Denominational History of

Guide

Material adapted for Pathfinder Clubs

CONTENT
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................1
Chapter I:......................................................................................................................................................................1
Adventism is growing in the Caribbean......................................................................................................1

Adventism in Jamaica..................................................................................................................................1
Adventism in Puerto Rico.............................................................................................................................1
Chapter II.....................................................................................................................................................................2
ORIGINS OF ADVENTISM IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC..............................................................2
Casiano Carrión and Mrs. Shenery.....................................................................................................................2
The letter that opened doors..................................................................................................................................2

Chapter III....................................................................................................................................................................3
ADVENTISM IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.......................................................................................3
Charles Moulton arrives in Santo Domingo...........................................................................................................3

The First Baptism..

Llega López Miranda y se convierte Jaime Phipps..........................................................................................4
First Adventist pastor of the Dominican Republic................................................................4
Chapter IV5
THE ADVENTIST MESSAGE IS SPREADING ACROSS THE COUNTRY..........................................................................5

The first Adventist temple in the Dominican Republic.5

Moulton arrives in the Eastern region of the country.5

The first Adventist church of Cibao............................................................................................................6

Adventism reaches the Southern Region of the country.6

Chapter V......................................................................................................................................................................7
ORIGIN OF ADVENTIST FIELDS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND PROJECTS...........7
The Dominican Mission is organized and the ACD emerges.........................................................................................7

Northern Dominican Mission (MDN) – Northern Dominican Association (ADN).......................................8

Southern Dominican Mission (SDM) - Southern Dominican Association (SDA)...............................................8
Dominican Mission of the East (MDE) - Dominican Association of the East (ADE)............................................8

Southeast Dominican Mission (MIDOSE) – Dominican Association of the Southeast (ADOSE).....................9

Dominican Northeast Mission (MIDONE) - Dominican Northeast Association (ADONE)................9
CONCLUSION.10
Timeline / Summary of Dates.....................................................................................................................10
QUESTIONNAIRE........................................................................................................................................................11
INTRODUCTION
The arrival of Seventh-day Adventism in the Dominican Republic was not the result of the
coincidence. It was not a coincidence that while in the Dominican Republic it was being celebrated
Independence; in the United States, the great Adventist movement was taking shape.

Throughout time, God guided historical events from colonization to the

independence, to give way to Seventh-day Adventism which; after advancing in the Caribbean,
he arrived in the land of Quisqueya, where he grew very notably.

Chapter I:
Adventism is growing in the Caribbean.
To understand how the Adventists came to the Dominican Republic, it is necessary to consider the
development of this religious denomination throughout the Caribbean, because before arriving in the country, it was
necessary to be established and developed in the neighboring countries and islands, especially Jamaica and
Puerto Rico.
Adventism in Jamaica.
The Adventist message reached Jamaica when a colporteur sold a book in Antigua; who
he bought it, sent it to one of his sons, named James Palmer, who lived in Jamaica. Palmer
he wrote to the United States to send more publications; which he shared with a
local doctor. The doctor showed interest in the
religious publications and gave them to the
Mrs. Margaret Harrison, a lady of high society
society that accepted Adventism.
In 1893, Mrs. Harrison traveled to the Sanatorium of
Battle Creek to receive treatments and there
contacted some Adventist leaders to
that they send a missionary to Jamaica. Little
time after the arrival of the missionary in that
island, a good group of Jamaican young people
they accepted the Adventist doctrines and
they dedicated themselves to sharing them with others; one of these
young missionaries was Charles Moulton.
The Adventist message grew rapidly in that country, and by the year 1903 it was organized.
Jamaica Adventist Association.
Adventism in Puerto Rico.
As Adventism grew in Jamaica, another group of Jamaicans living in Mayagüez,
Puerto Rico was also interested in this message. When the American troops arrived.
to Puerto Rico in 1898; a young Adventist named David Trail arrived with them, who served
As a nurse; this man began to preach to the group of Jamaicans living on that island.

