Dominican Republic: Laying a Foundation

Did You Know?

Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is home to the oldest cathedral, first university, and first hospital in the Americas, founded shortly after Columbus's arrival in 1492. Despite this rich history, many rural communities and “bateyes” — sugar cane worker settlements, home to many families of Haitian descent — still lack basic housing, with families often living in structures that offer little protection from storms or long-term stability.

Laying a Foundation

Paul described himself as “a wise builder” who laid a foundation for something greater than himself, reminding us that “no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:10–11). Your team will spend this mission trip doing exactly that kind of foundational work — helping build a simple, sturdy home for a family in a bateye community, alongside skilled local construction leaders. It's physical, sweaty, unglamorous work: mixing concrete, laying blocks, framing walls. But a family who has never had four solid walls of their own will remember your team's work far longer than a single week. Students who serve in the Dominican Republic come home changed — not because they solved generational poverty, but because they discovered what it means to build something that lasts, for someone who needed it built.

The Worldwide Faith in Action Difference

Cross-Cultural Ministry • Daily Devotions • Home Construction Partnership • Bateye Community Engagement • Dominican Culture & History • 1 Week of Hands-On Service