Story by Jana Inglehart, photos by Erik M. Lunsford
A new addition to a multi-use building in Santiago, Dominican Republic, will now house a regional disaster-response/mercy center, while providing space for a growing Lutheran seminary. The addition is scheduled to open its doors this August.
Since the LCMS officially began work in the Dominican Republic in 2004, ministry has blossomed as churches, schools and a group home for children with developmental disabilities were started. Disaster-response work is a frequent and ongoing reality across the disaster-prone region of Latin America.
The addition is built on top of an existing church and school building. The new space will add dormitory rooms for temporary housing of disaster responders and victims as well as for seminarians.
There are several classrooms and offices. Also new is a conference space for regional gatherings and a modern library which, when completed, will be on track to become the largest Spanish Lutheran theological library in the world.
The Rev. Ted Krey, regional director for the Synod’s Latin America and the Caribbean Region, said the addition will help church leaders streamline and coordinate disaster response in the region, serving as a regional mercy center.
“The center will be a blessing and a force for mercy,” Krey said.
The new addition was funded in part by a generous grant from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
Jana Inglehart (jana.inglehart@lcmsintl.org) is a communication specialist for the Latin America and Caribbean Region with the LCMS Office of International Mission. Erik M. Lunsford (erik.lunsford@lcms.org) is managing photojournalist for LCMS Communications.
Posted May 9, 2017
