Haitian Culture

After School Stories

One afternoon, Poyis asked Michelle, one of the American volunteers on our team, if she wanted to go with him to pick up the kids from school, and take them home on the school bus. These are not the children from our homes, but the kids who live in the surrounding neighborhood, all of them about three or four miles from the compound. Each day, someone drives the school bus to pick up these more than ninety children in the morning, and around 2:30 each day, takes them home to their families. I asked Michelle if [...]

2023-04-06T19:39:52-07:00June 17th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , , |
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2022 World Day Against Child Labor

June 12 is World Day Against Child Labor, and every year, this day gives us reason to seek the Lord while thanking Him for the work He has already done in Haiti. More than 120 children rescued from slavery now call our Regency and Mercy Children’s Homes their home, living in an environment where they are loved, educated, and given a hope-filled future, and all of this is from the Lord. One of these children is Mervius Elange. Elange is fifteen years old, and he joined our Children’s Home a few years ago. He spent much [...]

2023-04-06T19:40:42-07:00June 12th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , , |
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Pastor Testimony—Frandy Poyis

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” —Philippians 4:13 Pastor Frandy Poyis Pastor Frandy Poyis was born in Haiti to a family who practiced Catholicism and Voodoo. He lost his father when he was very young but gave his life to his Heavenly Father when he was twelve years old. After finishing high school, Poyis entered Bible school with the goal to enter full-time ministry. While in school, Poyis worked as dean at Delmas Christian School and also used his gifts of shepherding and teaching at the church. [...]

2023-04-06T19:42:47-07:00May 27th, 2022|Categories: Testimonies|Tags: , , , |
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His Ways Are Not Our Ways

Part of Connect 2 Ministries’ vision is not only to focus on the Children’s Homes and school, but also to support and equip Haitian pastors in their ministries. We do this partly by supplying food, but also by providing spiritual food and encouragement through in person training gatherings. My goal in a recent Mercy Network meeting was to get to know our pastors and spend some time in God’s Word. We started with introductions and spent the first part of our time getting acquainted. I told the men about my family and church ministry in [...]

2023-04-06T19:45:53-07:00May 6th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , , |
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A Different Perspective

For some reason there was a lot of traffic on the drive to Onaville one morning. No one really knew what was causing the delay, but the slow drive allowed me to observe the people on the side of the road. Every time I take this drive, I am amazed at the difference in our cultures. The buildings are run down and the roads need repair, but the lifestyles of individual people are even more striking. As we turned down one street, we noticed three young women standing together with their infant babies on the side [...]

2023-04-06T19:46:42-07:00April 29th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , |
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A Heart for the Nations

I went with a team from the US one day to visit the children at the Regency Home. Dr. Jarvis, one of our faithful volunteers, brought them a jump rope, and the games began. It was hot, and many were inside, but they trickled out to see us. It was fun watching Alan, a member of the team who speaks French, converse with some of the kids, especially the older ones. The children learn French, English, and Spanish in school, but will be most fluent in French and Creole as there are many in their country [...]

2023-04-06T19:50:02-07:00April 8th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , , , , |
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Cultures Collide

One thing I am constantly learning is that Haitian culture is very relational. A sense of space or sequence is not the main thing, and that became evident on a recent flight to Haiti. Americans tend to board a plane in the order in which they are asked to board—Haitians board all at once, which takes much longer as those sitting in the front and bump into those heading toward the back. Once I got seated, I was fascinated by observing this process. As I watched, I noticed the Haitians had brought lots of carry-on luggage [...]

2023-04-06T19:51:21-07:00April 1st, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , |
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A Shared Calling

I have learned many things from ministry over the years, but one thing I come back to repeatedly is that the tasks to accomplish must never overshadow relationships with people. This applies even more so in Haitian culture. Haiti is a very relationally-driven society, so the interpersonal element is crucial for gospel ministry. Fortunately, on this trip I have been able to do both. Poyis came by at breakfast and told me that the Mercy Network pastors would arrive between 9:00–9:30am, and that Jimmy would translate for the morning’s meeting (Poyis wouldn’t be joining us). As [...]

2023-04-06T19:53:21-07:00March 18th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , |
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Pastor Testimony—Elberis Joseph

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” —Romans 8:31 Pastor Elberis Joseph Pastor Elberis Joseph was a young man when God took hold of His life. He had been living for himself previously, but from the moment he was saved, he had a powerful desire to serve the Lord and honor Him with his life. He began attending a church near where he lived, and continued faithfully in ministry there for many years. He served as a Sunday school teacher before deciding to leave [...]

2023-04-06T19:54:22-07:00March 11th, 2022|Categories: Testimonies|Tags: , , , , |
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Pastor Testimony—Louissiant Delice

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” —John 3:16 Pastor Louissiant Delice Pastor Louissiant Delice was raised in a Christian home, and he has been thankful for the legacy of a believing family his whole life. His parents taught him to love the Word of God, and from a young age, he has desired to serve God first above everything else. Pastor Delice was blessed to attend a Bible-teaching church, and as a young man, the leadership [...]

2023-04-06T19:59:48-07:00February 11th, 2022|Categories: Testimonies|Tags: , , , |
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