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’re sharing some reflections from our volunteers.

After a long pause for our team trips, God provided the opportunity to begin sending volunteers again in 2025. Today, we asked two of our volunteers, Robert and Hudson, to share about their trip experiences—these are their reflections on short-term ministry in Haiti.

One of the highlights of going to Haiti this year was seeing how the kids are finally beginning to feel safe again after years of uncertainty. God has continued to provide for them again and again. It was also amazing to see how faithful Pastor Poyis has been despite constant setbacks and suffering in both his ministry and personal life—those two areas are intertwined, and the testimony of his life is one of trust and faith in God across the board.

There are inevitably some challenges that show up while serving in Haiti. Sickness and bad weather can happen at any time, which throws a wrench in pre-planning. In a practical sense, they also need more equipment for continued work on the compound, but we know that will have to happen over time. In a spiritual sense, it was challenging to see people whose lives have been so affected by a fallen world (and yet we think we have things to complain about).

We saw Connect 2’s four pillars of ministry in action on a daily basis. Our entire lives must be God-centered. He must be the main focus of our lives at all costs, or He will shake things in our lives until He is. A church-centered ministry is important because the local church should help fill the practical needs of suffering people. Indigenous-led ministry makes complete sense after speaking with Greg this past trip. Nobody understands the culture better than someone who’s part of it—it makes sense that someone from a particular culture can best minister in it long term. Compassion is central in all of this because grace is what drives gospel ministry.

It’s easy to get lost in the mindset of church programs and routines as the main thrust of ministry while forgetting the most basic function of ministry is sharing the love of Christ. Our gospel opportunities are daily, and it’s both encouraging and humbling to do ministry with the global body of Christ, remembering that the Great Commission is our calling wherever we find ourselves.

For information about joining an outreach team, visit Support Us.