I AM SO EXCITED MY BOOK IS OUT! JUNE 30TH, 2025

For years many of you  have said we should write a book. I have also been told by many that "I have a book in me." For the course I took this past school year, one of the projects we needed to complete was "Our Dream Project". I chose to write my book for my "Dream Project". So nine months later, and over eight hundred hours later, I am holding my "Dream Project" in my hands. My book not only shares stories from living in Haiti for 5 years, it also shares how we were called and started the ministry. This is an excerpt from the back cover. "Walking on Water is the author’s story of her ‘yes’ to Jesus asking if she would in faith ‘walk on water’ with Him. It is about her journey with her family into the remote mountainous areas of Haiti. It is a journey full of healings, deliverance, salvations, miracles and bringing His light into villages seeped in voodoo, witch doctors, poverty and oppression. It is about the hope released when you are willing to step out in faith and walk on the water with Jesus." I was very blessed to have Steve Backlund from Igniting Hope Ministries, Dr. Dan C. Hammer Senior Apostolic Leader, Sonrise Christian Center and President of Seattle Bible College and the SEND Network Leader endorse my book along with Kurt Langstraat Senior Pastor of North County Christ The King. It still feels very surreal to hold my dream in my hand, and vulnerable to share my heart. I pray it blesses many and like Dr. Dan C. Hammer said "Read it and you too can walk on the water with Jesus" I hope that you will read it and that it blesses you. Below is a QR to scan to purchase it on Amazon. You can also use this link if you prefer.  Amazon link to my book, Walking On Water A Journey of Faith, Walking On Water in Haiti  By Chris Leland                      https://a.co/d/j8zGm55 Blessings, Chris

 

Joining Hearts

 

 We have some exciting news to share friends of ours whom we have known for over thirty six years, who also have ministered in Haiti are joining hearts with ours. Some of  you may know Dixie and Harley. As a way of introducing them I would like to share the letter they sent to their followers:

Dear faithful friends,

On the shores of the Red Sea, it seemed that the children of Israel were stuck – without a hope, without a home, without a way forward, and without safety as Egyptian chariots closed in from behind. In their fear, they quickly turned from joy and laughter to regret, accusations, and despair. But it was only because they had come to this point of being at the end of their own path that they could follow a new one. Only when they cried out to God did they have an incredible new way forward through the Red Sea as Jehovah parted it before their eyes.

In recent months, Hope in Haiti as an organization came to the end of our known path of ministry. In our commitment to be upright and faithful in handling funds you have invested, we had to remove ourselves from financial partnership with the schools and friends we have loved and worked with for so many years. This hard decision left us wondering what God would do next.

Meanwhile, in another community in Haiti, a group of people trying to make a difference for the lost and least-of-these children started a ministry in 2004 with an orphanage, and continued to make an impact providing schools, medical clinics, local leadership training, and more. New Generation Haiti was founded in partnership between Pastor Nathan Chariot of Haiti and Mike and Chris Leland of Washington, USA. Through flexibility, faithfulness to God, and accountability, they have been able to thrive in their calling to serve in life-giving roles for the spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional well-being of the people of the greater Gonaives area in western Haiti, even in this era of violent gangs and weakened authority.  Mike and Chris have been long-time friends and resources for Hope and Haiti over the years, so it was hardly a stretch to imagine partnering with them.

As the Hope in Haiti Board discussed many thoughts about how to proceed in ministry, Dixie began talking to Mike Leland about what appeared to be the end of our path as we know it. Mike spoke to Dixie and all of the board about prayerfully considering letting God open a new one to us in partnering with New Generation, to combine our passion for Haiti with the resources and opportunities of NGH’s organization. After weeks of prayer, fasting, seeking wisdom, and talking it over, we agreed that this new partnership was right for our organization!

We encourage you to read more about New Generation Haiti’s journey, their values, and the lives they are impacting. Their website, newgenerationhaiti.org brings their work to life with stories, photos and details. We want you to join us in investing in their work of rescuing, sheltering, teaching, healing, and training! We encourage you to directly partner with NGH with your time and your giving. Our goal is to merge our work with theirs as God continues to work in the beautiful people of Haiti. If you have questions, please reach out and talk to us about it! You can start by sending us a line at info@hopeinhaiti.org or contacting the team at NGH to find out more about their vision – go to https://www.newgenerationhaiti.org/contact/.

