Haiti

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The Republic of Haiti occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, southeast of Cuba and the United States. The other portion of the island is occupied by the Dominican Republic. The land mass of the country is 27,750 sq km (almost 11,000 sq miles). The first European expedition to Haiti was led by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and found to be populated by Arawak Indians. The natives soon succumbed to enslavement, European diseases, and the sword. African slaves were brought in to produce gold. The Spanish also began to use the island for sugar cane cultivation and when ceded to France in 1697 it became a rich colony with the further development of the sugar industry. Following the French Revolution the island was the scene of a slave rebellion which led to the establishment of the world’s first black republic in 1804. From 1843 until 1915 Haiti endured civil disorder under twenty-two different dictators. The United States occupied Haiti following a government collapse which led to anarchy on the island. The United States remained until 1934 until a new government was established. This began several more decades of dictatorships, particularly under the Duvalier family. In 1991 Jean-Bertrand Aristide became head of the government though he was soon driven from the country by the military. In 1994 he was restored to power with the help of the United States military. Today Haiti is a Republic with two legislative bodies, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.

While once a rich colony today Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. It is also densely populated – nearly 7 million inhabitants. Subsistence farming is the chief occupation of most of the population growing cassava, bananas and corn. Sugar cane, coffee and charcoal have been among the few exports but a heavy reliance on agriculture has caused serious environmental problems. While tourism was economically important in the 1960s and 70s that industry has waned recently due to widespread crime.

The influence of French colonialism is still in Haiti even after 200 years. The official language is French but the majority of the people speak Creole, a mixture of French and African. Roman Catholicism accounts for 80% of the religious population most of whom also practice voodoo. Of the sixteen percent of the population that are Protestant about ten percent are Baptist.

The earliest presence of the Stone-Campbell Movement in Haiti is difficult to discern. While there may have been some contact with Haiti by the heirs of the Stone-Campbell Movement from the United States during the occupation in the early half of the twentieth century, there seems to be no record. Among the earliest dates ascertained at this point is an initial involvement of the U.S. Disciples in Haiti in 1958. Today the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada employ Common Ministry Personnel in Haiti the National Spiritual Council of Churches of Haiti (CONASPEH) and are involved with the Service Chretien d’Haiti, Albert Sweitzer Memorial Hospital (founded by Disciples Dr. William Mellon and Mrs. Gwen Grant-Mellon) and the Disciples of Christ Development Committee of Haiti. Congregations in the Tennessee and Kansas City Regions have been particularly active in the recent work in Haiti.

The a cappella Churches of Christ have been active in Haiti for some time beginning at least by 1989 when Belgian Jean-Marie Frerot established a French World Bible School Office eventually leading to the baptism of 1,500 individuals. Manna International and Bill Moxon carried out well-drilling operations in 1990 to provide fresh water. Several medical mission trips into Haiti have been organized by the Haiti Development Project, some initiated by the Pleasant Valley Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. Food, clothing and other humanitarian aid has been sent through other churches and organizations. Evelyn Boyd has worked many years in Cap Haitian establishing and directing an orphanage. Some American missionaries include: Milton Eckart, Bill Keefer, John Painter, Carol Spiers, Mark Thompson, and Joseph Worndle. Milton Eckart directs the Center for Biblical Training of the Haitian Christian Foundation in Cap Haitian.

Arnold Garcon is a native Haitian who was educated in the United States, at Lipscomb University in Nashville, and who presently ministers among the Haitian people and the North Haiti Mission. Among the work Arnold is involved in is planting new churches, a school in Petite Anse, Preachers’Training Seminars and a radio broadcast in French, English and Spanish that reaches Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. There are an estimated two hundred Churches of Christ in Haiti with an estimated membership of 15,000. There are also Haitian Churches of Christ in Florida, in the United States, but at present there are no statistics available regarding these congregations.

At present there are between twenty and thirty individuals and couples from the American Christian Churches and Churches of Christ serving on the mission field in Haiti under more than a dozen mission organizations and ministries. In addition there are a number of individuals and ministries who make short-term journeys to the islands and coordinate short-term mission projects for local congregations and members. Among these mission endeavors is a great deal of humanitarian aid work including medical missions, church building construction, water projects, and care for children and orphans. A great deal of evangelistic work is also carried out through teaching, preaching and the training of natives for the work of evangelization. Among the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ missions and ministries are:

Berea Children’s Home, Port-au-Prince, children’s home
C/O: Madison Park Christian Church
P.O. Box 3623, Quincy, IL 62305

Christian Mission South Haiti
P.O. Box 143. Bergeaud Rue 3 #1., HT-8110-Les Cayes, Haiti (W.I)
Telephone: 1 (954) 376-4628 or Haiti 509-286-1021
E-mail: egliseduchristcayes@yahoo.fr

Christianville Foundation, 18 miles from Port-au-Prince, a complex of church, school nutrition center, medical, dental and eye clinics, and Christianville College.
P.O. Box 538, Pittsboro, IN 46167
Telephone: (317) 892-5825
Email: cvilleinc@worldnet.att.net

