Photo by Skip Lawrence Mark Zimmerman, left, and Dr. Julian Choe are leaving in January on a mission to the Dominican Republic.

Dr. Julian Choe, 51, and Mark Zimmerman, 46, will spend as many as seven years as missionaries in the Dominican Republic.

Choe is president and chief executive officer of Mission Ryan, a nonprofit organization created to help underprivileged sugarcane workers at 25 plantations. Zimmerman is assistant executive officer.

Choe and Zimmerman have traveled abroad before to do mission work in Africa and Central America, but this trip involves much more.

Choe will close his internal medicine practice on Old Farm Drive to establish a health care network for the sugarcane cutters. Zimmerman also has closed a New Market business he ran.

Many villages in the Dominican Republic don't have water, electricity or basic health care.

"I felt called to go down there," Zimmerman said. "The need is so great."

Choe agreed. "I just want to help these people as much as I can," he said.

The men have big goals while they are away from home in the Dominican Republic. They plan to provide the villagers with proper sanitation, potable drinking water and medical services at mini clinics they plan to build.

They also plan to eradicate intestinal parasites and help the villagers combat hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

The families of the two men will stay at home, but will visit.

Two of Zimmerman's three children are enrolled in public schools.

"Not too many people want to sleep on a dirt floor," Choe said.

When they board the plane Jan. 22, each man is allowed two 50-pound bags, Zimmerman said.

The men would welcome donations or volunteers from the Frederick community to help them accomplish their goals.

"Help is needed everywhere," Choe said.

n For information, visit www.MissionRyan.cfsites.org