The Dominican Republic national leader donated 31 acres of public land—already used by Seventh-day Adventist young people for annual retreats—to the church last month. During the March 28 donation ceremony, he applauded the church’s work and image in the country.

“There is a natural kindness in each one of you that I know is a result of having God as a guide in your attitudes and your behavior,” President Leonel Fernandez told hundreds of church leaders and members gathered for the ceremony. “I would like that same spirit to be extended to the entire Dominican nation.”

The donated land—part of a university-owed campground earlier decreed public by the Dominican national government—is located in the island nation’s San Cristobal province outside its capitol, Santo Domingo.

In 2006, the church in the Dominican Republic established a public relations campaign to bring its ministries and activities to the attention of government leaders. Late last year, Fernandez took note of the 250,000-member church’s mission in the nation of 9.4 million, its positive impact in the community and the involvement of its young people, church officials said.

The church will build new facilities to house thousands of Adventist young people who already use the land during annual retreats, said Silvestre Gonzalez, Adventist Church spokesman in the Dominican Republic. 

Gonzalez also said for a national leader to recognize a non-Catholic denomination was unusual, and the church was grateful.

The Adventist Church in the Dominican Republic operates six regional offices, more than 1,000 congregations, nearly 100 elementary and secondary schools, one university, one hospital and eight radio stations.