Haiti Outreach Ministries Update April 2024

Despite the ongoing violence in Port-au-Prince, our programs continue to operate. A few weeks ago, the schools resumed classes after Easter break. While some students and teachers could not travel safely due to blocked roads, the average attendance rate across the three primary schools and Barye Fe secondary school was 80%. Similarly, the medical/dental clinic staff have experienced challenges getting to work, but the clinic remains open and provides care for those in need, seeing about 80 patients per day. Water treatment facilities are open and serve as a vital resource for the communities. During the month of March, 52,000 gallons of clean drinking water were distributed to individuals in Cite Soleil, Terre Noire, and Repatriote. Also, the churches in Haiti all held worship services with almost 85% attendance in both worship and Sunday School. Praise God that so many were able to worship their risen Lord on Easter!

Heartbreaking News from Haiti Outreach Ministries

It is heartbreaking to see the images coming out of the communities of Repatriote and Terre Noire in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The heavy rains and massive flooding that took place on June 3 and 4 have left some families with nothing — homes and belongings that literally washed away — and so many others picking up the pieces of what were already rudimentary shelters to begin with. Clothes, shoes, and beds are gone. Street vending supplies used to eke out a meager living have disappeared. Ten days later, there is still standing water in many places, despite days of Haitian sunshine. That’s how much rain descended on these communities.

Extreme Flooding in Haiti

The heavy rains and floods that took place last weekend in Haiti tragically left 51 people dead, 140 people injured, and nearly 40,000 households affected. Thankfully our staff are accounted for and our campuses are ok, although the Repatriote primary school has been closed all week due to the area conditions. Pastor Leon Dorleans has been visiting some of the hardest hit areas and reports that nearly every house in Repatriote had standing water inside, reaching as high as 2-3 feet. Two of our school teachers lost their homes entirely.

Haiti Outreach Ministries — May 2023 Update

I am pleased to share that our programs in Haiti — the schools, the clinic, the water treatment sites, the churches - remain open and serve the communities, despite the backdrop of insecurity. Construction on the first phase of the Bible College at Espwa is also progressing, truly living up to its name as a campus of hope. Behind all of this work are Haitian staff members who are committed to creating a better tomorrow for their country. I recently asked if they would share — in their own words — what life right now is like, what they want you to know about Haiti today, and how you can specifically offer prayers.

Latin America, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationMay 23, 2023Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Haiti Outreach Ministries

The Best Back to School Ever!

We are thrilled to share the news that the HOM-sponsored schools successfully reopened yesterday. This was a day students and faculty had been eagerly awaiting since last September, when the opening day was initially postponed and then made impossible by rising insecurity.

Haiti Outreach Ministries — Desperation and Dedication

The situation in Haiti continues to be very difficult. Here are just some of the observations that our Haitian colleagues in Port-au-Prince have shared in recent days:

"You can see the desperation on the face of every Haitian."
”Just this afternoon, I saw three people being kidnapped."
"It is so frustrating that the children cannot go to school. They are all asking, 'When can we go back?' "

Latin America, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationNovember 22, 2022Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Update on the Crisis in Haiti

Haiti Outreach Ministries and the Crisis in Haiti

Sadly, there has not been an improvement in the situation in Haiti since our last message. Daily life in Port-au-Prince remains mostly paralyzed, and the Varreux oil terminal is still blockaded by gangs. Due to lack of clean water access, cholera cases continue to rise,

Weeping with Haiti: an Update

As you know, Haiti has been deeply struggling over the past year with sociopolitical unrest, violence, and hyperinflation. Sadly, the situation has deteriorated even further over the past several weeks. The Varreux Terminal, which is the main entry point for fuel in Haiti has been blocked by gangs for more than 20 days, and the lack of access to fuel has paralyzed daily life and activities. Our Haitian colleagues report that the cost of living is currently four times more than it was a month ago, and many products, including food items, are not available. The fuel shortage has led to other crises, including a critical lack of access to clean drinking water and a potential cholera outbreak.

Important News, Latin America, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationOctober 13, 2022Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Haiti Outreach Ministries — July 2022 Update

Executive Director Caroline Chambre Hammock recently shared news from Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM):

Many happy activities have recently taken place at HOM — the “50/20” celebration honoring Pastor Leon and the Terre Noire church (Pastor Leon’s 50 years of ministry and the 20th anniversary of the Terre Noire church), university graduates from the HOM schools, a photo of our first 13th grade class, and more.

Haiti Outreach Ministries' Student Sponsorship Program

We recently received the following information from Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM) concerning their Student Sponsorship program. Please follow the link provided for additional instructions on how to sponsor a student through Haiti Outreach Ministries:

Education is essential for any child’s development, but in Haiti, education is much more than that – it is the necessary foundation to escape pervasive national poverty and a pathway to a better future. In Haiti, there is no free, public education. HOM and its Haitian partner MICECC (Mission Communautaire de l'Eglise Chrétienne des Cités) operate three primary schools and a secondary school, providing a robust, quality education steeped in Christian principles.

Latin America, Partnership, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationNovember 15, 2021Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Haiti Outreach Ministries Update - Pursued, Yet Not Forsaken

October 19, 2021

Dear friends,

You likely have heard in the news about the recent kidnapping in Haiti of a group of American and Canadian missionaries. This is a tragic event, and we are praying for the swift and safe release of these individuals.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident as kidnappings have become routine in Haiti in recent months. Haitians face the threat of kidnapping on a daily basis, as people have become desperate for money by any means possible. Our Haitian friends report great disruption to their daily lives, as doing even the simplest of things - going to work, buying food, etc - is fraught with complication and fear of being attacked or kidnapped. Pastor Leon reports that what is normally a 15 minute car ride from his home to the Terre Noire campus now takes two hours.