1
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 The impact of the message among the
Jamaicans who lived in Puerto Rico were
so big that the church decided to send more
missionaries to the island to continue
preaching to them; this is how, in 1901, it arrived
Mr. A. M. Fisher; who in his desire to
expand the message took Spanish classes
in order to reach, not only to the
Jamaicans living in Puerto Rico; but
also to Puerto Ricans. A year
next the pastor Fisher dies and the church
Send A.B. Connerly as a missionary.
In 1903, Connerly began to publish the Adventist magazine 'The Sentinel of Truth' which
he was distributed among the different pollinators, among which the Puerto Rican Rafael stands out.
López Miranda and the Jamaican Charles Moulton (who had traveled from Jamaica to
collaborate in Puerto Rico); and by 1909 the Puerto Rican Mission was organized, with the Pr.
William Steele as the first president.

Chapter II
ORIGINS OF ADVENTISM IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
Casiano Carrión and Mrs. Shenery.
Casiano Carrión was a small trader from the Villa Duarte sector, Santo Domingo, who
he began to take an interest in the gospel after meeting Mrs. Cecilia Shenery (Tatán).
Mrs. Shenery had arrived from San Thomas and had decided to open her house for study.
the Bible with some of its well-known figures, within
those that Casiano Carrión found; to whom he
He gifted his first Bible.

After a short time, Casiano Carrión began

to share what I learned from the Bible with the
people who visited their small kiosk; until
who formed a Bible study group
parallel to that of Mrs. Shenery. The group of
Carrión kept growing; it is not known how he arrived at
the hands of this man a copy of the magazine
"The Sentinel of Truth", but upon studying it,
the idea arose to write to the promoters of the
magazine in Puerto Rico and subscribe to receive it
monthly.

The letter that opened doors.

The magazine created by B. E. Cornery had grown by leaps and bounds, and he had noticed the
the blessings of the Lord had been more than I expected. One day, sitting at his desk,
Checking the latest published magazines, budgets, and orders; one of his colleagues entered his office.
collaborators with a letter in hand saying that it arrived from Santo Domingo.

The mentioned letter was sent by Casiano Carrión;

who expressed in it that he had received a copy of
the magazine and wanted to receive it monthly. She mentioned that
I was interested in the Bible studies presented.
in the magazine and that he had a group that he met with
to study the Word.

What was read in the letter moved Cornery; he ordered that

they will send the magazines to Santo Domingo and made sure to
to keep in touch with Casiano Carrión; who
he would send the questions that arose to him and his
study group, by correspondence and they
they sent the answers through the same channel; until they
the idea of sending a missionary to help them arrived and he
Chosen for this mission was Charles Moulton.

Chapter III
ADVENTISM IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

There is no doubt that Casiano Carrión's letter to the promoters of the magazine 'El Centinela' ...
"The Truth" marked a very important point for the arrival of Adventism in the Republic.
Dominican and that gives him the honor of being recognized as 'the first Adventist'
Dominican.

Charles Moulton arrives in Santo Domingo.

At the beginning of the year 1907, Charles
Moulton, after a farewell of
many tears y wishes of
blessings, he left Puerto Rico for
head to Santo Domingo as soon as possible
he arrived at Dominican port
contact with Casiano Carrión and his group
from the study of the Bible; thus began his work
as "first Adventist missionary in
Dominican Republic

Moulton, along with his wife Laura,

they began to hold meetings of
Sabbath School in the Villa sector
Duarte; in a small house that they had
rented as housing; at first they had the presence of Casiano Carrión; but after a year
next Carrión decided to move from Villa Duarte to the Mendoza area and then convinced
Moulton is also moving to that area and relocating the group there, and soon Mendoza will.

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became the center of Adventist meetings every Saturday and at the same time in 'the first
group of Adventist believers in the Dominican Republic.

The First Baptism.

When the Puerto Rican Mission was organized, the Dominican Republic was part of its
territory; the leaders were very interested in the growth of the work in this country and in the
the fact that some of the believers had expressed their desire to be baptized; so,
Since only an ordained pastor could baptize, they decided to send Pr. William Steele in 1910.
in order to carry out said ceremony. In this first baptism, Casiano was immersed in the waters.
Carrión, Mercedes Sánchez, Jaime Phipps, and some others.
López Miranda arrives and becomes Jaime Phipps.
In the midst of the intervention period
North American, Rafael López Miranda decides
come to the Dominican Republic as
colpoltor. He was a kind of disciple of the
Pr. William Steele whose success as a colporteur
gave the honor of being elected co-director of the
Publications Department of the Mission
Puerto Rican.

