Haitian, Hispanic, Black/Multicultural, and Asian-American Baptists each gathered to share a meal, connect in fellowship, and testify to how God is moving in their churches and communities.

Below are scenes from these gatherings.

LAKE WORTH—When Pastor Andy Vital and his wife, Deborha, packed up their belongings in New Jersey and drove toward an uncertain future in South Florida, they had no jobs, no savings for the journey—and no doubt that God had called them.

“We didn’t have enough money to make the trip,” Vital recalled. “But we knew God had said to go. And from the U-Haul rental the night before we left, to meals and gas money along the way, He provided through the kindness of friends—every single step.”

Now, four years later, the couple is preparing to launch Glory City Church in Lake Worth, a gospel-centered church plant focused on reaching Haitian Americans and young minorities in South Florida with a message of purpose and hope.

It’s a journey marked by faith, hardship and provision—and one that’s been made possible in part through the generous gifts of Florida Baptists to the Maguire State Mission Offering.

From loss to new life

The road to church planting hasn’t been easy. After arriving in Florida in 2020, Vital accepted a ministry role at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale—an unexpected opportunity that reaffirmed God’s provision. But as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the couple faced wave after wave of personal tragedy.

His wife’s father passed away in 2020, followed by her mother’s rapid decline due to dementia in 2021. Then, just before their son was born, her brother died suddenly in 2022.

“In America, we don’t talk much about the gospel of suffering,” Vital said. “But we’ve learned that joy and sorrow can live in the same house. Those years were difficult, but they also deepened our faith and our understanding of who God is.”

During a mission trip to London, Vital met Pastor Cliff McCray, pastor of Radiant City Church in Boca Raton, who became a mentor and sending pastor. Their meeting reignited the call to plant a church and laid the groundwork for the establishment of Glory City Church.

A vision for Lake Worth

Glory City Church exists to help people without purpose find meaning in Jesus. Strategically located in Lake Worth, the church seeks to serve a diverse and underserved community, with outreach efforts already underway before its official launch.

“The pressures of this generation—financial, emotional, societal—are real,” Vital said. “People are searching for meaning. We believe they can find it in the gospel.”

The church’s vision is focused on reaching Haitian Americans—especially second-generation immigrants who often feel culturally disconnected from both traditional Haitian churches and broader American congregations.

“We want to build a truly Haitian-American church that resonates across cultures and generations,” explained Vital, a second-generation Haitian. “Our goal is to offer a space where young people feel seen, known and called.”

Fueling the mission

Thanks to the generous gifts through the Maguire State Mission Offering, Glory City Church has been able to put its missional heart into action. “We are deeply grateful for your support and invite you to continue supporting us as we prepare for our outreach launch.”

Recent projects include a community backpack drive and the launch of a “care closet” at a local elementary school, designed to meet practical needs—like clothing, hygiene items, and school supplies—while offering prayer and encouragement.

“We’re working with the school and local partners like CarePortal to be present before we even launch,” Vital said. “We want people to know: the church is here, and we care.”

How to support Glory City Church

As part of this year’s Maguire State Mission Offering emphasis, Florida Baptists are invited to pray for and support new churches like Glory City.

Vital shared two specific prayer requests: that God would continue to bring a diverse and committed launch team—including seasoned saints who can offer wisdom—and that financial support would grow as the church prepares for its official launch.

On a personal note, he also asked for prayers for balance and wisdom as he and his wife parent their two young children, Ezra (3) and Hadasah (1), while planting a church from the ground up.

“More than anything, we want our family to enjoy the process and draw closer to Jesus through it,” he said. “This isn’t just about starting a church—it’s about transformation, one life at a time.”

Haiti was among 12 countries listed in President Trump’s June 4directive “to fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals” into the United States.

The travel ban went into effect June 9, the day of the NHF gathering, which preceded the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas June 10-11.

Keny Felix, NHF president and senior pastor of Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church, Miami, Florida, said ending the “Temporary Protection Status (TPS)” for Haitians who have lived in the United States for some time contributes to Haitians’ rising fears, causing some members not to attend the SBC annual meeting.

“There’s pain there,” Felix said in interview. “But the beauty is, the churches are still fighting through and collaborating together. That’s the key.”

According to Felix’s welcome letter included in the NHF brochure, the first Haitian Baptist church was established in New York in the 1960s. Today, there are hundreds of Haitian churches affiliated with the SBC.

The NHF mission statement pledges to care for and “connect and serve the needs of SBC Haitian churches and pastors” as they “collaborate to fulfill the Great Commission.”

Despite current uncertainty, the NHF pledges “to continue to engage outside our communities,” Felix said.

During the gathering, Felix looked around the room, which included representatives from various SBC entites, and noted that believers of all ethnicities and backgrounds would be together in heaven.

Entity representatives who presented greetings to the fellowship were: Charles Grant, SBC Executive Committee associate vice president for convention partnerships; Mark Croston, Lifeway’s national director of Black Church Partnerships; Ramon Enrique Osorio, ethnic-linguistic church planting director, Send Network; Daryl Jones, Coordinator, Black Church Collective; John Voltaire, Florida Baptist Convention, Haitian Multicultural Catalyst; Charles Owusu, Ghanaian Baptist Fellowship president and pastor of Word of Life Baptist Church, Lithia Springs, Georgia; and Myles Dowdy, Florida Baptist Convention, Missions and Ministries, Lead Catalyst.

