HaitiConnect

When you can’t physically visit your Sister Church, how do you stay connected with them?  HaitiConnect is RMI’s answer to this and one of our newest initiatives.  To keep C3 Partnership relationships alive, we have developed HaitiConnect, a program by which we connect our Sister Churches virtually, via the internet.  One way is by bringing church leaders to our Cayes office to speak directly (via live translation) with their counterparts in the US via Zoom.  Another way is going to a Sister Church, setting up a portable StarLink system, and enabling various groups from the Haitian Sister Church to speak directly with the US church's leadership or a group in the church.  We anticipate connecting US Hope for Kidz child sponsors with their sponsored children via a school program broadcast live. We want to connect various groups (women's and men's groups and others) in the Haitian church to those groups of the US church.  This way, they can catch each other up with their latest news, events, and prayer requests. Eventually, we hope to have some live interaction during church services.

Our hope is that these virtual meetings will help invigorate the US C3 partners and that they will realize that their Haitian C3 partners haven't forgotten them and pray regularly for them.  We also hope the Haitian C3 partners will realize they are not forgotten either.

So far, about a dozen calls between church leaders have taken place.  Each one of them was very thankful to get the chance to connect with their C3 partner church.  Rob Thompson, RMI's Director of Ministry Development, reports:

"...[there were] Warm greetings from both sides on all of these calls!  It's incredible to watch these reunions happening!  Praise the Lord! God continues to work through our partnerships.

We've heard the same thing on every call...  The Gospel continues to spread in Haiti and the US. We've heard a few common themes. First, every partner in Haiti and the US has strongly communicated that they are 'thirsty, as they say in Haiti,' to be together again as soon as God opens that door. Secondly, every Haitian Church is receiving so many people who have been displaced from PAP.  Schools are busting at the seams.  People have arrived with very few resources, so it is the church that is doing all they can to care for the families and provide education to the kids...  many have arrived from PAP with only the clothes on their backs. Schools are out of space. Homes have many extra people living in them. Resources are spread very thin. The church and community are swollen with people from PAP. The church is doing all it can do to serve those from PAP, but it can't help everyone as its resources are limited. HFK sponsorships and the HFK Hot Lunch Program are having an even bigger impact than ever. As these resources are being provided, it allows the Haitian church to serve those who have arrived from PAP.

It seems all of our partnership schools in Haiti have increased by probably 25% or so. Probably even higher. That's just my guess on a number, but it seems to match with what I'm hearing from all of these pastors."

HaitiConnect has already shown positive results in the US and in Haiti.  Both have been encouraged and delighted to spend some time together.  It has also shown the new challenges that our churches are facing.  Dealing with displaced people is very difficult in a place where life is being stretched almost to the breaking point.  But they are doing their best.  Pray for our C3 churches that they will find the resources they need and that they won't become weary in their well-doing.