Florida Catholic | Missionary

DOMINICAN DISPATCH

The missioner’s tools: a white dove and a mule

Priest’s four-wheel-drive vehicle named for symbol of Spirit, serves ‘apostle’ role

FATHER FRED R. RUSE | SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA CATHOLIC

Published: 10.26.07

Residents of La Cucarita, Dominican Republic, give a wave of thanks to the people of the Diocese of Orlando who helped provide the new four-wheel vehicle, “La Paloma Blanca” (“The White Dove”).
FATHER FRED RUSE

LA CUCARITA, Dominican Republic | I don’t think I anticipated all the ways my four-wheel-drive vehicle would serve our pastoral and sacramental presence in the mountains of the Dominican Republic. After months of waiting for the order to be filled, and thanks to the donations of countless people throughout the Diocese of Orlando, my Toyota Hi-Lux finally arrived. With a clear conscience, I can say that it has served the role of “apostle” as much as any missioner.

The name given my vehicle is “La Paloma Blanca,” (The White Dove), which stands for “The White Dove of Las Lomas.” “Las Lomas” is the way folks speak of the area we live in, the mountains of the Dominican Republic near the famous Pico Duarte Mountain, the highest in the Caribbean. That’s where the five communities are found in which I serve, in which we have been involved over the years through the Mission Office of the Diocese of Orlando.

At one bend in the road, as it approaches the community of Los Guayuyos, the children run out when they see La Paloma Blanca and begin to chant their greeting, “Padre de Dios, Padre de Dios, Padre de Dios!” (“Father of God, Father of God, Father of God.”)

Needless to say, their innocence suffers from misinformation. It’s really only “Padre Fred” (Father Fred).

Gratefully, I can use La Paloma to travel to three of my five communities on Sundays to celebrate Mass. Other times, it has served to accomplish tasks for which no transport exists in Las Lomas. Some of those tasks have literally been life-saving.Every time we set out in La Paloma, for whatever journey it may be, we begin with the sign of the cross and the prayer: “Que nuestro camino sea el camino del Señor” (“May our way be the Lord’s way”). I have to add that driving those roads in the mountains is, for me, a total terror every time we set off.

My vehicle seats five. Folks are always sure we can put 20 more in it! I tell them I wish I could offer space to everyone, but safety dictates that we limit occupancy to the number of seat belts in the vehicle. Transportation is the ever-critical need in the mountains. The people will sacrifice comfort and safety just to get up or down the mountain.

If I start out on a trip with two empty spaces, very soon we meet folks who call out, “Una bola, una bola” (“A lift, a lift”).

One of the first trips for La Paloma was to Santiago de los Caballeros, a seven-hour drive from La Cucarita.

I went to visit Mercedes, one of the elders of the community, who had to relocate to Santiago to live with other family members. Her health was such that she could no longer walk the difficult paths of Las Lomas. Her husband of 54 years, Feliz, accompanied me on the trip. He had not seen her in more than a month. We gathered to celebrate the anointing of the sick with Communion. It was a very moving moment.

More than likely, Mercedes will never be able to return to life in Las Lomas.

Fernando, 25 years of age, was another of La Paloma’s passengers. I took him, accompanied by his parents, to the hospital in San Juan de la Maguana, a two-and-a-half-hour trip down a totally HORRIBLE road. At that point in time, his health had deteriorated to a very grave state. We were “hoping against hope.” After some days of hospitalization, it was clear that he was terminal and we knew we needed, quickly, to get him out of the hospital and back up the mountain.

Once again, Fernando, with his parents, was my passenger. He lay across the laps of his parents in the back seat as they held him in their arms, barely conscious, a sight reminding one of Michelangelo’s “Pietà” — Mary holding the lifeless body of her son, Jesus.

More than two hours later we made it up the mountain and were met by men from La Cucarita who had prepared a “hammock-type” stretcher to carry Fernando the one-hour walk across the mountains to his community, La Cueva. From the ridge above, the community of La Cucarita could watch the procession as it made its way toward La Cueva. Soon they were met by men from La Cueva who then took the stretcher the rest of the journey. The vision of that journey was striking.

Four days later, Fernando died and within 12 hours we began the liturgy of Christian burial.

La Paloma Blanca also made a trip down the mountain to escort some of our youths. These young people have found themselves among the growing number of youths, ages 16 to 21, who face being displaced in a veritable exodus, leaving the mountains, their families and communities, to live year-round in a residence near a school that offers classes with regularity — “regular” meaning classes that are offered five days a week, as would be the norm in most parts of the world. In Las Lomas such is not the reality. School happens only once or twice a week, and the students must travel great distances by foot or by mule to get to the school.

In a manner of speaking, these young people give up their family and community to develop the gifts God has given them toward learning and growing in knowledge. What a serious burden to place on their shoulders at such a young age, while so many youths in other parts of the country and world would never have to give such an issue a second thought.

Another time, I gathered some representatives from my communities to make the trip to Sabaneta, a nearly three-and-a-half-hour trip. We wanted to meet with a woman there who was experienced in the process and tasks of applying for birth certificates. Many people of all ages in Las Lomas do not have a birth certificate. It is costly and a difficult process without guidance. We made this journey and visit in hopes of planning a future meet in Las Lomas toward beginning the process for those who need certificates.

I have made numerous other trips, such as a meeting in San Juan with the priests and bishop of the sister diocese, trips to the chancery to purchase wine and hosts and catechetical materials and, of course, the trips to do errands such as grocery shopping. La Paloma has also begun to memorize the trip to the capital, Santo Domingo, a five-hour trip.

I am finding that the tools of a missioner are varied and many. I still need my mule. Two of my communities are only accessible by mule. So, my mule has not been rendered “unemployed” by La Paloma. Again, the tools are varied and many, all necessary toward facilitating our presence among these beautiful people who are seeking to grow in their faith, in their walk with the Lord, in living their “yes” to his call.

Thank you, one and all, for making such tools possible, for being here with me in these ways, walking with me, riding with me, living the one faith, the one baptism, the one hope, and the one Lord among these hidden people in these mountains in the Dominican Republic. It is truly a “ride” to enjoy — our shared journey toward the destination called “eternal life”!

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