“It is good to be here. You make me laughing, dancing, singing and praying. But you know, I am very sad at the idea to be back to Port-au-Prince (Haiti) under the tent….” -- widow of Haitian pastor killed under the rubble on January 12.

250 Haitian pastors and their families received vital pastoral support and counseling during a three-day therapeutic conference held on March 29 through April 1.  This retreat was made possible by Haiti relief funds raised by churches and individuals through One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) and approved by American Baptist International Ministries (IM). IM has served in ministry in Haiti for over 87 years.

This pastoral retreat, entitled Rise Again and Witness, was designed to help Haitian pastors deal with the grief and loss in their own families and church communities resulting from the January 12 earthquake. 

“Traumatized communities need healthy leaders – spiritually, morally and emotionally,” commented Rev. Emmanuel Pierre, general secretary of the Convention Baptiste d’Haiti (CBH). “The retreat was designed to expose pastors and their families to the word of God for such a time, to secure them a safe place for testimony and sharing.”

Sponsored and organized by the CBH, an IM partner, the conference was requested by pastors who had suffered great personal loss in the historic disaster. Overwhelmed by the need in their communities, they sought additional training and personal pastoral care through knowledgeable speakers, sharing with others, and one-on-one care available at the retreat.

The personal loss to the Haitian Baptist community has been dramatic.  According to CBH, 30 church members lost their lives, 306 people were severely wounded, over 1,000 families experienced total loss or damage to their homes. Several church buildings have collapsed or are damaged beyond repair.

“We are very thankful to God and to CBH for giving us this opportunity to lament before the Lord, to deal with matter of faith in time of trouble, to heal and to go back to heal others,” wrote one participant. 

Another woman expressed her gratitude by saying, “I was touched anew by Jesus; I have heard him saying, me too I was wounded; be sure that I love you no matter what you’re going through.” The conference was held at Borel, about 100 kilometers north of Port-au-Prince.

Please continue to pray for Haitian church leaders and their families and all who lost their health, lives and livelihoods in the massive January 12 Haiti earthquake.

Donations to One Great Hour of Sharing continue to be needed.  Donors can give through the IM website: www.internationalministries.org/items/80, or by check to: “OGHS – Haiti Earthquake Relief” and mailed to: International Ministries, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851.  Support can also be given by American Baptists through their church by making checks payable to the church with “One Great Hour of Sharing – Haiti Earthquake Relief” written in the memo section.  These gifts will be sent from the church through the American Baptist region and then to International Ministries.

One Great Hour of Sharing is administered by the World Relief Committee of the General Board.  The Committee facilitates American Baptist emergency relief, disaster rehabilitation, refugee work, and development assistance by establishing policy guidelines and overseeing distribution of the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering.