Greetings from the DR-

Since Sunday, our Dominican Republic construction team has been hard at work with the people of Batey Siete. Our efforts are aimed at supporting the medical mission teams who come to offer healing and hope to this community. 

On Sunday, we worshipped with Pastor Pedro’s congregation in Barahona and enjoyed a meal together with him. Afterwards, we travelled down the Southern coast to see the beautiful beaches and mountains here. 

Monday morning our work began at the clinic. We started by scraping and prepping an abandoned building for paint. John Washington, Chip Bates, and Dale McGhin worked hard to restore and repair the walls. The fresh coat of paint has transformed a once uninhabitable space into one that can be used for housing for interns and a pharmacy when our teams are at the clinic.

Our roof team directed by Roger Doty and Chris Lacienski worked to clean and seal two roofs at the clinic that were leaking badly. 

Dan Hagan helped lay block with a team of Dominican workers which will soon become a house for Marco, the groundskeeper at the clinic. Dan also cut in and painted doors in the building.

Doug Chassereau is a diesel doctor and has managed to bring two generators back to life. These will help supply power to our clinic and water filtration systems. 

Inside of the clinic Mallory Granitz and our missionary, John Bearden, repaired and replaced failing electrical outlets and switches, and converted all the lighting to LED. 

All the work that has been accomplished has come with a wonderful willing spirit and camaraderie that has been a blessing to us all. I am extremely proud of this team, the work we have accomplished, and the work we will accomplish in the next two days here in Batey Siete. God has truly blessed us and empowered us to be servants to this community, our medical teams, and each other. 

God bless,
Jonathan Smith
For Jesus. For People. For Community.