Did you know . . .?

Here's some information Elder Stimpson shared with me while his mission service:

1.  Hurricane season is primarily between June and October.  Humidity and high temperature are very common.  Elder Stimpson really had hard time sleeping during the night, sweating profusely.  He discovered that if you took a cold shower before you go to sleep, it would help to lower the body temperature.  Elder Stimpson constantly is amazed to see many natives wearing full church suit to church in that climate.

2.  Church buildings in Dominican Republic doesn't have:  Gyms, foyers/lobby, and kitchens.  Buildings only have chapel and classrooms for use.  There's basketball hoop outside for play, though.

3.  There are extraordinary genetic differences in Dominican Republic because of lack of education in how to avoid genetic defects and lack of medical care.  Many Dominican Republic natives still have untreated genetic defects.  Elder Stimpson have seen his share of two pupils in one eye, extra toes, extra fingers, and such.

4.  Stores in Dominican Republic with exception of Capital only carry basics.  You cannot expect to find items that you are used to finding in Walmart.  Dominican Republic natives are very creative and savvy in making things to last because those items they have aren't found anywhere nearby.  All of their computers out the capital don't have web cams. 

5.  Students are required to use school uniforms to lessen the impact of income divide.  They don't have people of similar income clustered in neighborhood.  You can be wealthy and still have neighbor with severe poverty just few paces away.

6.  Missionaries have to carry around toilet paper, disinfection gel, and thus because most of bathrooms, if any, don't have toilet papers, running water, or soap.  Missionaries often have to schedule their appointments in a way where they can make a stop at their home for bathroom visits.  Some unprepared missionaries had to tear a page or two from their white rule book or agenda book for their bathroom visits.

7.  It is very common for Dominican Republic natives to approach missionaries so they have prayers and teaching together.  If they are not Catholics or Evangelists, they just are very religious.

8.  Internet cafes are popular places for computer, copying, and faxing.  Every city has one.

9.  All vehicles have small seating spaces.  Elder Stimpson has trouble fitting himself in car seats.  (He was very excited about new truck and its spacious knee space).  Sometimes missionaries will hitchhike or grab a ride with a member to church on Sundays.

10.  To send any packages and letters, you have to send directly to mission office.  Mail service is highly unreliable in any city that is not Capital.  Missionaries expect to get their packages and letters every transfers.  I usually use DHL service to send packages.  The service is highly reliable and prompt (just takes a week to arrive).

11.  Missionaries are pretty comfortable, thanks to hard efforts of mission office.  The mission office ensures that all missionaries have beds to sleep on, filtered water, and running refrigerators.  Many bathrooms are very basic- toilet, sink and tub.  But they often don't have running showers and missionaries would have to use buckets to bathe.  All missionaries have access to washing machine in their apartments and kitchens.  They still have trouble with installation of mosquito nets so they sat in pile.  For all moms of missionaries who are going to Dominican Republic, you need to send pop up mosquito nets with missionaries.  Mosquitoes are rampant out there during Hurricane season.  Missionaries often got dengue fever which is seriously debilitating.  (Similar to mono in certain respect). 

12.  Elder Stimpson informed me that chapsticks are in short supply on Dominican Republic and so is disinfection gel.  Those are going into Christmas box soon.

13.  Mission president often arranges the entire mission to get together for fun- like temple trips, bowling games, etc.  Elder Stimpson loves that.  This mission president will be done in 2020.

14.  You can tract on beaches.  People do slam doors on missionaries.  People do avoid missionaries.  That's not new behavior.

15.  Spanish in Dominican Republic is different from Spanish in Mexico.

16.  Often missionaries would hear women hissing and cry "Rubio" at them.  Rubio means blonde and blue eyes.  So it did baffle me that Elder Stimpson was getting that- though that he just have few streaks of blonde on his head.  (FYI:  He is brown eyed and brown haired).

17.  Elder Stimpson stands at nearly six feet and one inch so he often walks full head length above natives.

18.  Dentistry care is very scarce and natives don't put priority on that.  It is common to see poorly cared for teeth on natives and elderly usually have black teeth and gaps.

19.  Deaf natives have lower chance of getting good education and jobs.  It is common to see them wandering on streets, offering to polish your shoes for price and get buffed.  Some of them work as baggers at grocery stores.

20.  It is typical to see natives get baptized in numbers but also have high number of less actives.

21.  Most of houses are made with cinder blocks and aluminium roof

22.  Infrastructure in Dominican Republic is poorly constructed.  It is typical to have blackouts all day  (Mondays) on Preparation days so missionaries had to wash on different days.  Sewage and water aren't well constructed neither.  Hence the need for filters attached to all water plumbings.  There are no heating or air conditioning.  Missionaries absolutely adores central conditioning units.

If you want to know more:  you can visit this blog often.  I probably will drop few interesting facts occasionally.