“We stand together,” Felix said. “We are definitely stronger together.”

In interview, Felix pointed to United Nations reports of gang violence, food insecurity and sexual abuse of children that have fueled instability and danger in Haiti.

Felix explained that deportation fears are heightened because those who fled Haiti left home and belongings behind and would “not be returning to anything they could call their own.” He noted that “over a million people” have been displaced. Felix stressed that border security is important but urged compassion for those in poverty and in desperate circumstances.

The situation in Haiti and the impact on the Haitian community prompted speakers’ remarks at the event.

Chilere St. Victor, NHF northeast region representative and senior pastor of French Speaking Baptist Church, Brooklyn, New York, drew from Hebrews 10:23-24 to encourage members to “hold fast.”

St. Victor noted that the scriptural admonition to remain steadfast indicated that the Church at the time Hebrews was written needed encouragement also, due to confusing and trying circumstances:

• The unexpected delay of Christ’s return
• The persecution of believers
• The rise of heresy

St. Victor warned listeners that unwelcomed change can happen quickly, but to remember that “Jesus will be victorious.” Believers can rely on that truth for courage and can be empowered to “hold fast,” he explained.

“Those who stick with [Christ] will be glorified with Him,” St. Victor said. “This is the message – ‘Hold on. Hold on.’ The victory will be yours because Christ will be victorious.”

In closing, Felix called on three NHF leaders to give ideas for how to remain courageous in the midst of a “very challenging moment, a very challenging time for our churches.”

Dawest Louis, senior pastor, International Connect Church, New Orleans, encouraged members to remember God’s faithfulness.

“We serve a faithful God,” Louis said. “The same God we had yesterday is the same God we serve today. The same God who did amazing things yesterday will do it today.”

Evens Jules, pastor of Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church, Delray Beach, Fla., and former president of the Florida Baptist Haitian State Fellowship, called on members to stay focused on Christ.

“We must keep our eyes on Jesus,” Jules said. “This is where our hope is. When we pray, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus and teach our church members to do that as well.”

John Voltaire, president of the Florida Haitian Baptist Fellowship and senior pastor at three campuses of Grace Connection Baptist Church, concluded the program by reminding listeners that trials are temporary.

“We’ve been here before,” Voltaire said. “We have faced this before. We trusted. We held strong. This too will pass.”

By Diana Chandler

MIAMI (BP) – They are pastors, deacons, and other clergy, actively working among the 500 Haitian churches in the Southern Baptist Convention – at least for another four weeks.

They are active ministers and members of the 3,500 Hispanic congregations — Nicaraguans, Venezuelans and Cubans – that have united with the SBC.

But they are also among an estimated 534,000 Haitians, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans and Cubans ordered to return to their home countries no later than April 24, the result of the U.S. ending the humanitarian parole program that had granted the individuals safe refuge here while their home countries broil in gang violence, governmental upheaval, poverty, religious persecution and other ills.

John Voltaire, Florida Baptist Convention Haitian multicultural catalyst, tells of a young mother who greeted him at a Haitian congregation in Florida, where 72 percent of Haitian Southern Baptists live and worship.

“At first, it was the threat of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents coming to church and trying to arrest people and deport people,” Voltaire said. “But now, I have people contacting me directly, crying, asking, ‘What do we do?’ because (March) 25th is when the 30-day mark starts.”

Many stopped attending churches in January when the sensitive locations limitations were lifted on ICE arrests – impacting churches and schools. But the end of the humanitarian parole program, and the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program in August, will together inflict a multilayered wound upon churches, families and Gospel witness, Haitian and Hispanic leaders told Baptist Press.

“Nobody wants to have criminals running around, but in the process, we have people who are good neighbors, who are members of our churches, deacons and pastors, and we have a lot of clergy also,” Voltaire said. “They came through those programs. Now, they are actively working in our churches.”

Bruno Molina, executive director of the National Hispanic Baptist Network (NHBN), said “very significant” numbers of those ordered to return to their home countries are members of Southern Baptist churches, but he didn’t have specific numbers.

“This is really impacting all SBC churches with immigrant populations,” said Molina, who recently transitioned to a fulltime role as executive director of the NHBN. “It’s resulting in a decrease in attendance, giving and personal wellbeing. Churches will experience a decrease in membership, funding and certainly Gospel collaboration. We’ll just have to continue to be light and salt and keep on keeping on.”

Some Hispanics impacted by the immigration terminations are active ministers, Molina said.

Generally, they have no choice but to obey the immigration orders, which are perhaps more dangerous than defying the orders and remaining in the U.S. illegally, leaders have told Baptist Press.

“It’s not like when they go back (to their home countries) the governments are waiting for them with open arms, looking to ensure their welfare,” Molina said. “They’re going to return to the turmoil from which they fled, and many of them will suffer imprisonment, political persecution, violence and very difficult to impossible economic conditions. They’ll be seen as pariahs in their own countries, both by government, and by others who may resent the fact that they left.

