STANDING WITH OUR LONG-TERM MINISTRY PARTNERS IN HAITI
Slide

Guiding Principles in Haiti

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1: 3-6

As we survey the current situation in Haiti, it is evident that the country is literally in the midst of a civil war. Though US media coverage has been quiet, 46 different gangs control most of Port-au-Prince, and violence and killings are a daily occurrence. Most NGOs have removed their international staff from Haiti. Many have closed their operations entirely or are working at a bare minimum with Haitian staff. At the same time, the conditions make it even more likely that people will need medical care.

Our ministry partners in Haiti, Hopital Sainte Croix (HSC), the Centre de Sante Primary Care Clinic for Women and Children (CSP), and the Faculte des Sciences Infirmieres de Universite Episcopale d’Haiti Leogane (FSIL), are all located in Leogane, about 40 miles west of the capital of Port-au-Prince. During the past year, they have provided over 56,000 patient visits and delivered 1,169 babies. Over 200 Haitian students attend the college at FSIL.

All the main roads to their locations in Leogane are under the control of gangs who severely constrain the transportation of fuel, food, and medical supplies. Leogane itself has avoided any significant incidents of gang violence. However, robberies and assaults are rising, and most residents only travel outside their homes when necessary. The good news is that HSC, CSP, and FSIL continue operating with at least a minimum staff and essential services are being maintained.

MBF’s objective at this point is to try to keep our ministry partners’ doors open and keep the facilities operating at a minimum level, or greater, if funds, staff, and supplies are available.

Key Policy Points

  1. We support the in-country church partner, the Episcopal Church of Haiti, and do not own or run these ministries ourselves. The Episcopal Church of Haiti plans to continue to support the people of Haiti. The Haitian staff at the ministries are doing everything they can to maintain some semblance of normalcy. There are desperately poor people with no other place to go for medical care. The Church will be the provider of care and the refuge of last resort, even as other organizations withdraw.
  2. MBF has been a long-term partner in Leogane, beginning when the Presbyterian Church helped the Episcopal Church establish the ministries. We maintain our longstanding commitment to the partnership with brothers and sisters in Christ and draw inspiration from Proverbs 17:17: “a friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.”
  3. Our relationship with our partners in Haiti is not a “contractual” business relationship like a government or foundation grant whereby we pay for results and suspend the “contract” if they don’t perform. Instead, we are walking beside them on their journey toward self-sustaining ministries. We need to help them, not abandon them, during this hard segment. As Galatians 6:2 says, we are to “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
  4. Given the history of Haiti and the current situation, we must help keep the medical ministry doors open and operating at least at a minimum level to preserve the ministry assets. The current state of lawlessness that permeates the country means that the minute the doors close, the buildings will be stripped clean by robbers and desperate people. The people of Haiti cannot afford to have these facilities permanently closed as a result.
  5. Based on the facts we have obtained, we have established a budget for Haiti for this fiscal year. The plan will help the ministry partners at HSC and CSP continue essential services (maternity, neonatal, trauma, and surgical) and help FSIL continue to train students who can attend. Over 50% of students at FSIL attend on scholarship because of your gifts. Haiti’s shortage of qualified nurses will only grow more significant if the school cannot continue its work.
  6. Looking forward, we will continue to assess which services are deemed essential and the equipment, supplies, and staff needed for these services. We will encourage them to examine other measures, such as how to house staff near the hospitals during week-long rotations to minimize their risk while commuting. We’ve asked HSC to prepare emergency operations plans if the situation worsens further. And, even as they work on keeping essential services operating, we continue to work on projects like providing solar power to the lab to keep it functioning if there is no fuel for the generator. 

In Philippians 4, Paul wrote, “It was good of you to share in my troubles … (your gifts) are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Our hearts ache for the troubles the people of Haiti are experiencing. Your gifts and prayers are more critical now than ever as we stand with them in their time of need.