David & Shala Hughes
Breaking the chains of poverty on Dominican Republic's North Coast through high-quality education and ministry of the Gospel.
Our Part in the Solution
Proclaiming the Gospel & Discipleship
Proclaiming the Gospel & Discipleship
Proclaiming the Gospel & Discipleship
After serving as Pastor of an English-speaking church in Sosua for 4.5 years, David felt led to start a church in an area with limited Spanish-speaking and zero English-speaking churches - Cabarete. David wanted a truly international church where everyone could worship together. After all, we will be together in Heaven!
North Coast Christian Church will hold its first service on 4 February 2024. The service will be offered in English, with Spanish translation available at all times. Worship songs will alternate in English and Spanish to ensure all feel welcome in their own language. A German-speaking pastor will also be available should that need arise. David will serve as Lead Pastor with Cornell Wilson serving as Executive Pastor and Hendy Rivas serving as Spanish Pastor.
Pastor David continues to preach in local Dominican and Haitian churches. At the beginning of 2022, David was accepted into the “Circle of Pastors,” similar to a denomination board in the United States. It is extremely rare for a foreign pastor to be allowed into such ranks, and David does not take this honor lightly.
Teaching a Trade Skill
Proclaiming the Gospel & Discipleship
Proclaiming the Gospel & Discipleship
Lack of job skills and an education, many young men lack the ability to break their cycle of immense poverty. Too many turn to ”street jobs” which are very dangerous.
David is using his lifelong skills as a master upholster to teach a valuable job skill. Students learn how to upholster simple furniture and motorcycle seats. These skills help break the trend of the “streets” (prostitution, drug dealing, pimping, theft) that so many young adults find themselves in.
For 2 years, David taught adults through another local ministry, but his heart was burdened for the young men in Los Charamicos. He began a class for high school boys and soon discovered how many desperately wanted to learn.
This class keeps the boys engaged in a safe environment and away from the street gangs that are heavily present in Los Charamicos. The class has re-upholstered all the chairs and stools used in the school, which gives them a sense of pride and responsibility.
More importantly, they are learning about God through conversations, prayer, and devotions.
Reproducible School Model
Proclaiming the Gospel & Discipleship
Reproducible School Model
This country’s school system is heavily fragmented and dysfunctional. This is the most evident in the poorest “barrios” where parents do not have the financial means to send their children to a private school, or even public school after 5th grade.
Refugio de Fe is a Christian
school in Los Charamicos that serves 110 children (ages 3-12), with hopes to expand soon. Shala and David work within the school to raise funds to obtain necessary resources; develop stronger curriculum with a focus on mathematics and science; and teach Bible and English as a Second Language.
The goal is to make this school a reproducible model other schools can mimick in order to give more students the opportunity for a high-quality, Christ-centered education; thus, allowing them to be more competitive for univiersity and in the job market.
Food for Families
Food for Families
Reproducible School Model
Even before the pandemic, many families struggled consistently putting food on the table. COVID-19 hit, the country shut down, and the struggle magnified drastically. Through local churches (including OceanSide), God called us to action. Sometimes we buy the food. Sometimes we help package it into family unit bags. More often than not, we help deliver and hand it to the people. No matter how involved, we were blessed with many smiles and tears of immense appreciation.
In July of 2020, we were overwhelming blessed with a 4x4 truck that has been instrumental in getting food, medicines, and other necessities to remote mountain villages.
Vision Clinics
Food for Families
Vision Clinics
One of the things we take for granted in the United States is the ease of obtaining an eye exam and glasses when necessary. Unfortunately, a large part of the population in the Dominican Republic simply do not have the means to go to an optometrist.
We have very blessed to host mission teams with talented optometrists, eye glasses technicians and many helpers. Let’s face it, it is difficult to learn when you cannot see properly - a pair of glasses makes all the difference.
Refugio de Fe & Upholstery Classes
Click here to sponsor a student or donate towards the school‘s or trade school’s expenses. All donations are tax deducible.
Chosen Ministry Dominican, Inc is a registered 501(c)3.
Missionary Support
We do not receive salaries and rely solely on donations for our living expenses, such as housing, medical insurance, food, and other necessities. Your financial support allows us to stay on the missionary field and continue God’s work.