“It should be noted also that those currently under the Temporary Protected Status, are people who’ve been vetted as suffering under extraordinary circumstances,” he said. “They aren’t considered a security threat, and they even have financial sponsors. So it’s not like they’re considered criminals or are a threat to their communities.”

About 864,000 individuals from 16 countries are enrolled in TPS in the U.S., the National Immigration Forum said in a March 14 fact sheet, based on Sept. 23, 2024, numbers. That includes 344,335 Venezuelans, 200,005 Haitians and 180,375 El Salvadorans, as well as about 50,000 who fled the war in Ukraine, more than 8,000 from Afghanistan, and others.

Molina and Keny Felix, president of the Southern Baptist Convention National Haitian Fellowship and a vice president of the Haitian Christian Leaders Coalition, are among advocates for the revival of the Dignity Act, a bipartisan immigration bill its key sponsors say is aimed at stopping illegal immigration, providing a dignified solution for undocumented immigrants, strengthening the workforce and economy, and ensuring U.S. prosperity and competitiveness.

On behalf of NHBN, Molina signed a proposal for congressional immigration reform by the National Hispanic Pastors Alliance that is based on the Dignity Act. Felix, on a trip to Washington March 2, met with John Mark Kolb, the chief of staff of U.S. Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL), chief sponsor of the Dignity Act alongside Veronica Escobar (D-TX). Salazar, Felix told Baptist Press, planned to reintroduce the act in the coming months.

Felix ranks the immigration emergency as more difficult than the crisis the church endured during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic was pervasive, everyone exposed. This one is targeted,” Felix said. “These actions are going after seeming Black and Brown people, to put them back into life conditions that no one would ever want to experience.”

Felix doesn’t see the end of the humanitarian parole program as hinging on protecting the borders, because everyone enrolled in the program came legally. And he doesn’t believe it’s about protecting jobs, because of the federal government firings.

“It’s stripping them from the opportunity to live securely, surrounded by friends and loved ones, and being part of church communities,” said Felix, who pastors Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in south Florida. “This will definitely impact the local church … across ethnicities.”

The first thing many of those enrolled in the parole program did was connect with a local church, Felix said, where they were able to grow in their faith.

“And they began to be active members of our churches,” he said. “And so churches are about to lose a good portion within their membership. But it’s not only losing the people, but it’s also the connections that all these folks had as a result. It’s a loss that is multilevel.”

While the program was temporary, those enrolled had connected with families, schools and jobs, and were beginning new families. Felix questions why the program was ended so abruptly with “complete disregard for the lives of those that will be put at stake of danger in returning to these violent situations in their homelands.”

Leaders point to mercy, care, prayer and love in responding to the crisis as the Church.

“I, of course, feel terrible for the people who are suffering under those circumstances,” Molina said, “and I think that one of the things we need to remember as Southern Baptists, is we are told to treat others as we would like to be treated. And so, this begs the question, ‘If you were forced to leave the U.S. and flee to a foreign country whose language and country are alien to you to protect yourself and your family from political and religious persecution and violence and possibly economic challenges, how would you like to be treated?’”

Felix prays that the church will not lose what he terms as central to the Christian identity: “God’s love that leads us to be compassionate to others, especially our Southern Baptist brothers and sisters.”

“The church needs to be the church for such a time as this,” Felix said, “to do what is right.”

Diana Chandler

“From the start of the administration, the focus on deportation, the focus on limiting or closing the border, getting rid of the (Customs and Border Protections One) app that was actually allowing people to go through a legal process. That was very difficult, very challenging,” Felix told Baptist Press.

Felix leads Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in south Florida, where the U.S. Center for Immigration Studies records the largest community of Haitian immigrants in the nation. He also serves as president of the Haitian Baptist Fellowship.

“[It was] creating a significant amount of concern and fear on the part of the community,” Felix said of an avalanche of changes in U.S. immigration policy in recent weeks. “That’s why we moved very quickly to begin to work collaboratively with lawyers to help people understand very quickly what their rights were.”

Law and order are necessary, he said, but enforcement must be accompanied by compassion that doesn’t demonize those fleeing oppression, persecution or the crisis of poverty.

Swift changes in immigration processes under the Trump Administration are particularly concerning to Felix, who also serves as vice president of the Haitian Christian Leaders Coalition (HCLC), a nonprofit representing Haitian Christians.

Most of the Haitians in the U.S. reside in Florida, home to most of the 500 Southern Baptist Haitian congregations.

As of February 2024, there were 852,000 Haitian immigrants in the U.S., the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey reported, while the Census Bureau’s much larger American Community Survey put the number at 727,000 in July 2022. At that time, 391,000 lived in Florida and by all counts, Florida continues to house more Haitians than any other U.S. state.

More than half of Haitian immigrants in the U.S., 63 percent in 2022, are U.S. citizens, the Migration Policy Institute said, compared to 53 percent of the larger national immigrant population.

Stephen Rummage, executive director and treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention, realizes the value Haitian congregations bring to the state.

