How it all began...
Precious Kids Ministries (PKM) was formed in honor of our son, Ethan Kyle Barreto. Ethan was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December of 2004 at the age of three. He underwent numerous operations to allow his body to fight this terrible disease. Ethan fought like a champion especially when having to learn how to walk and speak again. However, after several months of healthy progress, the tumor returned. He underwent another operation, but this one was not as successful as the previous. Ethan went home on March 29, 2006 surrounded by his entire family.
Every night Ethan would pray for poor children without parents. He would always worry for others before himself. Whenever Ethan saw someone in need, he would want to share his money with them because he felt they needed it more than he did. It was his example of humility and giving, that lead to the creation of the Precious Kids Ministry. In his memory this ministry took shape.
Our Mission
Our team...
We are a small group of people who freely donate our time and gifts whenever and wherever possible to help the children we serve in the Dominican Republic. Our mission is to honor Ethan's prayer. Our hope is to break the cycle of poverty in the lives of the children we help. Join us in making a difference for these children.
From left to right: Tom Barreto, Aracelys Barreto
Bottom: Luis "Gonzo" Gonzalez
We concentrate our efforts in
Santiago, Dominican Republic...
Our ministry collects and organizes donated clothes and shoes that your children may have outgrown and distributes them to poverty-stricken children. Many children in the Dominican Republic struggle to have one meal per day. PKM purchases and distributes healthy food items for the children and families we assist throughout the year. We also purchase school uniforms and school supplies for the children we help. This allows their parents/guardians an opportunity to find employment to help improve their living conditions.
Above all else, PKM wants the children we serve to know the love of Christ and the hope He offers. We provide children's bibles, bible lesson worksheets in Spanish, along with colored pencils (as crayons often melt) with pencil sharpeners. Along with a host of other programs, our mission is simple. We are to be the hands and feet of Ethan's prayer and in his words, "help all the poor kids with no mommies & daddies and no food to eat..."