The streets in the Dominican Republic are usually alive with the sound of merengue and bachata music. But they’ve been abnormally quiet recently as the country grieves 232 people killed on April 8 when the roof of a popular Santo Domingo nightclub caved in during a concert.
After 53 hours of searching, 189 survivors were pulled from the rubble.
In response to this shocking tragedy, a team of Spanish-speaking BG-RRT chaplains deployed to the capital city, as well as to Haina—the hometown of beloved Dominican singer Rubby Pérez who was performing just before the roof collapse. At least 25 others killed were also from Haina.
In the midst of one of the deadliest disasters in the country’s history, chaplains provided emotional and spiritual care to those anxiously awaiting news outside the club—and at a local hospital as bodies were still being recovered.
Chaplain Lilly Cruz—originally from the nearby island of Puerto Rico—traveled from New Jersey to be there for the people of the Dominican Republic.
While stationed outside the Jet Set club near a growing memorial, she watched as people came to add photos or pay their respects.
“That’s a beautiful picture,” she said gently as she introduced herself to one young couple—Enrique and Gloria*—who were placing a photo of Gloria’s sister nearby.
The two broke down when Cruz began to share about the love of Jesus Christ.
“My words may not be enough to comfort you, but God is the God of comfort,” she explained to the grieving couple, surrounded by flags flying at half-staff. “He’s here to come alongside [you] to bring hope.”
She held Gloria’s hand as she prayed with the couple—helping them give their burdens to the Lord even in their overwhelming sadness.
They expressed immense gratitude to the team of chaplains for their support.
“A lot of people there knew Jesus,” Cruz later noted. “They were just so lost in the magnitude of the pain. … There’s just something about when you mention the hope of Jesus. … Even thinking about it makes me cry,” she said, holding back tears.
Coping With Great Loss
About 10 miles away in Haina, Cruz also visited with a family who lost eight members in the tragedy. She detailed a moving conversation she had with the matriarch of the family, Rosa.*
From her rocking chair, the devastated great-grandmother—disabled and dealing with fading eyesight— told chaplains that her granddaughter Niela* and great-grandson Omar* had been at Jet Set that terrifying night.
Niela survived with major injuries, but Omar—whom Rosa had raised—died after being crushed under the weight of the roof. Rosa shared that the mother and son had followed different paths in life—Omar a Christian, and Niela an unbeliever.
Rosa was struggling to grapple with the horrific details of her great-grandson’s death after learning that he died while making a phone call for help. Chaplains listened with compassion as Rosa poured out her sorrow and talked about Omar’s life.
“She kept talking about her great-grandson going to church and serving the Lord,” Cruz said. “It was a lot of active listening—we were just comforting [her].
“We encouraged her that her grandson was with the Lord.”
After sitting with Rosa as she shared about the other family members she lost, chaplains prayed with her and were about to leave when Rosa noticed something: their Billy Graham Rapid Response Team badges.
“Oh, Billy Graham!” she exclaimed as she came close enough to read the badges. “I love that man. I watch his sermons every night.”
A Way Forward
In the wake of this disaster that has shaken so many in the Dominican Republic, local church leaders have invited BG-RRT to come back and host Sharing Hope in Crisis (SHIC)—a course that teaches Christians how to provide emotional and spiritual care to friends, family, and neighbors who are grieving.
Cruz—excited for the upcoming training and feeling a heavy burden for suffering Dominican communities—shared her prayer for the people. “Pray that the seeds of love that were planted will bloom.”
Please lift up the upcoming SHIC training in the Dominican Republic, and ask God to heal hurting hearts as only He can.
*Names changed for privacy.
