Haiti 2003

I have now made two trips to Haiti. Last August, even before I began serving as Director of Global Ministries, I traveled to Haiti to attend what will be an annual convention of our churches there. The year before, the convention had been held in a very small local church which could only hold so many people. This convention was a major upgrade.

I was impressed by the leadership and organization of our superintendent in Haiti, Rev. Richard Oliam. He put together the convention in Port au Prince, and obviously, his expectations were bigger than mine. Anticipating that we could have 500 people, Richard secured one of the biggest halls in Port au Prince and even brought in extra chairs. In actuality, we probably had 600 in each service. A lot of them were from our UB churches, but people from other groups also attended those services.

Since our plane was delayed, we didn't arrive on time. If we had arrived the night before, Richard had scheduled an interview for us on national TV in Haiti, recognizing the first major convention of the United Brethren church in Haiti.

The Haitian worship was some of the greatest I've ever experienced. Most people will say that about their worship experiences in other countries, but honestly, it was a tremendous high point for me. In Haiti and Mexico, the worship leaders were almost exclusively 16-24 year olds who were deeply committed to Jesus Christ.

On the evening I preached, the power went out during a lightning storm. My wife managed to produce a flashlight, and so I finished my sermon on Moses and the call of God in the dark. I couldn't see anything except my notes, and they couldn't see me, but Richard kept right on translating and we had an altar call at the end. Even in the dark, a guy responded to the call of God to ministry.

Richard Oliam was associated with a group of churches which are mostly located in the south, many of them in mountainous areas. Now, Richard is also providing oversight for a group of churches, located more to the north of Port Au Prince, which have aligned with us. Those churches have ties with Rev. Dieudonne Pierre, pastor of our Haitian church in Orlando, Fla. The gentleman who has been their supervisor is now Richard's north district superintendent.

A UB church in the mountains of Haiti.

"I am proud of our churches in Haiti, and proud of the man in charge, Richard, who is doing his best to help get the Gospel out in a country that very much needs it." (Gary Dilley)

So now, we have a growing group of about 40 churches that come from different heritages or perspectives, but have joined under the United Brethren banner.

I have now visited most of the countries in Central America where we have churches--Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Haiti is the most poverty-stricken country I have yet visited. Unemployment is much more stark than in Central America. They have been under the control of leaders who have not facilitated economic growth. On the main north-south highway, there are sections for tens of miles that are so washed out you can only drive three or four miles per hour in a four-wheel-drive pickup. It is a country that has great need.

Despite the poverty, I was pleasantly surprised with Haiti. I found that the people were doing everything they could with what they had.

I am excited that our Daytona UB church has taken such a strong interest in Haiti, sending materials and a team to investigate ways they can further help our brothers and sisters in Haiti. A high school group from Daytona plans to go there in July.

Richard Oliam is working hard with minimal resources, and he is very much alone. He discovered the United Brethren church through the UB website; he was in Paris, France, at the time and contacted my predecessor, Kyle McQuillen, from there. Richard's wife is still in Paris, working; she sends him money, and that is probably the only way he is surviving financially. He has wanted her to join him, but it hasn't worked out, because she wouldn't be able to get a position in Port Au Prince because of the poor economy. He's just trying to get by, grateful for what he has and doing what he can to develop the United Brethren church in Haiti. I look at the sacrifices a guy like Richard is making, and it humbles me. I find it awe-inspiring.

I am pleased, however, that Richard should soon have, once again, the companionship of his wife. They plan for her to join him in Haiti in August of this year.

So I am proud of our churches in Haiti, and proud of the man in charge, Richard, who is doing his best to help get the Gospel out in a country that very much needs it.

Haiti: New and Thriving