Taking the next step forward into new territory can feel dangerous. We are thankful that God has gone on before us and made a way through the wilderness so that we can stay faithful to His work in this changing world!

There is still Hope in Haiti!

Prayerfully,
Hope in Haiti Board of Directors

As you can see Hope in Haiti has the same heart for the People of Haiti as New Generation Ministries. We are looking forward to their coming along side and joining with you and New Generation Ministries to help the people of Haiti have a real hope for the future. If you have any questions please feel free to email us at newgenerationhaiti@gmail.com

Blessings, 
Chris

 

April 27th, 2025

 

Hospital - April 24, 2025

 

HAITI: PRAYER REQUEST April 27TH, 2025

We need your prayers. An amazing opportunity has risen.  We have been approached by Haiti's Minister of Health. They have asked, if we would be willing to make the necessary upgrades to our medical clinic, to become a legal accredited hospital. We would need to upgrade the facility, and they would provide all the medical equipment, supplies, medicines, and legal accreditations. It turns out that the Minister of Health in Haiti is a new cabinet member who was born in Debarrier, right across the river from our Children's Village. He was a close childhood friend with Pastor Nathan growing up. He and his brother moved to Canada as older kids. They were adopted by an uncle and became top rated surgeons. This man came back to Haiti and became the new Minister of Health on the presidential cabinet, while his brother became a head surgeon of several hospitals in Quebec, Canada.  The brothers were thrilled to meet Nathan and see all that our ministry is doing. After meeting with Nathan they presented this offer to us. They intend to help both personally and governmentally. Mike has been doing research and planning, and has presented building plans for their approval, which meet their minimum requirements. We need your prayers for the acceptance of the plans. We also need them for discernment and the finances to build the additional surgery room and delivery room for babies. Please partner with us in prayer. It could be a huge help to the larger community as many of the hospitals in the country have been pillaged or abandoned. Thank you for coming along side and helping the people of Haiti. Blessings, Chris

Stories From Our School of Ministry March 9TH, 2025

 I wanted to share some stories from our school of Ministry. This school is a two year program for preparing Pastors and Leaders to lead their churches in a Life giving way. Students are taught and trained to lead like Jesus. They are taught how to be good shepherds of the flock they are entrusted with. They learn to serve the people in their communities and lead people to new life in Christ, instead the ways of religion and tradition which dominates most of the existing churches in Haiti.

The students are in class five days per week. They go back to their home villages on the weekend. While in their villages they each have someone they have chosen to mentor and share what they are learning with. Each student also has activations for the time that they are back at home in their villages. An example of some of the activations would be to pray for over those who are sick, to feed the poor or to lead someone to a new life in Jesus. This June we will be graduating our first  two year class. We are very excited as we believe this school is pivotal to our ministry. As we plant new churches it is important that the pastors and leaders are all congruent in their teaching and ministering. 

Deiodinase is in her second year of the Good Shepherd school of Ministry. She is forty years old. She has been married for four years and has a child who is two years old. She has been a Christian since two thousand and seven. Deiodinase was raised in a home that practiced voodoo and witchcraft. Deiodinase shared that the demons used her father and he worked for people as a witch doctor. When Dieodinase  was young she shared that she used to dance vodoo and bring food to Satan, she helped her parents to serve the demons. She shared that satan killed him at a very young age. After her father died she said that these demons asked her to substitute her father and serve them. She refused them and said that she quickly yielded her life to Christ Jesus.

When asked how she felt about becoming a pastor or leader in Christian ministry she shared that since two thousand and thirteen  she felt God was calling her to a higher level of ministry, but she wasn't interested until she  became eighty percent blind. She told us that she could not see hardly anything and she was useless to her family. When she met Pastor Geffrard, the head of our School of Ministry, he taught and encouraged her. Then last year he encouraged her to attend the School of Ministry.

