Starting as a single missionary family and growing into Three Trees Ministries, we have been impacting and changing the lives of kids since 2007.

How We Started

  • John, Melissa, and their 4-year-old daughter, Kate, went on what they thought would be the first of many one-week mission trips. They believed it was important for Kate to see how people live in different parts of the world and help them however they could. But during that trip, something unexpected happened.

    One of the missionaries they met mentioned how much administrative work he had to do. This got John thinking. He was getting his master's degrees in Social Work and Health Care Administration, and he wondered, "Could my skills be used on the mission field?" This thought stuck with him for about six months until he couldn't hold it in any longer.

    John shared his idea with Melissa about moving to the Dominican Republic and working with the same ministry they had served during that eye-opening trip. Melissa was on board right away. And that's how this adventure began!

  • It took a few years for everything to fall into place. John completed his graduate studies, earning his MSW and MHA. Right after handing in his final paper on May 20th, 2007, they began their work with New Missions in Sosua on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. John took on the role of administrator for the newly opened health clinic and also managed the schools and churches. Meanwhile, Melissa oversaw the once-a-month short term mission teams and shuttled kids to and from school and to and from our home where we constantly had visitors!

  • All this experience served as valuable training ground for their big move to Jimani, located on the southwest border with Haiti. They discovered that a foundation had built a small hospital and a large "orphanage," but it was left inactive without anyone to run it. This called for a new adventure, and so, in 2010, they decided to take the leap and embark on this exciting journey.

    Upon arrival in Jimani, John once again utilized his skills to get the hospital accredited with Public Health. Together, they oversaw short-term teams, welcomed longer-term interns, and even ran a day program for kids who needed a safe place to spend their time when not in school. All of this leading to the opening of the children’s home where over 20 children and adolescents found a loving home at the facility. It was truly a transformative experience, and their dedication to providing care and love for vulnerable children continued to grow.

  • in 2015, with 8 years of mission experience partnering with other organizations John and Melissa founded Three Trees Ministries in order to continue the work they were doing caring for 20 children and adolescents in their home. Taking a step of faith, trusting in God’s continued provision. Little did they know God would expand their vision and work to impact the lives of even more kids.

How We’ve Grown

  • In 2016 we were more and more aware of Haitian boys that were attempting to cross the border oftentimes sleeping on the streets. Their legal status and the tension between the DR and Haiti at that time didn’t make bringing them into our home an option. We decided to open a home and shelter on the Haitian side of the border in Fonds-Parisean and shortly after that decision we met Jurgen’s and D’joudy Jupiter graduates of YWAM looking for just this mission opportunity. We found a home to rent and within a few months had the shelter program in place.

  • As a group of boys growing up in our home began to become young men, in 2018 we opened our Transition Home to allow them to continue their education, be part of our family, and mature in preparation for living independently.

  • This year we were given an amazing opportunity for the middle school and high schoolers in our home in Jimani. They are all attending a private school’s distance learning program. The school is run by New Missions, the first ministry we partnered with in 2007. This school and our amazing donors made this opportunity a reality and provided a level of education that cannot be matched in our small town.

  • This year marks us taking intentional steps to realize our desire to impact the lives of even more children. As the situation in Haiti worsens more and more children are coming to and crossing the border. We are in the process of expanding our programs as God provides financial support for us to grow our work at the border.