Dominican Republic: Monte Plata Children's Home

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HOME

LOCATION

Dominican Republic is situated in the Caribbean and shares the island known as Hispaniola with Haiti. Monte Plata is inland, almost in the middle of the country .The climate in Monte Plata is extremely hot all year around. During summer, there is much rain.

HISTORY
Eva Russell, a Canadian missionary, led Ramón and Juana Prenza to the Lord. She was their inspiration to serve God as missionaries. For about ten years this Christian couple went all over the country, sharing God's gospel. But they also wanted to help people in their own town. They realized that many children wandered the streets, asking for money or food, or fighting with others and getting into trouble. The Prenzas decided to start a regeneration program with this kind of children, so in 1984 they opened a school with about 20 children in a rented house, naming it the Eva Russell School.

As they ministered to these children, they encountered many situations where children had no place to live or no safe place to live. They met the needs of many of these children by inviting them into their own home to live with them. In all of this they began to dream of a children’s home in Monte Plata that could serve the needs of these children. Land has been purchased and construction has begun on the first children’s home. The first two homes will open in 2005 and the dream of homes for children in Monte Plata can become a reality.

FACILITIES

Casa Monte Plata is currently under construction building new facilities to care for more children. The existing, temporary children's home is in a purchased house that is part of the Eva Russell School campus and is only able to house 4-5 children.

PROGRAM

The goal of Casa Monte Plata is to take in children who have been orphaned, abandoned, or abused and train them to become productive members of their society and active disciples of Jesus Christ. The program is centered on the relationship between the individual child and his or her housemother/houseparents.

All of the school-age children attend school in the morning, and spend time working on educational activities in the afternoon and summers. The Christian staff, both Dominicans and missionaries, work to meet the emotional, physical, educational, and spiritual needs of each child. A high priority is placed on helping each child develop a personal faith in Jesus Christ.

FUTURE
Casa Monte Plata will include 4 children’s homes, each able to care for between 8 and 12 children. There will also be a home for the director as well as an office and multipurpose building. The property will also have areas for gardens as well as playground to provide activities for the children living there. When fully completed, this property will provide refuge for up to 40 children who are currently living in at risk situations.