Haitian disciples Wilner and Chantal Cornely led the International Churches of Christ in Haiti in the early 1990's and have remained in close touch with the churches there through the years. Wilner brings us a history and an update on the state of the disciples since the devastating earthquake of January 12.

The Island nation of Haiti gained its independence since 1804 from the French after a very bloody battle orchestrated by Jean Jacques Dessalines. A slave for his whole life, Dessalines organized his slave comrades with machetes and piques for a revolt after a night long ritual where animal sacrifices were offered to their gods who in their minds would lead them to victory. After many days of battle and thousands of lost lives, Napoleon’s army was forced to retreat and flee and Dessalines became the first President of the first black independent nation in the western hemisphere.

Ironically, after over 200 years of independence, from being known as the Pearl of the Islands, Haiti has now been known for nearly half a century as the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere.

In 1989, a handful of disciples from the Boston Church were sent to the island nation to begin an effort of bringing the good news about Jesus to a people known around the world for their Voodooist practices: An ancestral religion rooted in the worship of idols and the invoking of the spirits of the ancestors. However, to those who have spent any time at all in Haiti, and have had the privilege of engaging its people, its religious heritage has come to her from her former colonial patron: France. That heritage is without a doubt, entrenched Catholicism which in time became by all means an amalgam of Catholicism and Voodooism.

God blessed that effort in the early 90’s as many have studied the bible and have made Jesus Lord of their lives under the leadership of Shubert Etienne and Rachelle Pierre-Pierre. In 1992, Chantal and I were asked by the Boston Church to move to Haiti to lead the Port-Au-Prince Church of Christ with the charge of evangelizing the Island. (Early picture of Cornely family at right)

For nearly three years, God moved powerfully and the lack of expertise of this young church was compensated by its passion and faith and the numbers of disciples grew from 47 to 224. Many young disciples were raised up with the vision that God could use them to accomplish amazing things. Shubert Etienne was appointed an evangelist, and with the help of Marjorie Demesier, set out with six other disciples including Chantal and I to plant a church in the second largest and most influential city in Haiti: Cap-Haitian.

Since 1995, when we moved to Jamaica to strengthen our marriage and help built the church there, the churches in Port-Au-Prince and Cap-Haitian, have experienced great growth. Under the leadership of Stanley and Mildred Dumornay who were sent from New York and Serge and Jessie Gauthier, who were young college students when we left, and Jean Jorel and Junie Claude (pictured at left) who were then young converts and who now lead the work, God has clearly demonstrated that he is the ultimate builder of the church.

Now, over twenty years later, one can’t help but stand in awe of what God has done. Eight different cities in Haiti have churches of disciples with a total membership nearing 700. God did this in the midst of an international embargo, several coups d’état, intermittent political unrests, kidnapping, floods, shortages of food, water, fuel, electricity, and even loss of disciples’ lives.

Nearly two months ago, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the western part of the island nation causing well over 200,000 deaths mostly in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Private buildings, government offices and residential homes tumbled down and buried hundreds of thousands under the rubble. Panic set in and the population took to the streets fearing for their lives. Port-au-Prince became a gigantic tent city discriminating against no one regardless of their socio-economic background.

Obviously, the church in Port-au-Prince was not spared. Of the 367 disciples, over half were displaced for more than 3 weeks and 7 adults and 2 children died. The church building fell to the ground and nearly 200 disciples lost their homes. Nonetheless, our brothers and sisters there have not stopped praising God even in the midst of their misfortune, realizing how much worse it could have been. Immediately the church began to care for over 50 people on the grounds of their fallen building. Over 120 family members of disciples have died and as the dust settles and it begins to register with every disciple the magnitude of their loss, there will be an incredible need for psycho-social and spiritual assistance among many other things.

HOPE worldwide has been instrumental from day one supported by our worldwide family of the International Churches of Christ. Dr. Mark Ottenweller from HOPE worldwide, who is now in Haiti on his third trip since January 12, has been a pioneer in finding donors, determining needs and bringing the two together to minister not only to the needs of our brothers and sisters but also to the Haitian communities. From food supplies to medicines, medical support and shelter with the selfless service of the brothers and sisters in Santo Domingo, the Port-au-Prince Church has been taken care of in a tremendous way.

Right now, plans are being formulated for phase two of the relief effort in Haiti. In light of where the country is at, HOPE Haiti under the leadership of Anael Hyppolite is working in tandem with Dr. Ottenweller to determine the next steps in order to help people to begin rebuild their lives. The emphasis is going to be put on Mobile medical care, Orphans, Vocational training, and Education.

More importantly, the disciples in Haiti are very grateful and in good spirits. They are constantly finding ways to serve their communities. They themselves testify how much more serious they feel they have become about their walk with God and how people around them are seeking God more and more. The church operates on three different sites spread out over the city of which the church property is the largest one with 140 disciples. Since the earthquake 16 have been baptized and 3 restored in 5 different congregations. A memorial service was held last Saturday in honor of those who passed to celebrate their lives and lifting the hearts of those alive as they are reminded that this world is not their home.

Please, continue praying for our brothers and sisters in Haiti, especially for the 200 who are now homeless that God may provide ways for them to rebuild their lives and that they may continue to represent Him well wherever they are. To Him is all the glory!

Over $600,000 has been donated to HOPE worldwide for Haitian Disaster Relief. $400,000 more is needed. Donate today at www.hopeww.org

Click here to watch the HOPE worldwide Haiti Disaster Relief webcast on DToday.tv.