Inauguration in Dominican Republic Becomes a Day of Gratitude and Worship

Hundreds of Seventh-day Adventist members, leaders, and supporters gathered under a merciless Caribbean sun to celebrate the official inauguration of the Ciudad del Cielo Seventh-day Adventist new church building in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, July 26. The ceremony crowned three years of steady efforts and opened a day of celebration at the new campus, which also includes a primary school and a kindergarten.

“First and foremost, this is a day of joy, gratitude, and worship to God,” said Abner De los Santos, president of the Inter-American Division, addressing the more than 400 people who filled the pews of the new facility. It was the first official trip for De los Santos, who was recently elected as president of the 3.7-million-member territory. “Everything that you may do in this place has to be for God’s glory and honor.”

Before the ribbon cutting, De los Santos prayed for God to pour down His blessings “not only on this building, but on all those whom You have chosen as watch as guardians of this place.” He added, “That the mere existence of this building may motivate people to come to enjoy a special encounter with You.”

A Word From Government Officers

Radamés Lachapelle, administrative coordinator of the Liaison Office to the Chistian Community of the president of the Dominican Republic, brought special greetings from the government. “May God keep giving you His blessings,” he told the crowd at Ciudad del Cielo. “And as you usually say, Happy Sabbath!”

Gabriel Paulino, president of the Southeast Dominican Conference, thanked the government for its support, which including facilitating the paving of the streets around the Ciudad del Cielo complex. Lachapelle also thanked Maranatha Volunteers International (MVI) for the ministry’s decades-long efforts across the country. He zeroed in on the meaning of its name. “Maranatha means, ‘Jesus is coming,’ ” he reminded worshippers. “And this ministry is working to ensure that when Jesus comes, He might find supporters ready to go to heaven. . . . I know that thanks to Maranatha’s work, many will be rescued and will find a place back in society as they apply what they will learn in this place. Thank you!”

The Role of Maranatha Volunteers International

The new facility was a project of the Adventist Church in the area in partnership with MVI, a supporting ministry that builds churches and schools and drills water wells around the world. The campus carries the name of Maranatha’s former vice president of construction Darrell Hardy, who died suddenly in November 2022. The complex was developed in honor of his memory, Maranatha leaders said.

The work in the Dominican Republic has a special place in the history of MVI, its leaders acknowledged. In 1992, thanks to the insistence of MVI supporter Robert Bainum, MVI went from building just a few churches a year to take hundreds of volunteers to the Dominican Republic, where it built 25 churches in less than three months. “There is a before and after the 1992 massive project in the Dominican Republic,” Don Noble, MVI president, acknowledged. “From then on, Maranatha moved to increase its mission footprint around the world.” Robert Bainum, now 100 years old, attended the inauguration ceremonies in Santo Domingo.

Besides De los Santos, other church leaders attended the inauguration, including Teófilo Silvestre, president of the Dominican Union Conference; and Paulino, where Ciudad del Cielo is located. Both Silvestre and Paulino are well acquainted and have become strong advocates of MVI. As children more than three decades ago, they participated in a Maranatha project as volunteers. Little they could imagine, they shared, that one day they would once more be connected with MVI, this time as church leaders.

Working Together

According to Noble, working with Adventist church leaders at the conference and union levels “has been a joy.” “We work all around the world, and it’s not always this good,” Noble acknowledged. “It’s what makes it possible for success.”

Noble explained that the successful completion of the initiative required extensive international coordination and the expertise and support from Maranatha’s board members, donors, and other stakeholders. “Some people’s role was to pray for the project,” he said. “Others shared their knowledge and dedicated long hours so we can be here today.”

Becoming a Blessing

In his keynote message De los Santos called everyone to allow God to reveal His grace, mercy, and power on us, so we may in turn become a blessing to all those around us. “I know that it is what moves Maranatha—to become a channel of blessing to many,” De los Santos said.

He also emphasized it was a privilege for him to attend this special inauguration at Ciudad del Cielo—“City of Heaven.” “Just remember one thing: this is not yet heaven,” De los Santos said. “But [this place] has to become a gate into heaven.”

Based on King David’s words in 1 Chronicles 29:10-14, De los Santos called worshippers to give credit where credit is due. “David acknowledges that God is the only one that can allow the means for His house to be built,” De los Santos emphasized. “And I know that everyone here acknowledges that the inauguration of Ciudad del Cielo is possible only through God’s grace and mercy. All glory and praise belong to Him.”

Against that background, De los Santos emphasized that “the One who gave us gifts now wants us to use them for His glory and honor.” He added, “May everything that happens here, every activity, be for God’s glory. This is a day to tell God, ‘This is for You, Lord. We will use the building You have given us to honor You. . . . May Your Word impact our lives in such a way that through our lives, others may be impacted for good.’ ”

Maranatha Volunteers International is a supporting ministry not affiliated with the corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church.