Transforming The Dominican Republic

Over the last five years, the Strategy of Transformation in the Dominican Republic has offered theological and spiritual formation for about 1,500 leaders, played a role in helping a group of prostitutes start a jewelry-making business, and translated several book chapters and articles from English into Spanish to be used by such organizations as Christian schools.

The Strategy of Transformation has also accepted, trained and placed several interns into ministry settings; mentored innumerable church leaders in one-on-one meetings, and worked closely with some 75 people who are now actively engaged in the organization’s ministry.

The Strategy of Transformation is linked with Christian Reformed World Missions and the Center for Transforming Missions, a strategic alliance initiated by Joel Van Dyke, a CRWM missionary in Guatemala City.

“We have many reasons to give thanks to the Lord because he has been faithful to us as we strive to serve him by proclaiming and teaching the good news to the poor and oppressed (Luke 4:18) in marginalized neighborhoods,” writes Rev. Mario Matos, director of the Strategy of Transformation in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean in a year-end prayer letter to supporters.

"We are working with missional communities who often work on the margins of society with the least, last and the lost – people who live in extreme poverty and experience frequent violence," says Matos, a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Matos has been director of the organization in the Dominican Republic for five years. An evaluation of the ministry took place in November in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

In the recent prayer letter describing the accomplishments and goals of the organization, Matos writes that the project that trained the prostitutes to use their creative skills to make jewelry and start a business business was a three-way partnership between the Strategy of Transformation, BuildaBridge International (a nonprofit organization that engages the power of the arts to about bring hope and healing), and of a local church, Casa Joven Church.

“Seven of Casa Joven’s women members of the church were part of the project to learn alongside the prostitutes and to relate and minster to them. Three interns sent by BuildaBridge taught the course for three months.”

With roots deep in the Christian Reformed Church of the Dominican Republic, Matos says the Strategy of Transformation has also been active “identifying and relating to other ministries on the ground.”

Matos’ organization has, in addition, hosted more than 100 people, many from Christian Reformed Church congregations in North America, over the last five years.

CRC members have visited the country to catch the vision of the Strategy of Transformation as well as to take part in its ministry and its service projects, says Matos.

In his prayer letter, Matos gives Christmas greetings and mentions that for people in the Dominican Republic this “is one of the most joyous times when families and communities come together to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and God’s blessings.”

At the same time, he provides context to some of the challenges, especially the level of violence, that the impoverished country currently confronts.

“So far this year, over 200 women have been murdered by their male partners,” he writes. “Nearly 200 citizens have been killed by police, and nearly 80 police killed in the line of duty. Many young people are among those killed by the police or as result of the violence relating to the drug trade and other acts of delinquency.”

Despite the difficulties, Matos remains hopeful, looking ahead in the letter, saying he is encouraged that by God’s grace the Strategy of Transformation has planted the seeds — in many people and organizations — that can grow into a range of transformational ministries.

He writes that he hopes, out of these seeds, to see the formation of additional ‘missional communities’ in such places as churches, health care and rehabilitation facilities, and Christian schools. These communities would be inspired to learn how to see and celebrate Good News in hard places.

Intentionally developing and nurturing such communities, Matos writes, “is very time intensive.” It involves use of resources and a great deal of training, prayer and dedication.

Nonetheless, he foresees the organization mobilizing five or six of these communities, including one in the small church of which he is pastor in the community of Guaricanos, Santo Domingo.

One thing his church is already doing is trying to find property on which to locate a health clinic where, he writes, “people can access medical … treatment for common diseases. We need medical equipment and medicine. We trust that the Lord will provide for this.”

Some of this provision may come from the CRC's Ministry Shares program, which helps to fund the work of Matos in the Dominican Republic, as well as Van Dyke’s center in Guatemala. Marcos says he is grateful for the support his organization receives from CRWM and the Ministry Shares program.

Ministry Shares is an arrangement by which large, medium, and small CRC congregations across the United States and Canada contribute a recommended, per-member amount to help fund denominational ministries.

Ministry Shares provide a steady stream of funding without the overhead costs associated with multi-million-dollar fundraising campaigns, says John Bolt, director of finance and administration for the CRC.

Overall, says Matos, his organization is working in a number of ways, with a number of organizations, to make the lives of people better and at the same time to teach them to live according to the principles of effective incarnational mission.

"Some organizations in our network focus on church planting and evangelism, Christian schools, community development, at-risk street children and youth, outreach to and reformation of sex workers, and formal theological education," he says.

To support the ministry of Strategy of Transformation, send donations to CRWM USA, 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE., Grand Rapids Mich., 49560, or call 1-800-346-0075. You can also visit crwm.org.

Donations can also be sent to CRWM Canada, 3475 Mainway, 5070 STN LCD 1, Burlington, ON L7R 3Y8, or call 1-800-730-3490. The email for Mario Matos is [email protected].