By Shenalyn PagePosted May 12, 2025
A team of 150 volunteers from Amazing Facts International and the Granite Bay Church traveled to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from April 6–13, 2025, to provide free medical and dental services, assist with church construction, conduct children’s outreach, and train local church leaders in evangelism.
The weeklong trip ended on a high note when God turned a nationwide tragedy into an opportunity to share the gospel in a big way.
“Jesus ministered to every aspect of a person’s needs,” said Pastor Doug Batchelor, president of Amazing Facts. “He preached the gospel and healed the sick. We tried to follow His example and do a little bit of everything in the Dominican Republic so that we could reach as many people as possible while we were there.”
Ministering Like Jesus
During the week, the medical and dental teams served over 1,000 individuals, offering free care at the Invivienda Sports Complex. One little girl had been born with an extra finger protruding from the side of each hand. Orthopedic surgeon Todd Christiansen removed the extra fingers and gave her a chance at a normal life. His wife, Debbie, shares, “It is moments like this that make the mission so worthwhile!”
An organization called “Chair the Love” brought 50 donated wheelchairs to give to people who could never afford one. One of the recipients was an impoverished elderly woman who suffered constant pain from a broken leg that had healed improperly. Her radiant smile of gratitude touched the hearts of the missionaries. “What a joy it was to see the lit-up faces of this group of disabled individuals,” says Debbie. “But you can’t even imagine how my face lit up when I saw that darling woman sitting in her brand-new wheelchair and her beaming face!”
The construction team partnered with Maranatha Volunteers International to help construct a new church building in Santo Domingo and paint a nearby church that was in disrepair.
The children’s ministry team conducted a vacation Bible school for about 300 children in a local school. They also visited an orphanage in Bonao and a poverty-stricken family. The team donated clothing, shoes, toys, and school supplies to bless the children.
Amazing Facts leadership also conducted a two-day evangelism training seminar for 350 pastors and 250 local church leaders. These leaders received practical tools and biblical resources to use in their ministry.
Tragedy Turns Into an Opportunity for the Gospel
The week the mission team arrived in the Dominican Republic, a concrete roof collapsed on a nightclub in Santo Domingo, killing over 230 people. The disaster shocked the island nation, and Luis Abinader, president of the Dominican Republic, proclaimed six days of mourning.
All public gatherings—including the large Sabbath convocation Amazing Facts was planning to host—were canceled during mourning.
“We could sense the devil fighting to keep us from sharing the hope of Jesus,” says Pastor Doug. “Some of the local church leadership contacted President Abinader and explained that our previously scheduled event would turn into a day of prayer for the whole country. He loved that idea and gave us permission to proceed.”
What had been planned as a “day of brotherhood” for Dominican Sabbath-keepers became a community-wide day of prayer and healing for the grieving nation. The response was overwhelming.
“Over 10,000 people came because they heard it was a day of prayer for the country,” Pastor Doug explains. “They stayed all day! Even the mayor attended. People were very grateful and thanked Amazing Facts for coming.” The event took place in an outdoor pavilion and included biblical teaching, prayer, and even a baptism ceremony held in pools just 18 inches deep.
“Truly, the Lord turned what the devil meant for harm into a great blessing!” shares Pastor Doug.
Thank you for your faithful support of Amazing Facts and your compassionate prayers, which opened the doors for the ministry to reach the beautiful people of the Dominican Republic for Jesus when the mourning nation needed it most.