López Miranda, in Puerto Rico, had met

Mercedes Sánchez; who had gone to visit
his sister-in-law and was part of the group that
I was studying the Bible at Mrs. Shenery's house.
Miranda had the opportunity to give him studies.
biblical and during their biblical studies,
Mercedes Sánchez encouraged Miranda to travel to
Santo Domingo to share with the group it
that he had taught her and a little time
then he decided to travel to the country.

Already in Santo Domingo, Mirando visited Mrs. Shenery's group and was answering the
questions that arose; and shortly after, he met the fiancé of Mercedes Sánchez,
Jaime Phipps; a shoemaker by trade who did not believe much in the gospel; however, after
studying for a while with Miranda, he decided to accompany him in his missionary work and be baptized;
but fulfilling the dream of his fiancée, getting baptized together. That's how both were
baptized and married on the same day, by Pr. Steele. Shortly afterward they returned to the country
to continue the work.

First Adventist pastor of the Dominican Republic.

When the preparation of Adventist ministers became necessary, the Puerto Rican Mission
decided to open the Aibonito Adventist Academy in 1920; and in that same year Jaime Phipps,
junto con su esposa, se dirigió hacia esta institución para iniciarse en el ministerio y dos años
later he was called as an assistant pastor in the first church of Santo Domingo,
Church of Avenida Capotillo, now known as the Church of Avenida Mella.
As a pastor, Phipps dedicated himself to preaching to his friends and fellow shoemakers; within the
those highlighted by Manolo Martínez due to his experiences with satanism and spiritism.
Manolo had a reputation for being very fearsome and dangerous. No one expected him to accept the gospel;
after many battles, the Lord helped him to overcome. His conversion was such that even his wife,
quien lo había abandonado por sus prácticas, regresó al país para reconciliarse con él y poco
Some time later, he also accepted the message and they were both baptized.

Chapter IV
THE ADVENTIST MESSAGE IS SPREADING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
The first Adventist temple in the Dominican Republic.
In 1917, the leaders of the Puerto Rican Mission decided to send Pr. Homer David.
Casebeeral country for the strengthening of the work and then for the organization of the first
Adventist church in the city of Santo Domingo, the church on Avenida Mella.
Upon his arrival, Pr. Casebeer opened the doors of his house for the...
Bible study meetings; since the house of Casiano Carrión was no longer sufficient
big enough to accommodate all the people who were attending the group; but despite
who were gathering at the pastor's house, began the search for a place that could
to serve as a meeting place for believers.
After searching for a long time, they found a store on a second level that could be useful for the
fines; said location was on 30 de Marzo street and soon the group was the first group
of believers organized as a church in the Dominican Republic. A few years later, the
Pr. Casebeer was selected as president of the Adventist Church for the two islands, Santo
Sunday and Puerto Rico; therefore
had to leave the country and send in
su lugar alPr. Peter Nygaard.
The search for a plot of land for the
the construction of a church was very
long; but one was managed to be obtained in
Capotillo Avenue, now known as
like Mella Avenue; where, in 1920,
they started planning the construction
of a church that finally was
inaugurated in 1921.
Moulton arrives in the Eastern region of
country.
In 1908, the same year that Moulton decided to move to Mendoza and continue the group there.
locality; he decided to visit the municipality of Consuelo, San Pedro de Macorís, to offer the
"Sentinel of Truth" and provide Bible studies to those who are interested. The locality of
Montecoca was the first to receive the Adventist message in the Eastern region of the country; since
many employees from the Consuelo Sugar Mill exited. Upon learning that in the

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there were a large number of English-speaking people living near the place; he decided
to get in touch with that group of people, as their native language was English.

When Moulton identified as

Adventist and Sabbath keeper it
they put in touch with the tailor Samuel
Dorson, a man from Saint Kitts who
he kept the Sabbath; who when he met
Moulton had a good friendship with him and
they started their missionary work together in that
zone. In their missionary work, they encountered the
Williams family, who offered their house
as a meeting point for the studies of
the bible and whose children, after having
accepted Adventism just like his parents,
they entered the work of the colportage.