When Deiodinase was asked how her eyes are now she said  last year she struggled  to take notes and to write and study, but this year God has worked so powerfully in her eyes that she can see and do things on her own.

She shared that school has changed how she does ministry. In the past when she opened the bible to preach she used to speak about herself and her own problems but thanks to the Ministry School she has learned to speak about Jesus and him alone. She is also learning to rely on the Holy Spirit and God's power to do his job. She has realized that it is not with her own strength but through the power of the Holy Spirit that she can do things for God. Deiodinase says the school motivates her to live a model life for her family and community. She shared that it is a great blessing from God, she feels that she can answer God's calling in her life.

When Deiodinase was asked, what is the difference between religion and tradition and the life giving church? She responded that there is a great difference, The traditional church is acting according to the philosophy of this world nevertheless the life giving church is driven by the Holy Spirit. It can bring sanctification, new life and so much more. When she was asked about her favorite message from Pastor Mike, she replied "The message that was talking about the lost son that came back to his family. It taught me so much and looked like my personal life. It encourages me. It is going so deep into my heart".

Acevoix is an assistant pastor. He attends first year in the School of Ministry. He is thirty seven years old. He has been married for six years. He has one child that has passed away. He makes his living as a gardener. He accepted Christ in two thousand and eight. He shared that he had  a specific dream that showed him that someone would bring the gospel to him and he received that message happily.

Acevoix was born into a voodoo and witchcraft family, He shared that he was doing things that really displeased God, but fortunately Christ redeemed him.

He first thought about becoming a pastor or leader in Christian ministry after his conversion. The Lord started giving him the desire to be a pastor, but he didn't think that it could be possible but God has made it true. He has helped lead a small congregation for the Lord for eight years. Acevoix says he thanks God for using Pastor Mike to plant this School of Ministry, it has changed his life for the better. The school through the teachings, helps him progress and is improving the way he is doing church. He shared that as a father, he has more love for his family and he fears God more. His whole church and his wife testify to the change  they see that the school has brought to his language, his behavior, as well as the fruits. He shared that he has just heard the message from Pastor Mike that asks him to take the cross and follow Jesus and to have love for others.

Acevoix says he appreciates all that is being done in the school, because it is good for both the soul and spirit. He appreciates the course entitled introduction to the Bible. When asked what's the difference between religion and tradition and the life giving gospel of Jesus? He replied,  "The life giving gospel of Jesus is the real church of Christ. God will visit this kind of church. The religion and traditional church teaches their own stuff. It's a deadly church".
 
He asked if we would pray for him to find more grace from God to help the church grow up. His wife is not healthy, she needs good health from God through our prayers. Thank you so much for partnering with us to reach the people of Haiti. 

Blessings,
Chris

Our first year class

Dieodinase

Acevoix

Another photo of our second year class

 

 

Two Testimonies

Angelor

 Hello,

We have had so many salvations lately I wanted to share a couple of testimonies with you

This is Angelor. He is 20 years old.

He is in 9th grade in the Denonville Good Shepherd School.

His mother is a Christian and his father has died. Angelor has  four brothers and three sisters.

Angelor shared that he was in the Dominican republic and when he came back, he choose to serve the Lord Jesus. He says that the church in Denonville is a  life giving congregation.

When our translator Jonas asked him about God he said" I love God. He does so many great things in my life. One time, I was bathing in a river and I almost drowned, but God rescued me and saved me from drowning. He does so many things for me" Angelor also shared "I feel the messages and prayers of the church are relevant to my life? I like the church and all its activities so much."

He shared that dark forces fight with him at night, and that he wants to have victory over them and asks for our prayers. He says that his favorite verse is Joshua 1: 8

Angelor says that he is almost a musician and that he hopes to be able to preach for the glory of God.

In so many parts of the world we take an education for granted, it is expected. In countries like Haiti it so difficult to attend school. Usually the only free schools are ones that are offered by ministries, like ours. Sometimes affording a uniform can be a problem, or that fact that there is no school in your village makes school unobtainable which is very common. Many times even if a child is able to start school, the parents need them to start helping and working at a very young age to help support the family. These reasons are why the average child in Haiti does not receive more than 5 years of school. We are so appreciative of your helping us raise the education level of the students in our villages.

