Providing hope & healing for women in the Dominican Republic.
Children face increased vulnerability to sexual exploitation due to the vulnerabilities of lack of access to education, poverty, and absent parents.
Social norms can be seen to normalize forms of child sexual exploitation in prostitution, travel, and tourism contexts or within child, early, and forced marriages.
The Dominican Republic has one of the highest child, early, and forced marriage rates in Latin America, with 32% of women aged 20-24 being married or in an informal union before they turned 18.
DR ranks 2nd in Latin America in child marriage.
In 2020, Dominican Republic was the country in Latin America with the second-highest rate of femicides.
You can help us change this reality for women and children in the DR.
Mercy Workshop began as an outreach ministry to the women exploited in the sex trade on the streets of San Pedro and the surrounding tourist areas. Our outreach team goes out weekly into the streets to these vulnerable women and offers first the love of Christ.
We share His love in tangible ways by offering a job, counseling, and education.
Each woman has several people from our ministry and staff pouring into their lives and walking with them into recovery. They are paired with a case manager, a teacher, a big sister, and a counselor. We rejoice in each step of progress they take. We celebrate the little graduations, the finished bible study books, and the finished jewelry piece!
mentorship. job skills. friendship. restoration. hope. education. counseling.
OUR FOUNDER'S STORY
Allison Hale arrived in the Dominican Republic for the first time when she was 13 years old. Her parents, Doug and Paula Hodges, were missionaries to the city of La Romana. As she matured, a love for this country also grew. She returned every summer even throughout college to work and serve in the different cities of the DR.
In 2009, the women from their church began sharing with Allison the burden of what they were seeing in their town of San Pedro and the surrounding tourist areas. Women in vulnerable situations were in the streets being exploited for sex. After praying for several months, they began to seek out answers to the questions of what was driving the vulnerabilities.
And in 2010, Allison founded the ministry of Mercy Workshop.
Learn More!
Learn more about the heart, mission and vision of Mercy Workshop from our founder.
OUR TEAM
Elisabeth Perdue first worked with Mercy Workshop on her summer college internship. She knew then that the Lord was calling her full-time to work here in San Pedro, and He led her right to our door. She brings empathy, wisdom, and humor to the Workshop as she serves the women daily. Her attention to detail is something that each of you enjoy as you proudly wear our pieces of Mercy jewelry!
Rachel Snead first came to the Dominican on a mission trip then spent another summer as an intern. Then again as an intern leader and then… well, you get the point! She has served various ministries including the school, the Lifehouse girls’ home and Mercy Workshop. Her love and compassion for people is demonstrated through responsibility and commitment to the Lord
Jen Kubasch visited the Dominican Republic on a mission trip and turned around and signed a contract to teach at the Las Palmas Christian School 2 months later! Once she was here, she immediately sought for ways to stay involved in the Mercy Workshop. Her eye for style and salesmanship has elevated the designs and collections you see at Mercy Workshop. She constantly loves and encourages the women at the Workshop. She also connects with and prays for the women on the streets as we go on outreach.
Merly Perez grew up in Allison’s family’s church, Iglesia Bautista Evangelica de Macoris. She has grown and matured in her faith as well as in her professional life. She graduated with a degree in Accounting from the Universidad Central del Este. Merly is currently serving Mercy as our bookkeeper and receipt tracker downer! She may have a young baby face, but the women of Mercy understand that she is not a pushover and she is working to help them learn life skills and responsibility.