Pastor Leigh Jones and I were thrilled to visit Terrier Rouge from April 27th to May 4th, 2026. It was a wonderful, jam-packed, and productive trip, with far more important and memorable experiences than one blog post can hold, so stay tuned for more details in the future! One of the biggest highlights was the opportunity to be there with Father Bruno and Mrs. Bruno, whose extended visit overlapped with ours. It was an honor to witness the special relationships they have with people everywhere, both within the programs and throughout Terrier Rouge, as well as to hear from them firsthand while on the ground.
Of course, Leigh and I spent many hours at St. Barthélémy School, including greeting students as they arrived in the morning, meeting dedicated and loving teachers, observing students working diligently in the classrooms, seeing students at lunch, and enjoying watching the kids simply be happy and playful.
As usual, the School flag ceremonies were beautiful and inspiring, and one day's ceremony included a very fun twist that we will be doing a deep dive on at a later date.
One special highlight of visiting the School was meeting two teachers, Rose Irnante and Benédick Angrand, who are both alumni of the School - what an incredible full-circle moment and a vision achieved for Father Bruno and the many long-term supporters who helped support the creation of the School over 20 years ago!
Leigh and I also had time to renew our friendships with two very special young men, whom we first met on our trip three years ago. One is Lucanes Louis, our alumni ambassador, who will be graduating with a degree in Computer Science from Roi Henri Christophe University this July! The other is Weedley Baptiste, an earnest and engaging high school student who is graduating from St. Barthélémy School this year and has a bright future ahead.
Thanks to Dominique, we also had the opportunity to meet six more alumni of the School who are currently enrolled at universities, and we look forward to sharing more about them. All of these young people represent more full-circle moments in the making, and we are so excited to follow their future endeavors!
Lulled by children's infectious smiles and laughter at the School, it can be somewhat easy to take for granted the absolute marvel that these seemingly everyday moments are, until you step outside the School's gates and walk the rutted dirt side streets of Terrier Rouge, past the makeshift housing, with no running water, and see people struggling to eke out a basic existence. While Terrier Rouge is largely removed from the violence and lawlessness in other parts of Haiti, it is still unmistakably part of the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.
That is the daily reality that the students at the School exist in. Thanks to God's blessings, Father Bruno's vision, and the faithful prayers and financial support of donors, the School is truly a light in the darkness, transforming the lives of its students, many of whom will go on to transform more lives. Father Bruno has made such a difference in the lives of thousands over his lifetime, and, as with a stone dropped in water, creating a ripple, many of the amazing students of the School will go on to do the same, and so on, and so on... The future endeavors of the School's alumni represent the kind of exponential growth and positive change, led by equipped and committed Haitians, needed to heal Haiti.
Speaking of full-circle moments and the prospect for exponential change, those was present at Clinique Espérance et Vie as well, where we met Darline Laguerre (pictured in blue), an alumna of the School working as a nurse at the Clinic, and Marie Flore Etienne Joseph (pictured in pink), who completed her social service year at the Clinic before becoming part of the Clinic's nursing staff, and who also has ties to Terrier Rouge.
Other highlights at the Clinic included spending time with Clinic Director Dr. Pierre and head nurse Madeleine, as well as hearing about the Clinic's current work and objectives to meet even more medical needs. The esprit de corps and energy of the Clinic team are palpable, and we are so excited about the Clinic's future under Dr. Pierre's leadership.
We were also thrilled to see not one, but two dentists hard at work at the Clinic: in addition to Dr. Ruth Thaïna Belizaire, the Clinic is hosting Dr. Jr. Jonel Lubin, who is completing his social service year.
Another highlight of the trip was the opportunity to work with the Espérance et Vie (NGO) staff to prepare food packages for a humanitarian food distribution, and then to attend the mobile clinic and food distribution the next day, Saturday, May 2nd. To contribute to future humanitarian food distributions, please click the button below!
The mobile clinic for elderly and disabled community members was held on the grounds of the local public high school and was staffed by Clinic staff, as well as two other doctors that Dr. Pierre had recruited to volunteer for the day. The expert management of the logistics of the mobile clinic was impressive - there was an efficient and well-thought-out system, which had clearly involved a lot of preparation, including bringing a very well-stocked mobile pharmacy. From the moment we arrived and saw the many people in need, who had no doubt arrived much earlier, assembled and patiently, the event was a poignant reminder of just how great the needs in Terrier Rouge are. Leigh and I helped elderly folks up and down steps and across uneven ground, and observed the medical team conducting compassionate, thorough medical screenings. We were able to help distribute lunches and food aid, knowing that for many recipients, those humble items represented a blessing that would be impossible for me, spoiled by life in America, to appreciate fully. There were so many moments that day that are of the kind that cannot help but be etched in your mind and heart - one of them was seeing a new wheelchair being provided for an elderly woman who was completely unable to walk and relied on family members to carry her everywhere. What a transforming event for her and her family!
And also that day, the paradox that I experienced in my prior trip to Haiti was present again... the needs are so very evident and heartbreaking, and yet... our brothers and sisters in Haiti are grateful, with the Clinic event being opened with prayer and hymns, ready with a smile and a kind word, and so very dignified, with many attendees clearly having dressed in their church clothes to come. It was an honor and a privilege to be a part of this day and to bear witness to the holiness and humanity of it. To see more pictures from the mobile clinic and food distribution, click the button below.
Of course, our trip was not complete without a stop at the Jatrofa Projenou (JP) store, produce garden, and facility near Terrier Rouge. One of the most exciting things about that visit for me was seeing the beginnings of what will eventually be a cassava mill and bakery! We cannot wait to see that in operation and taste some fresh bread. Of course, we left with some purchases of JP products, as well as a gift of freshly picked carrots from the bountiful JP produce garden, handpicked by JP agronomist Merilus and his crew for us.
You can check out the deeper dive into the JP visit by clicking the button below!
Our trip wrapped up with Sunday services at the church of Father Jabnel, who also serves as St. Barthélémy School's chaplain as well as the director of the St. Barnabas Agricultural school, which was created by Father Bruno in 1984. Pastor Leigh gave an inspiring sermon (with Father Bruno translating), and we enjoyed the amazing music of the church's choir and members. Church was followed by a wonderful Haitian lunch, then by rooting for the School's soccer team in a match against a local school. Unfortunately, St. Barthélémy lost (1 to 2), but it was a great match, with very skillful players on both teams, and the game was only interrupted once for a goat on the field!
Departure from Haiti is bittersweet. While I'm grateful to return to hot showers, ubiquitous air conditioning, and the convenience of Amazon delivery, a part of your heart stays in Haiti (or maybe a part of Haiti comes with you, I am not sure which). In any event, it is not possible to be there, see what these critical programs are accomplishing, and meet the people impacted by them, all amidst the very stark backdrop of Haiti, without being changed by the experience. For me it is equal parts encouraging, inspiring and humbling: I am encouraged and heartened, seeing the amazing differences that have already been made and are in progress; inspired, thinking of how much potential there is for more transformation in Haiti; and humbled by how fortunate I am, how much I take for granted and how our brothers and sisters in Haiti are working to do so much with so little. Where does this all lead to? A Haiti transformed by God's love, where empowered communities rise from poverty to live with dignity, purpose, and hope. That is the vision of Bethlehem Ministry, and I am so thankful to the many people and churches who support this and pray you will continue to do so. These efforts are making a difference, and so much is being accomplished with relatively modest funds. Please reach out to me at rhenry@bethlehemministry.org if you would like to know more about the trip or the programs! I would love to hear from you!
Rennae Henry
Executive Director
Bethlehem Ministry, Inc.
