Haitian Culture

There are so many things in life that compete for our attention. Failure affects our minds and hearts as much as success—grief often as strongly as joy. Because of this, it’s important that as Christians we have a strong framework for thinking about all of the experiences we face in life; we need to know how to navigate trials as well as times of peace. Here are five truths from the Bible about trials in the life of a believer. Trials Are an Invitation to Experience God’s Grace One of the most comforting truths in Scripture is that Jesus understands [...]

Prayer is a powerful aspect of the Christian life. It is the avenue God has given for direct communication between us and Himself. While we pray with humble hearts and in submission to His sovereign will, the Bible also gives us multiple examples of ways to pray in alignment with God's promises—ways to ask for things God has already promised to give. Here are a few examples. Prayers for Wisdom. In James 1:5, the apostle encourages believers to seek God's wisdom in their lives. The verse reads, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously [...]

Jesus is often referred to as "the Light of the World" in Scripture. It’s a frequent title for Christ, which makes it familiar for many of us. It carries the idea that Jesus is the truth, order, and meaning in the world, and for those reasons, the title itself is significant. Today, we’re looking at three implications this title, “the Light of the World,” has for us as Christians, and what that means for all of us as we minister to others. Guidance in Darkness. Jesus, as the Light of the World, provides spiritual guidance to those who seek [...]

Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTFs) are nutrient-dense food products used to treat severe malnutrition. In developing countries like Haiti, these resources make a world of difference. On our blog, we’ve shared about the struggle with kwashiorkor in many of our Haitian communities. Treating kwashiorkor requires careful and gradual reintroduction of essential nutrients, especially protein, into the child's diet, and this process must be closely monitored to avoid refeeding syndrome—a dangerous condition that can occur when malnourished patients receive too many nutrients too quickly.1 That’s where therapeutic foods like RUTF come in. What It Is RUTF is a specific type of [...]

We’ve all heard the phrase, “joy comes in the morning.” It’s an idea that comes from Psalm 30:5, which says, "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” This verse has offered comfort to believers for centuries, reminding us, Christians, of the hope we can cling to when facing life’s hardest trials. That hope comes because we know the challenges and difficulties of life are temporary. We will certainly face periods of sorrow and pain—these things are part of the human experience, but at the same time, none of them are permanent. We look forward to [...]

This year has been a whirlwind, to say the least. We have faced many new challenges as a result of the ongoing unrest in Haiti, but God has done some amazing things through it all. The Lord has enabled us to continue providing for our children’s safety and well-being, despite us recently rehoming all our children and staff due to increased gang presence in Onaville. We have strengthened and cultivated relationships with our current and new US partners, and we have found innovative ways to circumvent gang control by sending food and supplies to Haiti without using the ports. We [...]

On the outskirts of Port-au-Prince in Onaville this year, gangs took control. Many people were forced to leave their homes, and the kids from our Children’s Homes were among them. The last few months have brought uncertainty and challenges as a result. Because of the social and political instability in the country, this Christmas will look a little different than it has in the past for our friends in Haiti. Yet despite troubling circumstances, our children, staff, and pastors are looking ahead to December 25 with a renewed sense of unity and hope. This Christmas, the Children’s Homes and compound [...]