Anchored in Hope

Sunday, October 5, 2025 - [click here to support the continuing work at MOHI]  

Today's update is from Renée

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There’s something steadying about hope - real hope - the kind that is rooted not in our circumstances, but in the One who never changes. When storms come (and they do), when needs seem too many to count, when the ground shifts beneath our feet, hope anchors us in God’s faithfulness. This week, as I think about our friends in Haiti and the Dominican Republic - and even our partners here in the U.S. - I see so clearly how that anchor holds.

Sometimes hope looks like a nurse with a gentle touch and a heart full of compassion. Our Community Health Promoter, Marlouse, walks through the villages with her first aid kit in hand and prayer in her heart. It’s not unusual to find people walking barefoot in these rural areas, and she often tends to those who have stepped on broken glass. How thankful I am that infections can be prevented with simple first aid - something that’s far from common in these settings.

Beyond wound care, Marlouse checks on patients with chronic conditions and provides over-the-counter medicine to those suffering from pain, fever, rashes, and more. Sometimes, something as simple as an NSAID brings visible relief before she even leaves the home. It’s the practical love of Christ in motion - meeting people where they are, body and soul.

“The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.” – Psalm 41:3

Last week brought heavy rain and fierce winds across the Luperón area, leaving behind damaged roofs and fallen trees. Even in the aftermath, neighbors are helping one another patch up and rebuild. Hope doesn’t always mean everything is easy. It does mean we don’t face hardship alone.

Meanwhile, the laughter of children fills the air at the Hope Squad gatherings. The children are helping, playing, learning, praying, and of course eating together! What a joy to see their smiles as the cooks prepare hearty meals and the children join in prayer before eating. These are special moments of joy and belonging that point to a God who provides.

Hope also takes root in the soil - literally! Following last month’s visit from the agricultural inspector, a tractor from the Luperón Agricultural Office plowed our land, preparing it for the next growing season. Freshly turned earth always feels like a promise. Soon, seeds will go into that soil, and in time, we’ll see life sprout again.

And speaking of harvests—our trees are heavy with avocados! Bos Brazil proudly showed off a bucket full of perfectly ripe ones. Visitors coming over the next couple of weeks will enjoy some of the tastiest fruit of the season.

September is officially “Bible Month” in the Dominican Republic, with September 28th celebrated as “Holy Bible Day.” Christian churches across the nation dedicate the month to celebrating God’s Word. This video of children, including Mèt Ben and Marlouse’s, performing an interpretive dance with banners and large Bibles in hand touched me deeply. What a reminder that the Word of God is alive and moving in this generation!

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” – Psalm 119:105

The Bless Back Business Academy continues to thrive in Luperón, offering English, computer, and business classes. This week Aquilina taught on the "Four Ps:Marketing Principles Based on Biblical Perspectives." (Product, Price, Plaza, Promotion) The Bible verse for the week was Proverbs 16:8, "Better is a little with justice than an abundance of wrongful fruits." This verse emphasizes the importance of acting with integrity and transparency in business management, understanding that God prospers work done with integrity.

Aquilina not only teaches but also visits the students’ businesses regularly to help them apply what they’re learning. I’m so proud of the confidence that’s growing among our entrepreneurs.

All around town, posters for “Cristo Esperanza de Vida” are appearing in shop windows, promoting the upcoming October 16–18 event. This three-day celebration of worship, unity, and hope is shaping up beautifully. We’re partnering with 27 local churches and many of you.  We’re down to the wire now. Please pray with us for every detail to fall into place and for hearts to be open when the Gospel is proclaimed. Your generosity matters. Please click here to support this amazing event. Thank you!

At MOHI in Haiti, there’s a renewed energy in the air! Wednesday marked the first day of the 2025–2026 school year in both Thozin and St. Etienne. Students arrived neatly dressed, eager to learn, and teachers ready to begin. Each year we see God’s faithfulness at work through the determination of these young learners.

At our clinics, I’m continually touched by the care our staff show to every patient. Their compassion extends beyond treatment - they’re teachers, too, helping people understand how to live healthier lives. The training our medical teams have received from Bless Back Worldwide continues to have a lasting impact on improving community health.

And over at Cayes Mirliton, where we’ve hosted countless guests, conferences, and even weddings, Lex led a much-needed workday. It’s been more than five years since we’ve welcomed a team to Haiti, but maintaining the property keeps us ready for the day visitors will once again come to serve alongside us.

Here in the United States, we’re in the middle of our Spread Hope With Food drive, collecting items like white rice, dried beans, peanut butter, cooking oil, and canned meats. Every donation helps feed families in Haiti through the coming months.

And mark your calendars - December 13^th will be our Celebration of Hope! It’s an evening to look back on what God has done through your partnership in 2025 and to look forward to envision what He has in store for 2026. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

From barefoot children receiving first aid to students preparing for the future, from farmers plowing soil to believers dancing with Bibles in hand - hope is alive. It’s in every meal, every prayer, every act of kindness.

We’re profoundly grateful for your prayers, your generosity, and your faithfulness. Mission of Hope International is so much more than Lex and me - it’s a family of believers across nations, anchored together in Christ. May we continue to fix our eyes on Him, the true source of our hope.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23