Uniform Distribution at Redemption Village

We provide uniforms for our students at Redemption Village and
Bombita. Uniforms are very much a part of the cultural expectations
regarding attending school in the Dominican Republic. I have not seen
a school yet that does not require a school uniform, including all of
the public schools. Unfortunately some students are not able to
attend school because of the inability to purchase a uniform.
Well, purchasing the uniforms this year was quite an ordeal. One
thing I need to learn is just because it happened one way means it
will happen that way again. Last year I called a local department
store, the same store that handles the uniform for Colegio Nueva Vida.
I gave them the order of over 400 uniforms, while this was only 75
uniforms more than last year the quote was twice the price. Yikes! So
I did made phone calls with the help of CNV's school secretary and
found a good price from a store that we had purchased items from
before. Well, I the salesman that we were working with evidently has
some side business, because when he called to tell me the shirts were
ready I loaded up in the truck with Melissa and Dustin after dropping
the kids off at school one day, and we headed to Puerto Plata. I went
into the business and asked for the salesman, she said he wasn't
there, but she would call him, if there was something she could help
me with. I told her that I was there to pick up the uniforms for New
Missions. She had no idea what I was talking about. So after a few
minutes the salesman showed up. He got in the car with us and told us
that he had the work done at another store across town. So we drive
across town to this small shop, I'm thinking it couldn't have been
more than 20 square feet. And there are all of our shirts stacked up
on a table. They made and embroidered the shirt. We counted them and
packed the up as they finished ironing and trimming the last few
shirts. And our salesman headed back to the original store to clear
up his mess there.
I really do enjoy uniform distribution each year. We get a chance to
spend just a few minutes with each student and try to make sure that
each of them leaves being called by their name and a "God Bless You."

Posted via email from John's posterous