TONY'S NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2011
Dear Friends and Partners in God’s Mission,
You may be aware that the original program promoted by EAPE, more than 30 years ago wasthe founding of a Christian university in theDominican Republic. Working alongside theleadership of a Dominican doctor named Elias Santana we organized a board of directors forthe proposed school and secured Jose Postigo-Villanova to be the organizing executive director. EAPE invested approximately $200,000 in theprogram, not much for founding a university, especially when you consider that today theUniversidad Nacional Evangélica of theDominican Republic has grown to over 15,000 students, with campuses in the cities of Santiago, La Vega, and Santo Domingo.
Today the university has programs in medicine, teacher training, entrepreneurship, liberal arts, science, business, computer programming, and agronomy. In accord with the mission of EAPE,the university has an extensive course of study for church leaders. Scores of pastors’ currently serving Dominican churches have already graduated from the university. Others, following their graduation, are going out as missionaries to other Latin American countries.
And, what’s even more, this year the Universidad Nacional Evangélica was admitted into theCouncil of Christian Colleges and Universities, an organization that includes 113 schools such as Wheaton College, Azusa Pacific University, Messiah College and our own Eastern University.
Back in July I was privileged to deliver thekeynote address at a special convocation celebrating the university’s 25th anniversary. What joy I had when EAPE was recognized for having sown the seeds that created theUniversity. In addition, we were recognized for deeply impacting and helping to further thedevelopment of the country, with specific regard to assisting churches of the Dominican Republic in carrying out their evangelistic and social ministries.
Presently there are 400 students who evacuated Haiti during the earthquake and are working to complete their education at the university. Whenthe earthquake hit Haiti a year and a half agothe University of Port-au-Prince was shut down and these 400 Christian students came to theUniversidad Nacional Evangélica of theDominican Republic for assistance and education. They have no money and theuniversity has no extra income to provide for them.
I wish you could have been there when a delegation of these students presented me with a bouquet of flowers to express their gratitude to EAPE for helping to create the school that was helping them. If you had been, you’d know how important your support truly is.
Sincerely,
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ABOUT TONY + OCTOBER 2011