The Hope of Knowing You're Not Forgotten
Sunday, November 8, 2026 - [click here to support the continuing work at MOHI]
Today's update is from Taran
I've been thinking a lot about hope lately.
It's a word we use often at Mission of Hope International. But what does hope really look like when you're living in the middle of chaos and uncertainty? When tomorrow doesn't seem any more promising than today?
Jesus told His disciples that in this world we would have trouble, but He also reminded them to take heart, because He had overcome the world.
Those words take on a different meaning when you're living in the midst of hardship.
Sometimes, Just Showing Up Is Enough
For many years, I had the privilege of bringing mission teams to Haiti. People would sometimes ask whether those trips really made a difference.
After all, what can a group of people accomplish in just one week?
I remember one particular friend in Haiti. She was a pastor's wife, and I would often ask her to share a few words with our visiting teams.
It wasn't always easy to convince her.
She would get embarrassed, especially because she knew she would probably end up crying.
And almost every time, she did.
She would begin talking about what it meant to her that people would leave their comfortable homes, travel all the way to Haiti, sleep in the heat and humidity, and spend their days working hard alongside people they had only just met.
By the time she finished sharing, there were tears in her eyes.
It wasn't because of a particular project we had completed or something we had brought.
She was simply overwhelmed that people cared enough to come.
I've never forgotten those moments.
They reminded me that sometimes the greatest gift we can offer someone isn't something we can build, buy, or provide.
Sometimes, it's simply reminding them that they aren't forgotten.
Remembering Our Friends in Haiti
During our weekly MOHI leadership meeting, we were discussing some of the upcoming mission trips to the Dominican Republic.
We asked our Haiti team how they felt knowing that these groups would be visiting the DR rather than Haiti.
For years, our Haitian staff welcomed teams who worked alongside them, built homes for families, helped at the school, and developed friendships throughout the community.
But with the security situation in Haiti, those visits are no longer possible the way they once were.
Pastor Edon shared that while they feel sad about not being able to welcome teams, they're also encouraged.
They know that many people who visit the Dominican Republic learn about the ministry in Haiti and become supporters of the work happening there.
Even though we can't be together the way we once were, those relationships continue.
And the people of Haiti haven't been forgotten.
Hope in the Everyday Moments
Almost every day, we receive pictures and videos from our programs in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
And as I look through them, I'm reminded that hope often shows up in ordinary moments.
Hope in the Classroom
In Haiti, our teachers continue showing up each day, helping children learn, grow, and prepare for their futures.
Sometimes hope looks like a teacher sitting beside a child, patiently helping them work through a lesson.
It may seem like a small moment, but for that child, having someone believe in them and invest in their future can make a lasting difference.
Hope Around the Table
Every school day in Haiti, our kitchen staff work hard to prepare meals for hundreds of children.
Behind every plate of food are people who arrive each morning, prepare ingredients, cook, and serve so that
children can have the nourishment they need to learn and grow.
Meet Madam Elveus and Madam Tenan, two of our cooks in Haiti.
Their faithfulness is another reminder that sharing hope doesn't always require something extraordinary. Sometimes it looks like preparing another meal, day after day, because the children are counting on you.
Hope Through Compassionate Care
At our medical clinic in Haiti, doctors and nurses continue providing care to people who might otherwise struggle to receive the treatment they need.
Each patient who walks through the doors is an opportunity to offer not only medical care, but compassion, dignity, and reassurance.
We're grateful for our medical team and for our partnership with Bless Back Worldwide, which helps make this care possible.
Hope Taking Root
In the Dominican Republic, our gardens are growing!
The team has been tending to bean plants that will eventually help provide food for children in our feeding programs.
There's something beautiful about watching a seed take root and grow, knowing that the harvest will one day help nourish a child.
And in the villages, our feeding programs continue bringing children together for meals, fellowship, and opportunities to experience God's love.
These are just a few of the ways hope is being shared each day.
A Hope That Goes Beyond Our Circumstances
As meaningful as these things are, there's a deeper hope that we want every person we serve to experience.
It's the hope we have in Jesus.
One verse that comes to mind is 2 Corinthians 4:18:
The hope we have in Jesus doesn't mean our circumstances will suddenly become easier or that suffering will disappear.
But it reminds us that what we're experiencing today isn't the end of the story.
Even when the world seems to have forgotten us, Jesus hasn't.
He sees us. He loves us. And He is with us.
That's a hope that reaches beyond anything we could ever provide through a ministry program.
And it's a reminder for each of us to consider where we're placing our own hope.
Save the Date: The Story Continues!
Tuesday, December 1, 2026 | 6:00 PM Eastern
We're excited to invite you to a special virtual gathering as we look back at what God has done through MOHI this past year and share the vision for what's ahead in 2027.
We hope you'll join us for this special evening of stories, celebration, and opportunities to be part of what God is doing!
More details will be coming soon.
A Prayer for Hope
As I think about our friends in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and each of you who continue walking alongside us, I'm reminded of Paul's prayer in Romans 15:13:
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
That's my prayer for our friends in Haiti.
And it's my prayer for you.
Whatever circumstances you're facing today, may you be reminded that you are not forgotten and that the hope we have in Jesus is greater than anything this world can take away.
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