Bishop John Noonan | Diocese of Orland website

It is a dream come true for the villagers of La Cucarita, mission headquarters of the Diocese of Orlando in the Dominican Republic. More than 80 families finally have running water in their homes.

After eight months of searching for a proper spring and trenching pipeline through rugged terrain, everyone rejoiced. The villagers remained steadfast, working tirelessly to overcome all obstacles.

The springhead is a 45-minute brisk walk out of town, into a remote part of the mountains. The townspeople formed assembly lines to carry cement, rebar, and plywood planks across the valleys and over rocks to get supplies into the hills. In March they were joined by missioners from Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach.

“Everyone worked together and hard,” recalled engineer Luis José Aybar de los Santos.

For him, the experience was personal. La Cucarita is his hometown. He was educated in mission schools and the Diocese of Orlando helped him earn his degree at the University of Central Florida. He quickly moved back to the mountains to pay it forward, constructing aqueducts and homes in nearby towns such as Las Lajas, Los Frios, and La Cueva. And in La Cucarita, his family and friends helped do the same.

“It’s been a super great experience. I’ve met even more of my community. It’s expanded my relationship with them,” he said. “It was weird at first because I had to guide people I’ve known since I was born. It’s something totally new and different."

"I had to give orders to my dad on how to do things,” he continued with a laugh. “That’s not something I do every day.”

Aybar de los Santos’ father, Freddy, said it felt good to work with his son. “I am very proud of him. It is what we always wanted. We tried to help form (our children) so they could have the best opportunities and better themselves,” he said. “The water reaches everyone with such strength and pressure. People are experiencing a new reality.”

On Aug. 24 people drenched themselves in a big celebration — the inauguration of the new water system.

“The anticipation and excitement were beyond words. It was the most magnificent experience I’ve had so far,” Aybar de los Santos said. “We were all working so hard. We would leave at 7 a.m. and often get home in the dark. And now we have water in our community."

Raquel Cespedes, Orlando Diocese mission director, said it was wonderful to see their efforts come full circle.

“The villagers were proud of him and his accomplishments,” she said. “The community really came to accept the reality that Luis José is an engineer."

One resident, Ramón, said: "When I took my first shower, I got such a scare; I almost ran out of the bathroom."

Karina is Aybar de los Santos’ sister who worked only a few days on the project but noted its significant impact on daily life: "It makes me happy to have water coming to our homes."

“Now that we’re done building the aqueduct, we will pass it to the water committee,” Cespedes said, adding they will collect maintenance fees from villagers for future repairs.

“This was more than just completing a project; it was a testament to La Cucarita's strength and unity," Cespedes added.

Looking ahead she mentioned plans for three more aqueducts in mountain towns while supporting mission students both locally and abroad.

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