Leah Martinez felt called to the Dominican Republic for many years. In her last semester of college, she asked the Lord for direction when the D.R. came to mind. “I knew I wanted to work with Back2Back, and there was no D.R. site, so none of it made sense to me,” shared Leah.
Months later, Leah was interning with Back2Back in Mazatlán, Mexico, and overheard talk of a D.R. site opening. Her ears perked up as she felt goosebumps. The scattered pieces of this puzzle slowly moved together. “It was a God thing,” she shared. “He placed the D.R. on my heart before I knew anything about the country or the possibility of Back2Back working there. I didn’t understand why at the time, but the picture slowly came into focus.”
Leah has now served on a staff team of four people in the D.R. for three years. She tutors children in Spanish and reading at a community center, working diligently to close their educational gaps. She uses this as a bridge to connect with their parents, building a rapport.
Back2Back’s D.R. site is unique in that there are no official partnerships with local children’s homes. As one of Back2Back’s newer sites, the vision is to support and equip local ministries with the tools needed to effectively work alongside vulnerable children and their families. The site works in a local community through various ministries, offering Trauma Competent Care training and follow-up coaching with directors and personnel.
Leah works alongside Co-Directors, Hope and Cheque Garcia, and fellow staff member, Mindy Mauricio. When asked what a typical day looks like, Leah responds with enthusiasm, “It depends on the day! My mornings and afternoons are often spent tutoring and spending time with families between those lessons. I also lead a Bible study with local families based off the book Contagious Discipleship.”
Three years ago, Leah couldn’t have known how much she would learn or how she would come to love this culture. “People are truly so caring and hospitable here,” she shares. “They welcome someone new with as much love and care as their own family; you are never truly a stranger in the D.R.” The D.R. culture is one of celebration, made up of people who are fun and joyful. They do not worry about tomorrow, their focus is on today. Leah has learned how to practice this in her own life. Even on the hard days, she finds joy when witnessing God’s hand in incredible stories of loss and grief. “He makes everything beautiful in time,” she shares.
The D.R. team has big dreams for their site, but are still building their team. While they grow their capacity, they show up faithfully each day, ready to connect with families, engage with children, and provide access and solutions to a population in need.
“I realize anew every day what it means to be faithful to God’s call, whether I’m reaching one child or 20, my job is to remain faithful to Him,” she shared. She considers the young woman she was three years ago, new in a foreign country. “God has invested deeply in growing and maturing me. Every day, I learn a little more about what it means to be the difference for one, and how to let that be enough for myself because it is enough for Him.”
We can trust when He calls us to something, He has a plan. He will make it happen, and His blessings will be multiplied. Today, Leah wakes up in the D.R. knowing this is true, and her answer today, and in the days to come is, “Yes. I will.”
