Welcome!
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR WEBSITE SO PLEASE CHECK IN OFTEN FOR UPDATES AND NEW INFORMATION.
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Our Mission
With our hearts and our hands we will fill long unmet needs of children and families in the villages of the Dominican Republic while providing a life-changing experience to those who serve with us. In doing so, we look to foster a relationship between the two cultures.
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“The Village” Mountain Mission Project is a organization designed to empower people living in poverty in the Dominican Republic and foster cross-cultural connections between Dominicans and Americans. In the year 2000, the Founder, Bill Benson, sailed into the harbor of Luperón, Dominican Republic, and traveled around the surrounding countryside. Bill quickly fell in love with the culture and the people that he was meeting on a daily basis. He saw that many of the people he met lacked basic shelter, and began gathering people to build houses.
Our desire to help has been shared by over 500 people through our nine-day building project including high schools, colleges, church groups, and town organizations in the few years that we have been an established program. As of this year, “The Village” has completed over 29 houses, and has grown to include Medical and Dental Missions as well as delivering school supplies, clothes, and food to children and families. Working with the idea of empowering people, “The Village” has expanded to include a project modeled after The Heifer Project. Families are given a pig to raise with the hope that they will be able to provide for their family with the money earned from selling the offspring of the mother pig.
Currently, we are in the process of researching and developing a curriculum for a pre-school to be built on land we hope to purchase in February of 2011. The C.A.R.E. Project will target “at-risk” children in need of a boost before entering elementary school. The program will also involve sponsorship of the children from people and organizations in the United States. As the year goes on, sponsors will receive updates on their “Hermanito” with the hope of developing a relationship between sponsor and student.
With all of our Missions, we strive not only to meet a physical need, but also foster the bond that develops between the family and participants. The families will live in their new house for years, improving their quality of life, but the true lasting impact for the homeowner, the participants, and the community is their connection.
The cost of our 9 day trip for 2011 including food, in-country transportation, building materials, and excursions is $575. The expected cost for 2012 is $625. To learn more about BOOKING YOUR TRIP, click HERE.
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C.A.R.E. Project
- Only 1 in 2 children in the Dominican Republic finishes the 4th Grade.
- 1 in 4 go on to finish 8th Grade.
- 24,000 people worldwide die on a daily basis due to hunger; 70% are children.
We began asking the question, “How can we empower them to make the difference?” It starts with the children. Another Chapter of “The Village” is being born as we start thinking about having a greater affect on the lives of the Dominicans.
Click here to learn more about what is going on and how you can help.