“Our Haitian congregations have been a vital part of Florida Baptist Convention church life for a long, long time,” he told Baptist Press. “They win many people to Jesus and minister to real needs in countless ways. In my recent meetings with Haitian pastors, I’ve been deeply impressed by the love and concern they have for their churches and their communities.”

Felix, the fellowship, the HCLC and other leaders sprang into action in late 2024 to get a head start on changes anticipated to impact Haitians in the state. HCLC in particular has been hosting forums and connecting pastors and churches with immigration lawyers to provide guidance to members impacted, and pastors have met with local elected officials to express concerns and needs.

HCLC began addressing the issue in January, said HCLC President David Eugene, a Southern Baptist pastor who leads Haitian Evangelical Church in Miami, and will advocate for Haitians across the nation.

“In light of the current changes on immigration policies that will undoubtedly affect the Haitian immigrants in the U.S.,” Eugene said, “the coalition joins its voice with other established organizations to forcefully condemn the unjust treatment of our Haitian brothers and sisters in the USA.

“We will hold press conferences and continue to facilitate seminars to teach our brothers and sisters about their rights, highlight the turmoil that prevails in Haiti and join forces with other civic organizations to protest against the deportation of our Haitian brothers to a country that is unlivable by all accounts.”

Gang violence killed more than 5,600 people and displaced more than 1 million others in Haiti last year, the United Nations said Feb. 27 update on an ongoing humanitarian aid crisis in Haiti. Since Sept. 18, 2024, Haiti has been under a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory from the U.S. State Department, which cited “kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care.”

Felix will host a meeting tonight (Feb. 28) at his pastorate with Protestant and Catholic clergy from across south Florida to address the current plight of the Haitian community and ways to broaden collaboration in response to the Trump Administration’s policies.

Hosting the event with Felix are HCLC, Faith in Action, Faith in Florida and the non-partisan National Haitian American Elected Officials Network.

“For me, this is the Christian thing to do,” he said. “We see throughout the Scripture where God has a sensitive heart for the most vulnerable. Who am I talking about? The immigrants, the widows, the orphans.

“So now that we’re going through this crisis, I believe that as the Church, regardless of your political affiliation, we can approach this topic with that same level of compassion. Because we’re not talking about uprooting the herd. We’re talking about people. People that have families. People who have kids. People who have mothers, grandmothers. People who have siblings, babies.”

March 3, he will be in Washington for the D.C. Day of Prayer & Action for Vulnerable Families, hosted by Faith in Action and held at the Capitol Hill location of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

While in Washington, Felix hopes to meet with the offices of Florida’s congressional delegation members, U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart and Maria Elvira Salazar, both Republicans, whom he feels have greater access to President Trump.

Felix has led his congregation by openly addressing congregants’ concerns and recruiting legal experts to answer questions after Sunday services, in addition to hosting other forums. He believes Christian leaders should address the issue.

“When we have these concerns that are happening at the national level such as immigration, which is a complex issue – and I don’t want to decrease that it’s a complex issue – but just as we speak passionately about being a convention that supports life, that values life,” he said, “as we speak to protect the unborn, I believe we have the responsibility to speak and to advocate on behalf of the immigrant, on behalf of the refugee.

“Regardless of their legal status. From the standpoint of treating people with compassion and embracing their inherent value as human beings created by the same God that we all serve.”

About the Author

• Diana Chandler

  Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer.

ORLANDO- Florida Baptist diversity was on full display on Monday night’s dinner fellowships at First Orlando during the Florida Baptist State Convention annual gathering. Haitian, Hispanic, multicultural, and Asian-American Baptists gathered to fellowship and celebrate what God is doing in and through each of their churches. Below are scenes of these diverse gatherings.

Haitian Fellowship

Mimose Jules and husband Erik Jules, pastor of One God in Three Persons, worship during the Haitian Fellowship.

Retired pastor Luc Dominique worships alongside Haitian brothers and sisters during the group’s fellowship.

Asian-American Fellowship

Pablito Lucas (center), Asian-American multicultural consultant and Asian-American Baptists at the Florida Baptist State Convention.

Hispanic Fellowship

Hector Torres, the Spanish/discipleship pastor at Elevate Church, enjoys dinner with his daughter and wife at the Hispanic Fellowship dinner.

Eloy Rodriguez (sitting), Spanish pastor at Idlewild Baptist Church, catches up with Emanuel Roque (left), FBC Hispanic ministries catalyst, at the Hispanic Fellowship.

Multicultural Fellowship

Erik Cummings, multicultural catalyst for the Florida Baptist Convention, conveys diplomas on Baptist University of Florida graduates and honors retired pastors during the multicultural fellowship gathering.

Second-Chair Fellowship

Micah Fergurson, director of strategic initiatives for the Florida Baptist Convention, meets with second-chair cohorts gathered for a celebratory dinner.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio­–A delegation of Florida Baptist Haitian pastors–including David Eugene, senior pastor of Haitian Evangelical Baptist Church in Miami; Patrick Jules, pastor of Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale, and Keny Felix, president of the Southern Baptist Convention National Haitian Fellowship and senior pastor of Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in Miami­–recently met with Southern Baptist denominational leaders, pastors, ministry leaders, and community and civic leaders to discuss ways to serve as many as 15,000 Haitians living in Springfield, Ohio.

