Written by Anna Guy, CHM Board Member

In 1998, Dr. Ron Rowe, Director of Missions for the Jacksonville Baptist Association (JBA) at the time, led a fact-finding trip to the city of Cabaret in Haiti. Pastor Pierre Prinvil and his wife, Marie, born and raised in Haiti but then serving in Jacksonville, had a heart for the work there. The city of Cabaret donated a piece of property to the JBA to build an orphanage. A team of 22 ministry leaders from various churches in Jacksonville was on that initial trip. We had a doctor, nurses, electricians, pastors, Convention leaders, WMU leaders, as well as lay people.

My Experience Traveling to Haiti

Since the initial trip, I had the opportunity to travel to Haiti about 25 times. That being 27 years ago, many details of my trips are no longer in my memory banks, but there are some very definite memories that will always remain! Upon arriving at the airport in Port au Prince, the experience going through customs was… well… indescribable! We each had our own personal piece of luggage plus two 70-pound bags filled with various ministry items (i.e. food, clothing, medical supplies, etc.). It was a bit chaotic and almost overwhelming, nothing like I had ever seen in the States or abroad. The corruption there is well-known, and we prayed as we went through customs that none of our belongings and ministry needs would be confiscated to be sold on the black market. It was hot – there was no air conditioning. We made it through with no problems, thanks be to God! On the way to our transportation, many Haitians tried to sell their wares to us. We were escorted to the traditional mode of transportation in Haiti, a tap-tap, usually a colorful pickup truck with a top. I think we squeezed in about 10 Americans, where there would typically be about 20 or more Haitians, ha! There are no stop signs or streetlights. The tap-taps move in all directions, the one with the loudest horn usually getting its way! After a fairly short ride from the airport through very rough roads, all dirt, with many potholes, we arrived at Confraternité Missionnaire Baptiste d’Haïti (CMBH), a guest house owned by the Florida Baptist Convention. What a pleasant surprise to have air-conditioning and to be greeted with a large, cold, bottle of Coca-Cola! 

Each day we traveled to the site in Cabaret in a tap-tap on the pothole-filled, unpaved roads. We experienced a flat tire or some sort of mechanical problem on nearly every trip. We passed many outside markets along the way. You can imagine the smells of the open markets, coupled with the burning charcoal, used for cooking. The Water Works Department made available their building for us to use as a Medical Clinic. We also distributed peanut butter sandwiches to the children in the community. We purchased rice, beans, oil, sugar, and other much-needed items to bag up and share with the families in the community. We also provided personal care kits to the children. The people showed up very early in the mornings and waited for hours for food, clothing, and to see the doctor. We weren’t able to do any construction on that trip; but with God’s help, we were able to accomplish fencing the parameter of the property so all would know the boundaries. During the evenings, we held revival services in the street at Cabaret. I remember feeling like we were in heaven, praising and worshipping our God in multiple languages – English, Spanish, Korean, French and Creole. They were long but rewarding days as we grew to love the people in our community. 

Sweet, precious, little five-year-old “Pan-Pan” touched all our hearts. She was a little schemer, getting into line multiple times. We found out later it was to take the food back to her family in their little hut. She seemed to be in charge in Bercy! Sadly, some of us were in Cabaret when Marie Joe (“Pan-Pan”) lost her mother, and she and her siblings became a part of our children’s home. I had the privilege of sponsoring her until she graduated. I also paid for English lessons, and she became an important part of the teams that came from the US, interpreting for the doctors, nurses and volunteers. After graduation, Marie Joe was employed by the children’s home and later became the Director.  

It was never our desire to westernize the Haitian people. It was always our intention to begin ministries that would enable Haitian children and adults to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Our hope was that we would raise Christian men and women who would make a difference in their country, and through Him, change the country of Haiti. I could go on and on about the wonderful work that has been accomplished in Haiti. And there are many great leaders who have passed the baton and kept this ministry going over these 27 years. We are grateful for every individual, every church group, every pastor, every leader, and the list goes on. I would like to share a personal testimony from my former pastor, Steve Mouzon, who followed God’s direction in leading Lake Shore Baptist Church to be involved in a very special project.

