Harvest Festival at Philadelphia Baptist Church
Pastor Francois (right side of photo) celebrating the annual Harvest Festival at Philadelphia Baptist Church
Our February 2024 newsletter aims to keep you updated with the current situation of our country (Haiti) as well as to update you about the grand celebration of the Harvest festival and baptism organized by our ministry in Pignon.
It is our pleasure to let you know of how daily life is here in Haiti (specifically Pignon). Schools, whether public or private, only operated until the third week of January and planned to reopen for the year 2024 in the second week of the month. However, these schools have remained closed due to the huge economic crises experienced by teachers especially in public schools (those of the Haitian state) and to various strike days launched and carried out by the Haitian population, primarily in the city of Port-au-Prince. To avoid any possibility where those with bad intentions may invade peaceful cities to execute their plans, a total closure of educational establishments will last until February 19, 2024, according to the political situation. Our country is heading towards total destruction if our hospitals, health centers cannot operate, and where the receipt of bread from the institution decreases by authority. No society can function without these aforementioned elements.
The socioeconomic and political crisis that our citizens are living through cannot be compared to any other situation. It is part of our culture to educate oneself in order to acquire new knowledge, make new discoveries, and to be happy in the times to come. This allows us to be able to support those around us, too.
In terms of ministry work, the Philadelphia Baptist Church, directed by Reverend Pastor François Romélus (founder of the ministry with his son, Aldinn Romélus, and assisted by their wives Madou and Liline) as well as all of the other churches, had an exceptional day of celebrating the Harvest Festival and baptism. Our church celebrates this momentous occasion every second Sunday of February each year, as is the custom. This celebration is accompanied by the baptism of those who have engaged with living for God, plunging them into the baptismal waters after they have attended many classes of biblical teachings and accepting Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. On this day, believers invite non-believers during the days of awakening in order to wait with more precision for the Divine, Sacred word and that of the wise, which often leads them to repentance and the restoration of their souls. People who harvest the fields bring fruits, vegetables, or anything else from their field to celebrate this festivity.
On Sunday, February 11th, 2024 Philadelphia Baptist Church accomplished this task as its first activity of the year. A web address was sent to many people with the idea of them being able to tune in via Facebook.com. This congregation will continue to stream its services, adorations, and praises of the Eternal via Facebook in order to allow all to join and establish new relations with our children of God during our hours of service.
We want to thank each one of you who has taken your time to read about our story of Pignon, a commune of the Northern Department of Haiti, to be specific. Your time is not spent in vain, as the scriptures tell us.
We love you all and encourage you to rest at the foot of the cross as only Christ can guide us and liberate us from all we fear.
A blessed life in Christ and in Him alone!
PS: The festival period started on Friday, February 9th with the student’s conference that lasted until 12am on Tuesday the 13th. And, we also cannot forget that Valentine’s Day was on Wednesday the 14th! This celebration can sometimes engender bad actions in different areas of the country. I, however, have seen many people in search of chocolate to celebrate.
With you,
Darling Sériphin (his wife, Yolette, and first born son Adams Keith)
Translated from the original French by Lauren Thompson