Because the Florida Baptist Convention and the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio launched a partnership in November 2022, leaders in both state conventions “already have been collaborating on how best to serve Haitian immigrants in Ohio,” said John Voltaire, Florida Baptists’ Haitian multicultural catalyst. Recent conversations are an extension of those already-established partnership collaborations, he said. At the time of the partnership launch, Jeremy Westbrook, Ohio Baptists’ executive director, noted that Ohio is the seventh largest state in America, and 90% of its 12 million residents are lost.

“We’re better together, stronger together. Our best days are ahead,” he said.

Spotlight represents ‘opportunity’

The city of Springfield, with a population of about 60,000, recently was thrust into the national spotlight as presidential candidates debated allegations of Haitian immigrants there committing crimes and draining social services.

That spotlight represents a “great opportunity to further mobilize Florida Baptist Haitian pastors and churches to serve Haitian immigrants in Ohio, reaching out to the Haitian community there, preaching the Word, planting churches,” said John Voltaire, who traveled to Ohio earlier this year to explore how the state-to-state partnership can best meet the physical and spiritual needs of Haitian immigrants.

Christopher Wilson, senior pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Springfield, has worked to minister to the Haitian community since he began his pastorate there in March 2023. He hosted a meeting Sept. 17 with the Florida delegation as well as Greater Dayton Association of Baptists Associational Missionary James Risner, Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Director of Missional Leadership Mark Snowden, State Convention of Baptists in Ohio State Catalyst for the West Region Chad Keck, and others. The group focused on how to combine resources to meet the humanitarian and spiritual needs of the Haitian community.

“It was just great to sit down with all of them, to have the desire to help coming from a lot of Baptist churches around the country,” Wilson said, “and to have especially the expertise and insights of the wonderful Haitian pastors that were able to join us.”

About five Haitian churches serve the migrants, but none of those churches are Southern Baptist. Northside began English as a Second Language classes about eight months ago, Wilson said, and has made some inroads through the class. The church has Haitians in worship most weeks, he said, with those attending having varying degrees of English fluency.

Planting Creole-speaking churches, sending Creole-speaking ministers to join Springfield Southern Baptists in ministry and raising financial support among Southern Baptists in Florida and elsewhere are among many ideas being considered.

The pastors plan to meet with other Florida Baptist pastors to collaborate on ways to combine resources to help, Eugene said.

“We plan to meet with the other pastors that are a part of this network to debrief them on our visit,” he said, “and together come up with a plan of intervention based on what we’ve observed.”

Creole language speakers and cultural sensitivity training are prime needs, Eugene said, as well as a mentoring program “to ensure we have Haitians in that population who are equipped and can provide some guidance and will help the assimilation of the Haitian immigrants in that community.”

The leaders described their work as ongoing.

With reporting from Baptist Press

Pastors Keny Felix, Jackson Voltaire and David Eugene conducted a fact-finding trip to Mexico March 9-13, consulting with Mexican Baptist pastors, delivering humanitarian aid from Haitian pastors in Florida, meeting and encouraging migrants, conducting evangelism and assessing needs.

“Many individuals that we encountered, they were coming from churches that we knew in Haiti, churches that we know their pastors,” Felix, senior pastor of Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in Miami, said of the migrants. “But they’ve been on this journey for quite some time and have been unable to find opportunities to gather and be fed spiritually.” 

In the works are a humanitarian welcome center in Tapachula – a gateway at the Guatemalan border – for migrants of all nationalities, and Haitian-language church plants in Tapachula and Monterrey near the southern U.S. border, Felix and Voltaire told Baptist Press.

The Southern Baptist Convention National Haitian Fellowship, led by Felix, and the Florida Haitian Baptist Fellowship, led by Voltaire, are initiating the work that to date has the support of the Florida Baptist Convention (FBC) and the National Baptist Convention of Mexico, the pastors said.

“We wanted to take the initiative and start it and then tell our partners this is what we see, this is what we would like to do, and how you can partner with us,” said Voltaire, lead pastor of the multisite Grace Connection Baptist Church in the Miami area.

The Haitian pastors appreciated the opportunity to help the migrants who’ve made treacherous journeys, often en route to the U.S., from several global locations.

“We understand, and are understanding more and more,” Felix told Baptist Press, “that God has placed us here in the United States, and yes we have an obligation to our brothers and sisters who speak the same language, who look like us, who have the same roots, but we also have a responsibility to all nations.”

The Tapachula welcome center will assist migrants at Mexico’s southern border and also serve as a destination for short-term mission trips for Florida Southern Baptists, including Haitians. The pastors are working with Mexican Baptists in planting churches in Tapachula and Monterrey that could serve as assignments for Haitian-language missionaries.

Migrants in Tapachula often have no provisions and complain of Mexico’s processing backlog as they seek work visas and permission to travel north through the country. Several times in the past year, thousands of migrants lost patience and began walking north through Mexico on foot, the Associated Press has reported.

Felix, Voltaire and Eugene met a group of migrants of several ethnicities who had traveled the 1,100 miles from Tapachula to Monterrey en route to Texas. About 200 migrants were living in a makeshift shelter composed of what resembled small storage units with no windows, electricity or running water, and only doors for ventilation.