Haiti Outreach Ministries - September 2021 Update

First day of school in Haiti

September 21, 2021

Dear friends,

Today marks the first day of school in Haiti for the 2021-2022 academic year. After a tumultuous summer, our teachers and students are thrilled to be back in the classroom! You can feel the energy and excitement in the air in these photos taken just this morning.

Adding to the excitement today, we are welcoming the very first class of 13th graders at the Baryé Fè secondary school! Since the school opened in 2015, additional grades have been added each year, and it is a milestone for Baryé Fè to now host the full complement of grades required by the Haitian school system. From pre-kindergarten to grade 13, the four HOM-supported schools are serving over 1,900 students this school year.

Latin America, Partnership, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenElizabeth CarterSeptember 27, 2021Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Prayers for Haiti-Updated August 18, 2021

Our partner Haiti Outreach Ministries just shared this important information concerning relief efforts. Please continue to pray for brothers and sisters in Haiti:

Dear friends,

HOM is now accepting financial contributions for earthquake relief in Haiti. We are working with our partner staff at Mission Communautaire de l'Eglise Chrétienne des Cités (MICECC) to provide food and medical supplies. Our medical staff is interested in making a trip in September to provide much needed care. Longer term, we are exploring the possibility of rebuilding homes and drilling a well to provide clean drinking water to the community. All this is possible through the relationship our Terre Noire church has with the church community located in Cavaillon, near the earthquake's epicenter. We will be working through that relationship to provide assistance.

Financial contributions will help us to meet needs in the earthquake ravaged area as transportation and safety considerations allow.

Latin America, Projects, Partnership, Important NewsThe Outreach FoundationAugust 18, 2021Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Haiti Outreach Ministries - May 2021 Update

Dear friends,

I hope you and your loved ones are well as we continue to navigate these unusual times. Friends like you are at the heart of our ministry, and we have greatly missed seeing you in person and serving with you in Haiti.

I am writing today to share a status update on volunteer teams returning to HOM mission sites in Haiti. We currently expect team travel will resume no earlier than March 2022. This decision has been made with the guidance of our Haitian leadership, with two main factors informing this timeline.

First, the COVID-19 pandemic – which thankfully has not hit Haiti too hard – is resulting in certain requirements by the Haitian government for those who wish to enter the country.

Haiti Outreach Ministries - February 2021 Update

Dear friends of Haiti Outreach Ministries:

As we begin 2021, I give thanks for you and the many ways that you support our ministry with your prayers, student sponsorships, financial gifts, and words of encouragement. In the face of much uncertainty, we are grateful for the many good things going on related to our shared ministry in Haiti, so I am writing to give you several updates. Our staff in Haiti is very busy:

- We currently have 1,825 students enrolled in our schools with 1,412 in the primary schools and 413 at the Baryé Fè secondary school.

- Our medical and dental staff continue to see patients at our clinic in Terre Noire. At the end of February, we will say good-bye to Dr. Quency Etienne, our beloved medical director. Dr. Quency is moving to the U.S. to be near family. We welcome Dr. Beethoven Solon to our clinic and look forward to introducing him to you formally in our email next month.

- Our three churches are worshipping regularly on Sundays giving encouragement to the communities we serve.

Haiti Outreach Ministries - October 2020 Update

The COVID-19 pandemic forced schools, churches, and the airport in Haiti to close down in March. But we are happy to share that Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM) has allowed all campuses to reopen except Cité Soleil. Unfortunately, due to social unrest, gang violence, and flooding, only the church has reopened on the Cité Soleil campus. Their medical clinic and school were moved to the Terre Noire campus. But the ministries on all other campuses, which employ over 200 Haitians, are thriving.

Since HOM has been unable to receive U.S. church groups for two years, they have had to innovate to stay in touch with U.S. churches and medical mission teams. Zoom and live FB have worked well.

Latin America, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationNovember 4, 2020Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Haiti Outreach Ministries - June 2020 Update

Due to concerns related to the coronavirus, schools, churches, and the airport have been closed in Haiti since March 20. Cases of coronavirus are increasing in Haiti, although our Medical Director Dr. Quency reports that very limited testing makes it difficult to know the number of confirmed cases that exist in our communities. Our medical staff prepared for the virus when the outbreak first began and has since been educating patients and members of the community.

Although U.S. teams cannot travel and schools and churches cannot meet, much is happening. Here are a few highlights about HOM/MICECC’s recent ministry activity

Haiti Outreach Ministries - January 2020 Update

The humanitarian crisis persists in Haiti which has been without a stable government since March 2019. In response to its longest wave of demonstrations, presidential elections were called off in October. These anti-government protests have exacerbated food insecurity in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest county, our neighbor, Haiti.

The lack of a working government in Haiti is preventing wide swatches of Haitians from accessing international aid funds or loans from the World Bank. Aid organizations are struggling to provide relief due to protester barricades blocking roads, fuel shortages, 20% inflation, and gang violence.

Immediate and Ongoing Needs
Most people in Haiti live on just one meal per day. The Outreach Foundation’s ministry partner, Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM), provides year-round food assistance to more than 1,400 students with nutritious, hot meals daily. Essentials like clean water, rice and cooking oil, and medical procedures are provided to community members in the poorest section of Port-au-Prince through the church on the Cite’ Soleil campus. Food shortages and poor access to health care are an everyday reality, not simply a short-term crisis. Working together we can support HOM’s efforts to build self-sustaining Christian communities.

Partner Updates

First day of school in Haiti