This is Thalerand.

She is married and has a crippled husband, they both are serving God. She is 63 years old. She has eight grown up children. The oldest is 42 years old.

She is a new attender (member) to the Good Shepherd Church because it is  "more zealous".

Before she accepted Christ Jesus, she says that she used to run after false gods and demons for healing of her children and other requests. It is what her parents used to do when she was a little child.

Thalerand says that she is willing to serve God the best she can.

She wants prayers for healing because she has had  pain all over her body for about nine years. She shares that she needs God.

In the past she had a business but now that her husband is crippled she cannot do work. Thalerand shares that she is living thanks to the Mercy of others.

She enjoys the church and loves God. She shares her gratefulness for God's work in her life.

Thank you so much for coming along side of us and helping the people of Haiti. It is very much appreciated. Please keep Thalerand,  Angelor and others like them in your prayers.

Blessings, Chris

Some of the Bercy Children

 

Changing Lives

 Madam Maryjo grew up in the Bercy Orphanage as a young girl. She became a youth leader and eventually was asked to be the director of the Bercy orphanage. This was an overwhelming task for a young single girl with no formal training or credentials. Over the last two years this was compounded weekly by disturbances of gang activity. After hearing reports of community members being robbed, raped, and run out of their houses, and seeing them burnt to the ground, as a show of force, several times Maryjo called her organization in Florida in a complete panic asking to be relieved of her position, but each time they talked her down and told her things would be OK.

As you know, 2 months ago, it was not OK, as the orphanage was under threat of death and destruction. She called us for help. Then she came up with a plan to escape with the children, out of the back of the orphanage and then run into the hills for safety. They were extremely blessed to have made it without casualties. Madame Maryjo said they were so traumatized that even hearing the shooting from the hills scared them to death. Only when they were aboard the helicopter, on their way to The Good Shepherd Children's Village, did they begin to feel safety and peace.

Madame Maryjo says openly, that she is so grateful and pleased to be here now with all her children around her. She and the children are feeling settled in now. Things are a bit tight, but everyone is managing well. The children are going to our school and church in Marose, and they are each having a turn being checked out at the medical clinic.

On the night we were helping with the plans for the rescue we were so stressed, trying to arrange the rescue. And as Mike was praying, God told him that our spiritual influence would turn out to be a greater blessing for them than their rescue. We are beginning to see the fruit of what God said. More than half of the children and staff have given their lives to Jesus. Several have recommitted their lives to Him. And some have been healed of their sickness. Also several of the children have openly stated that they love going to school now, when they did not before.

Maryjo is being mentored by Pastor Nathan, and is also attending our Life-Giving School of Ministry.
She is so happy...Thank you for continuing to lift them up in your prayers. We so appreciate your coming alongside of us in supporting the children in so many ways.

Blessings, Mike and Chris

Madame Maryjo

Happy New Year !

Salvation in Pass Rein

 

 Happy New Year !

We are so very thankful for your faithfulness this year. Your prayer support and financial support have been so important. We are so grateful for partners who love the Lord and the Haitian people. You are definitely making a difference in the kingdom.

We are very excited to share some of the end of 2024's fruit with you. This year has been a great year, 580 Haitian's have given their lives to the Lord. Also, there have been at least 220 Baptisms. We have seen 36 couples who had been living together and who have children decide that they should make a commitment to each other and God and get married. This has been a really significant step in each of their lives. There has also been an increase in healings, especially from cancer. We have also seen many set free, with a very high rate of witch doctors coming to salvation. They are seeing the power of God and claiming that the power of satan is less. Which is a huge statement as they are choosing God, knowing they will no longer have a way to make an income.

Along with all of these statistics we have had over half of the orphans from Bercy, that we took into our Children's Village give their lives to the Lord. We are so very thankful for all He has done. And so very thankful for you. 

Have a very blessed New Year,
Mike and Chris 

Worship night at the Poteau Church. So full they are outside also.

Worship in the Marose Church

 

 From The Children

The rescue helicopter.