The pastors delivered supplies including clothing and toiletries.

“What touched us the most was ultimately the receptivity that they showed us,” Felix said, “in realizing that there are people who are thinking about them, there are people that are concerned about them.”

The migrants longed for spiritual care as well as physical necessities. One woman made it clear as she spoke to a man who asked the pastors for money.

“Her response,” Felix said, “was, ‘Man, what we need is not money. We need prayer. That God would open doors, that God would break the cycle that we are in.’”

The pastors prayed with the woman and others, leading about seven to Christ.

“You could just sense the happiness and the pain that many of them have dealt with,” Felix said, “having to leave their homeland because of violence, because of insecurity, because of the various issues that led them to make this challenging decision.”

Haitian Baptist leaders believe God will continue to multiply their work in Mexico, fulfilling a need driven by the many migrants who decide to establish residency in Mexico. The fact that some Haitians arrive in Mexico already multilingual, having spent perhaps years in South America before continuing their journey to Mexico, will help the work of planting multiethnic churches there.

“We’re talking about planting Haitian churches,” Felix said, “but I see that Haitian churches will be there, along with their Mexican brothers and sisters, to reach out to the wider country as a whole and can glorify God by the sharing of His love and the Gospel.

“That’s what really excites us,” he said. “We’re at the beginning, we’re putting the blocks together, but definitely what God will continue to do as we collaborate together will definitely be tremendous.”

Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer.

“When there’s a time of fear and crisis like this, there always seems to be a great opportunity to share the love of Jesus and how He gets us through moments like the Haitians are going through right now,” said Myles Dowdy, Florida Baptists’ lead catalyst for missions and ministry.

John Voltaire, Florida Baptists’ Haitian ministries catalyst, agreed, “In the midst of chaos is an opportunity to witness, to go share the love of Christ. This is probably why we see, even in all of this, churches being planted, people being born again, and people looking for hope that they can’t find in their local politicians and see that God is the only way out for them.”

In 2023, the Confraternité Missionnaire Baptiste d’Haïti reported more than 20,000 professions of faith. An estimated 15-20% of Haitians are born-again Christians, said John Voltaire.

Haitian believers are “doing great things amid the chaos across the nation,” said Tommy Green, Florida Baptists’ executive director-treasurer.

A country in chaos

There’s no mistaking that Haiti is a country in crisis. Unrest in the tiny, impoverished nation has intensified since July 2021 when Prime Minister Ariel Henry assumed office following the assassination of then-Prime Minister President Jovenel Moïse. Although Henry’s tenure as prime minister was intended to be temporary, the interim prime minister reportedly, until recent days, had shown no signs of stepping down from power or scheduling elections.

Violence escalated recently when gangs attacked Port-au-Prince, storming police stations and killing at least four officers, Associated Press reported. Police have declared a state of emergency and enacted curfews in unsuccessful attempts to curb the violence. Gangs, many believe, seem to wield more power currently than government officials.

Gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier has threatened civil war and genocide unless Henry, now in Puerto Rico, resigns, Associated Press reported.

On March 11, even as Haiti’s infrastructure was close to collapse and lawlessness ruled the Caribbean nation, Henry agreed to resign, but not until a transitional council is created and an interim leader is named.

Reflecting on the chaos being experienced currently in his home country, John Voltaire likened the situation to the time of the judges in Old Testament days, as “People do what is right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25)

“Things will get worse by the day,” predicted Florida Baptist Haitian Fellowship President Jackson Voltaire, pastor of Grace Connection Baptist Church in Miami.

Traumatized Haitians near Port-au-Prince fear for their lives, with many lacking basic food and water. Chaos is centered around Port-au-Prince, with most schools, banks and even churches forced to close their doors. Airports also have been closed, but some flights have resumed.

About a quarter of Haiti’s estimated 11.5 million people live in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, according to 2023 CIA World Fact Book numbers. Some have fled to other parts of the country that are largely untouched by the violence and chaos.

On the northern side of the nation, Haitians are able to “go about business as usual,” reported Wadler Jules, pastor of Emmanuel Haitian Baptist Church in Miami. Jules recently traveled with a parishioner to northwest Haiti for a family funeral. While he acknowledged, “No one feels safe in Port-au-Prince,” he did not fear for his safety in the part of the country he was visiting, which is separated from Port-au-Prince by a mountain range.

Still, as he prepared to travel back to Miami, Jules discovered that the Cape Haitien airport was closed. After several days delay in his travel plans and many prayers from his church members, Jules made his way to the Dominican Republic and was able to fly home.

‘Holding onto their faith’

“Haiti right now is not a safe place,” said Dowdy, who explained that Florida Baptists launched a partnership with Haitian believers in April 1995.

“It breaks our heart what Haitians are having to go through right now,” he said.

The 355 Haitian Southern Baptist churches in Florida work hand in hand with about 1,000 churches that comprise the Confraternité Missionnaire Baptiste d’Haïti. Nearly 75 percent of all Southern Baptist Haitian churches in America are in Florida.

