Service and Learning Teams in the Dominican Republic

Testimonies, photos, opportunities, and more...

The Christian Reformed Church(CRC) of North America is assisting the CRC of the Dominican Republic in filling the need for adequate structures for ministry: church and school buildings, houses, ministry centers, etc. The main resource is Service and Learning Teams, sent by churches in North America. How does it come about? What is the effect? Read on to find out...

People end up asking themselves, “What is my original goal in life?” Students completely change their course of study and prepare for the ministry. Others realize that they can do much more good in their own communities. Church members, fighting among themselves, resolve to work together for the good of the church, for the good of God’s kingdom.

A magic pill for spiritual growth? A seminar with dynamic speakers that compels people to change? A new church that people are flocking to?

Nope.

All the result of Service and Learning teams.

For 12 years now, Max and Kina Van Til, missionaries with Christian Reformed World Missions, have been leading teams in the Dominican Republic. And they have seen people changed.

“My ministry is as much to people from North America as it is to the Dominicans,” said Max. “Maybe more.”

Though Max builds buildings, he sees that only as a means to an end. “Construction is a means, not the goal, for the Lord to work in people’s lives.”

What Max sees when a North American team comes to the DR to work is a new appreciation for other cultures. He sees people shocked into the reality that the world is bigger than the U.S. and Canada. He sees people share the joy of a Dominican church service, of true peace despite poverty. He sees people realize—perhaps for the first time—that love of the Lord is what counts. Not money, goods, and acquistion. “It’s the Lord drawing people together. He doesn’t care about color or status. Just people. I am witness to changed lives. I get to participate in it, am allowed to look at it. That,” says Max, “is exciting for me.”

Max and Kina Van Til, from Ontario, oversaw the Service and Learning Team Program with Christian Reformed World Ministries in the Dominican Republic. In 1991, Max went to the Dominican Republic with a team from the Stratford CRC. It changed his life. He came back and told Kina that he found what he was looking for. Kina wasn’t so sure. In 1993, Kina went to the DR with a team. She too was changed forever.

“We knew it was the Lord telling us to make this decision,” recalled Max. “We had this nice security blanket to fall back on. But God wanted all, or not at all. We decided within two weeks to go into missions.” The Van Tils sold their shares in their business and in September 1993, left for the DR.

“I hear arguments against work teams.” Max’s voice is kind, even when he’s passionate about the subject matter. “Money spent is usually the first argument people have against work teams, rather than benefits received. Remember,” says Max, “the giver gets much more than the receiver.

What about all the jobs the North Americans take away from the Dominicans? The money gets injected into the Dominican economy, including local workers that are hired. Also, Max points out that “If you try to raise that same money just to give to people in the DR, people aren’t going to do car washes, pig roasts and so forth to raise it.” Max says they raise it because they’re excited about the cause; willing to do all the work do get the money. “It’s not taking money and jobs away from the Dominicans; it’s adding to the economy and the worth of the church.” Local labor and materials are used in all projects as well.

According to Max and Kina, one of the greatest benefits of work teams is the example of servant leadership. “In the DR, hot, sweaty work is looked down on. Most people would be reluctant to do it. So when they see a team of white people coming to help local Domincans build something in the hot, Caribbean sun, they see it as a real act of love. It’s a testimony.” Jenette Groenewegen of Hamilton, Ontario, has gone to the DR twice with work teams.

“I saw how the teams worked hard to raise $20,000 in Canada to cover our costs. I saw how we worked hard and generated excitement in the church. And when you go there, you really depend on each other and grow spiritually because it’s hard.”

Jenette said her first trip there was such a life-changing experience, she organized the second one. Those two teams helped build a church school, a church, a pastor’s house and a medical clinic. Even after all the blisters, Groenewegen says she’d go back “in a flash.”

Mike Troyer of Highland CRC, near McBain, Michigan, is another “graduate” of WorkTeam 101. “Why just send money down there?” asks Mike. “By doing that, you miss the contact with the people, the opportunity to share the love of God and to see how the Dominicans worship and love the Lord.” Mike has gone to the DR several times in a variety of capacities. He says he always comes back blessed. “I see throwing money at things as a big error. I think we need to get even more involved! If we just sent money, where would the blessing be? The people would miss seeing the love of the Lord in our hearts, and we would miss it in them too.”

“When I see changed lives—Dominican or North American—that’s the best. It’s like the Lord is drawing people together. He doesn’t care about color, riches or race. He just cares about people.”

A lot of blessing; all the result of service and learning teams.

Van Tils (2005)

The Christian Reformed Church in El Puerto, Dominican Republic gets a shot in the arm: a team from the St. Joseph Christian Reformed Church in Michigan has come to the D.R. to assist the local congregation with in constructing a small church building. Here is the worksite with half the block up.

This project was carried out in 2001 through the partnership between the Christian Reformed Church in the Dominican Republic and Christian Reformed World Missions: the local congregation purchased the lot, the CRC-DR channeled the request for assistence to CRWM, who arranged the work team. Local church members participated in the entire project.

The team's part concluded with the building roofed and closed in with a finished cement floor. The local church received the donation and took over from there.

The chapel serves as the meeting place for the church community in this small rural town.

The "El Puerto" Christian Reformed Church, in June 2006: the local congregation is doing well. The pastor, Lesima Alexis, has continued a faithful ministry there. The local congregation has finished the facade and painted; the building and lot are well maintained. This is a good example of the success of this program: since there was local initiative and participation, the project was "owned" by the local congregation, it is not just a "hand-out", and therefore is sustainable over a long term.

For North American, Dominican and Haitian, young and old, skilled laborer or unskilled, the experience leaves an impact on lives that the Lord can use for blessing many times over.

It's infectious! St. Joseph CRC has sent teams to the D.R. every other year since 1999. They can't keep away! Several members always come back, and there are always a few new members.

In 2005, the team assisted in the construction of a church building in Higuey.

Don't miss out on an opportunity to serve the Lord in this way:

Contact our missionaries on the field: our new Service & Learning Coordinator is , Duane Postma or Stephen & Sandra Brauning (Church construction consultant)

The needs continue to be great, for church and school buildings and for adequate housing for church leaders.

"Blessed is he who is kind to the needy..." Proverbs 14:21

"Whoever is kind to the needy honors God." Prov. 14:31

Click here for the Service and Learning Team Pre-field information packet