Dominican Republic | Short-Term Medical Mission Trips with Servant Life
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Dominican Republic

Trip Information

Location:

San Pedro de Macoris; Monte Plata; Santo Domingo

Dates:

Typically Saturday to Saturday or Monday to Monday. Flexible.

Spring break, fall break, summer, all year.

Capacity:

Max group size of 40 (possibly larger)

Price:

Ministry:

Local church partnership; Medical clinics.

The Dominican Republic is situated on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. Hispaniola is the second largest island in the Caribbean behind Cuba. Home to 10 million residents, the Dominican Republic shares the island with Haiti to the West. While the Dominican Republic has seen growth in recent history due to a boom in the tourism industry, 50% of the rural population are still considered to be living in extreme poverty, and many others are on the poverty line as well. Servant Life is excited to bring hope to these impoverished communities by shining the light of Christ and sharing the hope of the gospel.

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We partner with a Dominican-led ministry organization focused on sustainable community development work in the impoverished regions of the Dominican Republic. Their vision is to “transform the marginalized and vulnerable communities with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,”which is accomplished through local church partnerships. Medical teams will work in conjunction with churches to host free medical clinics (often in public schools) to serve the poor, needy, and marginalized— or anyone who needs medical attention. Our goal is not only to help meet physical needs, but to show the love of Christ in our actions and share the love of Christ through our words. The clinics are hosted in partnership with the local church, and will have an emphasis on reaching non-Christian patients. This is an important part of long-term missional strategy as these clinics help establish the church as a light in the community and a source of hope and love.

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What will my team be doing? 

Your team will generally be serving in one region, but could be hosting clinics at a different site each day. Clinics are often hosted in public schools and are put on by the local church we are partnering with. The church will do the work of advertising for the clinic and inviting the community to attend; your role will be to host clinics by providing the medical expertise to see patients, help diagnose and treat their ailments, and show them the love of Christ. Many clinics are run in three main phases: intake (learning why the patient is there and their medical history); visit with the doctor; and a stop by the "pharmacy" on the way out. Many medical teams will want to pray over participants in each of these phases, not only praying for their medical needs, but praying for their spiritual needs and incorporating the truth of the gospel in their prayers. There are also roles for non-medical participants to be helping with the clinics, or if your team is large enough, your non-medical group could be at a separate ministry site doing things like VBS, evangelism, outreach, and light construction.

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What does a general weekly schedule look like?

  • Saturday. Travel day. Arrive and get settled in.

  • Sunday. Attend local church worship service; prep time for the week ahead. 

  • Monday - Thursday. Ministry days: medical clinics.

  • Friday. Cultural day or ministry day. Visit the market, go to the beach, enjoy the city. For an additional cost, your group can take a day trip to Catalina Island, or spend the night at a resort, or possibly arrange a day pass to a resort.

  • Saturday. Travel day. Depart for home.

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What does my cost include?

  • In-country transportation. From the moment you land at the airport until the moment you leave, we will take you everywhere during the week.

  • Housing. Your team will sleep in hotel style accommodations (generally two or three twin beds per room) with a private bathroom.

  • Meals. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, every day! (Note: You need to pay for your own meals at the airport, while traveling, etc.)

  • Supplemental Traveler's Insurance. In the event of a medical emergency, you'll be covered with an international policy! (Note: There may be an additional charge, normally around $25, for each person over the age of 50 to cover the increased cost of an insurance policy).

  • T-Shirt. Every participant gets an awesome mission trip t-shirt.

  • Pre-Trip Training Material. We provide training sessions, trip overview documents, assistance from our team of mission trip experts, and communication with in-country missionaries to make sure your group is fully prepared for your trip.

  • Pre, During, and Post-trip Devotionals. This 4-week printed missions journal will help every team member grow and encounter Christ.
     

Note: The cost of medicine to be distributed at clinics is NOT included in the trip cost, and is an additional expense that you will be responsible for. The reason for this is that the cost of medicine can vary greatly depending on how large your medical team is and how many patients you plan to see over the course of the week. Generally the medicine is acquired in the U.S. and taken safely and legally into the D.R. by securing a letter from Customs before you travel (which we will do for you). You might even be able to have medicine donated or purchased at a significantly reduced rate.

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Airfare is not included in the trip cost, but will be taken care of by Servant Life's travel agent who gets humanitarian rates and often free baggage. You may book on your own if you prefer to do so, but we ask to approve the itinerary first.

Pricing
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