Mitch and Debbie are Visiting Supporters in the U.S.

Dear Friends and Supporters:

Twenty-four years ago we left the comforts of our home and church in South Carolina to become missionaries in the Dominican Republic.  We chartered a small 9 passenger plane from Fort Lauderdale, FL, that carried our family of seven (Debbie, myself and our five children) with all our belongings, to what would be our area of ministry, La Vega.  We thank every partnering church and individual that has helped to make this mission venture possible. 

Currently we are in the States visiting supporters to thank them and to let them know that our plans are to return for another 4-year term to this Caribbean island nation.  We will continue to need your prayers and financial support.   We thank those that have visited and labored with us in evangelism, children’s ministries, medical outreaches, youth ministry, and various construction projects. 

The purpose of our letter today is to share with you a short 2-minute video that highlights some of the major points of our missions work in the Dominican Republic.  This video can be used to present our ministry in a “missions moment”, or a missions event at the church.  It was filmed and edited by a visiting missions team called “Arms Around The World”.  The video did a thorough job focusing on our ministry and AATW has given permission for it's use. We hope you like it.  Our goal is to raise funds and return as soon as possible.  Presently we are functioning at 20% below our normal budget and are believing God for new supporters.

It is important for us to know if you would like us to visit your congregation and share some missions highlights.  We have a 9-month period (until July 2017) to set up our visits and are aware that churches often have busy schedules.  Please contact us at our email or numbers below if you would like us to come and share.  We appreciate your partnership and want to give you priority in our schedule.  Please contact us! 

Your Kingdom Representatives,

Mitch and Debbie Martinez 

email: dominicanmissions@hotmail.com 

web: www.DominicanMissions.org

   

Mitch’s cell:  803-904-0451

Debbie’s cell: 321-222-8801

Vonage phone: 863-248-1119

Mail:  100 Airport Avenue 

           Agape SGO 12479

           Venice, FL 34285

Bishop Ted Griner a long-time ministry partner has gone on ahead of us to his eternal rest in Heaven. He will be sorely missed.  I wanted to write a little about the impact he had in the Dominican Republic, through his ministry Helping Hands.   You may visit his facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ted.griner

Bishop Ted Griner told me that the Lord had spoken to him about helping us in the Dominican Republic.  The first time he came with a TMCI missions team, God blessed him as he spoke at different churches.  The people’s response to his messages were amazing.  Many were affected strongly by the power of the Spirit of God.  I believe his stepping out in faith to minister in this poor 

The Barranca Church Miracle

The First Sunday Meeting in the Barranca Church

It's a story about doors closing in one area and doors opening in another.  It's a story of ministers trusting with confidence in God's sovereign care.  It's a story of God working behind the scenes to pull various elements together to care for His children.

Two years ago church workers were withdrawn from a church plant in the town of Barranca. Circumstances were such that the work could not be continued.  Much energy and resources were expended in an effort to reach this community.  However it resulted in an almost new church building being left empty.  The mission began to make an effort to sell the property so the funds could go elsewhere to support other projects.  They were asking $850,000.00 DR ( $18,750.00 US), for a property possibly worth twice as much.  This sanctuary could hold 100-130 people.

Unknown to them 6 months ago Pastor Francisco Romero had begun to look around for a place where his people could meet in Barranca.  Most of his congregation commuted from Barranca to his church in Las Yayas. The church building in Las Yayas had been lent to him and his Haitian congregation for 8 years.

Someone alerted him about the abandoned church building three months ago.  He told me about it and insisted I look at the facility.  The building looked solid and certainly worth more than what was

Debbie and Pastor Francisco inside the new building

being asked.  Later, I talked to the missionary  representing this property.  I had very few personal funds for this.  I really wasn't sure if this purchase could be made.  I told the owner that I would talk to him by the end of the next week to tell him how the finances were going, if he would hold it for Pastor Francisco.   The sellers were excited that another church might be purchasing it.  As a missionary, I know how important it is to the donors that their gifts be used for their designated purpose.  Some one had helped with the funds for this building, it would be hard to tell them the building was no longer being used as a church.

That very same week the representative from the other church building in Las Yayas met with me. He felt that their news would be presented better to Pastor Francisco if I should tell him.   He felt Pastor Francisco had a high respect for me.  He asked me to speak to Pastor Francisco to let him know that they were requiring him to turn in the keys to the Las Yayas church by this June.  They had

The Fervent Effective Prayers of Haitian Pastors

Two students with their teacher, excited to receive an education!

I entered the classroom and Pastor P. was on his knees in the corner calling out to God in fervent prayer.  He didn't  know I had entered, and didn't stop.  Why do I mention this, because I believe that the help the Haitian pastors are receiving is directly related to the prayers they are making. Pastor P. told me without prayer he could not live.  The truth is, most of these pastors earn less than $200.00 US a month, even if they have some outside support.  Yet Pastor P. pays for a tiny
house that accommodates his family, and also rents a rough building that will accommodate his congregation of 60 people. Needless to say, he and his wife are very thin.

Pastor F is ready to move to a new area where he has seen much fruit.  The majority of his current congregation is already living in this area.  He and his congregation have been praying for a miracle to purchase an abandoned church building.  Within two weeks of learning of this opportunity 60% of the funds needed for the purchase have been provided. These needs seem to have caught the attention of their caring Father in heaven.

