Summer 2026 Newsletter

Alejandro and Hannah Alcantara serve as In-Country Directors for Solid Rock International, providing leadership and support to staff, missionaries, and local ministry partners throughout the Dominican Republic.

Alejandro’s journey with Solid Rock International began as one of the first sponsored students at Lucille Rupp School. After graduating, he returned to serve his community as a pastor and Bible teacher at the school. He has also served as a part-time pastor at Central Mennonite Church for more than ten years, bringing a deep commitment to discipleship, education, and local church ministry.

Hannah first came to the Dominican Republic in 2019 as a Peace Corps volunteer after graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in Marketing. Through her experiences living and serving in the country, she developed a deep love for the Dominican people and culture. Since marrying Alejandro in 2021, she has continued to live and work in the Dominican Republic while supporting ministry initiatives and organizational development.

Together with their four children—Aiker, Elsie, Isaac, and Isabella—Alejandro and Hannah are passionate about advancing the mission of Solid Rock International and sharing the love of Christ throughout the Dominican Republic.  You can learn more about The Alcantara Family by reading their first blog.  Please join us in supporting them as they serve alongside our team in San Juan.

In October 2025, Solid Rock International launched the From Seed to Service campaign with a goal of raising $1.2 million between then and October 2027. As of today, we have raised $460,413.86 toward that goal. These funds will help cover operational costs until diagnostic revenue begins to be realized, while also supporting ongoing maintenance and future equipment needs.

We are incredibly thankful for the ways God continues to provide for the ministry through generous financial support and through medical teams willing to serve with their talents and expertise.  Stay tuned for our August fundraiser with more details coming soon.

At the end of March, the Bucher family traveled to the Dominican Republic to celebrate Holy Week and Easter. The beginning of their trip was spent in La Romana at Casa de Campo, where the U.S. missionary staff gathered for a time of retreat together. From there, the group traveled to San Juan de la Maguana.

Jeff and Kamanda enjoyed catching up with friends and eating delicious Dominican food. Braegan spent time with her friends listening to music and playing games, while Brantley spent much of his time catching lizards and frogs around the guesthouse. He even got to enjoy a motorcycle ride with Randy! The family had a wonderful trip filled with meaningful time together and many special memories.

In April, the board of directors gathered in Wichita, Kansas for one of their two in-person meetings held each year. We were also blessed to have five guests from the Dominican Republic join us. During our time together, each committee shared highlights from the past year, celebrating the many ways God has been at work through the ministry. The board also spent time discussing future plans and dreams for Solid Rock International and the Christian Clinic for Integral Health.

We are deeply grateful for the time, wisdom, and dedication our board of directors faithfully invest in the ministry of Solid Rock International.  Our next in-person meeting will be held in October at Northwoods Community Church in Peoria, Illinois.

Dominican Staff Appreciation Month was a wonderful success in May! Throughout the month, we enjoyed highlighting several key staff members who play important roles in helping our ministry run both efficiently and effectively. This year’s theme was “God Never Forgets Your Faithful Work,” inspired by Hebrews 6:10.

Our goal was to raise $20,000 to support the staff as a whole, and we raised $34,515! In addition to the financial support received throughout the month, the staff were blessed with notes of encouragement from group members and thoughtful care packages. Each package included a parallel Bible (Spanish/English), highlighters and pens for note-taking, and snacks.

Thank you for your participation as we showered extra love and appreciation on our staff this May!

June and July are especially busy months as we host youth teams serving throughout the San Juan region. These teams primarily focus on Vacation Bible School (VBS) ministry and construction projects. This summer, we will host youth teams for five weeks, leading VBS programs at ten church sites across the region. The two main VBS themes are God Makes a Way, centered on the parting of the Red Sea, and Unity, based on Jesus healing the paralytic.

The construction focus for the summer has been partnering with Lucille Rupp School to help with expansion for the upcoming school year.  They have acquired some more property around the school, so the teams have been helping to clear the space to allow for more classrooms to be built.