Adventist Pastors in the Dominican Republic Volunteer to Build a Church

Seventh-day Adventist pastors from the southeastern part of the Dominican Republic recently left their local congregations for a week to take part in a special mission trip in the Pilancón municipality in Bayaguana, in the Monte Plata province. The goal was to build a church under the guidance of Maranatha Volunteers International (MVI).

Gabriel Paulino, president of the Adventist Church’s Southeast Dominican Conference, said it was a great work opportunity to gather 35 local church pastors, which represented half of the pastoral team in the conference, to erect the walls of the much-needed place of worship.

“This is a first-of-its-kind initiative involving our pastors, and we thank Maranatha leaders for all the support they have given us in the construction of churches here in our region,”  Paulino said. “Our interest was for our pastors to have the experience of working as a team, as Maranatha volunteers, so they experience the joy and satisfaction of building with their own hands a house of worship to God,” he added. “It was about involving our pastors to learn to value the faithfulness of our members as they return their tithes and offerings so the work of God can prosper and we as ministers can afford to support our families.”

Involving All Local Pastors

The initiative is part of a plan involving all 71 local pastors in the Southeast Dominican Conference to participate in mission trips for building. The other 36 church pastors will take part in the building of a new church in El Guanito community during a week in August.

The new church measures 50 by 22 feet (15 by 7 meters) and includes space for 100 worshipers, a baptistry, a lobby, two bathrooms, a children’s room, and a pastor’s office, Paulino said. Maranatha ensures that each church is built with concrete block walls, an aluminum roof with solar panels and sound insulation, windows, shutters, doors, and fans, and also builds a water well that will be used to benefit the community.

“Maranatha International has done so much for our country and the world, as well as the financial support from the Inter-American Division and the Dominican Union with numerous projects not only here but throughout the island,” Paulino said.

Setting an Example

Maranatha’s executive vice president Kenneth Weiss said this was the first time that a conference has involved its pastors as volunteers for MVI in two construction projects in the same year. “That is something that we celebrate, and it also motivates other fields around the world to follow the same example,” he said. “The Dominican Republic is a very special place for us [in Maranatha] for the beautiful memories of the past and the great growth the Adventist Church has seen on the island,” Weiss said.

Kyle Fiess, vice president for volunteer services for MVI, said that “this new stage with the return of Maranatha Volunteers International in the Dominican Republic since the middle of 2022, collaboration between the international organization and the Southeast Dominican Conference, has been a source of inspiration,” he said. MVI is currently leading a project with the conference to build 40 churches and a large primary and secondary school, which began in 2022 should be completed by 2025.

Hundreds of volunteers from around the world have collaborated in many communities across the conference, not only bringing materials and tools but also hearts full of love and dedication, Fiess explained. “Many of these volunteers also get involved in community impact such as free medical services, Vacation Bible School for children, distribution of food, public evangelism campaigns, and more.”

An Extraordinary Experience

For the entire week of June 8 to 15, pastors slept on inflatable mattresses at members’ homes nearby, took turns cooking for the group, and worked in the construction project. They also worshipped together.

“This has been an extraordinary experience working together with fellow pastors,” said Enmanuel Alberti, who leads several congregations in the Southeast Dominican Conference. “We’ve enjoyed building, eating, worshipping, dipping in the river at the end of the day, and sharing our experience every night. This has really changed my life.”

William Morillo, who leads five congregations, said he felt excited to build a new church. “I have never laid cement blocks before, and I feel very happy and excited to take part in this wonderful work that will be a great blessing for the community,” he said.

It’s not only been about working in the construction work together, Juan Blanco, another pastor, said. It involved praying together, spending devotional time together, praying for the community, and visiting the community and delivering goods as well.

“As pastors we are used to being behind the pulpit, doing home visitations, hospital visits, and other responsibilities; but here we have been working, dealing with weather, the mosquitos, but it’s been so joyous to prepare mortar, to work together even though we might only learn the results of this in heaven,” Gregorio Morillo said. “I am so happy to have been able to work with my hands, with my heart, so people can find refuge in this new church.”

Pastors distributed baskets of food through the local Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) office during the week, gave away copies of the book The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White, and invited them to visit the newly built church.

At the end on the week, the group of pastors celebrated during the Saturday (Sabbath) worship service on June 15, with the 15 new members and guests who will continue to impact the community with the gospel.

Leaders said the new church will be a blessing in the Pilancón community, which has approximately 1,500 inhabitants.

Dominican Union Conference president Teófilo Silvestre congratulated leaders of the Southeast Dominican Conference and MVI leaders for their ongoing support throughout the years. “Your support has contributed to the growth of the church in the Dominican Republic,” he said.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.