Mac and Anne McGaha have served with Connect 2 Ministries for more than ten years, and they have served alongside us on many of our trips to Haiti. As we recognize Giving Tuesday, we asked the McGahas to share their thoughts on living life for others.

We went to Haiti for the first time on a trip with Wheels for the World, and that’s how we first met Greg. We were really impressed with how Connect 2 Ministries was working in Haiti. Everything was organized, and they knew what they were doing. That trip was the beginning of an enduring relationship that we’ve enjoyed for about ten years (and counting). Connect 2 Ministries has changed a lot during that time. We’ve had the chance to see the ministry grow each time we would go over. Because of the guidance from C2M’s Haitian and US leadership, and the help from the US teams, the ministry has transformed from something fairly bare bones to the high capacity operation it is today. The work is obviously the Lord’s, and it’s been a privilege to see how He’s used His faithful servants to accomplish it.

We noticed early on how Connect 2 Ministries’ core values influenced ministry. Pastor Poyis is such a light in the Onaville community, and everything he and the staff do is church centered and God centered. The staff in Haiti are all Haitian nationals, and everyone from the Mercy Network pastors to the compound staff has a compassionate heart for the community. The things we’ve seen done over there are things only God could do. At the compound, they have a doctor’s office where people come and go regularly; they have a church; they have a building with ten rooms that short-term teams can use; they have storage capabilities; they have a kitchen. We can’t imagine how one man, be it Greg or Pastor Poyis, could be able to do all that on his own. It’s all through God, and that has been so clear throughout our time serving with C2M.

There’s a strong emphasis on personal relationships. We’ve seen how investing in people, not just in abstractly sharing a message, is so important. It’s all person to person. Greg is a mentor to those he leads, and Pastor Poyis is a mentor to others as well. He is closely involved with the children, and especially as they get older, he’s helped them take initiative in serving their peers and the community. Over the last two years, while we haven’t been able to send teams, the older kids have been able to lead VBS events and help around the compound because of this mentoring function.

All of that works because no one is leading from behind. Greg and Pastor Poyis are both the first to do anything that needs to be done, and people follow them because their example is one of service. They model with their lives what they believe in their hearts, and God has blessed us through them because of it. There are so many ways we’ve been encouraged, but the number one blessing has to be the kids. We really enjoy being around them and seeing God work in their lives. Number two has been seeing how everyone jumps in and works—we’ve never served on a team with a lazy volunteer yet. It’s also been eye-opening to see how people live in a country like Haiti. We always say we wish everybody had the opportunity to go, because it’s shocking and humbling to see what real poverty looks like.

Over the years, we’ve found so many ways to get involved, and it’s often looked different for each of us. I (Anne) love to sew, so when we’ve gone on trips to Haiti, I’ve been able to use that skill to teach the girls at the Children’s Homes some sewing skills. I do the same thing at my home church, helping out with any of the younger women’s sewing projects—these girls from church have even helped me sew clothes to send to the kids in Haiti! It’s been great being able to use our personal gifts to help. I (Mac) have helped with construction projects on every trip we joined, and together, we hosted a fundraising dinner for Haiti in our local community. We’re thankful that over the last few years, even without being there in person, we’ve been able to continue praying for and supporting our Haitian brothers and sisters in other ways. It’s always an amazing thing to be there in person, but God works in all kinds of ways. All we have to do is trust and obey.

This Christmas season, we have a special opportunity to give to those in need. From now until December 25, we’re raising money to buy tangible supplies, print and audio Bibles, and income generating resources for our friends in Haiti. While the country continues in a state of crisis, what people need most is hope. These gifts allow us to build a bridge between Haitian communities and God’s church in Haiti. Our pastors help meet the physical needs of those around them, and that relationship allows them to reach out with the hope of spiritual healing that only comes through the gospel.

Visit give.connect2ministries.org to learn how you can Give This Christmas.