Hello,

We wanted to thank you for your prayer support. Your prayers made it possible to rescue the children from the Bercey orphanage. Some of the older children that were rescued were able to share a little bit about their experience. We wanted you to hear some of their stories. 

My name is Natacha. I am 14 years old. I am in 6th grade. I am came from the Bercey orphanage, running from gangs with big guns.

I was among the first group of kids that the staff  brought out before the gangs surrounded and attacked the orphanage. At first we were put at the top of a mountain, but we couldn't resist from all the gun sounds, we were so afraid that the staff went to hide us in a house before the helicopter brought us here to the Good Shepherd Children's Village.

When asked how she felt when she was rescued, she replied, I felt happy and okay, because there was no longer noise and sounds of gun shots. I am eating and sleeping very well. I go to church and to school here.

She said that she loves God and her favorite verse is James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Natacha said she appreciates your support and will pray for you.

My name is Leonel. I am 14 years. I was in the Bercey orphanage when the guys surrounded it and attacked us. The director saw how bad things were, so he rescued us to the top of a mountain to find temporary peace, while we waited for the helicopter to fly with us here to this orphanage.

When asked how he felt when he was in the Helicopter being brought to Gonaives? He said, I felt good and different because we were delivered from the calamity and the bad news that the bandits or gangs would come to kill us at the top of the mountain.
When asked how he is doing now, living in the Good Shepherd's Children's Village, he replied, I feel good. We have enough food to eat, clothes to wear, sandals to put on and we go to school and church without any problem.

When asked about his family he states that he is here with a sister and that his parents are dead.

My name is Jacob. I am 17 years old. I am from the Bercey orphanage and was taken to the Good Shepherd Children's Village.

The Bercey orphanage was surrounded and attacked by gangs with big guns. The responsible men and staff had already brought the first group of children out of the orphanage to rescue their lives. But, we were still there and had not been taken out yet, because the staff was waiting for a few minutes of temporary peace to escape with us to the mountain to save our lives.

When asked how do you feel after being rescued, he shares that he feels relieved, at peace, and happy. We were so scared at the top of the mountain with the sounds of guns, bandits and the bad rumors (news). He says he feels peaceful and healthy here in comparison to Bercey, where gangs and guys with guns are killing people, abusing people, and making them suffer a lot.

In the Good Shepherds Children's Village we eat on time and good, we are provided with clothes, shoes, and we go to school. Jacob says he has one brother and one sister with him and that he would be happy to stay here for ever? He would like to become a medical doctor.

Thank you for continuing to pray for these children, we appreciate the support very much. You are an important and vital part of this ministry.

Blessings, Chris

 Follow Up

Some of the children that were rescued.

Hello,

We wanted to send a follow up on the children that were rescued. We are trying to return some sort of normalcy to the children's lives. We have been bathing them and feeding them, also finding bedding for them and clothing, as they ran with just what they were wearing.

Our children in the Children's Village have been very welcoming and are playing and sharing well. On Monday, we will also be fitting the ones of school age into our classrooms. All of this is a bit difficult logistically, but everyone is cooperating.

So many of you have said that you are praying. We appreciate your continued faithful prayers. We also ask that you would please pray about helping financially, as this has increased our financial burden drastically. Again thank you so much for coming along side and helping the Haitian people.

Blessings, Chris

 The Rest Of The Story

The first children to be rescued.

Good evening,

Good News! Praising God!
Thank you so much for praying. God answered prayers. The children and staff were found and rescued, the first helicopter landed in Gonaives around 11:00 AM this morning. We then waited MANY hours before receiving a report that the remaining children were successfully rescued.

The orphanage that originally was going to take the children in was not able to help at this time. So, they have landed in our Children's Village for now. We are thankful for God providing a way to safety. The children and helpers have been fed. Mike, Nathan and their director will be assessing the situation tomorrow.

Please continue praying for the children for comfort and peace. It is hard to imagine the trauma they have walked through. Pray for wisdom and compassion for the adults that will be ministering to the children. We are so very grateful for your faithful prayers.

Blessings, Chris

Sorry the photo is not that clear.