One Woman’s Mission to Reach Forgotten Youth in the Dominican Republic

Through street ministry and Bible study, Lorena Viale is building relationships and leading others to Jesus.

June 23, 2026 | Boca Chica, Dominican Republic | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Every week, along the busy streets of Boca Chica in the Dominican Republic, a small group of young men gathers around Lorena Viale to study the Bible.

Many earn a living as motoconcho drivers, transporting passengers by motorcycle throughout the community. Some face difficult circumstances, and a few, spend nights on the streets. Yet each week they pause their routines to open Scripture, ask questions, and learn about Jesus.

Lorena Viale, who ministers to young people and motoconcho drivers on the streets in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, recently attended a women’s congress to learn new ways to use social media and digital platforms to expand her ministry and share hope with others. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]

For Viale, a member of the Boca Chica 2 Adventist Church 30 km east of Santo Domingo, the ministry began with a burden she could no longer ignore.

A divorced mother of two and former schoolteacher, she spent years working with children and witnessing the struggles many carried.

“I saw so many children with emotional needs,” Viale said. “Parents would bring them to school and leave. Sometimes I would sit with them and talk because I could tell something was wrong.”

As she reflected on the future of her own children, she felt God calling her to do more.

“I have a daughter and a son, and I kept thinking that I didn’t want my son growing up in a society where I wasn’t doing anything to make a difference,” she said. “I felt I needed to help create a better future for him and for others.”

Eventually, the conviction became so strong that she resigned from her teaching position to devote herself more fully to missionary work.

“I told myself, ‘I have to do something more,’” she said. “I couldn’t stay inside four walls.”

Lorena Viale leads a Bible study with motoconcho drivers in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. Through weekly outreach and relationship-building, she shares biblical messages of hope with young men who work in the community’s transportation sector. [Photo: Courtesy of Lorena Viale]

For nearly eight years, Viale has spent her days ministering to young people in the community, building relationships, offering spiritual guidance, and sharing hope with those often overlooked by society.

Viale believes ministry begins with presence. She meets people where they are, listens to their concerns, and builds relationships before sharing the hope she has found in Christ. Whether on a street corner or beside a row of parked motorcycles, every conversation becomes an opportunity for ministry, she shared.

Building Relationships Through Bible Study

Before beginning Bible studies with someone new, Viale simply asks permission. “I ask them, ‘Can I share the Word of God with you?'” she explained. “Most of them say, ‘Yes, go ahead.'”

What begins as a simple conversation often develops into meaningful discussions about faith, life, and personal struggles.

She is currently leading a Bible study group of 14 young men using The Faith of Jesus bible course. To encourage participation, she incorporates interactive questions and small rewards.

“I bring chocolates, mints, or candy,” she said with a smile. “Whoever answers a question receives a prize.”

Participants gather for prayer and fellowship during one of Lorena Viale’s outreach meetings in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. [Photo: Courtesy of Lorena Viales]

The approach has helped create a welcoming atmosphere where participants feel comfortable asking questions and engaging with Scripture.

Many of the young people or men and women she meets on the streets have begun attending the Bible study sessions.

The ministry extends beyond the weekly gatherings. Through a WhatsApp group, Viale shares short devotional messages, Bible verses, and updates, helping participants stay connected and engaged throughout the week.

A Growing Burden for Souls

For Viale, the greatest reward has not been numbers but relationships.

One recent conversation left a lasting impression.

“Some of them asked me, ‘When you leave, who is going to stay with us?'” she recalled. “That touched my heart deeply.”

The question reinforced her conviction that many of the young men and women are searching not only for spiritual answers but also for genuine friendship, guidance, and hope.

Motoconcho drivers participate in a Bible study led by Lorena Viale in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. The growing ministry combines conversation, Scripture study, and discipleship to help participants deepen their faith and relationship with Christ. [[Photo: Courtesy of Lorena Viales]

Her dream is to see lives transformed through Christ.

“I would love to be able to testify one day that some of them left the streets behind,” she said. “Many tell me they want to change first and then come to God. I tell them it doesn’t work that way. We need to let God enter our lives first. He is the one who brings order.”

Trusting God to Provide

Pursuing street ministry has required faith.

Leaving behind the security of a steady paycheck required faith. Viale depended largely on God’s provision and child support while continuing to provide for her two children.

She structures her days carefully, getting her children ready and off to school, spending time in missionary work, then returning home to care for her family.

“I don’t feel like I am neglecting my children, and I don’t feel like I am neglecting the mission God has given me,” she said.

Despite opportunities to return to full-time employment, she remains committed to the ministry she believes God has placed before her.

“God has completely sustained me,” Viale said. “If He has called me to do this work, He will continue to provide.”

For now, she plans to continue walking the streets of Boca Chica, building relationships one conversation at a time and sharing the hope she has found in Christ.

“I love being there,” she said. “The satisfaction it brings is something I cannot even describe.”