In 2004, construction began on a training center for the CRC pastors on the north coast but like most projects in the Dominican, it ran out of funds before completion. The 1st floor of the building was completed and rented out to a local doctor who has chosen to help the poor in the Puerto Plata region while the 2nd floor remained unfinished.
Pastor training has been an important part of our mission work….after all, equipping the pastors to preach the Word is first and foremost to spreading the gospel. Almost all of the resources available for pastors are located in the Santo Domingo area (about 4 1/2 hours south) so finishing this training center is like a dream come true for them.
Fast forward to June 2008. Arnie & Betty Wildschut were on their 4th
visit to this beautiful 
country visiting and helping with the Samaritan Foundation, when one night during our conversation the big question arose. “Have you ever considered leading a mission team, because I have a project in mind for you?” Being open to the idea, John showed them the unfinished ministry center and explained the great need for it to be completed. After 3 months of prayerful searching, they gave the green light, and then approached their church council for approval ….and the months of planning; canvassing for volunteers and raising the funds to cover the costs of this project began.
October 2009
With their bags packed, an eager team of 10 from Sarnia Living Hope CRC arrived in Puerto Plata along with their mountains of luggage containing supplies and ministry donations. As it says in the book of James, building God’s kingdom here on earth not only consists of bricks and mortar but ministering to the people too…. putting your faith into action!
Local tradespersons who claimed to be maestros were employed to assist the team in construction with Edmund, a local Haitian pastor as their interpreter. The difficult part was doing the construction their way, and not with our North American mentality of speed and long hours. 
The building is small in size so no more than the 5 construction workers and 5 volunteers could work at the same time, therefore the women took on another project painting furniture and windows in villa Paraiso instead.
Each afternoon was spent reaching out to the community with different ministry projects…..a children’s juice ministry, a visit to the public hospital, visiting and assisting at Mustard Seed, an orphanage for physically and mentally handicapped children,
distributing 200 bags of food to the entire village of Emmanuel, attending a Haitian worship service, 
and the highlight of their week was moving a widow and her 4 children from Puerto Plata into her new home in Paraiso.
Pastor training has been an important part of our mission work….after all, equipping the pastors to preach the Word is first and foremost to spreading the gospel. Almost all of the resources available for pastors are located in the Santo Domingo area (about 4 1/2 hours south) so finishing this training center is like a dream come true for them.Fast forward to June 2008. Arnie & Betty Wildschut were on their 4th
visit to this beautiful 
country visiting and helping with the Samaritan Foundation, when one night during our conversation the big question arose. “Have you ever considered leading a mission team, because I have a project in mind for you?” Being open to the idea, John showed them the unfinished ministry center and explained the great need for it to be completed. After 3 months of prayerful searching, they gave the green light, and then approached their church council for approval ….and the months of planning; canvassing for volunteers and raising the funds to cover the costs of this project began.October 2009
With their bags packed, an eager team of 10 from Sarnia Living Hope CRC arrived in Puerto Plata along with their mountains of luggage containing supplies and ministry donations. As it says in the book of James, building God’s kingdom here on earth not only consists of bricks and mortar but ministering to the people too…. putting your faith into action! Local tradespersons who claimed to be maestros were employed to assist the team in construction with Edmund, a local Haitian pastor as their interpreter. The difficult part was doing the construction their way, and not with our North American mentality of speed and long hours. The building is small in size so no more than the 5 construction workers and 5 volunteers could work at the same time, therefore the women took on another project painting furniture and windows in villa Paraiso instead.Each afternoon was spent reaching out to the community with different ministry projects…..a children’s juice ministry, a visit to the public hospital, visiting and assisting at Mustard Seed, an orphanage for physically and mentally handicapped children,
distributing 200 bags of food to the entire village of Emmanuel, attending a Haitian worship service, and the highlight of their week was moving a widow and her 4 children from Puerto Plata into her new home in Paraiso.
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