Haitian Christian Mission, educational and evangelical missions under the direction of national leader Etienne Prophete
P.O. Box 75157, Wichita, KS 67275-0157
Telephone: 1-800-684-2780
Email: hcm@southwind.net

Haitian Christian Outreach, Port-au-Prince, educational and evangelistic mission
P.O. Box 81, Morton, IL 61550-0081
Telephone and Fax: (309) 263-7422
Email: Collins@mtco.com

His Seed Sowers, Jeremie, evangelistic and agricultural missions
P.O. Box 4107
South Daytona, FL 32121
(See also Christian Mission South Haiti)

Lifeline Christian Mission, 30+ years ministry in Haiti operating churches, schools and clinics (also Honduras, El Salvador, Cuba, Guatemala, Canada and the U.S.)
921 Eastwind Dr, Suite 133, Westerville, OH 43081
Telephone: (614) 794-0108
Fax: (614) 794-0109
Email: ben@lifeline.org
Website: http://www.lifeline.org

North Haiti Christian Mission, Cap Haitian, Church planting/building, supporting national leader Mathieu Alexandre
425 N. St. Rd. 25, Rochester, IN 46975
Telephone: (219) 223-4509

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission, St. Louis Du Nord, medical and educational missions
P.O. Box 829, Versailles, KY 40383
Telephone: (859) 873-1414
Email: love4haiti@aol.com

Port-au-Prince Christian Institute, Port-au-Prince, educational opportunities in Bible college setting
See educational institutions below.

Preaching Christ to the Multitudes, Delmas, preaching ministry of national leader Renold J.C. (Eddy) Bazin
P.O. Box 4502, Joplin, MO 64803-4502
Telephone: (417) 782-0814

Sonlight Ministries, Port de Paix, Sonlight Academy for children and Sunday morning services
P.O. Box 407139, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33340
Telephone: 011-509-68-5171
Email: amy@sonlightministries.org
Website: http://www.sonlightministries.org

White Fields Evangelism establishes churches, supports evangelists and conducts educational and evangelistic missions
P.O. Box 1089, Joplin, MO 64802-1089
Telephone: (417) 782-7672
Fax: (417) 782-7213
Email: whitefds@joplin.com
Website: http://www.white-fields.org

In addition several other ministries have provided aid and/or evangelism in Haiti, including: Ben Alexander’s Exposing Satan’s Power Ministries; Fellowship of Associates of Medical Evangelism (FAME); Caribbean Christian Construction, a mission of First Christian Church of Cocoa Beach, Florida; and New Hope Mission of Haiti. Florida Haitian Christian Mission works to support Haitian Christians in Haiti and in Haitian congregations in Florida. At present there are no statistics available for Christian Churches and Churches of Christ in Haiti. However, one of the above mentioned ministries says that there are over three hundred congregations in Haiti. The World Convention would like to hear from anyone who could provide further information on the work in Haiti.

Clinton J. Holloway
National Profiles Editor
Feruary 2004

For further historical reference:
Churches of Christ Around the World, Lynn, Mac, 21st Century Christian Publications, Nashville, TN, 2003.

 

 

A cappella Churches of Christ
Website: http://www.bible-infonet.org/ff/churches_of_Christ/
Website: http://www.churches-of-christ.net/world/caribbean.html
Website: http://church-of-christ.org/web/haiti

Haitian Christian Churches in Florida
Florida Haitian Christian Mission, Don Myers, Evangelist
7808 Granada Rd., Sebring, FL 33870-8008
Email: glahlc@strato.net

 

A cappella Churches of Christ
For the Center for Biblical Training see:
Haitian Christian Foundation
425 Cypress Street, Abilene TX 79601

Christian Churches and Churches of Christ
Christianville College
Gressier, Haiti
Send correspondence to:
Christianville College
P.O. Box 407139,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33340

Port-au-Prince Christian Institute
Delmas 43, Rue Bouckman 20,
Port au-Prince, Haiti
Send correspondence to:
Richard F. Wilson
Care of: Agape Flights
7990 15th St. E.,
Sarasota, FL 34243
Email: riwilson@MAF.org

 

A cappella Churches of Christ
Haitian Christian Foundation
425 Cypress Street,
Abilene, TX 79601
Telephone: (915) 677-0033
Email: hcfbt@juno.com

North Haiti Mission, Arnold Garcon, President and Evangelist
U.S. Address:
P.O. Box 492142,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33349
Haiti address:
Rue DeLa Victoire F18, Ste Philo M
Cap Haitian, Haiti WI
P.O. Box 165, Cap Haiti

 

 

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Common Global Ministries
Latin America and Caribbean Office
P.O. Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1986
Website: http://www.globalministries.org

 

The Christian Mission South Haiti has, in the past, hosted Haitian Conventions.
For more information contact:
Christian Mission South Haiti
P.O. Box 143. Bergeaud Rue 3 #1., HT-8110-Les Cayes, Haiti (W.I)
Telephone: 1 (954) 376-4628 or Haiti 509-286-1021
E-mail: egliseduchristcayes@yahoo.fr