God’s Healing Touch in Haiti
Josette was standing next to her fiancé, discussing their upcoming marriage. In the next moment, without warning, they were buried by rubble caused by the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. “My future husband died beside me and I was trapped under the rubble until 11pm that night,” recalls Josette, who also lost her left arm in the accident. “It was the worst day of my existence. After the earthquake I couldn’t stop crying. I believed I had truly lost everything.”
For a long time Josette kept her feelings inside, quietly grieving the pain and loss—until she learned about a counseling ministry provided in partnership with Back to God Ministries International and Christian Reformed World Missions. Josette met with Pastor Gregory Brutus hired to lead a pastoral care ministry focusing on earthquake victims with special Help Haiti funds.
“Pastor Gregory listened and prayed with me and gave me some Bible verses to meditate on,” says Josette. “Today, after many visits, I can say I am doing better. I don’t cry anymore. I have accepted the death of my fiancé and I have learned to pray.”
Back to God Ministries International and its partner in Haiti, Sous Espwa, started the pastoral counseling program in January 2011 “because we see many Haitians still so deeply affected by the earthquake,” reports Lesley Millar Toussaint, who helps coordinates the ministry.
Another part of Pastor Gregory’s job is to manage the CRC recording studio in Port-au-Prince and help with the translation of our French messages into Creole, the heart language of many Haitian people. The recording studio was also made possible by Help Haiti funds and volunteers from Fremont (MI) who helped with the construction. (See Bringing Hope to Haiti.)
Through the counseling ministry and the messages we broadcast across Haiti—and thanks to your financial support—people who suffered great losses are finding hope and healing. “I thank God for saving my life and for this ministry,” says Josette.
