D Squad has been in the Dominican Republic for almost a month now! We are currently serving alongside an organization called Mission of Hope in the city of Santiago. This blog is copied from a friend who wrote about what ministry looks like here!
“The Dominican Republic (DR) is the last stop on our race and it has been so amazing here already. Like I said previously, we are serving alongside an organization called Mission of Hope (MOH) and the ministry here has been impactful. MOH started in Haiti about 30 years ago and has expanded into several different countries to serve Haitian communities fleeing the poverty and devastation of their own country. While in the DR, we serve both Dominican and Haitian people but partner with Haitian churches and translators. Our translators are the absolute best!
MOH is dedicated to reconciling relationships between Dominican and Haitian pastors and churches through what Jesus would do: Loving as they are found. Come as you are.
MOH partners and does all ministry through local pastors and churches instead of implanting into communities and running themselves. Every ministry opportunity and event is run through local churches so the needs of the community are meant effectively and also support the local church. MOH is only a resource for pastors and refuses to make any decision without guidance from trusted community partners. For example, if the need of a community is water filters, MOH will provide filters to the local churches in which the church will give them out to the people that need them the most. This is how all ministry should be. MOH uses data found by the local community leaders and helps develop sustainable solutions to long-term issues like hunger, water filtration, etc.
As short-term members of the MOH team, our role is to be the hands and feet of the ministry. Every week, our squad meets with local pastors and translators all around the Santiago area to do SMT. SMT is strategic ministry time – basically meeting different families in the community and building the start of long-term relationships with the local church. This looks like sharing the gospel, sharing a bunch of laughs and praying over each family. I have also seen the Lord work in so many ways. If you have any specific questions about what SMT is like I would love to explain this to you because this type of ministry is different and super impactful.
The rest of our ministry is based on what the needs found in SMT time are. If there is a common need that the pastor identifies, we discuss that with MOH staff in which they will work with their team to see how that need can be meant sustainably.
Another ministry project that we are a part of is building a container home. Yes, we are building a home out of a big shipping container and it’s awesome! That shipping container is for our friend Guirimo who lives with us at the base. Manual labor is a favorite ministry opportunity for D Squad ever since our time in Louisiana with Samaritan’s Purse disaster relief.”
<33 Morgan
MY BELOVED MOOSE. Thank you for sharing your heart behind the amazing things you are doing on the missions field. You are a very special girl and you are going to do big things. Hugs and kisses d-day
wow! really looks like the Lord is going to do great things there in the Dominican Republic. So proud of the work you are doing. You’ve grown so much
love, your friend.
Wow you’re an angel and inspiration. This is incredible. Love you and what you’re doing. Keep on making an impact on the world Moose