February is Haiti Mission Month
For over 35 years, the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville has been involved in the life and work of Harmony
Ministries, based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which is led by our Mission Affiliate Pastor Luc Deratus and his wife,
Ronide.
On Sunday, February 1, we will collect the Haiti Special Offering to support Harmony Ministries for the General Fund. Gifts to any
of the funds listed below can be made at any time during the year. Gifts may be made by sending a check to the
church office or by going to the DONATE page on the church website.
On Sunday, February 8, our Mission Affiliate Pastor Luc Deratus will be joining us in worship. Following worship, Pastor
Luc will speak about his work and about the on-going crisis in Haiti. Please join us in the Fearon Atrium!
Although Pastor Luc has been unable to return to Haiti, the four Harmony locations are still thriving in spite of the chaos and violence going on in the country. With the ongoing crisis and the high cost of food, our support continues to be critical. More than half of the Haitian people are facing food insecurity. This past year we have been able to electronically transfer funds to Haiti, where Pastor Luc’s church leaders use the money to pay teachers, buy food, and purchase medicine for the medical clinic.
In a December 2025 Miami Herald article by Jacqueline Charles titled “Killing Haiti Gang Members is Short-Term Solution; Groups Must Be Dismantled,” it was reported that soon after Kenya offered to lead the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti in 2023, two of Haiti’s most powerful gangs formed an alliance under the name Viv Ansanm (Living Together) and soon led a full-scale offensive in Port-au-Prince.
The International Crisis Group (ICP), an independent, non-profit organization that works to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts around the world, reported that Viv Ansanm members had “mutated from being tools in the hands of the most powerful into overlords of the country.”
The IDC also reported that action by the new UN-sanctioned and US-backed Gang Suppression Force could spur a surge in combat, possibly endangering civilian lives. They urged officials and mission planners to heed the lessons learned by the Kenya-led MSS mission, warning that suppressing gangs cannot be reduced solely to killing their members.
A recent report from the International Rescue Committee stated that Haiti’s escalating gang crisis puts it at number five on its Emergency Watchlist of countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crises in 2026, moving it up three spots from last year. “This escalation is fueled by the expansion of gang rule and changes to the conflict dynamics that have left millions without access to basic services and livelihoods and created catastrophic levels of food insecurity and forced displacement.”
The people of Haiti continue to need our support. There will be a Special Offering for Haiti during worship on February 1; however, you may make your gift at any time by clicking on the blue DONATE button on the home page of the church website or by sending a check to the church office. When sending a check, please make sure you clearly indicate which Haiti fund you want your donation directed to. And please join us on February 8, when Pastor Luc will lead an Adult Forum following worship to report on the ongoing crisis in Haiti and how our support is making a difference.
The three funds to support Pastor Luc and Harmony Ministries are:
(Click here and use the drop down menu to choose the fund.)
1. Haiti General Fund: We have committed $9,000 per year to this fund, which helps Pastor Luc purchase food and
medicine, and to help subsidize the doctor at the medical clinic in Port-au-Prince four days a week.
2. Haiti Support a Student Fund: This fund supports four Harmony schools. Pastor Luc can hire more teachers,
build more classrooms, purchase school supplies, and send food home for the students and their families. You can
Support a Student for $50 for one year.
3. Haiti Missionary Fund: This fund helps support Pastor Luc and his family with living expenses.
We are most grateful for your generous support, as are Pastor Luc and the people of Harmony Ministries.
