In March, 29 students and parents from the Conejo Adventist Elementary School in Southern California embarked on a class trip to the Dominican Republic. But instead of sightseeing and leisure, the group did manual labor in collaboration with Maranatha Volunteers International. Their goal was the construction of a church building for the Paz en la Tormenta congregation. “The kids and the parents worked really hard, and we finished our portion of the project in four days,” said project coordinator and Conejo principal Jennifer Lew.
The Paz en la Tormenta Church used to meet in a small wooden chapel. It could only hold roughly 20 people, a size that cramped current members and alienated potential guests. The shed was also dilapidated, with rickety wooden walls and a rusty metal roof. But now Paz en la Tormenta worshippers are excited and grateful to worship in the sturdy, spacious church structure Conejo volunteers worked so hard to build.
Conejo students excelled at construction work, despite being younger than the average Maranatha volunteer. They took on physically challenging tasks, like hauling cinderblock and laying mortar, all under the mentorship of Maranatha’s local construction crew. “Working on the jobsite was great and that was hard work, and the kids really appreciated the evening when they could sit down and kind of rest for a little bit,” recalled Lew. “It was hot and it was, you know, different work than they’re used to doing.”
This trip was Conejo’s first biennial international service trip for seventh and eighth graders–a replacement of their previous vacation-style class trip. Lew was inspired to make this change by the example of other schools. “I kind of wanted something different for the kids, instead of a trip for themselves,” she said.
In addition to fostering a culture of selflessness, this project inspired Conejo students with the knowledge that they can make a tangible difference in the world. “They want to go on another mission trip,” said Lew. “They’re already looking forward to the things they can do in academy and high school.”
Maranatha has a long history of working in the Dominican Republic. In 1980, after the destruction of Hurricane David, Maranatha constructed 160 houses here. In 1992, the Dominican Republic was the site of a watershed moment of growth for Maranatha, when the organization coordinated the construction of 25 churches over 70 days. Dubbed “Santo Domingo ’92,” it was the first time Maranatha concentrated on one place for multiple volunteer projects. Later efforts occurred in 2003 and 2013, and in 2022, Maranatha returned once more and has been working there since.