Dear Subscriber First Name,

April was an exciting month with mission trips, baking and dance competitions, Holy Week, and birthdays! Continue reading to find out all that happened this month.

Mission Trips

This month, we were blessed to host a mission team from Sandy Springs Mission and Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. Their visit was a great encouragement and helped us continue our mission as a church to serve the children, reach the community, and invite families from Los Corrales and surrounding towns to hear the Good News.

During their time here, the team prayed with members of the community and invited them to a special evangelistic service. They also rolled up their sleeves to help with several projects around the church. The team painted, installed acoustic panels, put up a sign with our service times, and brought much-needed discipleship materials in Spanish. Their support made a lasting impact!

Please continue to pray for us as we share the gospel and walk alongside new believers in discipleship.

As part of their ministry, the team also taught ESL and led a craft activity where children made colorful beaded bracelets that tell the story of salvation. We are incredibly thankful that local public schools here continue to welcome our teams and allow us to share the hope of Jesus with their students.

“So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one,  and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s coworkers.  You are God’s field, God’s building. ”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Other Donations

We also received a generous donation from Fundación Brillo Bonito. They brought so much joy to the children by bringing them donations of food, supplies, and their favorite toys and games!

A Need Close to Home: Water for the Children’s Home

Water is a precious resource everywhere, and here in the Dominican Republic, we make use of what’s available. At the children’s home, that means relying on a stream behind the house for showers (drinking water is delivered by a local business).

While it works for now, it’s far from ideal. A more sustainable solution, such as a rainwater collection system or a well, would make a huge difference in our daily lives. Unfortunately, resources are limited.

Would you consider partnering with us to bring clean, consistent water to the children’s home? Your gift could be part of a lasting solution.

School Updates

Our older girls continued their weekly ESL lessons and are making great strides in their English-speaking and comprehension skills. We also had a fun highlight this month—a Master Chef competition at school! Daniela won first prize, and Daneisy came in second. We are so proud of their creativity and talent in the kitchen!

Holy Week 

In the Dominican Republic, Easter is celebrated a little differently than in other parts of the world. Here, the focus is on Holy Week, or Semana Santa — a full week of celebration that begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday, commemorating Jesus Christ’s life, His suffering, death, and resurrection.

One beloved tradition during Holy Week is the making of sweet beans (habichuelas con dulce), a special treat that the children especially enjoy. To celebrate, we took a trip to Playa Rincón, where we played on the beach and took turns jumping into the river. As part of the Dominican tradition for this special holiday, each of the girls also had their hair beautifully braided.

It was a joyful and meaningful week, filled with faith, fun, and cherished memories.

Birthdays: 

Michael and Jennifer celebrated their birthdays on Easter weekend. Their birthdays are back to back (April 18 and April 19), adding to the fun of the Holy Week celebrations!

You Can Make a Difference Today

Please don't forget that we need your donations to help provide housing, food and care for our kids. Your generosity is how we are able to give these kids all that they deserve.

Can you make a one-time gift? Can you help sponsor our needs monthly?

All donations go directly to the care of the children that are currently being raised at Advocates of Love.

With Gratitude,

The Advocates of Love Family