Pastoral Endeavors
Faith is a major component in the lives of the Haitian people. Their faith gives them enduring strength, and they use that to help them preserver through life’s hardships. Although the Haitian people have been through a series of calamities, their unbreakable faith has helped them overcome insurmountable situations and carry on. Churches and community centers are places where the Haitian people gather together to support each other. Unfortunately, the two recent catastrophes destroyed or damaged most of these structures, particularly within the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince. Therefore, Haiti On The Rise needs to help restore these buildings that will serve the communities as they did before.
Most importantly, Haiti On The Rise would like members of the various Haitian communities to continue to care for one another. This shoulder-to-shoulder experience brings strength, healing, and peace to the population. For instance, during the 2010 Earthquake, a friend of mine was buried alive under the rubble with her three children. Later, she was miraculously rescued by her husband. She shared that her faith and its related communities were fundamental in her recovery process. She explained that she has received a tremendous amount of support from members of her faith-based community. That community often gathered together with songs and prayers, and then shared their feelings of the traumatic experiences. Some consider faith-based, communal sharing as a key element of social structure that can help heal communities. Therefore, Haiti On The Rise is committed to supporting this fundamental component of the Haitian culture.