Volunteers will arrive in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ) on Monday, December 21, 2026.
Open
Family Project Dominican Republic
Maranatha offers at least two family projects each year that provide service opportunities for members of your family, young and old. This year, spend Christmas in the Dominican Republic!
Trip Information
Date
December 21, 2026 – December 31, 2026
Overview
Maranatha offers at least two family projects each year that provide service opportunities for members of your family, young and old. This year, spend Christmas in the Dominican Republic!
Maranatha has a long history of working in the DR, reaching back to the early 1990's. The churches and schools that have been completed have since blossomed, creating a need for additional buildings as congregations outgrow their current facilities. Local church leadership has once again requested assistance, and Maranatha is gladly responding to this call.
Volunteers on this project will build a new church for the Las Barias congregation in Azua de Compostela. Also known simply as Azua, the city is the capital of Azua Province in the southern Dominican Republic. Founded in 1504, Azua is one of the oldest European settlements in the Americas. The town is located 60 miles west of the national capital, Santo Domingo.
In addition, depending on the skills and interests of the volunteers who register, this project could include community outreach, such as children's ministry and health education. A special day camp will be offered for children 12 and under, giving younger volunteers a unique opportunity to learn more about life in the Dominican Republic while also helping with other aspects of the mission trip.
From December 28 to 31, volunteers may choose to join a three-night excursion to an all-inclusive hotel in Boca Chica. The first excursion day will take volunteers on a cultural tour of Santo Domingo, including the Colonial Zone and the Three Eyes National Park. On the second day of the excursion, volunteers may opt for the paradisiac Catalina Island for an additional fee or stay at the beach at the Whala Boca Chica Hotel.
Scope
- Church Construction – Block work
- Outreach
- Day Camp for children under 12
Leaders
Susan Woods
Project Coordinator
David Woods
Construction Superintendent
Itinerary
Arrival
Please wait for confirmation from Maranatha before purchasing your airfare to ensure there is still space on the project and to ensure you book the right flight.
Departure
Volunteers joining the Optional Excursion will depart from Santo Domingo (SDQ) on Thursday, December 31, 2026. Volunteers NOT joining the Optional Excursion will depart from Santo Domingo (SDQ) on Monday, December 28, 2026.
Flight Details
Volunteers will purchase their own plane tickets to and from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The posted dates are the project’s arrival and departure dates. You may need to leave home a day before the advertised start date to arrive on the correct date. Maranatha representatives will meet volunteers upon arrival in Santo Domingo.
Travel Resources
Butler Travel (Click here)
Monday December 21
Arrival in Santo Domingo (SDQ) and drive to Azua
Tuesday December 22
Workdays
Friday December 25
Work day and special outreach
Saturday December 26
Worship with the local congregation
Sunday December 27
Workday
Monday December 28
Half Work day and Drive to Boca Chica for Optional Excursion (or Airport)
Tuesday December 29
Optional Excursion (Santo Domingo, Three Eyes National Park, Colonial Zone, and more)
Wednesday December 30
Optional Excursion Catalina Island or stay at beachfront Waha hotel
Thursday December 31
Departure from Santo Domingo (SDQ)
Excursions
Boca Chica, Santo Domingo and Catalina Island
Volunteers can enjoy the Whala! Boca Chica, a 3-star, all-inclusive beach resort located directly on Boca Chica Beach in the Dominican Republic. Known for its convenient location near the airport (SDQ), the hotel features bright, pastel-colored buildings that evoke a local fishing village.
In Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone, time seems to slow as you walk along narrow cobblestone streets framed by pastel façades and wrought-iron balconies. Morning light spills across centuries-old landmarks like the Catedral Primada de América and the Alcázar de Colón, while small cafés fill the air with the smell of strong Dominican coffee. Street musicians, shaded plazas, and quiet museums bring the city’s layered history to life, blending Spanish colonial roots with the energy of modern Caribbean culture. It’s a place where every corner feels storied, inviting you to wander without rushing.
As you head to Isla Catalina, a tropical escape off the southeastern coast. The water turns a brilliant turquoise, and the island welcomes you with white sand, swaying palms, and a laid-back rhythm that instantly relaxes you. Snorkeling reveals colorful coral reefs and schools of fish gliding beneath the surface, while lunch on the beach is enjoyed under sun-warmed breezes.
What's Included
The participation fee covers local housing during the project, three vegetarian meals a day, ground transportation to and from the airport and project site, short-term travel insurance, a Maranatha t-shirt, and luggage tags. For accounting purposes, the Participation Fee ($1,150) is tax-deductible.
Optional Excursion:
Volunteers may choose to join a three-night excursion to an all-inclusive hotel in Boca Chica. The first day of excursions will take volunteers on a cultural tour of Santo Domingo, including the Colonial Zone and the Three Eyes National Park. On the second day of the excursion, volunteers may opt for the paradisiac Catalina Island for an additional fee or stay at the beach at the Whala Boca Chica Hotel.
Optional Excursion Fee (including Catalina Island): $500
Optional Excursion Fee (without Catalina Island): $400
*The Optional Excursion Fee ($500 or $400) is not tax-deductible.
*Children under 12 receive a $150 discount.
**International and domestic flights, passports, entrance visas, and vaccinations are not included. All prices are listed in US dollars.
The $100 non-refundable deposit required for confirmation is part of the Participation Fee.
