Dominican Republic Projects: Landfill
Dump Ministry
Stories: Dump Ministries
The public landfill for the town of Puerta Plata is located just minutes from the large tourist hotels. It is an area full of flies, pigs, stench… and people.
Haitians generally come to the Dominican Republic to work in the sugar cane fields. Hired by companies who pay meager wages, the poor come to the dump to find food. Some live right on the premises. They scavenge for anything they can find that is edible.
Sharing Teams have partnered with Crossroads Ministries to help meet some of the need. The partnership works wonders. Our workers combine with the knowledge and experience of the local missionaries to meet a truly vital need. When we show up in a large flat bed truck, the people in the dump know they will have at least one hot meal that week. Chicken and rice are served by our volunteers right off the back. Entire families appear out of the rubbish, thankful for the good food. For years the Crossroads Ministry has brought teams to help feed the poor.
These are people truly caught in a no-win system. They never know when government trucks will roll right in to the dump and take them back to the border of Haiti. They work hard to scavenge food and any items of value. Some people may look down on these poorest of the poor. But the amazing and heartbreaking thing is that many of them are believers in Christ… our brothers and sisters in the Lord. You can bring some relief as you come with us on a Sharing Team, or donate to buy some of the food.