SAMANA CONGREGATION

 

Samana congregation is a very enthusiastic, very zealous little congregation which ranges from between 75-85 publishers.  It averages between three to four elders, and has four to five ministerial servants.  The congregation is comprised of brothers and sisters not only from the Dominican Republic, but  from the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and Cuba, who have come to the Dominican Republic to serve where the need is great
(see www.Needgreaters.com )

Samana congregation is characterized by its outstanding zeal for the ministry, its publishers averaging some 17 hours each month.  The number of regular pioneers average between 15 and 20, and many progressive Bible studies are conducted by both pioneers and publishers.

There are congregation meetings for field service beginning at either 8:30 a.m. or 8:45 a.m. every morning, six days a week, Friday being a full day for a great many, and one Sunday a month, a full day for the entire congregation.  That Sunday, the brothers preach in EL CAMPO or remote, seldom worked country territory from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For encouraging experiences in the ministry and interesting photos showing what preaching in the CAMPO is like, please visit the following web pages:

www.needgreaters.com/DomRepSpanish.htm

www.needgreaters.com/JoysDomRep.htm

www.tropicalislandbb.com/Preaching1.htm

www.tropicalislandbb.com/Preaching2.htm

MEETINGS: 

Saturday:  6PM-Public Talk / 7:30PM Watchtower Study
Tuesday:   7PM-Congregation Book Study
                            1 block from TIBB to Kingdom Hall

Thursday: 7PM- Ministry School
                   8PM  Service Meeting

KINGDOM HALL:  15-minute walk or 5-minute ride from accommodations.


 

SERVICE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

The people at the doors are extremely polite and hospitable. They will almost always invite you in immediately, and will listen for as long as you talk, even if they are very busy cooking or washing clothes.  The people in general have profound respect for the Bible, making it very easy to start a Bible study right there and then on the first visit.

When brothers first come to serve where the need is great in the Dominican Republic, often some will begin their ministry by starting Bible studies with everyone who listens or takes literature.  Within a short period of time they may have fifteen to twenty Bible studies, which they conduct for maybe only 15 minutes in the beginning!  Then as they continue to revisit these people, they are able to "sift out" those who have less interest, and as they continue the process of starting new studies, sifting out older ones, they find that within a relatively short time, they now have a "hard core" of good progressive studies.  Over time as they continue starting new studies and sifting out the less interested, they begin to see people make changes in their lives, start to attend meetings, join the ministry school, and qualify to be an unbaptized publisher, and progress to baptism.  Because there are so many humble Bible-minded persons searching for the truth in the Domincan Republic, this can be the joyful experience of almost anyone who comes here to serve!

When need greaters first come to the Dominican Republic, they often begin by starting  studies with EVERYONE.  Within a short time some have obtained 15-20 studies!  Then they have "sifted" them out little by little and eventually get a hard core of good progressive studies.  Over time they would start more studies, more sifting, and begin to see people changing, joining the ministry school, qualifying to be an unbaptized publisher, and progressing to baptism.
 

PRESENTATIONS FOR THE MINISTRY

Words cannot express the joys of preaching in the Dominican Republic!

The Dominican people are some of the most humble, kind and patient people you will ever meet.  Take comfort in the fact that if you have the courage to try to give a presentation in Spanish that you will, almost always, be invited in and shown warm appreciation for your effort by the householder, even if you have stumbled the whole way through your presentation.

(for some encouraging experiences in the field ministry, please visit the following web site hosted by need-greaters or self-supporting missionaries serving in the Dominican Republic --  Click link below.
 

HE MEANING OF EVERLASTING LIFE
RS-E, Page 13 [modified / simplified]
 

SERVING WHERE THE NEED IS GREAT
http://www.Needgreaters.com