YWAM DR

The History of YWAM Dominican Republic

Following the vision God gave him in 1960, Loren Cunningham began taking waves of young people to the nations.  In the summer of 1964, 146 volunteers joined Loren and Darlene for a Caribbean outreach.  Sixteen of those volunteers were Spanish-speaking youth who came to the Dominican Republic to distribute Bibles door-to-door!

Twenty-four years later, one of YWAM’s ships, the M/V Good Samaritan, hosted a Discipleship Training School (DTS) on board while traveling through the Caribbean.  When one of the outreach groups from this DTS traveled to the Dominican Republic – with the ship Director’s challenge to “never come back” –  YWAM-Dominican Republic was born.

Kent & Janet Norell arrived with their 6-month-old son, Joshua, in 1989, to join the small YWAM team in Santo Domingo.  They became the Directors  and continue to serve as National Leaders of the YWAM-D.R. ministries represented on this website.

Approximately 60 full-time staff (16 children) minister in the seven YWAM Ministry Centers, accompanied by many volunteers.  God is expanding our vision and our territory.  The vision of waves Loren saw now include Dominicans going to the nations!

A Letter from our National Directors

God is at work in the Dominican Republic.  The DR is developing, building highways, bridges and subway systems, yet great poverty still remains.  The church is growing in strength and in numbers, yet so many still need to hear the Gospel.  Dominican missionaries are rising up, taking the Gospel to India, Peru and North Africa…..yet we are just beginning…

We invite you to join us in the DR.  There are many ways that you can help.  We can’t do it alone, but together…..we can change the World!

SHORT TERM TEAMS.  You could organize a team of friends from your church or workplace and work along side of us.  Your team could build a home, hold a VBS (Vacation Bible School), love on kids in an orphanage, or hold a medical clinic.  Whatever your strength or area of interest, we would work to use it for building God’s kingdom in the DR.

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING SCHOOLS   We now offer 5 different DTS’s, each with their own special area of ministry focus.  These 5 month schools are key in forming you, in discipling you as a follower of Christ.  If you are serious in your walk with Christ, the DTS is for you.

PRAYER AND GIVING  Some of you cannot physically come and participate with our programs, but you can stand with us in prayer for our particular needs.  And others of you may want to “adopt” one of our valiant staff members and become a part of their monthly support team.

We are not heroes.  We are simply an International band of Christian brothers and sisters who want our lives to shine the light of Christ and make a difference among the nations.

Out to change the DR and the World,

Kent and Janet Norell
National Directors
YWAM DR