Connect 2 Ministries

Celebration can look dramatically different depending on where you live. We've been thinking about this recently as Mission Église Chrétienne Rédemptrice, our church in Haiti, just celebrated Haitian Mother's Day. In the US, we celebrate moms with flowers, cards, or a nice meal—something special to mark the day. In Haiti, many mothers spend Mother's Day carrying heavy bags of food supplies home, sometimes walking miles so they can provide a meal for their children. While cultures may differ, one thing remains the same: a mother's God-given desire to care for her family. When our church was founded twelve years ago, [...]

One of the most practical ways we serve the church in Haiti is through short-term ministry trips. Teams from our US partner churches come to serve and encourage the church in Haiti in a variety of ways, and it’s always a refreshing time for those involved. Today, we asked Greg, our February team leader, to share some reflections from the trip. The team we took in February was on the larger side in terms of numbers. When it comes to logistics on a building trip, it’s always helpful to have more hands on deck. Construction work goes faster when more [...]

Doing church in the US or any western country involves some bureaucracy. As Christians, we are subject to the governing authorities. We are responsible to order our finances, documents, and records so that we are able to give an account. But is it ever possible to go too far in the name of stewardship and responsibility? One downside of the bureaucratized church model is that it creates a tighter margin for ministry. When government took over meeting the needs of the poor, it took something away from the church. Historically, the church has been the organization that built hospitals, food [...]

June 12 is World Day Against Child Labor, and every year, this day gives us reason to seek the Lord in prayer while thanking Him for the work He has already done in Haiti. Dozens of children rescued from slavery now call our C2M family home, living in an environment where they are loved, educated, and given a hope-filled future. All of this is from the Lord. 34.4% of children ages 5–14 are working1 This means nearly 816,000 Haitian children are child laborers. 741,000 children are displaced2 12% of the total population are displaced, representing a 36% increase since December [...]

One factor in western church culture is that we tend to measure potential leaders first in business terms and then in biblical terms. We evaluate our deacons, elders, and even pastors from a leadership standpoint from the get-go, which often creates an elder board composed of Christian businessmen instead of men who think biblically first and business second. There is always a tension between business strategies and biblical principles, and finances are a huge part of that. So how do we teach faith, as a church run by budget? If a ministry opportunity comes forward, the budget is often our [...]

One of the most practical ways we serve the church in Haiti is through short-term ministry trips. Teams from our US partner churches come to serve and encourage the church in Haiti in a variety of ways, and it’s always a refreshing time for those involved. Today, we asked John, one of the volunteers from our January team, to share some reflections from the trip. I first got involved with Connect 2 Ministries through Antioch Church, and it’s been a privilege to be part of the ministry happening in Haiti. The trip had multiple highlights—getting the pump going for the [...]

Faith and stewardship are two sides of the same coin. On one hand, we’re responsible for the resources God gives us, and on the other, everything we do is ultimately in God’s hands. Living the Christian life well means holding these two things, stewardship and faith, in tension at the same time. We do everything we can to make plans and provisions, but at a point, it’s a matter of trusting God. The trouble today is that western culture promotes stewardship but does less to encourage acts of faith when it comes to finances. As Christians, our responsibility in any [...]

In western Christianity, we tend to wait to do things until we have the resources to do them. This would’ve been a foreign concept to the biblical writers. For instance, Hebrews 11 describes how Abraham left his home on God’s instruction, with no idea where he was going. Similarly, every war the Israelites entered defied logical forecasts of success. They consistently went against nations that were stronger, more populated, and more barbaric than them, displaying a willingness to be obedient without the safety net of abundant resources. That is the biblical picture of faith. God’s goal is first that we [...]

One of the most practical ways we serve the church in Haiti is through short-term ministry trips. Teams from our US partner churches come to serve and encourage the church in Haiti in a variety of ways, and it’s always a refreshing time for those involved. Today, we asked Kevin, one of the volunteers from our January team, to share some reflections from the trip. Our time in Haiti was really encouraging. I wish I knew at the beginning how hard it would be to say goodbye to the kids! It was amazing to see the children start and end [...]

War takes a toll on any society. Beyond causing turmoil for the individual, the uncertainty created by civil unrest and political violence destabilizes everything from infrastructure to government proceedings. In Haiti, these effects go beyond instability and look more like a country that’s been, in many ways, torn apart. Today, we’re considering the effects of war on Haiti’s government and political system. The biggest challenge for Haiti right now is reidentifying their source of authority. For the past few years, the governing authority has not been the government. It has been the gangs. What’s needed now is a full reversal [...]