Mariners Outreach heads to Haiti

A team of 20 men and women traveled to Haiti to work with our ministry partner, Church of God by Faith. They trusted God to accomplish quite a bit. On the agenda was

• Three days of medical clinics treating over 300 patients
• VBS for over 200 kids
• A pastors conference to encourage and train 45 pastors from all over Haiti.

Come see what God accomplished on the trip…

Haiti: two years after the earthquake

January 12 marked the second anniversary of the 7.0 earthquake that killed over 316,000 people and devastated the impoverished nation of Haiti. According the the UN, donors have pledged over $4.6 Billion in aid, yet only 43% of those relief funds have been dispersed. There is a very long road ahead to restoration and recovery.

Mariners Ministry Partner

Church of God by Faith, led by Pastor Joseph
Two years ago, we sent our first team to Haiti and through amazing circumstances, God led us to Pastor Joseph, the founding Pastor of Church of God by Faith and its mission of 23 churches. For the last 40 years, he has pastored this church and developed pastors to grow the mission and spread the gospel.

When Pastor Joseph began his ministry, voodoo was prominent and there was strong resistance to Christianity. But God has been faithful and has grown this church into the voice of hope and healing that it is today.  Now, years later, Pastor Joseph’s son, Samuel, is stepping in to help lead the mission for the next generation of Haitians.

Medical Clinics

Over the course of three days, people from Mariners and a volunteer team of doctors administered basic medical care to over 300 people. To date, we have treated over 2,000 patients through medical clinics. For most, this is the only medical care they will receive. And while medical treatment is critical, the most significant aspect is the ability to share the hope of Jesus and pray for those who are hurting, believing our God can and will meet all of their needs through His glorious riches in Christ.

 

Vacation Bible School

Pastor Samuel’s vision is this:  EMPOWERED BY JESUS,  THE CHILDREN ARE THE HOPE OF HAITI!

For two solid days, the VBS team from Mariners brought an abundance of enthusiasm, love, and the hope of Christ to over 200 children of Carrefour, Haiti. The beautiful children played soccer, jumped rope, made arts and crafts, and danced their little hearts out. Cross cultural learning abounded, as the children taught songs and dances to the VBS team and in turn the team shared new games with the children such as volleyball and hot potato, translated in French as, patate chaude!

Together, the team and children cleared a field filled with rocks and debris, creating a safe place for the children to play.  As they co-labored, Pastor Samuel spoke prophetic words and prayers to the children, naming them as the future leaders of the church and Haiti.

During the Bible lessons, the energy of the students was focused attentively on our team as they acted out scenes of Jacob’s life from Genesis.  The teaching culminated in Jacob receiving his new name from God. The children were given the opportunity to ask Christ into their hearts and ask God for a new name. That day, many children made a commitment to Christ! Just as Pastor Samuel prayed, these children will go on to be the future leaders of their church and Haiti!

Pastors Training Conference

At the request of Pastor Joseph, we led our first Pastors Training Conference in Haiti. Pastor Joseph gathered 45 of his top pastors from around the area to be encouraged and equipped for the work God has called them to. Since the devastating earthquake, many of the pastors have been operating in survival mode, trying so hard to restore hope to the people in their communities. This was a precious opportunity to remind them of God’s truths and His love for them.

Summing It Up

Two years after the earthquake, we are grateful and encouraged by the hope and resilience of the people of Haiti. Despite what you might hear, it is not a dark, desolate place. Haiti is a place brimming with light and truth in the midst of extreme poverty and incredibly challenging circumstances.

On this trip, we witnessed the Bride of Christ in action and experienced the Church as the hope of the world — not because we came, but because God is doing a great work there through Church of God by Faith. We are excited to continue our partnership with them and have already planned our next trip for April. We can’t wait to see what God will do through Pastor Joseph, Pastor Samuel, and this amazing church.

If you are interested in serving in Haiti or would like to learn more, let us know by filling out the form below. We will contact you with more information.