The devastating earthquake that leveled Port-au-Prince in 2010 didn’t do any direct damage to the northwestern region of Haiti, but it did bring thousands of refugees to the area, doubling and tripling the populations of towns and villages that were already struggling to meet basic humanitarian needs. Fortunately, the Northwest Haiti Christian Mission has been working around the region for some 30 years and is reaching out with food, medical care, churches, schools and other building projects.
The mission is based in Saint Louis-du-Nord on the northern coast and has expanded to include several other campuses and satellite missions throughout this poorest region of Haiti. These facilities, coupled with the incredible needs of the region, make for plenty of opportunities to serve; church groups on short-term mission trips can help build churches and schools, hold free medical clinics, visit orphanages, conduct Bible schools or sports camps, and do hut-to-hut evangelism.
Many groups that visit Haiti find themselves anxious to return, and the Northwest Haiti Christian Mission offers an innovative program that matches stateside churches with church plants in rural Haitian communities, allowing the two churches to build long-term relationships over the course of several years. Called the Neighbors Project, this initiative allows American churches to help with the fundraising and construction of schools and church buildings in their adopted communities.
Church members at home can also help by holding food-packing events with their local congregations, preparing meals that will be used to feed the hungry in Haiti.