Adventism continued to grow in this

region of the country and in the 1950s it was able to persist despite the damage caused by
A group of people presenting false doctrines that confused many brothers.
After a while, Mr. Gerardo Gian donated a corner of a small farm he had in Consuelo.
for the construction of a church and it was built with wood; but it was the 'first church'
Adventist of the Eastern region and the second of the Dominican Republic.

The first Adventist church of Cibao.

After the social situation in the country in 1911 (coup d'état against Ramón Cáceres) caused that
Moulton will return to Puerto Rico; Wellington Williams (son of the Williams family, from
Consuelo decided to become a colporteur and, with his wife Leticia, went to live in the
Jábaba community, Moca; where they started selling Adventist books and giving studies.
biblical house to house.
Upon arriving in this community, they found a group of evangelicals gathered in a small house.
wood property of Mrs. Monga García; but they started studying the Bible with
who were interested in their own home and many decided to accept Adventism for the
clarity and example shown by the Williams; with Monga García being one of the first to
accept this message.
Andrés Guzmán, son of Monga; after accepting the gospel, he became a great
preacher and this motivated Monga to sell his land for the construction of the church and with
esos recursos pagar los estudios de su hijo para convertirse en pastor; así fue como en1921fue
formally organized the church of Jábaba; 'first Adventist church of Cibao and the
third of the country.
Adventism reaches the Southern Region of the country.
After his conversion and baptism, Manolo Martínez decided to move his shoe store to the city of
Azuaporque wanted to bring the Adventist message to the southern region of the country. He managed to establish a group.
of Bible studies and his great desire for preaching led him to several places in that region,
especially Barahona, where he moved his shoe shop in 1922.
Upon hearing that Manolo Martínez was spreading the Adventist message in the southern region;
Pr. Nygaar, pastor of the Church on Mella Avenue, decided to send Jaime Phipps to...
It will help in that work and the growth was so great that by 1924 that congregation was
organized as a church; becoming the first Adventist church in the southern region
of the country and the fourth of the country.

Two years later, Phipps was sent to Santiago de los Caballeros, and for his work in that place
He received his ordination to the ministry in 1927 and then took the Adventist message to various places.
more from Cibao, among which we can mention Valverde Mao and Puerto Plata.

Capítulo V.
ORIGIN OF THE ADVENTIST FIELDS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND
PROJECTS.
The Dominican Mission is organized and the ACD emerges.
After the organization of the Adventist church in Barahona, Pr. Nyggard went to the
second most important city of the Dominican Republic, Santiago; with the aim of
reach the people of that town. Nygaard did not only focus on Santiago; but also on
Valverde and Puerto Plata, and thanks to their work and to the
support from Jaime Phipps; the Mission was organized
Dominican of the Seventh-day Adventists,
January 1, 1924; that began to operate
on the second level of the church on the Avenue
Mella.
The leaders elected for the newly organized
Mission were:
Pr. William Steele - President.
Luis Retif - Treasurer.
Fernando Brito - Youth Director.
Pr. Peter Nygaard – Dir. Of Lay Activities.
Between 1960 and 1961, the church achieved an excellent
relationship with President Rafael Leonidas Trujillo
Due to the friendship he maintained with the Pr.
Alvin Stewart; who managed to get the president to donate
125 thousand pesos for the purchase of a lot for the
construction of the Dominican Mission building; but
in its place, what is known today as the
Ozamay Adventist Church with the other part of the money
donated by Trujillo, the offices of 'The
Voice of Hope

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offices became the headquarters of the Adventist Mission which is currently the building that occupies the
Dominican Central Association (ACD) and the auditorium became the Adventist Church of
Gazcue.
The Dominican Mission became the Dominican Association on August 1, 1963; and then
it achieved the status of Dominican Union on January 9, 1993. After the Mission emerged.
Southeast Dominicana, the territory of the National District was renamed Central Association
Dominican Republic.
Northern Dominican Mission (MDN) - Association
Northern Dominican (ADN).
Due to the significant growth of the work in the region of
Cibao; mainly after the Mission
Dominicana will become an Association; the Mission has emerged.
Northern Dominican Republic, in January 1972, under the
address of Pr. José Espinosa already for June 1990
became the Dominican Association of the North (ADN);
whose first president was Pr. Oreste Natera.

