Supply the Love: Puerto Rico
In 2017 we launched Supply the Love! We supply the camera and film and you supply the love. We would love to have you be an ambassador of Print the Love! If you are traveling to an under-resourced community anywhere on the globe in the next year and would like to participate in spreading random photo kindness to the local people, lets chat! Together we can make a difference! Application is online.
The Supply the Love program is 100% supported by donors. If you are not travelling, you can still donate funds towards the camera and film for those who are.
As part of the program, we ask that ambassadors write a short description of their experience. All the words are their own.
GracePoint Sr. High had the privilege of partnering with Print the Love this summer on our mission trip to Puerto Rico. Our team of 19 spent nine days traveling and serving in the north-central region of the island. We partnered with schools, churches, and local community groups to bring hope and help to an island still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria a year ago this fall.
Print the Love greatly expanded our efforts, enabling us to bring joy wherever we traveled. When we arrived in Puerto Rico, we spent our first two days in the north-eastern part of the island near the small beach town of Luquillo. We met a lady named Michelle there who showed us around, and even led us to her favorite swimming spot in El Yunqué, the nearby tropical rainforest. We were able to take her photo and share many photos with families visiting the rainforest that day.
There is something intriguing and barrier-breaking about the simple act of taking and giving someone their picture. People who were initially nervous towards our group quickly warmed up to us as we began sharing Polaroid pictures. Although there was a language barrier in some cases, we were able to speak the universal language of photography, as people communicated deep appreciation for us capturing a special memory for their family.
We spent most of the week in the city of Arecibo, where we visited elderly care facilities, schools for abused children, farms, churches, and even a greenhouse. In these settings, we were able to not only aid in rebuilding efforts, but also offer community members a tangible memento of our visit. People were so appreciative of the photos that they put extra effort into making the backdrops perfect. For example, one of the farmers led his bulls out from their pens and marched them over to make sure they were included in the photo.
We were the last of 8 groups to serve in the city that summer, which meant our week included a lot of emotional goodbyes between our Site Directors and their community partners. Print the Love enabled us to capture pictures of these special relationships, that our leaders had been too busy serving to be able to capture. We were told later how special it was to finally have something to remember these brothers and sisters by.
We ended our trip in and around San Juan, and were able to give many pictures to food vendors and street artisans whose efforts are rebuilding the economic health of the island. For example, an older man selling shaved ice outside the historic El Morro fort was delighted to receive a photo of himself and his ice cart and proudly displayed it.
What began as a simple kind gesture in some cases blossomed into deep friendships. I took a photo of Nestor and his friends early in the week, which led to many more conversations. I heard what it was like for him and his family the hours, days, and weeks following the hurricane. By the end of the week, he joined our group traveling to San Juan and spent the weekend making memories with us and showing us around old San Juan.
We can’t thank Print the Love enough for the opportunity to bless the people of Puerto Rico!
