Day 6
March 26 2003
By Jae Jung

She is walking in the Barrio area without a hat, without any sunglasses. Her face is bare, thin, and her clothes are plain. Her shoulder bag is so old, it looks like time to replace it, but she does not mind it at all. She has a bright smile and walks full of energy at the start of another hot day. Walking down the street, she greets the people on the dusty pathway; she must know every body in the Barrio area. The Barrio people are calling her name, Dr. Anita Dunn.

On the street, whomever she meets, she is hugging, kissing their cheek, and always asks about their sickness. One woman brings her baby out - wants to show Dr. Anita about her baby’s wounds. She is embracing the baby gently to her chest, and gives a big shiny smile to the baby, checking its condition carefully. I thought she must be a great angel! I almost want to kiss her and hug her, because she is so beautiful for what she is doing in here.

She has been in the Barrio for the last 3 years. Her clinic is in the middle of the most poverty stricken area in Dominican Republic.

As we walk back toward the clinic, I ask her what brings her here? She just smiles. Then, without more hesitation she says, “I can’t do anything else.” At that moment, I admire her beautiful smile and her powerful will demonstrated clearly to all on that dusty street in the Barrio on that bright, hot, sunny day.