Optional Excursion:
Volunteers may choose to join a three-night excursion to an all-inclusive hotel in Boca Chica. The first day of excursions will take volunteers on a cultural tour of Santo Domingo, including the Colonial Zone and the Three Eyes National Park. On the second day of the excursion, volunteers may opt for the paradisiac Catalina Island for an additional fee or stay at the beach at the Whala Boca Chica Hotel.
Optional Excursion Fee (including Catalina Island): $500
Optional Excursion Fee (without Catalina Island): $400
*The Optional Excursion Fee ($500 or $400) is not tax-deductible.
*Children under 12 receive a $150 discount.
**International and domestic flights, passports, entrance visas, and vaccinations are not included. All prices are listed in US dollars.
The $100 non-refundable deposit required for confirmation is part of the Participation Fee.
Country Info
CAPITAL
Santo Domingo
POPULATION
10.85 Million
LANGUAGE
Spanish
CLIMATE
Tropical maritime. Little seasonal variation
RELIGION
Roman Catholic 95%
CURRENCY
Dominican Peso
Project Site Info
Accommodation Details
Our group will stay at Hotel Monte Mar, located only 20 minutes from the job site. Volunteers will gather for meals and worship in a meeting hall. The hotel offers family rooms with air-conditioning, private bathrooms, and modern amenities. Bed linens and towels are included. Families may be roomed together. Individuals should plan on staying in multiple-occupancy rooms with at least one roommate. If you want to room with someone in particular, please let us know before the final deadline.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
- All passports must be valid for at least six months from the dates of intended return.
- eTicket online form (includes, customs and immigration forms)
Medical Requirements
- Tetanus shot (required)
- COVID-19 (recommended)
- Hepatitis A & B (recommended)
- Typhoid (recommended)
- Anti-malarial medication (recommended)
- Visit the Center of Disease Control and Prevention website for more details.
Packing List
Items to remember
- Maranatha T-shirt
- Good Disposition and a Flexible Attitude
- Passport
- Photocopies of your passport in checked baggage
- Copy of your airline ticket or itinerary
- Permission for a minor to travel form
(for those under 18) - Dominican eTicket (https://eticket.migracion.gob.do)
- Copy of final information packet with project addresses
- Personal prescribed medication (in carry-on) as well as items like Tylenol, Band-Aids, Dramamine,
- Pepto bismol etc.
- Shoes and socks
- Underclothes
- Slacks
- Casual shirts
- MEN- Dress shirt and tie for Sabbath
- WOMEN- Dresses and/or skirt and blouse with sleeves for Sabbath
- Hat for sun protection
- Sleepwear
- Shorts
- Modest swimsuit
- Light Jacket
- Flip-flops or sandals
- Personal toiletries
- Hand Sanitizer or wet wipes
- Insect Repellent (30% DEET or higher)
- Sun Block (SPF 30+)
- Chapstick (with sunblock)
- Water bottle – large opening recommended
- Bible
- Camera, batteries, and memory cards
Optional Items
- Lightweight daypack or similar bag
- Journal and pens
- Spanish – English dictionary/translator
- Powdered Gatorade or equivalent Nuun or Camelback electrolyte tablets (for overcoming dehydration)
- Earplugs
- Small alarm clock
- Snacks
- Toilet paper or tissues
- Battery-run personal fan
- Small instrument you play
Construction Site Personal Items
- Work pants
- T-shirts and/or long-sleeved cotton shirts for work
- Strong but flexible construction gloves
- Hard Hat – (REQUIRED)
- Handkerchief or bandana for neck protection
- Sunglasses or safety glasses
- Good, close-toed, working shoes
Masonry Construction Tools
- Measuring tape (25’)
- Torpedo Level (9”-1’)
- Box level (2’) – one per family
- Permanent markers (sharpie fine point)
- Nail apron
- 10” to 12” block trowel (pie-shaped)
- Masonry line and line blocks
- Rubber dish gloves
- Block hammer
- Marking pencils
Outreach Items
- Crayola Crayons and Markers
- Chalk
- Glue Sticks
- Pens, Pencils, Erasers
- Colored Paper
- Scissors
- Pipe cleaners
- Backpacks or daypacks
- Toys (Jump ropes, bouncy balls, tops, marbles, Soccer balls-with pumps)
- Hair clips and scrunchies
- Stickers
- Balloons
- Bubbles
- Stuffed Animals
- Flutes, Recorders, and other musical instruments
- New or gently used clothing
- New children’s shoes (take off tags)
- Bibles in Spanish
- Hymnals in Spanish
- Steps to Christ or Great Controversy
- Money for buying outreach materials in the local language
- Teaching aids for Sabbath School and Bible studies
- Felt sets
What Not To Take
- Any item of great value (sentimental or physical)
- iPods, Gameboys, DVD players
- Tank tops, spaghetti straps, or sleeveless tops
- T-shirts with questionable slogans or artwork
- Immodest swimsuits or shorts
- Guns, knives, explosives
- Drugs or Alcohol
- A rigid or “me-first” attitude
Packing Light
Most airlines are now charging extra for a second checked bag or bags weighing more than 50 pounds. Try to pack as light as possible while still bringing the majority of the items included in your project’s specific packing list. The items included on this list are there because past volunteers have needed such items or wished they had had them.