 Printer-friendly version EGC’s Haitian Ministries International, directed by Pastor Soliny Védrine since 1985, works to build fruitful partnerships between the Haitian community in Boston and other Haitian communities in the U.S., Canada, Haiti, and across the Caribbean. Here’s an update of the program’s recent activities:
BOSTON MINISTRY
Pastor Sol continues to support Haitian churches and leaders in New England through coordination, counseling, and consulting. He recently spoke at the New Jerusalem Church in Dorchester and the Church of God in Providence. Additionally, he is currently helping local Haitian pastors and their families navigate through life and ministry transitions, as well as helping parents whose children are in jail or awaiting deportation.
The Fellowship of Haitian Evangelical Pastors of New England, which Pastor Sol founded and now serves as program consultant, will hold its 16th annual Boston Haitian Crusade this July. This crusade includes a weekend of worship, teaching, and building relationships cross-denominationally among New England’s Haitian pastors and churches. Each year, several thousand people attend.
THE BAHAMAS CRUSADE
The annual Haitian Bahamas Crusade, which Pastor Sol has led since 1996, is another opportunity for the Haitian church in the U.S. and Canada to minister to and support their fellow brothers and sisters beyond their borders. In May, church leaders from Connecticut, New York, Florida, Montreal, Canada, and Greater Boston—including Pastor Dieudonné Raymond and 11 people from his church in Somerville, and Pastor Jean Nesly Chery of Brockton—went with Pastor Sol to The Bahamas, where Haitians make up 20 percent of the population.
Pastor Sol was especially encouraged by people’s response and desire for God. “Once again I was very touched to see people arriving one hour early to throw themselves on the floor to pray,” he says. About 1,200 came to the opening night, and this number continued to grow over the week.
During one service, “hundreds of people poured to the altar for special prayer without even being invited to. We prayed for those who lost loved ones locally and at the recent boat accident on high seas, and we prayed for Haiti,” Pastor Sol reports. Additionally, a special service dedicated to The Bahamas community called “Bahamas Night” was held as usual. At this service, the former president of the Christian Council of The Bahamas spoke, and participants lifted up the country in prayer.
A medical team, led by Dr. Marie Mirtha Jean from Boston, served 1,800 people during the week and distributed $15,000 worth of medication. The missions team ministered to Haitians in prison and provided numerous educational and collaborating opportunities. Church leaders in The Bahamas attended ministry classes, and 120 children attended Bible classes taught by Miss Wilza Jean of Holy Cross College in Worcester. On the last day, the missions team spread out to visit 21 churches; Pastor Sol himself visited and preached at Haitian Evangelical Baptist Church of Nassau.
WORK IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Plans for the fourth annual La Romana Crusade in August are underway. Dr. Marie Mirtha Jean will be bringing her medical team, where they will work at two hospitals. The missions team is collecting Bibles in Spanish, as well as medical books on dermatology and urology—contact Pastor Sol at EGC if you can help!
For more information on Haitian Ministries International, visit www.egc.org.
by Grace Lin
[published in Inside EGC, July-August, 2008]
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