SUCCESS STORIES

Success means different things to different people and can be varied depending on the lens of perspective you are looking through. To relate the successes of the Sabaneta Orphanage let us first establish the statistical reality of life in the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic is a poverty stricken nation with many living in extreme poverty. The trickle down affect of poverty is extremely evident when it comes to children. According to a report in 2020 over 1 million children live in poverty and close to 600,000 children under the age of 15 lack parental care which has lead to many children in the Dominican Republic being homeless and lacking essential needs such as food, clothing, shelter, hygiene, healthcare, education and spiritual purpose. On the education side, statistics show around 40% of children do not finish primary school, much less middle or high school, leading to a very low level of academic education in the Dominican Republic.

Children who come to the Sabaneta Orphanage have varied backgrounds but they all have one thing in common. They all need love and a structured, caring environment with the aforementioned essentials. We do not always have the opportunity with every child to nurture and immerse them in these essentials all the way from childhood through to adulthood. Some children come and go at various ages and for various reasons, some with wonderful stories. But for the purpose of these success stories we want to relate to you those who came as a small child and lived at the home throughout their educational years and attained adulthood.

Although the heading for this section is “Success Stories” we want to make it clear that this is a Ministry established by God for the benefit of the homeless and helpless children of the Dominican Republic. A Ministry that not only provides the essentials of food, clothing, shelter, hygiene, healthcare and education, but also endeavors to provide them with the knowledge of God Almighty and his son Jesus Christ and the Bible, which is God’s Holy Word. For this reason we would like to acknowledge all Glory to God for anything accomplished and we would like to rename the heading to the stories that follow,

“LOOK WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE"

Yoseli Vallejo

Yoseli Vallejo was the very first boy to be cared for and became a part of this work before the actual orphanage building was ever started. Although he was 10 years old when the Orphanage was finally completed and dedicated, he came into our care at the age of 5 years old and has been here since the beginning. Yoseli spent his entire education years as a resident of Hogar Del Nino Feliz Orphanata Sabaneta and was in the first group that graduated high school having been raised at the home. After his graduation from high school, Yoseli chose to remain at the home and labor with us for the benefit of the children and this work. Yoseli’s primary job is being a designated driver for almost everything that needs to be done outside of the home. In the course of a month there are many trips to Haina, San Cristobal, Santo Domingo as well as other local communities. Trips include doctor and dentist visits, taking the older children back and forth to school each day, picking up supplies and various other trips conducting business for the home. In addition to his primary job he is often found helping care for the many children at the home and is like a father figure to the smaller children we have. Yoseli is a very careful and conscientious driver and has proven to be a much needed asset for the daily shuttling of our children, workers and visitors as well as anything else that needs transported in the ongoing business of the home.

Victor Roman

Victor Roman was no different than most other children who came to the home, at least on the surface. Upon arrival, at the age of 10 years old, he looked similar to all the other boys. But inside his heart and mind was an ambition for education. It’s hard to say whether he was naturally smart or was just able to apply himself more than others, or possibly a little of both. As he grew he began to shine academically. In the 8th grade the Department of Education requires all students in the District to take an achievement test covering the four main subject of learning. Well, Victor had the highest score of the whole District. He also excelled in English as a second language and was extremely helpful as an interpreter to the American Board of Directors and other Americans who visited the work. It was no real surprise that Victor ended up graduating high school at the top of his class and having the highest grade point average his senior year. Upon graduation he put his English speaking skills to use securing a coveted job at a customer support call center in the capital city of Santo Domingo. A short while later Victor left the Orphanage and moved to Santo Domingo to start attending college to further his education while still working at the call center. Victor was later able to secure a teaching job at the University he is attending. His position is teaching English as a second language. Victor turned 23 in 2024 and is currently working to finish his Bachelors degree with a plan to further his education with a Masters in International Relations. Victor has not forgotten his roots at the Sabaneta Orphanage but occasionally drops by to see old friends, play a game of basketball or attend a church service.

Victor Manuel Cruz

Although the Sabaneta children’s home has experienced many success stories since its inception many years ago, no story has been as complete as that of Victor Manuel Cruz. Victor arrived at the home in 2011 at the age of 10 a very troubled boy off of the street. Victor was a fighter of everyone and everything, that is until Jesus changed his heart one day. It would be hard to convey all that has gone on in Victor’s life from the beginning but here are the highlights.

When Victor gave his heart to the Lord the transformation was amazing, from a fighter he became one of a humble heart, willing to serve God and man. His dedication to God led him to the call to preach at the age of 18. He later graduated high school and worked a few odd jobs before becoming the assistant administrator of the home. After dating a girl from the church at the home for a few months, Victor and Angelica were married in September of 2022. In May of 2023 they found out Angelica was expecting their first child.

On the morning of January 22nd 2024 they sent out pictures of their new born son, Kevin, to share with everyone. Victor is truly a great asset to the orphanage and the church and is working hard to be a good husband and father for his family.

Nancy Batista

Nancy was in the small group of girls who came to the orphanage not long after it was built and dedicated in 2010. Her arrival to the home proved to be a surprising encounter. Unknown to anybody involved, Nancy arrived to find two of her brothers already residing at the home, although they had not been there very long. So now there were three Batista’s, Nancy the oldest, Alfredo just 17 months younger than her and Sylvano 16 months younger than him. It was quite a reunion with big bright smiles. Girls have always been a minority at the Sabaneta Orphanage, although the ratio to boys has increased some in recent years, but Nancy has spent the majority of her time at Sabaneta with no other girls close to her age.

