Pastors

Mission Englise Chretienne Redemptrice

Standing on an empty lot, Pastor Poyis and I stared at the church’s walls. The roof hadn’t even been installed yet, but we expectantly discussed his vision for the church and the impact it would have beyond its physical building. Pastor Poyis shared with me that he wanted to name the church “Connect 2 Ministries.” “Let’s pull back.” I said, “The church needs to have a Haitian name, not an American one. The church’s name should be related to your heart for the community. What is your desire for this community?” Pastor Poyis said, “I would [...]

2023-04-06T16:30:46-07:00October 7th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Highlights|Tags: , , , |

The Heart of Ministry

Each time I travel to Haiti, we have a half-day pastors meeting. This is an important part of the ministry at C2M, and it’s always a highlight of each trip for me personally. Greg, Poyis, and I are investing in these pastors because we believe that the best way to help Haitians is by sharing the gospel generally, and traininging men in Haiti specifically to love Jesus and be used by Him to disciple and grow the church. The problems in Haiti will not be solved by human solutions. Government, education, business, and humanitarian efforts [...]

2023-04-06T19:31:20-07:00September 9th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , |

A Testament to God’s Grace

Many mornings when I wake up in Haiti, I hear music from the church first thing. The songs are always a selection of hymns and Christian music; it is beautiful and a wonderful way to start the day. This Sunday in June 2021 was no exception. Our team walked over to the church around 7:15, and the 125 kids from our Children’s Homes were already seated; today, they were in the main service. When this happens, it makes the church even fuller. There were a few people from the community there as well, and the [...]

2023-04-06T19:26:48-07:00August 12th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , , |

God’s Heart for the Broken

Poyis led a helpful devotional during a recent Mercy Network meeting where he discussed the topic of being a light in a lost community. He considered an array of social and practical elements, mostly focusing on the things he does as a pastor to “leave the building” and be among the people in the community. Some of these men practice this very well already, and it was a helpful reminder to all, wherever they’re at. We spent the rest of the discussion time thinking about these questions: What are some of the needs in Haitian communities? [...]

2023-04-06T19:25:52-07:00August 5th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , |

Notes from a Pastors Meeting

During one Mercy Network meeting, I broke the men into four groups of three and asked them to pray for each other, specifically focusing on the topic of having a gospel witness and how it relates to their own hearts. I could tell that it was a meaningful time. After praying together, we spent about a quarter of an hour hearing from some of the men about their churches. We didn’t have time to hear from everyone, but what was shared was an encouragement to us all. One of the men has pastored the same [...]

2023-04-06T19:32:42-07:00July 22nd, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , |

The Gospel Is Bigger

Poyis and I spent an hour together one evening as he updated me on all that was going on in his church and at the Children’s Homes. I am constantly reminded of the challenges of raising kids. I had three, but Poyis has 120. He does a remarkable job. The staff face issues that many parents would be familiar with—students occasionally neglecting responsibilities, pushing against restrictions—and they navigate these difficulties with grace. I have learned to pray the same things I’ve prayed for my own children for the kids in our homes, asking that God [...]

2023-04-06T19:37:31-07:00July 1st, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , , , |

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: , , , |

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: , , , |

The God of Creation

Just before dark one evening, I noticed that some clouds were rolling in and it looked like rain. The wind picked up, and a humid breeze swept through the compound. The storm developed slowly, and once the sun had set, I sat outside my bedroom door on the porch and watched the lightning and the rain. It was peaceful. One of the nice things about the compound is that it feels like you are miles from city life. Earlier in the day, I had walked on the roof of one of the buildings and looked out [...]

2023-04-06T19:43:32-07:00May 20th, 2022|Categories: Ministry Outreach|Tags: , , |

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: , , , |
Go to Top