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Mitch and Debbie Martinez - Your Missionaries to the Dominican Republic
NEW FIELD ADDRESS: AGAPE SGO 12479, 100 Airport Avenue, Venice, FL 34285
Home Phone: 863-248-1119 |
Current projects needing teams & finances:
- Los Rieles Church needs the parsonage completed for $5,000. This is a good work project for a church team.
- Ranchito Church is outgrowing it’s storefront and needs land. $23,000.00
- Soto Church needs stucco help to repair quake damage from three years ago. $600.00
- Arenoso Church needs a new tin roof and trusses. $2,000.00 (good project for a work team).
- La Vega Christian School Needs a steel roof & columns for a multi-purpose building/covered basketball court estimated $40,000.00. 100 chairs for upstairs chapel $1,500.00. Maintenance bldg. needed.$8,000.00. Good for a work team.
- Latin Media Center 2nd story needs $1,750 for floor and $1,200 for drop ceiling. Electrical and plumbing (fixtures)$2,000.00.
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La Vega Christian School Marches!
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February 27th is Independence Day here in the Dominican Republic. In La Vega, it is the custom that every school participate in their big parade. So for about a month in preparation for this, our children at La Vega Christian School have spent hours practicing. Of our nearly 400 students, about 120 participated in the march. Debbie as the school director marched in the lead along with Lourdes Lopez, the academic director. A special banner was made showing the coat of arms of the Dominican Republic.This coat of arms appears on the Dominican flag.
This is the only flag in the world that shows the Bible. It is open to John 8:32, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”. |
Debbie Marches with her students |
This verse was chosen by Juan Pablo Duarte the first president of this republic.
We believe God has his hand on this nation and that as we pray for the DR, God will bless the Dominican people. |
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Seminario Biblico Vegano Happenings
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In 2002 we saw the opening of the Seminario Biblico Vegano in La Vega. This is a Bible Institute dedicated to training future pastors and church leaders. Currently 20 students are enrolled. Mitch is looking forward to graduating the first class this year. There are more than 6000 towns and villages here that have no church whatsoever (YWAM stats). |
We believe that we can make a difference by training these future church leaders. Many students make great sacrifices to attend classes two evenings a week. They believe in the importance of these studies, and so do we. Please remember to pray for them! Last week one of our students, Pastor Aracelys from the Railes church passed away due to stomach cancer. We will miss her! |
Worship was Aracely's heart |
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The Three Day Miracle Wall
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It was Friday morning, (March 16th) when I talked to Jim McDonald, founder and director of Meeting God In Missions or MGM. I mentioned our need for a back wall for our school to help secure the compound and also speed us on our accreditation requirements. What a great surprise to hear that his block masons would be |
free Monday if we needed their help. He had a team of 113 short term volunteers in La Vega. There was one important condition to meet. We had to have the footer dug and poured by Monday. We were talking the weekend. I had two days to get ready for them. Lord, how would this get done? The trench needed to be 485 feet |
long. Perhaps no problem if you have a backhoe, but everything here is done by hand. Friday evening had me recruiting about 12 laborers from the area. By Sunday evening the trench was poured and ready for the 15 man block crew. By Monday evening the MGM team had laid 1500 blocks. The Lord answered our prayers quickly! |
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Evangelistic Teams Impact La Vega
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Next came the visit of Pastor Phil Faraone and his worship team (Doug and Chris Wilson). In one remarkable service 21 young people came forward to commit their lives to Christ. Another special treat they brought was the Spanish version of the new hit Christian movie “Facing the Giants”. With ministry almost every night of their 8 day visit, there were many testimonies of God’s grace at work as Pastor Phil ministered.
It was exciting to assist the Evangel Temple Missions Team from Columbus, GA. Over 1,000 patients were treated in their medical outreach. Meanwhile, their construction team laid 2,000 block, poured bond beams, and formed trusses for 5 classrooms for a Bible Institute in Puerto Plata. What a hard working team!
We were also blessed with the ministry of Pastor Dana Craig from Pennsylvania, and later in March the visit of our good friend, Dr. Bob Bean from Fort Myers, Fl. |
Since the new year we have been blessed with the visit of various ministry teams to the Dominican Republic. Each one has made a special impact. Rev. Roy Porter and the Liberty Ministries Team of preachers from Greenville, South Carolina, jumpstarted our year by ministering in forty services within a ten day period. They bought food to hand out, and literature. Over 300 decisions for Christ were made during their visit. |
Rev. Dana Craig speaks at the International Church
Liberty Ministries Team
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Evangel Temple Medical Team
Evangel Temple Work Team |
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