As people of faith, members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have walked with the people of Haiti for decades. Together, we have helped construct hospitals and schools, forged connections and friendships. We are concerned as we witness the people of Haiti again watch as their fate and the fate of their island nation play out.
Marcdaline Abelard was in her home in the mountains above Leogane on Saturday, June 3, when her husband Claudy left to go search for the family goat. Rain was pouring and the wind had picked up. While she waited, she tried to calm her baby who is only a few months old. Her 2-year-old and 4-year-old were frightened by the weather. The heavy rains caused flash flooding that ripped through the mountain village. Claudy never returned.
Tuesday is World Water Day and Living Waters for the World (LWW) is celebrating the call of Matthew 25, the gift of pure water and the gift of water partners.
A national immigration conference provided a forum on Saturday to highlight the concerns of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers who are Black.
To end systemic poverty, we first must understand its root causes by asking good questions. In Latin America and the Caribbean, two good questions to ask are, “How is the land used?” and “How are the people who live on that land treated?”
A cascading series of events has refocused conversation on what many considered as flawed U.S. policies in Haiti.
We owe so much to the people of Haiti. They are a symbol of freedom in this part of the world. They came to our assistance during the Revolutionary War. However, we have been shameful partners.
During Haitians’ call and fight for independence as enslaved people, we remained silent. As they helped other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean fight for their own independence, we remained silent. As they influenced and encouraged the freedom of enslaved peoples in the United States, we villainized them.
Next month, Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Dandridge, Tennessee, will celebrate its 236th year in ministry. While that’s a history to be proud of — Hopewell is one of the oldest churches in the Volunteer State — the church’s pastor, the Rev. Brad Napier, told Between Two Pulpits hosts Bryce Wiebe and Lauren Rogers on Monday that the congregation of 88 members also takes pride in its consistent history of giving, especially through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Special Offerings and even during the long pandemic, when the church actually saw increased giving and membership growth.
In 2013, mission co-workers Cindy Corell and Mark Hare were working with Viljean Louis, coordinator of the Peasant Movement of Bayonnais in Haiti. More than 100 people in the mountain community arrived to receive training for starting yard gardens. They were to learn the skills and then share them with neighbors.
The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, associate director of advocacy for the Presbyterian Mission Agency, have issued a Call to Prayer for Haiti following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and the shooting of his wife, Martine Moïse, on Wednesday.