Five Days in the Dominican Republic Changes Everything

By Ruth Schenk

No one could predict what would happen in the next five days as a dozen men from Men’s Ministry at Southeast headed to the Dominican Republic.

They had no idea what to expect, except they would do whatever Southeast’s partner—GO Ministries International—asked them to do.

Nothing in the itinerary shouted “epic.” But as they went to some crazy places and bonded with Dominican men, much changed.

One afternoon, the team visited the Hole, a community built on a garbage dump where GO Ministries planted a church. They spent time with homeless Dominicans in a space that became a bar and brothel at dark. They served at a medical clinic, shoveled 13 truckloads of dirt into wheelbarrows, worked with concrete, and shared the Gospel in a cock-fighting venue.

Ties between Dominicans and the team grew stronger every day.

On an unforgettable night, more than 50 Dominican men locked arms with the team around a campfire to worship and pray.

It was difficult to leave new friends, but when wheels went up in the Dominican Republic, there was no doubt lives were forever changed.