Despite the significant political unrest in Haiti, Harmony Ministries’ main church in the capital city of Port-au-Prince has not been damaged, according to its minister, Rev. Luc Deratus.
Rev. Deratus, whose Harmony Ministries has a long-standing relationship with The Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, filled in the congregants on the political situation during his annual visit to the Lawrence Township church.
Much of the unrest stems from President Jovenel Moise, who has attempted to raise the price of gasoline, Rev. Deratus said. The Venezuelan government sold oil at a portion of the cost to Haiti as a means to develop allies, with the expectation that the rest would be paid in a few years.
But now the bill has come due, and President Moise’s effort to raise the price of gasoline – in a deal that predates his election in 2016 – has been met with protests.
At the same time, there have also been allegations of corruption – that Haiti’s government had kept millions of dollars that had been earmarked for reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of the earthquake in 2010 – and that also predated President Moise’s election.
While there may be rioting and unrest in Port-au-Prince, Harmony Ministries’ facilities – the church, a school and a medical clinic – have been left untouched, Rev. Deratus said. That’s because the people feel they are beneficial.
In Port-au-Prince, Harmony Ministries offers sewing classes to anyone who is interested, Rev. Deratus said. Children and adults learn how to sew, and once they have fabric, they can measure and make shirts or skirts. With financial donations, Harmony Ministries has been able to buy sewing machines.
“The people (who know how to use a sewing machine) can work in a factory or they can work at home. People will go to people who know how to sew,” Rev. Deratus said. Six women are currently enrolled in the sewing class.
Rev. Deratus also updated congregants on the status of the other churches that Harmony Ministries has established in rural areas of Haiti – in Leogane, Lasalle, Thoman and Bertrand.
Leogane was heavily damaged in the 2010 earthquake, and both the school and worship services are being held under a tent, he said. Work on the foundation of a new building will get under way in April.
“We are working on it and we will get it off the ground,” Rev. Deratus said.
Thoman has a church and a school. In Bertrand, which is a two-hour walk from Thoman and only accessible on foot, there is a church and a school.
Life is not easy in the outlying villages, he said. People have land that could be planted with crops, but they have no money to buy seed. And if they leave their goats outside overnight, a thief will steal them, he said.
But despite the hardships, Rev. Deratus and Harmony Ministries are taking steps to get young people involved in the church and to become its next generation of leaders.
On the first Sunday of every month in Port-au-Prince, “we are out on the street, knocking on doors to get more people into the kingdom of God,” Rev. Deratus said.
“Rich or poor, you can live without Christ, but you cannot die without Christ,” Rev. Deratus said.