“This is where together we can continue to work together as a diverse convention to really reach the world for Christ,” said Keny Felix, senior pastor of Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in Miami and president of the Southern Baptist Convention National Haitian Fellowship.

The ministry partnership between Haiti and Florida Baptists has helped build a foundation for Haitian believers. It’s a partnership that is now “paying dividends” because Haitian believers are emboldened in their faith, Dowdy said.

Today, as chaos floods Haiti, Florida Baptists provide vital prayer support.

“Pray for pastors as they try to help their people find the unshakeable peace of Jesus in the midst of this crisis,” Dowdy said.

He also encouraged prayer “that (Haitian) believers will be bold within their faith to share the gospel.”

John Voltaire added, “In circumstances like this, people tend to question their faith; they tend to lose hope.” He pointed out that pastors are ministering not only to members of their congregations but also to their own families.

“Pray that these pastors will continue to do what they are called to do,” he said. Many pastors are doing ministry in Haiti “by choice,” having had opportunities to leave Haiti but choosing to stay, he said.

“Pray that they find strength and purpose in what they are doing in Haiti,” he said, “that they can continue to push back darkness and encourage people.”

Although Haiti is now closed to Florida Baptists actively pursuing the mission partnership, the day will return when the partnership can flourish again, John Voltaire believes.

“In due time we will be able to come and to support their ministries in ways that Florida Baptists have done for decades,” he said.

Jules acknowledged that many Haitian pastors and church leaders, living daily in a “bleak” situation, “don’t see hope” right now, but because of their solid faith in God and His promises, they are able to preach about hope.

“They are holding onto their faith,” he said. “That is what they have.”

‘Faithful to carry out gospel witness’

Life in Haiti has never been easy. Throughout its history, Haiti has weathered one crisis after another—from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 to the pandemic in 2020 to massive earthquakes in 2010 and 2021 to extreme poverty to civil unrest and on and on.

“We’ve been there through other crises that Haiti has gone through. We will be there with them as they go through this crisis. We know that as brothers and sisters in Christ are faithful as they go through this crisis, we’re going to see individuals come to know Christ as their Savior,” Dowdy said.

“We see brothers and sisters in Christ who are living in Haiti and working in a very hard mission field, but yet they are very faithful to carry out the gospel witness. That strongly encourages me.

“We are continuing to see a harvest take place in Haiti, professions of faith in Haiti, people come to know Christ. That’s always encouraging when you see … a hard harvest field, but God is blessing it through the faithfulness of brothers and sisters in Christ.”

“When the door opens back up and we can go back in, I think what we will be blessed by is the faithfulness of our brothers and sisters in Christ.”

John Voltaire, although heartbroken about the turmoil in his home country, remains hopeful.

“The people remain resilient. Naturally Haitians are very spiritual. They are people who are seeking for something spiritual, and this is a great opportunity for us to continue to bring the gospel to Haiti,” John Voltaire said.

Jackson Voltaire finds hope in God’s promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

“There is hope because there are God’s people in Haiti as well,” he said. “There will be hope because there is a good group of people in Haiti calling upon God to deliver this country.”

With reporting by Baptist Press.

How is God moving through the Sunshine State? Here’s your answer. Planting and revitalizing churches, reaching unreached people groups, baptizing new believers, ministering and witnessing during times of crisis–these are just a few of the Florida Baptist Convention’s 20 most-read stories in 2023.

1. Pastor Brings Churches Together to Revitalize First Baptist Fort Lauderdale

By David Moore, Oct. 13. 

FORT LAUDERDALE–Pastor David Hughes helped turn things around for what is now Church by the Glades decades ago, and now he and members of that church are working together to help revitalize First Baptist Fort Lauderdale.

2. Brazilian Church Plant in Delray Beach Reaches Haitians with Gospel

By Keila Diaz, June 2.

DELRAY BEACH— One-year-old church plant Brazilian Baptist Church is reaching not only Brazilians in the Delray Beach community, but also Portuguese-speaking Haitian families.

3. Baptist College of Florida Partners with Local Church to Launch Extension Campus

By Jessica Pigg, Aug. 9. 

CLEARWATER– The Baptist College of Florida recently has announced a partnership with Calvary Church in Clearwater to launch a new extension campus slated to open in August 2024.

4. Southwest Florida Church Witnesses Unprecedented Number of Baptisms/Life Change

By Jessica Pigg, May 18.

NAPLES—April found herself searching for purpose and struggling to find direction. She had grown up attending church with her family, so she did an online search for Baptist churches near her and found First Naples. On January 23, after years of searching for purpose, April found life change.

5. Pastors to Be Nominated to Lead 2024 Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference

By Margaret Colson, Oct. 2.

LUTZ­–Aaron Burgner will be nominated by fellow Florida Baptist pastor Alan Brumback to serve as president of the 2024 Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference.

6. Church Replant Breathes New Life into Historic Community/Unites Local Churches

By Brooke Mannion, March 8.

PENSACOLA­–A new God story is unfolding in West Pensacola’s rich historic religious landscape. The Point Church Jackson Campus, a replant of West Pensacola Baptist Church, is breathing new life into the historic 12-acre campus, which had been “a foothold for the gospel” in the community for more than half a century.

