Bringing Light to Northern Haiti
Preaching and Teaching the Word of God
Haitian Christian Ministries
2016 Issue 1
The village called Lory. Lory is between Pillatre and Cap-Haiten. The Lory church of HCM continues to grow and thrive, with several hundred people attending services on Sundays. We recently sat down with Lory Pastor Jacques Zephirin to learn more about how God is moving in that community.
Please tell us a little about yourself.
"I was born at Ville-du-lac and attended primary and secondary school in Cap-Haiten. Then I attended Emmaus Bible Seminary, graduating in 2000. I am furthering my studies via correspondence school and will complete that learning in 2017. I am married and we have four children, three boys and one girl."
Do you have a life verse or a passage of special meaning from The Bible?
"I would say my life verse is Romans 8:28. ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’ As I reflect on this verse, I believe God has called me to this ministry at Lory. Pastor Manno and I often discussed Acts 2:37-39 and that the gift of Jesus and the Holy Spirit is for all of God’s children, from those called to His purpose to those who are far off."
Please tell us about the Lory church.
"Pastor Manno started the Lory church in 2003 and in 2005 he asked me to lead the flock at Lory. In 2005, there were maybe 60 people attending on a good Sunday. Today, we have over 300 attending church services on Sundays. We have made several recent improvements to the Lory property, including a Welcome Home Haiti guardhouse and a new well for fresh water. We have some big needs, including a long-term facility and additional seating for services but I am confident God will provide."
A team from the USA recently conducted a family conference at Lory. How was this received?
"The people of the Lory church greatly appreciated the missionaries’ willingness to come and conduct the family conference at our church. We also had a medical team recently visit. We are excited to have the missionaries come and serve alongside us."
How can we be praying for the Lory church and for you?
"We want to bring more people to Christ in the community. Also, our young adults in the church do not stay. They go away to school and do not return. We want to support them and keep them in the church and in the community. As for me, my motorcycle was recently stolen and I do not have personal transportation from my home to Lory. I am praying for a new motorcyle so that I can better serve the Lory community."
Welcome Home Haiti Rings in the New Year with the Completion of Its 52nd Home
HCM Marketing Director Jay Herrman was in Pillatre from December 28th-January 2nd along with his family and 13 others for the completion of the Mackenson Pierre home. We asked Jay to share his experience.
This trip was my third Welcome Home Haiti trip since 2013 and the first time that my entire family had traveled to Haiti at the same time. This home was for Mackenson Pierre, his wife and their beautiful twin girls. Mackenson is one of the leaders on the Welcome Home Haiti Work Crew, so when we heard God had answered his prayers for a home, we knew He wanted us to be a part of this trip.
This was my first trip to Haiti since Pastor Manno was called home. As I prepared for the trip, I prayed that God would still have His hand on the ministry and the people of Pillatre. Our God is faithful and true, and I can tell you that His Kingdom is advancing in this ministry and community.
We had the opportunity to see seven of the Welcome Home Haiti work crew baptized on New Year’s Eve, along with about 20 other brothers and sisters. The work Steve and Shelley Hari are doing with these young men is really making an eternal impact. As they get older, I am watching them become Christian leaders in their community, in their family, and in the church.
The community of Pillatre seemed different to me as well. There is hope and joy within the people. They are seeing firsthand God’s work in their community through a vibrant church, fifty homes built and dozens of jobs created. They have nothing in the way we Americans think of possessions, but they have an inner joy and peace that can only be attributed to our God.
Because so many on our team have a personal relationship with Mackenson, the house dedication ceremony was extremely emotional for all involved. As Mackenson praised God for his new home, I couldn’t help but think this was an image of what our eternal home will be like. Brothers and sisters from the ends of the earth, celebrating, worshipping and praising together. Life change, this is why we go…
On our last night we had the opportunity to host a party and limbo contest at Pillatre. We don’t often get opportunities to just "do life" with our Haitian brothers and sisters on these trips. It was a great experience and a nice way to finish off a wonderful trip.