The Samaritan Foundation was founded by Elio Madonia, a retired Toronto businessman, on vacation, with his wife, in the Dominican Republic. What he witnessed there moved within him compassion to make a difference in the lives of the poor and impoverished.
“I was strolling, “ he remembers, “along the streets of a small town called Sosua, near Puerto Plata, when I was struck by the extreme poverty of the houses in the area. Those weren’t even houses, they were little more than shelters, roughly built, with no water, no lighting, with earthen floors. It was squalid. I felt the Lord telling me: ‘What will you do for these people?’ It was a lightning bolt. I answered: ‘My Lord, I’ll give them a house’.”
Mr. Madonia visited the mayor of the town and with his help, acquired some property on which he began constructing a small village in the periphery of Sosua. This first village, Maranatha, provided homes for the families he had visited on that first day.
To-date, the Foundation is building its 10th village representing over 900 homes, 10 churches, 4 schools (5th under construction) , 4 medical clinics (1 under construction) and several sport facilities.
Over three years ago, John and Jane Huizinga felt the call of God to leave the comfort of their home in Hamilton Ontario, Canada, to work alongside of Elio Madonia and The Samaritan Foundation on a full-time basis. John Huizinga has recently been appointed to the position of Mission Director in Dominican Republic.
I feed and teach to read the ones in need.Plus Math and social scills. In a Christian inviorment. I need direction books teachers. I have been operating for almost 2 years. All out of pocket. I need to lear to ask for money. Asking is hard for me. I have allot of kids need medical attion for skin diseases. I am a servant of God and never been happier.