Haiti : A Personal and Purpose-Driven Mission
Haiti holds a special place in my heart. I was born and raised in Haiti up until the 5th grade. I have fond memories of the country and the people. Especially the women. The women seemed to hold everything together in Haiti. You would see them in the marketplace. You would see them by the wells fetching water with heavy buckets on their heads. You would see them walking their children to school. You would see them cooking and cleaning. Like I said, they seemed to be everywhere, holding it all together.
If it were not for the Haitian women, I would not be here today. From my mother who birthed me. To my grandmother and aunt, who took care of me when my mom left for the US. To all of the women in the community who supported me and my family while my parents were gone. The neighbor who made peanut butter as a business to care for her family. The other neighbor who daily made a concoction of teas. And another who was a baker and made cakes. They all contributed to who I am today.
My work in Haiti isn’t just professional or for ministry purposes, but it’s deeply personal.
The Haitian women have seen some dark days. There’s a painful backdrop of patriarchy on the island, the system where women are relegated to being lower in rank and less valuable than their male counterparts. This system is often at play without accountability and is often said to be ordained by God, which creates the atmosphere for abuse against women and girls. In addition to the system of patriarchy is the system of governmental corruption, which again impacts women in traumatic ways.
This is why ElevateHer continues to minister in Haiti. It's personal, but it’s also necessary. It’s our calling to join God “to proclaim good news to the poor…to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18). We continue to join God in the ministry of healing because we are called to proclaim Good News to the traumatized.
You have an opportunity to join us at this work. Pray for us as we go. Without prayer, we would not be where we are. Join us and volunteer your services. We use a partnership model that uses the gifts God has given us to provide resources for others. Share our work with others to help us create awareness and raise financial support. Lastly, give to our work and encourage others to give.