Port-Au-Prince Church Relaunched

Emmanuel Christian Church of Port-au-Prince in Delmas 24 is where RoRo and Eline began Haitian Christian Outreach on April 21, 1985. This church anchors our PAP campus, where our Pre-K through 13th grade school is located. Among other things, it served the community by hosting a medical clinic for a time. And it was a center of refuge for hundreds of families in the days following the 2010 earthquake. Many have come to a saving relationship with Christ through this church.

Like every church, the church at Delmas 24 has gone through different seasons. Through our monthly Pray With Us blog, we have asked you to pray at various times for this church. There have been seasons of tremendous growth and seasons of difficult struggle. Over the last few years, as other HCO churches and ministries flourished, the church at Delmas 24 walked a challenging road.

Because this church means so much to RoRo and Eline, both personally and spiritually, we asked Ro to share an update in his own words:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

We want to thank all of you who have been an encouragement to us with your prayers, concerns, and your advice. For the last four years, our hearts and those of many of our brothers and sisters here in Haiti and overseas were bleeding with deep sorrow for what had happened to Emmanuel Christian Church in Port-au-Prince. Due to many threats that were coming from many of our misguided members and the leader of the church, it was with deep sorrow that we had to close the doors of the church, with the help of the Ministry of Religion in Haiti. And, because of that, during those 2 years, it was very hard for us to attend another church when we were in Port.

But we never stopped praying for the Lord to lead and guide us. Through many days of fasting and praying, the Lord sustained us and led us to take a new step with the church. So, today let us be the first one to announce the reopening of the congregation! After a week of praying and worship of the Lord, on Sunday, May 12, we held a wonderful service where 87 people came after almost 2 years to praise the Lord. Thank you, God! How marvelous are you, Lord! Thank you again to all of you who have been praying for that day. Rejoice with us! Our God is good!

The church welcomed its new pastor, Evenel Similien. Evenel and his wife, Joanne, are excited about leading the church at Delmas 24. We can’t wait to see how God uses the rebirth of this body of believers to bring His hope to people in Port-au-Prince. Please praise and pray with us!

• Praise God for His faithfulness in bringing healing and rebirth to this church!
• Praise God for raising up a new pastor to lead this congregation.
• Pray for Pastor Evenel as he teaches, guides, and nurtures the church.
• Pray for the believers to grow deep in their faith, sharing the Gospel with others.
• Pray for hearts of non-believers to be open to the Gospel.
• Pray for the church to shine the light of Christ brightly in the community!