The Dominican Republic Outreach Initiative

Leonidas Belliard
June 2010
National Leader in the Dominican Republic

We witness every day except Sundays. We prefer to approach young, single university students. We witness to students on the streets of the university campuses, outside the class buildings or libraries. We carry two things with us -- an invitation to a one-day seminar about the ideal family and a survey with three questions about the topics of the seminar. One group goes to witness in the morning and another in the afternoon. We have twelve teams, each with a team leader.

The strongest rejections are usually from protestant Christians, but they are usually not bitter; we just go to the next person. The Catholic Church is at the root of our culture, but some people are Catholic only in name.

Last year we began having five one-day seminars at ascending levels with three lectures at each workshop. Thirteen of the lectures cover a basic explanation of Divine Principle. One lecture is on True Father's life and one on the meaning of the blessing. When the participant has completed the fifteen lectures, they receive a graduation certificate for the equivalent of a seven-day workshop.

Everyone so far has then paid a three-dollar fee and become members. As members, they can begin receiving education for the blessing. They are expected to attend at least two Sunday services a month and make voluntary donations. New members also have the mission to invite guests for the first-level seminar.

Eighty percent of local members are involved in the witnessing program. Last year we found forty-five new members, and this year we have the goal of ninety new members.