Dominican Mission of the South (MDS) - Association

Dominican Republic of the South (ADS).

The status change of the Dominican Association caused

a lot of impact on population growth
Adventist at the national level and the southern region was not the
exception. Due to the increase in membership in this
region, in July 1986 it was necessary to create the Mission
Dominican Republic of the South with Pr. Diógenes Suero as
first president and with its headquarters in the city of Azua.

The Southern Mission continued advancing until achieving its

status change in January 2018 and choose as
President alPr. Carlos Rilio who continues as
president of that field currently (2020).
Eastern Dominican Mission (MDE) - Association
Dominican Republic (ADE).
In January 1990, it was necessary to reorganize the
Dominican Association and this led to the
organización de un nuevo campo en la región Este del
country, the Dominican Mission of the East. Based in
San Pedro de Macorís and as its first president it had
Rev. Filiberto Martínez Páez.
In mid-2002, thanks to the remarkable and
extraordinary growth of this missionary field,
it reached the status of association, being known since then as the Dominican Association of
This; whose first president was Pr. Ramón Cedeño.
Southeast Dominican Mission (MIDOSE) - Dominican Association of Suretes (ADOSE).
After the change of status from Association
Dominican to Dominican Union; another achievement of
the Adventist organization in the country was
sponsor and motivate a new reorganization
from the Dominican Central Association due to the
extraordinary growth in this field. Of
November 18-20, 1996 was held the
annual meeting of the Dominican Union, where it
he took the vote to recommend to the Division
Interamericana (DIA) a new reorganization
from the ACD to split it using the Bridge
Duarte as a dividing point.
The Inter-American Division accepted the proposal.
presented by the Dominican Union and when it
celebrated the ACD congress from June 3-5
from 1998 at the campus of the Adventist University
Dominican Republic (UNAD); the new one has been inaugurated.
missionary field of the Dominican Union, the
Southeast Dominican Mission (MIDOSE); with
Mr. Cesario Acevedo del Villar as the first
president.
This wonderful missionary field continued
growing to become what it is today,
the dynamic Dominican Association of the Southeast
(ADOSE), in the year 2012, with Pr. Victor
Leger as the first president.
Dominican Mission of the Northeast (MIDONE) - Dominican Association of the Northeast
ADONE.
At the beginning of the year 2000, a new was introduced.
experimental project in the Northeast region of the country.
Due to the broad growth of the Association of
North gave way to the plan to create the Mission
"Experimental" from the Northeast, under the coordination
delPr. Camilo Carvajal. Already in 2004, due to
to the development of this experimental field, it was
officially approved as the new Mission
Northeast Dominican Republic (MIDONE); with the Pr.
Henry Verascomo first president.

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Finally, in January 2018, it became what we know as the Dominican Association of
Northeast (ADONE); with Pr. Ciro García as the first president.

CONCLUSION.

To date, the Seventh-day Adventist Church continues to grow in the Dominican Republic.
to such an extent that it already has more than 334 thousand members nationwide; around 1338
churches and congregations; a certified university based in Bonao, and several extensions;
a radio station; a country home (orphanage); an Institute of Horticulture; one of the centers
most developed doctors in the country; several plots for camps; a large amount of
schools and a great hope of continuing to grow until Christ returns to the earth.

Timeline / Summary of Dates.