Testimony from Pastor Steve Mouzon

“During the years of my pastorate at Lake Shore Baptist Church, Jacksonville, our deacons and personnel committee granted me time away from my responsibilities at the church for times of personal retreat. These retreats would typically begin on a Monday morning and conclude on Friday afternoon.  The purpose of this time was to give me several days in a row to get alone with God, without the responsibilities of family or work.  During these days, I would work on my sermon schedule for the upcoming year – but most especially I wanted to hear from God.  I would go to places like Lake Yale Baptist Assembly in Leesburg, Florida; Epworth by the Sea; Saint Simons Island, Georgia; to a motel in St. Augustine, Florida; or to my favorite place, camping in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  

On one such retreat in the Winter of 2004, I went camping in Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains.  Yes, camping in early March, with snow on the mountains!  I would spend long hours sitting in a lawn chair all bundled up out in a field in Cades Cove, with Bible in hand – reading, praying, meditating, praising, singing – asking for God’s direction, waiting for His reply.  

One day I was praying about the Cabaret Haiti orphanage that our Jacksonville Baptist Association had founded in Cabaret.  Some of our church members were involved in the work, and needs were great.  I had heard of the need for a wall to be built around the orphanage for protection, and the need for an open-air pavilion for the on-campus church to meet in.  While I was praying, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said Lake Shore could meet those needs.  That was a surprise to me.  I knew we had around $30,000 in a mission fund but the project to build both the wall and pavilion would cost around $50.000.  As I was thinking through this, the Holy Spirit told me to challenge the church to give the $30,000 and raise $20,000 more – and to do it between Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day.  Wow!  The Lord and I went back and forth on that, as my thinking was there was no way we would raise so much money in such a short time.  But God wouldn’t relent, and the more I prayed, the surer I was that this was His will. 

Upon returning to Jacksonville, I shared the challenge and how God had clearly spoken to me about this.   On Easter Sunday, April 11^th, we started receiving the mission offering; and by Mother’s Day, May 9^th, four weeks later, we had raised the $20,000! Through the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the obedience of God’s people, by the Fall of that year, both the wall and pavilion were built.  To Him be all glory!”

Thank you, Pastor Steve, for sharing your testimony with us.

Current Day

Due to the gang activity, we have had to relocate our home, schools, and churches. We currently have 33 children in our full-time care and 8 in the transitional program (for those who turn 18 and age out of our home). We recently had 102 students at Te Nwa (our mountain school) and 58 at IBC (our school across from our children’s home in Cabaret). Prior to the trouble, we were averaging 1,000 students between the two schools. We have two churches, one at our main property and another at Te Nwa, both with pastors leading church services every Sunday. Our Te Nwa church averages between 30-45 people and our Bercy church is between 50-80 people. We also have 80 employees who work so faithfully for our children.  The financial need is great and while God continues to provide, our income was so much greater when we were able to send teams to serve in Haiti. Our inability to host volunteer teams has negatively impacted our work from both a work and financial perspective. Folks from all over the U.S. went to Haiti, fell in love with the people there, sponsored our children in the orphanage and schools, and gave substantial offerings. For a monthly gift, a child’s medical needs, meals, education, clothing, and shelter can be met.

Upcoming Opportunity for #GivingTuesday

Each year on Giving Tuesday we join with so many around the world in sharing the needs of our organization. During this Thanksgiving season, we are asking that you join with us in providing support to our Haitian brothers and sisters as they minister to their people in providing quality education and spiritual growth. Violent gangs continue to negatively impact our community. Families in our community have suffered immensely. But we are still here because our children are still here, the need is still here, and our God is still here; and He is still working. If you have ever been on a trip to Haiti, will you please recall the wonderful memories of the beautiful, precious children in our schools, orphanage and churches? Will you please consider donating to CHM on this Giving Tuesday to help our children?

Will you please pray with us today for people to have open hands and hearts, but, most of all, for peace to return to Haiti?

Giving Tuesday this year is on December 2nd, but you can help us get a head start by visiting the link below and making a donation of any amount.

Thank you and God Bless.