Help Build a Hospital - Dominican Republic

In 2002, Ministries In Action was informed by one of its missionaries of a Dominican medical doctor, Silvia Martinez, who was struggling with a ministry through which she was offering free medical services to inner-city and rural communities in the Dominican Republic. Although she was receiving some financial assistance from the Dutch Reformed Church for her work in the rural communities, there was none available to build a clinic to meet the great need for medical care in the inner-city. Later that year, MIA assessed the need after meetings with Dr Martinez and her Board of Directors, and took the decision to recruit her into the organization as a medical missionary, and to support and extend her ministry by building a medical complex through Project Ebenezer (MIA’s social outreach ministry).

In 2003, MIA purchased a tract of land in Hato Nuevo for the sum of $9,500 provided by donors. In 2004, the first work team to that project broke ground for the Hato Nuevo Medical Complex. Since then, MIA has sent many more teams to the site, providing construction labor and building supplies for the complex, medicines and medical equipment for the on-going clinic, and clothing, food, sanitation facilities and water purification systems for the needy families in the Dominican “bateys” - communities where Haitian sugar cane workers and their extended families subsist.

Currently, Dr Martinez, her husband, Samuel, and a small staff work tirelessly to provide daily medical services to impoverished families at the small clinic in the depressed inner-city Dominican community of Los Angeles. Their work is both corrective and preventative. They also make semi-monthly trips to some of the bateys where they treat patients, dispense medicines and operate a feeding program specifically for malnourished children. Here, also, the bare necessities of life, when available, are distributed to families.

The slab roof of the Medical Complex was poured in November 2006.  As of March 14 this year, the electrical and plumbing on the ground floor have been installed and the concrete floor poured. Some of the plastering on the first floor ceiling is also done. The next stages are to install the plumbing and electrical on the second floor, complete the plastering of the rest of the walls and ceilings, and fit the windows and doors. Afterwards, work on the cooling system, painting, fittings and fixtures will begin.

When commissioned, the Complex will greatly improve and expand the medical services now being offered by Dr Martinez at the Los Angeles Clinic to patients and the thousands of low-income families who live and work within the environs of the project. It will also serve as a medical referral center for patients screened in the bateys through the limited but vital services of their regular medical caravan.

In Dr Martinez’s words, this Medical Complex will be “a source of hope for sick and hurting people.”

If you would like more information about assembling and leading a team to the DOminican Republic please click on the link below to request more information.

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