Orphanage Outreach Locations

Dominican Republic
Located between Cuba and Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The Dominican Republic is a very safe and friendly country, with many Dominicans having family living in the states. A representative democracy has been in place since the 1960's. Baseball is the national sport, with many Dominicans playing in the major leagues. The country is very poor, especially along the "frontera", the area along the Haiti border. The major industries are include tourism, agriculture especially the sugar crop, mining and manufacturing.

Monte Cristi
Monte Cristi is a sleepy town of about 20,000 residents located on the northwest coast of the Dominican Republic. It was founded in the 16th century, and enjoyed a period of prosperity at the turn of the 19th century when Europeans exported mahogany and agricultural products. Today, it's salt flats produce a large amount of salt for Morton Salt, some fishermen make a living fishing, and there is a nearby melon and banana plantation. Monte Cristi is home to a beautiful national park beach, El Moro.

Hogar La Esperanza de un Nino
Orphanage Outreach also supports a local orphanage in town. The Hope of a Child Orphanage is home to about 40 children, both boys and girls. It is managed by Pastor Ramon Perdomo and his wife, Martha. Pastor Ramon is also the pastor of the Pentecostal church, Bella Vista Cana. Orphanage Outreach short-term volunteers often stay on the orphanage grounds, in summer camp type facilities.

Boys and Girls English Institute
In the spring of 2007, Orphanage Outreach purchased a new building in Monte Cristi, and converted it into an English institute. Aside from classrooms and a computer lab, there is also sleeping space on the fourth floor and a full functioning kitchen. There is also a great new park "kiddy-corner" to the Institute.

Orphanage Outreach Facilities

Orphanage Outreach Provides Simple but Adequate Facilities for Volunteers
You'll be sleeping and eating at the orphanage. Orphanage Outreach has constructed good, comfortable, rustic summer camp type accommodations for volunteers. You'll be sleeping on a bunk bed in a sleeping "ramada" - complete with cement floor and tin roof. The walls are constructed of school year fencing, covered by tarps for protection against the wind and possible rain. This "open air" construction provides ventilation during possibly warm weather. You'll be using modern bathrooms, complete with running water, toilets, and showers. But no hot water. We have an excellent, well-trained Dominican cooks preparing our meals. You'll probably gain some weight during your stay! We use bottled water for drinking and cooking.

Sleeping Facilities
Sleeping is bunk-house style. Each sleeping ramada has cement floors, a tin room, and walls made of school yard fencing and tarps for increased ventilation. Each bed is furnished with sheets, pillow, blanket, and mosquito net.

Bathrooms
You'll be using modern bathrooms with running water toilets and showers.

Dining Room/Food
You'll be eating in a comfortable dining room, being served buffet style. Food is primarily Dominican, with chicken, beef, rice, beans, salad, fruit, eggplant, plantains, and more. Breakfast's are more American with oatmeal, cereal, pancakes, etc. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are available at most meals.

Transportation
Ground transportation is provided by modern and comfortable buses. Occasionally, you might have the opportunity to drive to the beach in the back of the orphanage truck!