Pastor A, almost in tears, told me about how he and his congregation would have to leave the church and the school building they were using.  Their school program had already been moved out, and

The Fire in Barranca

Dear Friends:

I felt compelled to write. This is part of the story of my life, from last week. Some things just happen, and they change us. Thanks for reading. There are photos on my facebook page.

love,  Debbie

Feb. 2, 2015 Barranca

I am visiting a community called Barranca where nine homes burned. Is is hard to imagine living in such a tiny room.   Yolanda lost her home, but I found her on a borrowed bed, with her pots and pans all over the floor, clothes soaking in soap in a black plastic basin, her dishes in a similar one. Clothes were hanging on nails around the walls, there was a clothesline with baby girl clothes. She told me she had recently had a baby. Where was she? In the hospital still, in an incubator, because she only weighed two and a half pounds at birth. She took public transportation into La Vega every day, which is about 30 minutes from Barranca, to breastfeed the baby.

I had brought 3 bags of clothes, a blanket, sheets, towels, washcloths, little shampoos and soaps. I was happy to leave it all with Yolanda, for her other 5 children, ranging in age from 2 to 16, and her dad, a pastor. But before we left, they asked Pastor Alex from the Rails church, who had led me here, to distribute the donations to the community, so that they wouldn’t be blamed for taking too much. That was after we prayed with them all and preached to them, thanking God for sparing their lives from the midnight holocaust. Surely God has a purpose in all this?

I posted a photo that night of the fire’s damage. I didn’t sleep very well. Then I remembered we had some clothes left over from the garage sale at school. I would find that in the morning…

Next day my dear friend Irene Serrano called. She is a missionary in San Francisco de Macoris, about 45 minutes from us. She had shoes, and clothes, and new socks and panties for little girls, and could she come today? Yes! It was Thursday the 29^th, the day Liberty Ministries went home. At breakfast I showed them the photos I had taken the day before. (They had been out souvenir shopping with Mitch all day.) Their hearts went out to the fire victims and right away Jeanette Porter gave me the money to buy every family a bed, and the group took up another offering. On the way there I asked Nicolas from school to go to the bed factory and negotiate a price for 9 beds. He got back to me on time. We prayed for all the families involved, then went to see the new university ministry location and prayed there. I said good-bye to those precious 9 ladies, and set off for school. Even though it was past noon, the factory hadn’t closed for lunch, so I put in my order for the beds. They promised to have them made by Saturday.

Around 2:30 Irene and Sam came over, and after we caught up with our lives, we started sorting clothes. I had a list Alex and Charley made, so we had a bag for each boy and girl, and the women. We decided to just sort out the men’s clothing when we got there, and fit the children for the shoes. They had some groceries, so we quickly arranged them into two separate bags, and Irene bagged the rice on the way to the Rails to pick up Alex. We stopped for some viveres, and decided on plantanos to take to the families. The man at the roadside stand was happy to sell all he had.  When he said 120 we quickly rounded up the money, but we were wrong; there were 120 plantains, at 5.5 pesos each, added up to $660 RD, or $15 US. At the end of the day, Pastor Alex got a bag of rice and the yuca that Irene and Sam had brought. He has to eat, too.

We gave a bag of groceries to Yolanda for her big family, and to a pregnant mom with 2 small children. Irene got right to work with her first aid kit, bandaging up burns, infectious sores, handing out pain medication, laughing and talking and even singing in Creole. That is after she made a video with her husband filming. What a pair of missionaries! I love how we could all work together: the Haitian pastor, the teacher at his school, the Serranos, me, the clothes who

Too Busy

When paperwork begins to pile up in unobtrusive corners of your house, then you know your pace of life needs some adjusting.
When filing of taxes, and monthly or quarterly reports are barely being kept up with, then you know that your rubber band is being stretched to it's limit.
When from morning to dusk the phone and visitors have managed to take up any time you had wanted to set aside to draw close to the Lord, and you begin to feel that you are losing ground spiritually, take it as a warning sign.
When ministries are beginning to lose their spark, and motivation is getting harder to generate, there is a good chance that you are pushing to the outer limits of your effectiveness.
When relaxing in an easy chair is way too comfortable, and suddenly you awake with a start, you know you are beginning to tire.
When you haven't updated your blog for months, that's just another detail that has fallen between the cracks.
What can you do?
Seek time with the Lord, seek time in His word, don't miss out on church services where a positive word can minister to you.  Humble yourself and ask for forgiveness and strength. Forgiveness, because you are relying on your strength and abilities to get everything done and not on Him. You will either fail or things won't be done the way they should be.  Later the weaknesses will appear.

Start with a minute, then two, then five, in prayer or in the Word.  Work your way back again to a place of strength and comfort in the Lord.  Remember you are His child.  He'll work with you.

Jesus said "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me...For apart from me you can do nothing"(John 15:4-5, NLT).

Two churches have been built and finished during this time.

The Rose of Sharon Project is finished.

A covered multi-purpose gym has also been completed.

Our first graduation at La Vega Christian School under the new roof in June!

 The Bible Institute is nearing the end of it's 2nd year at the school with 15 students on the rolls. Many short-term ministry teams from the U.S. have been hosted this summer, they have made a wonderful impact on communities and churches.

Effective evangelistic conferences have been held.  A Christian magazine continues its month by month existence, though perhaps every two to three months now. Visit Revista Bendiciones at this link!

A third new church is being planted.

We are working with two different Haitian school programs.

And yes, I am working my way back to the true vine, where sustenance and strength reside.  His name is Jesus.

Celebrating the Dedication of the Ranchito Church Santuary

What a blessing to participate in the dedication service of the Iglesia Cristiana de la Comunidad de Ranchito.  The children's choir welcomed the 350+ members and guests that afternoon.  It was the culmination of many years of hard work and partnership for this congregation.

It was maybe 9 or ten years ago that Pastor Joselo Toribio had first invited me to minister in his church in Ranchito.  I was blessed by this congregation meeting under the tiny carport.  There were about 25 adults and children crowded under the roof and they were excited about their faith!  It reminded me of the "first love" enthusiasm of new Christians.  These humble folk, mostly rice