7. Florida Baptists to Celebrate/Conduct Business at 2023 Annual Meeting

By Margaret Colson, Oct. 30.

LUTZ–Florida Baptists will gather to conduct business and celebrate churches working together to expand God’s kingdom when the 2023 Florida Baptist State Convention convenes at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz Nov. 13-14.

8. Horseshoe Beach Church Serves ss ‘Lighthouse’ for Community Amid Hurricane Devastation

By Jessica Pigg, Sept. 5.

HORSESHOE BEACH—Known as a laid-back, friendly fishing village, the quaint community of Horseshoe Beach found itself directly in the path of Hurricane Idalia’s 125 mph winds and 10-foot storm surge. The catastrophic devastation has left the fishing and boating community in pieces.

Picking up some of those pieces is Robin Hoffman. Hoffman’s family has owned a home in Horseshoe Beach since the early 1970s and is a longtime member of First Baptist Church Horseshoe Beach—the only local church within 20 miles.

9. ‘Incredibly Gracious and Big God’ Fuels Partnerships Between Churches/Regions

By Jessica Pigg, June 28.

FT. LAUDERDALE–The long, scenic miles across Alligator Alley could not hinder southwest Florida Baptist pastors from coming “right beside” Larry Brister, a pastor serving in Ft. Lauderdale.

10. Calvary Church Reaches Deaf Community for Christ

By Jessica Pigg, July 18.

CLEARWATER—For Ron Cooney, a specific church ministry originally brought his family through the doors of Calvary Church when he was 14 years old. As a child of a deaf adult (CODA), Cooney and his family were able to find a home at the Central Florida church. Now, years later, Cooney still calls Calvary Church home—as its executive pastor.

11. ‘God Has Showed Up and Showed Out’ for Worship/Youth Pastor

By Brooke Mannion, Oct. 15.

CRAWFORDVILLE–An excruciating cry of pain rang out through the worship center as Pastor Wayne Baker presented the altar call at First Baptist Church of Wakulla Station on Sunday, April 23. Baker quickly realized that Pastor Daniel Lloyd, worship and youth pastor, had fallen to the ground in debilitating back pain.

12. ‘I’ve Always Had a Love for Pastors’ Says Retiring Catalyst Gary Townsend

By David Moore, July 16.

Helping pastors and their churches was one of the things Gary Townsend enjoyed most about his role as north regional catalyst for the Florida Baptist Convention.

13. Monticello Church Marks 192nd Anniversary with Heritage Day Celebration

By David Moore, July 6.

MONTICELLO­–When Elizabeth Baptist Church in Monticello held its heritage day celebration recently, members and guests gathered to commemorate 192 years of history in various ways, which included:

Dedicating its new bronze plaque containing a handwritten replica of the church’s original constitution, now attached to the front of the church.
Honoring its historian and a couple of longtime, dedicated members.
Thanking its members for its status as one of the most generous Baptist churches in Florida.
Rejoicing in the baptism of a new believer.

14. UF Students Spend Spring Break on Mission in South Sudan

By David Moore, May 11.

GAINESVILLE–South Sudan in East Africa is not your typical spring break destination for today’s college students, but when the opportunity arose to go there on a mission trip, Emma Formet was all in.

15. Diverse Populations Unified in Christ at Crestview Baptist Church

By Teodosia Rivera, Oct. 10.

LAKELAND­–As David Renfroe celebrates his 20th anniversary as senior pastor of Crestview Baptist Church in Lakeland, the true celebration focuses on the more than 1,500 individuals­–representing dramatically diverse walks of life­–who have made professions of faith and been baptized over the past two decades at the Central Florida church.

16. Florida Baptists Come Together to Celebrate Victories, Look to Future During Challenge 2025 Gathering

By Margaret Colson and Keila Diaz, March 3.

ORLANDO­–Close to 1,000 Florida Baptists came together to celebrate victories and look to the future in reaching Florida’s 22 million residents with the gospel during the Challenge 2025 Gathering held Feb. 28 at First Baptist Church in Orlando.

17. Cloer Inaugurated as Seventh President of Baptist College of Florida

By Margaret Colson, April 26.

GRACEVILLE–The Baptist College of Florida inaugurated Clayton Cloer as it seventh president in a ceremony April 25 on the school’s main campus in Graceville.

18. Culbreth Retires, Credits God with Ministry Opportunities/Impact

By Margaret Colson, March 24.

JACKSONVILLE–After serving the Florida Baptist Convention, where he has “invested his life in the church,” for 25 years, Craig Culbreth, is retiring March 31, 2023.

19. Cooking up a Community that Glorifies God

By Brooke Mannion, June 1.

PENSACOLA­–Working late nights and serving the Sunday brunch crowd, restaurant workers can find it difficult to draw near to God, consistently fellowship with believers and receive encouragement to walk with Christ.

20. Chipola Churches Share Christ, Give Generously and Celebrate Milestone

By Brooke Mannion, Sept. 21.

MARIANNA–Smiles, singing, crafts, praising Jesus and learning about His love and sacrifice fueled the summer for churches in Chipola Baptist Association.