Pastor Abel – Project Started Sept. 11, 2018

On Sept. 11, 2018 Tim took me to a site of an existing church in a location down by the Prison in a very depressed area where real life exists and survival is the name of the game.

When we got out of vehicle and entered the building I was not expecting what I saw.

Sitting quietly at their table were about 20 niños (children) in little uniforms.
In another area was about 15 more niños sitting quietly.
Pastor Abel was not there this day and I met his wife Elizabeth. We looked around.

They live in a small area attached to the church. This is the kitchen where she fixes snacks and lunches for the children each day.
Besides it being a church they operate what I would call a day care. What they do in this area of the city is offer a place for the children to be schooled that are too little for public school  (which is just down the street). They furnish them uniforms and a meal and school supplies
They also offer these supplies to the children in public school who are unable to purchase them.
On each Saturday Morning they do a children’s program open to area children where they receive Biblical teaching. When we have teams from the States at CASA we take them to do an outreach on Saturday.

Pastor Abel leading children into Saturday meeting.
After several meetings with Pastor and Elizabeth to hear their hearts and vision for the ministry we believed God was leading us to trust in HIM to provide the funds to move forward.
The construction Vision was to remove the existing roof structure and raise the walls up six feet and put a second story on which would be the church. The bottom area would be for school. The Chapel is located in a flood plain area, having the second floor allows for an disaster relief area as a safe haven.
Pastor Abel seen here with help removed the roof and raised the wall.

July 9, 2019 he had to put the roof back on for school to start.
Work had to be done to in other areas of the site to complete the structure for the Second level.
Columns had to be installed inside their kitchen and other areas in rear.
Roof reinstalled
Columns installed for the Staircase Nov 2019
making ready for stairs
Stair case foundation poured Nov 14, 2019

Back in doing outreach with teams and the roof is on.

Last team on March 7, 2020 just before Dominican Republic Pandemic shut down
It is now July 2020 things are still shut down. The next step is to form up and pour concrete for second floor.  Install block walls and new roof and work to complete second floor Vision
In Dec 2019 this is the roof of their house which was leaking badly
God blessed with a gift and new roof was installed just before Christmas
We were very impressed  and drawn to this couple for the passion and love they shared with the children. Their vision also included since they are so close to the prison that when a baby was born to an inmate the baby would be separated from the mother at a given time.
The system or other process would maintain the child till mother released within a time frame. Beyond that other measures would take place outside of the mother’s say.
Abel and Elizabeth want to have a ministry in place that would take the baby in to care for and do regular visits to prison. This would allow time to establish a stable environment for mother and child.
We stay in close contact with them to encourage them on this journey and help as much as GOD provides.
Now we wait on GOD to provide funds to move forward.
Sweet Special couple

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