If you’ve ever walked or ridden down the streets of Terrier Rouge with Father Bruno, then you have witnessed the direct impact he has made on those around him. As he slowly makes his way down the dirt roads of his beloved community, people wave excitedly and run out of their houses to hug him, talk to him, and offer him gifts. Children hold his hand or onto his pants and run beside him. They want to be in his calming, loving presence and thank him for all the work he has done to make life easier for them in a poverty-stricken nation.
This year he celebrated 50 years in the ministry, and throughout that time, Father Bruno has been a vessel of goodwill and selfless service called by God and empowered by you. Bethlehem Ministry has been blessed to partner with Espérance et Vie for more than 30 years with many of you right by our side. You’ve watched the school grow from one preschool class to a student body of over 1,000! You celebrated with us when the first baby was born at the clinic, and you continue to help us stock the shelves of the pharmacy year after year. We have lifted up prayers together asking for the protection of our Haitian brothers and sisters from civil unrest, COVID, and a collapsing economy. Father Bruno and I are forever grateful to you for the ways in which you supported his vision, and we’re excited to share his plan for the new leadership of Espérance et Vie.
Father Bruno is moving into an emeritus position in which he will continue ministering to those in Terrier Rouge. He also hopes to continue engaging with you all on behalf of Espérance et Vie through travel, presentations, and personal conversations. Sarah Bruno, Jean Robert Bouloute, and Rachel Bruno will fill three new roles to collectively perform the duties Father Bruno has in the past and also perform additional tasks that will expand the capacity of both Espérance et Vie and Bethlehem Ministry.
This is a bittersweet moment for Bethlehem Ministry as we move into a new era. On behalf of our Board of Directors, I want to offer our sincerest thanks to Father Bruno for his years of selfless and inspirational leadership which have forever changed the lives of countless individuals. He leaves an incredible, Christ-inspired legacy of helping others. We also want to show our unanimous support to the new leadership team– Rachel Bruno, Sarah Bruno, and Jean Robert Bouloute. We believe each of them has a unique capacity to perform these roles because of their historical service with the organization and their dedication to the continued success of Espérance et Vie.
Please join us in this new leg of our journey together. Show your support of Father Bruno’s legacy by giving an unrestricted gift today which will allow us to put the money where it’s needed most.
All the best,
Kristen Pace
Executive Director
Bethlehem Ministry