From June 1st to June 7th, 2025, a group of 24 Gulliver students traveled to the community of La Sabina, in San José, Dominican Republic, for a Blue Missions service project. The students spent the week working to improve the living conditions of the residents, they also experienced their own transformation. Immersed in a different culture, the students were able to develop great connections and renew their understanding of service and thankfulness.
The students collaborated alongside Blue Missions staff and local families for a one week period, building 14 latrines. This was a huge improvement for the residents of La Sabina, who formerly had no bathrooms in their houses.
“We felt very good during this experience. Before, we did not have bathrooms in our houses. With you and the Blue Mission, you gave us back the dignity we deserve. We are very happy and we hope to see all of you again. I love you all.” The community chiefs said.
During the week, the students bonded amongst themselves over food and daily life in the community. One highlight of the trip was “Kids’ Day:” an afternoon filled with various activity stations for local children, from baseball to arts and crafts to group games.
“The group had an action-packed ‘Kid’s Day’ where they got to play with the kids who attend the school the group is residing in. They played in different stations from baseball to coloring and more. The afternoon is dedicated to allowing the host community kids to just be kids! They have been absolutely amazing!” Rosalina, one of the Blue Missions leaders
For many of the Gulliver students, this trip was their first time doing hands-on service, an experience that proved both challenging and rewarding.
“I mostly got motivated by one of my dear friends, Khloe, who insisted I come with her, I didn’t know what to expect. I was nervous leading up to the trip, and honestly, the first day was really hard. It was hot, my bed broke, and the food was really different. But once we were welcomed by the community, I started to feel at home. I’m so glad I came. I know I’m making an impact.” said Jimena Juarez ’28.
Long hours of labor, extreme heat, and strange surroundings, the students stayed committed to their mission. Of course, relationships forged with local families and children became the very heart of this experience turning what began as a volunteer trip into something much deeper and more personal.
The farewells were very emotional as the week came to an end. The work done in La Sabina may have ended, but the impact that it left on both the community and the students will last well beyond just the trip.
By way of this experience in La Sabina, the students of Gulliver returned to Miami forever changed. More than just a few pictures and stories were taken back: it was a deeper understanding of global inequality, an appreciation of what was at home, and a stronger desire to make a difference. The trip would expand their worldview and simultaneously change their perception of service. Service was no longer something that would serve to help them finish high school as volunteer hours, rather, it was something that would continue to grow well into their adult lives. Moved by the connections formed and the impact witnessed firsthand, many students are already thinking ahead, eager to return to the Dominican Republic or Blue Missions.
For both the students and the residents of La Sabina, this experience was far more than just a service trip. The impact of those seven days will live on in the improved quality of life for the families of La Sabina and in the hearts of the students, who now see the world in a different light.
