Dominican Republic Mission Trip ~ 2025 Trip Summary with Pictures
This past week I had the privilege to take a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. My primary purpose for the week was to train the orphanage employees at Fundacion Red de Misericordia, the Mercy Network Foundation. Started by Senora Olga Arocha, in its fourteenth year, the foundation has a capacity of 300 children. In addition to serving at the orphanage, I also had the privilege to speak in a parenting conference at a local church on the weekend and speak a couple of times on Sunday at Gracia Iglesia Bautista. To top off all this ministry, I had the joy of spending one day with missionary Keith Melugin, where I learned more about his very special ministry to those trapped in the sex trade market. What a great joy to spend the 8 days together serving Christ, the children, and our dear brothers and sisters in the Dominican Republic.
A Natural Fit
Unique to this orphanage is their commitment to biblical counseling and the sanctification process as part of the core way they serve the children. The principles of biblical counseling are grafted into the DNA of this organization. From daily training to discipline, the Foundation teaches a robust view of sanctification. As you see directly below, they use a Spanish version of David Powlison’s Three Tree Model for understanding sanctification. Throughout the orphanage, nice posters remind the children and workers of his sanctification model as well as Ken Sande’s diagrams from Peacemaker. Powlison’s model is the same model for understanding sanctification that has been taught at Mission University as the signature course in the Master of Arts Biblical Counseling degree since its inception. The model itself helps individuals personally, as well as in this setting, helping the caretakers of the children to better help the children grow in the Lord. Although we were not able to bring additional Sonrise members and Mission University students with us this year, the relationship between both and the Foundation is a long-established one. We took the first group to the Foundation in February of 2020.
Video Summary of the Week
Throughout the week, I had the privilege to teach the staff and caregivers. My time with them focused on key elements of the Gospel, sanctification, the Bible, and counseling skill. Knowing very little Spanish, I was served well by a local pastor who translated for me. In addition to teaching each day, I was able to visit the smallest of the children in the nursery, spend time on the fields with the older ones, and spend time with the administration team.
Last year we arrived one week after the grand opening of the newest ministry at the Foundation, Vision of Hope. In this residential facility, they serve young girls (primarily teenagers from 13-18) who have become pregnant through incest. They take care of the young mother during pregnancy, and then, her and her baby after the birth. This facility teaches the gospel as well as occupational skills, vocational skills, and how to care for a baby and home. What a joy it was this year to meet the first young ladies with their sweet little ones.
We also received an incredible report from their pregnancy care center ministry VIDA, which served over 300 pregnant teenagers in the past year. You can learn more about VIDA at this link. Click HERE if the video does not play.
Serving for Christ
In sum, what an incredible week! I served and was served. These brothers and sisters sacrificially serve those who can’t do anything for them in return. We were challenged by the incredible sacrifice of those who serve the children in the orphanage every day. We recognize how the love of Christ, love of His Word, and love of others motivate them.
Have you ever considered how much work and resources it takes to serve this many children each day, twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week?
These people live out what Jesus’ half brother James calls pure religion.
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (James 1:26-27)
You Can Help
As I said in the video, it takes incredible work and resources to serve these children, to the tune of millions of dollars annually. If you have any desire to learn more and serve these children, feel free to check out the Foundation’s website. You may have a burden to give a one-time gift, choose to support the ministry monthly, or a gift of your choosing. Sonrise has a special fund set up for support to the Foundation. If you desire to give, we would be happy to pass all donations, alongside our own support, to the foundation. You can donate here.
Pictures
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