Bateyes Dominican Republic short term mission trips

Launch Los Bateyes

Students International is proud to facilitate transformative Dominican Republic mission trips for high school students, college groups, and adults of all ages. We have established vibrant operational bases in the mountainous region of Jarabacoa as well as Santiago, and are thrilled to announce that we will be opening a new strategic base soon in San Pedro de Macoris (Los Bateyes), an area known for its sugar cane communities.

Los Bateyes, located outside of Santo Domingo, will be Students International’s third ministry base in the Dominican Republic. The organization has been serving in Jarabacoa for over 25 years and in Santiago for the past 10 years. Through its Santiago sites—such as sports and social work—SI is already actively ministering to the Haitian community.

This new base is an opportunity to expand SI’s mission to see students and the poor transformed into the likeness of Christ and discover their true calling. A new base will enable SI to serve a historically-marginalized people group, meeting urgent physical and spiritual needs.

Miguel Ovalle is uniquely gifted to Launch Los Bateyes. Migueal spent ten years serving in Haiti and helped the rebuild effort after the devastating 2010 Earthquake. In 2021, he began serving as the Director of SI-Santiago which has several sites serving Haitian communities. Launching Los Bateyes will take SI’s Haitian ministry to the next level.

WHAT?:

Step 1: Find and Equip a Visionary Leader
- Miguel Ovalle will serve as the Founding Director of our new base. He’s worked with Haitians for over 25 years and served as the SI-Santiago Base Director since 2021.
Step 2: Raise $300,000
- This is where you come in. We need to raise $300,000 in seed funding to get the new base off the ground:
  - Purchase base vehicles
  - Lease and outfit the main base and 3 ministry sites
  - 1 year of operational expenses
Step 3: Launch SI-Los Bateyes in Summer of 2026

LAUNCH PLAN:

Base of Operations
3+ Ministry Sites (exploring medical, clean water, microfinance, social work, sports)
Serving 500+ Haitians and 50 or more students.

Give to the Launch Los Bateyes Capital Campaign

We can build SI’s first base dedicated to serving Haitian Migrants.

DONATE NOW

About the Dominican Republic, Bateyes

Overwhelmed by tropical mountains and white sand beaches, the Dominican Republic is a beautiful country making up the eastern two-thirds of the island Hispaniola. Haiti occupies the other third of this Caribbean island about 600 miles southeast of Florida. During much of its history the Dominican Republic has been ruled by dictators and by other countries. However, the free elections of the last four decades have contributed to the recent economic growth of the country. Farming is the main industry on this mountainous island. Coffee and cacao (used to make chocolate) grow in the mountains while sugar cane, bananas, tobacco, and avocados grow on the plains. Columbus landed on Hispaniola in 1492 and Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is not only the first European city founded in the Western Hemisphere, but it is also home to the oldest university, the University of Santo Domingo. Spanish culture still plays a large role in the Dominican Republic along with a strong African influence, provided chiefly from Haiti.

The Bateyes are isolated worker settlements in the Dominican Republic where generations of Haitians have lived and worked under horrific conditions in the sugarcane harvest. Many lack legal status and don't have access to clean water, education, or healthcare.

Haitian Migrants carry deep emotional wounds that leave them in spiritual crisis. Too often hey turn to witchcraft and voodoo. Most have never experienced the transforming love of Christ.

Their suffering has drawn international attention and Students International is responding to God's call to bring restoration and dignity to these precious lives.