- 1893 Mrs. Margaret Harrison visits the Battle Creek Sanitarium.
1898 – The American troops intervene in Puerto Rico and David Trail arrives as
nurse and missionary to that country.
1901 - Pr. A. M. Fisher arrives in Puerto Rico to preach to the Jamaicans.
residents in that country and also reach Puerto Ricans.
1903 - The Adventist Association of Jamaica is organized; B.E. Connerly starts the
publication of the magazine 'The Sentinel of Truth'.
1907 - Charles Moulton arrives in the Dominican Republic as the first missionary
Adventist.
1908 - Charles Moulton moves to the Mendoza area and decides to visit the town of
Consuelo, San Pedro de Macorís.
1909 - The Puerto Rican Mission is organized, with Pr. William Steele as the first.
president.
- 1910 The first Adventist baptism is celebrated in the Dominican Republic.
1911 – Coup d'état against Ramón Cáceres. Moulton returns to Puerto Rico. Wellington and
Leticia Williams arrives in the town of Jábaba, Moca.
1917 - The Pr. Homer David Casebeer arrives in the country; who organizes the church on Av
Mella.
1920 - The Adventist Academy of Aibonio, Puerto Rico is founded; and goes as a student.
Jaime Phipps, the first Dominican Adventist pastor. The construction project begins.
of the first Adventist temple in the country.
1921 - The first Adventist temple in the Dominican Republic is inaugurated; the church of
Mella Avenue (Central Mella). The church of Jábaba, Moca is organized.
- 1922 – Manolo Martínez moves his shoe store to Barahona and begins preaching in
that region.
January 1, 1924 - The Dominican Mission of the Seventh-day Adventists is organized.
Day.
- 1924 The first church in the southern region of the country is organized in Barahona.
- 1927 Jaime Phipps is ordained as a pastor.
 Between 1960 and 1961 - Pr. Alvin Stewart forms friendships with Trujillo and he donates
the money for the purchase of the land for the Ozama church and the facilities of the ACD.
August 1, 1963 - The Dominican Mission changes its status and becomes the
Dominican Association.
January 1972 - The Northern Dominican Mission is organized with Pr. Joel Espinosa
as the first president.
July 1986 - The Southern Dominican Mission is organized with Pr. Diógenes Suero
as the first president.
- January 1990 - The Eastern Dominican Mission is organized with Pr. Filiberto
Martínez Páez as the first president.
June 1990 - The Northern Mission becomes the Northern Dominican Association with
Mr. Oreste Natera as the first president.
- 9 January 1993 - The Dominican Association becomes the Dominican Union.
November 18-20, 1996 - The ACD board meets and the vote is taken for
suggest dividing this field into two.
June 3-5, 1998 - The ACD congress is held on the UNAD campus and
the Dominican Mission of the Southeast emerges.
2000 - The 'Experimental' Mission of the Northeast is created, under the coordination of Pr.
Camilo Carvajal.
2002 - The Eastern Mission becomes the Eastern Dominican Association with Pr.
Ramón Cedeño as the first president.
2004 - The Dominican Mission of the Northeast is officially approved with Pr. Henry
You will see as the first president.
2012 – The Southeast Mission becomes the Dominican Association of the Southeast with Pr.
Victor Leger as the first president.
January 2018 - The Southern Mission becomes the Dominican Association of the South with th
Pr. Carlos Rilio as the first president. The Northeast Mission becomes the Association.
Northeast Dominican Republic with Pr. Ciro García as the first president.

QUESTIONNAIRE.
1- What was the name of the first Dominican Adventist and who gave him his first one?
Bible?
Casiano Carrión; who gave him his first Bible was Mrs. Cecilia Shenery.
2-What was the name of the magazine whose leaders received Casiano's letter?
Carrión that later prompted the sending of a missionary to the Dominican Republic?
The Sentinel of Truth.
3-What was the name of the first Adventist missionary sent to the Republic?
Dominican and what was his wife's name?
Charles Moulton and Laura Moulton.
4- In which sector was the first group of Adventist believers formed in the Republic
Dominican?
In Mendoza.

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 5- In what year was the first baptism in the Dominican Republic celebrated and who performed it?
profession?
In 1910; officiated by Pr. William Steele.
6-What was the name of the first Dominican Seventh-day Adventist pastor?
Jaime Phipps.
Who was the pastor of the church on Avenida Mella at the time of its construction?
temple?
Peter Nygaard.
8-What was the first locality to receive the Adventist message in the Eastern region?
Dominican Republic?
Montecoca, San Pedro de Macorís.
9-Where was the first Adventist church organized in the Northern region of the Republic?
Dominican Republic?
In Jábaba, Moca.
10-Who and how much money was donated for the construction of the Ozama church and the offices that
Today does ACD occupy?
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina, RD$ 125,000.00
11- On what date was the change of status to Dominican Union of Adventists formalized?
9 de Enero de 1993.
12-Who was the first president of the Dominican Association of the Southeast (ADOSE)?
Pr. Victor Leger.
Material prepared by:
G.M. Gabriel Peguero.
As a contribution to the club ministry of the Conquistadores of the Dominican Association of the Southeast.