Restaveks

The Light of the World

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 [...]

Meeting Needs with RUTF

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 [...]

Joy Comes in the Morning

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 [...]

Looking Back on 2023

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 [...]

Christmas This Year

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 [...]

Honoring Mervile Eduardo 2008-2023

An Important Message from Our Founder Mervile Eduardo was a beloved member of our Regency Children’s Home. He passed away suddenly on December 7, 2023, at the age of fifteen, from complications related to type 1 diabetes. His diagnosis was recent, and as anyone who has experience with type 1 diabetes will know, the condition is very difficult to manage—even in the US. You can imagine how difficult it is to manage in a third-world country like Haiti. Since Mervile’s diagnosis earlier this year, Haiti has been under duress from multiple gangs, which has exacerbated the scarcity [...]

2023-12-11T16:14:53-08:00December 12th, 2023|Categories: Ministry Highlights|Tags: , , , , |

Hope Through Tangible Means: School Supplies

Tangible school supplies play a crucial role in the learning process. Using physical tools like pencils, pens, notebooks, and other materials helps students learn more than they could if relying solely on memory. Tactile activities help students take ownership of abstract ideas, and that well-known principle has guided our approach to schooling in Haiti. We’ve seen our kids benefit from these resources in so many ways. However, this year has been one of change and adaptation. As the gangs pushed into Onaville, Connect 2 Ministries moved out, leaving behind many of the resources and supplies our kids have relied on [...]

2023-12-08T11:19:40-08:00December 8th, 2023|Categories: Ministry Highlights|Tags: , , , , |

FOUND Short Film

Picture a shack. Tin roof, patched wooden walls, and a tarp for a window covering. This is Natascha's home. Her father fixes a meager meal outside over an open fire, while her brother shoos away flies from his perch on a nearby rock. Natashca is inside, hungry. She knows, as they all do, that whatever they have to eat that day will not be enough. It is never enough. With more than five children and expenses rising as they grow, Natascha’s parents must find a new way to provide. The alternative is unimaginable. This scene is a common one [...]

2023-11-16T10:43:28-08:00November 17th, 2023|Categories: Ministry Highlights|Tags: , , , , , |

2023 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons resonates with the heart of Connect 2 Ministries. Each year on July 30, we join the global movement to end human trafficking as an extension of our ongoing ministry during the year. More than 120 children rescued from trafficking 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. Over the last two years, Haiti has experienced a prolonged period of social and political crisis. Today, we asked our founder, Greg Barshaw, to share what happens to restavek children [...]

The First Five Years

Connect 2 Ministries got its start because of a God-given burden for the church in the US. Over my years in ministry, I came to believe that the church in North America had lost its passion and purpose. Church activities thrived, but outreach ministries struggled. Through many providential conversations, I came to see that some of the pastors I knew and loved felt the same about their own congregations. So, in partnership with them, C2M was born. The goal from the beginning was to help churches take people overseas. This cemented itself when a good friend of mine, a church [...]

2023-07-13T10:04:20-07:00July 14th, 2023|Categories: Ministry Highlights|Tags: , , , |
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