Growing up she was more on the quiet side and reserved in nature. There seem to be an underlying lack of self - confidence. She seemed to do well in school, was faithful to church and participated in activities but did not really want to be in the forefront. She, like others, was enrolled in English class but in the beginning it was just part of the routine. But as she grew older her confidence level grew and she began to take things more seriously. She became more outgoing, more interactive with the world she lived in. Her English speaking skills increase dramatically and she began to demonstrate a level of responsibility. She began working as the secretary of the orphanage’s elementary school and attended high school in the afternoons. In 2021 the girls home had grown to reside 9 other younger girls besides Nancy and needed to fill a recently vacated position for a house mother/caregiver for the girls. Nancy approached Pastor Wilson, who also was the administrator for the orphanage, and asked for the opportunity to fill that position. After much thought and consideration Nancy, being 18 at the time, was offered the position and aided in taking care of the girls residing at the home. With her current work load and responsibilities we allowed her to finish her high school education through Saturday adult classes which she finished and was able to graduate in August of 2022. She is currently still helping care for the girls residing at the Sabaneta Orphanage.

Pedro Garvan

Pedro came with the first group of children after the orphanage was built in 2010. He has always been a little on the mischievous side, small in stature but having a love for nature. Any time something was grown or raised, Pedro was right in the middle of it. He loved to see growth and accomplishment whether it was a seed sprouting into a plant, a plant bringing forth a flower or fruit or baby chicks
becoming mother hens. There was something about plants and animals that Pedro had a love for. As he grew up he devoted more and more time planting and caring for fruits and vegetables and tending to the chickens and rabbits, as well as any other animal he might be able to acquire.

These things would have been considered work for others but Pedro enjoyed them immensely. Plants and animals were not the only things he took seriously. Pedro had a love for learning. He was very hands on with everything he did. He started English language school as a young teenager and applied himself to mastering the English language. After completing the course, Pedro proved to be a valuable asset as an interpreter for the Americans who came to work and visit the orphanage. From translating conversations, business and messages from preachers of the gospel at church services, Pedro’s clear and precise English brought clarity and understanding to Americans who came to be part of the Dominican Republic world and culture. English was not the only subject Pedro worked hard and excelled in but was the Valedictorian of his 2023 High School graduating class.

Upon graduating high school and having excellent English language skills, Pedro secured an exceptional job with a customer support center in Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic, for Blue Cross & Blue Shields and is also attending college to further his education.

Sylvano Batista

Sylvano came to the home a young timid boy with his 16 month older brother Alfredo. Sylvano has always been the smaller one when it comes to stature but what he lacked in size he made up for in effort. As he grew he developed ambition and a strong work ethic and applied it to everything in his life. Sylvano saw everything as a means to an end. I doubt if he liked school any better than the other boys but he realized the value of getting an education so he worked hard at it. Even though he liked to have fun like all children and young people do, he realized at a younger age than most that hard work will take you further in life than play.

While the rest of the children were playing and having fun, you were more apt to find Sylvano doing homework or trying to find an odd job to make a few pesos. As a teenager it became very apparent he had an entrepreneurial mind. He was always looking for an opportunity, a way to fill a need or provide a service and make money at it. He quickly understood the concept of leveraging time which was recruiting help to fulfill his obligatory ventures and making something off of his helpers. He opened up a candy store and sold to all the children at recess. If he was in class when another grade was on recess he recruited someone to mind the store. He made homemade ice cream and sold to classmates as well as popcorn and other treats. He would work as a laborer for anyone who would let him. If a construction job was going on at the home he would hire out to the contractor doing the work and labor either before or after school or on weekends and holidays.

If you needed anything done around the orphanage Sylvano was the one you could depend on to get it done. For several years now he has taken on the job as grounds keeper for the Sabaneta Orphange and has done a tremendous job. All this while going to high school and completing a course in English as a second language. His last year in high school Sylvano decided to put his English skills to work and started an “English as a second language” class for people in the community at night. He has seen a lot of interest for his classes and has also begun teaching many of the younger children at the orphanage. Sylvano graduated high school in August 2024 and currently remains at the home working as a full time grounds keeper while looking for the next business venture to get started on.

Alfredo Batista

Alfredo came to the home along with the first group of boys, which included his brother Sylvano, after the orphanage was built in 2010. Like almost every child that is brought to reside at the Sabaneta Orphanage, Alfredo was way behind in learning and academics. But for Alfredo, catching up on learning was not going to be an easy task. There was no doubt several factors contributing to the slow progress of getting him up to where he should be in school but it’s hard to say what all the factors were. There were certainly external factors like being neglected and prior failure to attend school. But there were also internal factors like aptitude and interest, or lack thereof. Needless to say he was always the oldest in his grade because he was kept back a couple of years over the course of his formal education, but though he struggled he never gave completely up. There were times it looked like he might not make it because he was getting close to the threshold of being too old to attend regular high school classes. But with determination he made up his mind to work harder and give his senior year the attention needed to reach the goal.

The day finally came, August 3rd 2024 when Alfredo, along with his brother Sylvano who was 16 months younger than him, both walked down the aisle to receive their high school diploma. Ironically, as the graduation was coming to a close and all the awards but one had been given out and everybody was getting ready to pick up and leave. They announced that the final award given would go to the “Most Improved Student” for the 2024 year. When the announcement was finally made the recipient was Alfredo Batista. With great surprise Alfredo ran down the aisle with a large smile on his face to receive his certificate for the “Most Improved Student”. Alfredo has moved on to pursue his love for cooking by taking classes to become a “Chef”.