other programs dedicated to serving youth. In some of the nearby neighborhoods there aren’t any Church-related programs to educate the youth about our faith.

There are many social and political differences not mentioned here, but the lack of education is one about which I could not stop thinking. As someone who spends a good amount of time working with youth, I have very strong feelings about the education of both our young people and those in Banica. In a country that has so many needs, one the most profound is that of its youth for education.

What Can We Do?

It is clear to me that the town of Banica has many needs, and I believe the biggest is education. Certainly, the people of Banica need our financial support, which can be put to good use to buy more books and materials for the local schools and CCD programs, or to purchase other things necessary for the Church.

But financial help is not the only way we can help the people of Banica. One way we can always be connected to them is through prayer. Not only can we keep this small town in our prayers, we also can do the same for those in other locations around the world that are less fortunate. We should pray for their families, health, and for their faith.

There is another gift we can give the people of Banica as a means of signaling our support for them.

Not everyone can take even a short amount of time to go to the Dominican Republic, but those who are able to do so will find it to be a worthwhile experience and great way to serve by helping to fulfill very basic needs. By giving them our time, we can make a difference by helping to serve youth, working on a specific social project, or trying to improve the quality of life by working on an aqueduct or the construction of a new home. Sharing our knowledge and experience with the people of Banica could be of great benefit to their culture. Time in Banica can be a blessing, if only because it fosters better understanding of their lives and culture.

Because of the great experience I had there, I have chosen to return to Banica this winter, to serve God by ministering to His youth there for a longer period than I did before.