The Power of Relationship
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Sunday, May 18, 2026 - [click here to support the continuing work at MOHI]
Today's update is from Jonathan and Taran
Sometimes the greatest impact of ministry is not seen in a single moment.
It is seen over years.
In friendships that continue long after a mission trip ends. In children who grow into adults surrounded by people who still care for them. In communities that know they are not forgotten. In people choosing to walk through difficult seasons together.
This week’s updates from Haiti and the Dominican Republic are filled with reminders that ministry is ultimately about relationship.
Relationship with God. Relationship with one another. And the lasting impact that happens when people choose to stay connected through life’s challenges and victories.
Haiti Updates
Physical Therapy Clinic Now Fully Operational
We are excited to share that the physical therapy clinic is now fully operational in Haiti. It has been such a blessing to see patients already receiving care through this new expansion of the clinic.
One particular patient who has been visiting regularly is a man living with diabetes. Because of complications from neuropathy and a previous surgery, he had been struggling significantly with weakness and balance issues.
He has started seeing significant progress already
This remind us why these programs matter. Access to quality care can truly change lives.
And as always, the clinic continues to stay busy each week as patients come seeking compassionate and dignified medical support.
The Joy of Sponsorship
One of the most meaningful moments for our Haiti team is when they get to tell a child and their family that they have been sponsored.
Roseland shared this past week how emotional and joyful it was to deliver that news to one family.
For many families, sponsorship represents more than financial help. It communicates hope, encouragement, and the reminder that someone cares deeply about their child’s future.
For just $41 a month, sponsorship provides:
Christian education
Daily meals at school
Access to medical care
School books and uniforms
Ongoing support and encouragement
We currently have many children still waiting for sponsors, and we would love to help connect you with one of them.
Jenny’s Story
At the MOHI School in Thozin, there is a student named Jenny.
Jenny is 16 years old and currently in 5th grade. Since her early elementary years, learning has always been difficult for her. She takes longer to process lessons, often forgets explanations, and sometimes feels nervous speaking in class because other children laugh when she makes mistakes.
Over the years, Jenny repeated third grade three different times.
Many people began losing hope.
But Jenny never stopped trying.
Every single morning, she continued showing up to school with courage and determination.
Her teachers noticed her persistence and started to encourage and support her even more intentionally.
When the first grading period ended this year, Jenny earned a 5 out of 10 average. To many people, that may not seem significant—but for Jenny, it was a huge breakthrough.
Encouraged by that progress, she worked even harder.
She studied every evening, stayed more focused in class, and slowly began believing in herself.
By the second grading period, Jenny had raised her average to 6.33.
On report card day, her mother walked to the school to receive the results. When she saw Jenny’s progress, she began crying tears of joy.
For the first time, Jenny truly felt like she could succeed.
Her story is a beautiful reminder that children grow at different speeds, and with patience, love, and encouragement, lives can be transformed.
Celebrating Haitian Culture
This past week, our school in Saint Étienne celebrated both Flag Day and University Day in Haiti.
It is always beautiful to see students and teachers dressed in the vibrant blue and red colors of Haiti, celebrating the rich culture, history, and identity of their nation.
These moments help students develop pride in who they are and the future they can help build.
Dominican Republic Updates
Medical Clinics and Home Visits
This past week, we were grateful to host five mobile medical clinics in the Dominican Republic.
While medical care is always deeply important, some of the most meaningful moments often happen during home visits.
Sitting in someone’s home, praying with families, listening to their stories, and delivering food packs creates opportunities for genuine connection and encouragement.
These moments remind people they are seen, valued, and not alone.
And in the middle of all the work, we enjoy having some fun times with the teams too. We love seeing people experience many different aspects of this beautiful island.
Planting for the Future
It is planting season again in Luperón.
Along with regular landscaping and garden upkeep, the team planted sweet potatoes this past week as part of our ongoing efforts toward greater sustainability.
The gardens continue helping provide food for visiting teams and for feeding programs in the villages.
Business Academy Growth
The Business Academy continues to move forward with students participating in business, computer, and English classes.
Students are currently working on business marketing projects that will be part of their graduation process.
We are especially excited to celebrate another upcoming graduating class soon.
It has been encouraging to watch students grow in confidence, skills, and vision for their future businesses and careers.
Below is a picture of Prospere, one of our second level business academy students.
Jonathan Update
A Story About Relationship, Faithfulness, and Sponsorship
This past Tuesday marked a major milestone in the life of James, one of our longtime friends from Haiti, as he successfully underwent surgery in Texas to replace two faulty valves in his heart. After years of health challenges and months of preparation, the procedure went well, and we are incredibly grateful for the skilled medical team that cared for him and for the many people who have prayed faithfully for him throughout this journey.
What has amazed us just as much as the surgery itself has been James’ recovery. By the very next day, he was already sitting up in a chair, and by the second day after surgery, he was up and walking the hospital halls. His strength, determination, and positive spirit have been an encouragement to everyone around him.
This story, however, is about far more than surgery. It is also a story about relationship, faithfulness, and the lasting impact of child sponsorship.
Many years ago, Wayne and Chelle Pitts of Massachusetts first met James while serving on a mission trip to Haiti. Long before James became a husband, father, and 31-year-old man facing serious health complications, he was a child in Haiti sponsored through ministry partnerships. Wayne and Chelle were his sponsors. What began as sponsorship eventually became friendship — the kind of friendship that lasts through decades, distance, and life’s hardest moments.
Today, that same relationship continues in a powerful way. Wayne and Chelle have stepped away from their own lives in Massachusetts for what will likely be one to two months in order to remain in Texas with James during his recovery. They have sacrificed time, comfort, routines, and responsibilities at home so that James would not have to walk through this season alone. Their love and commitment are a living testimony to what genuine Christian community looks like.
Not only that, but their network of family and friends has rallied together to provide thousands of dollars in support for James’ medical care, recovery expenses, transportation, food, lodging, and ongoing needs. We are deeply grateful for Wayne and Chelle, and for every person who has come alongside James during this difficult chapter.
There is also another remarkable connection in this story that reminds us just how small the world can be.
Nearly ten years ago, when James underwent his first heart valve surgery, our very own Taran played a critical role in helping coordinate and support his care during that life-saving season. As someone newer to MOHI, Jonathan had no idea at first that Taran and James already shared this history. Discovering that connection has been both moving and inspiring. We want to take a moment to recognize and honor Taran for the important role he played in helping save James’ life a decade ago — a role whose impact is still being felt today.
Stories like James’ remind us that ministry is not simply about programs or projects. It is about people. It is about relationships that grow over years and even decades. It is about standing with one another through hardship, celebrating victories together, and demonstrating the love of Christ in tangible ways.
We ask that you continue praying for James as he recovers in the weeks ahead. Pray for strength, healing, freedom from complications, and encouragement during the long road of recovery still before him. And please also pray for Wayne, Chelle, Taran, and all those who continue walking beside him during this journey.
Thank you for continuing to stand with Mission of Hope International as together we seek to serve, love, and care for people in Haiti and beyond.
Closing Thought
This week’s stories all point back to one powerful truth:
People flourish in the context of relationship.
A sponsor encouraging a child. A therapist helping a patient walk again. Teachers refusing to give up on a student. Friends standing beside someone through surgery and recovery. Families opening their homes for prayer and encouragement.
This is the heart of ministry.
Not simply programs. Not simply projects. But people loving people in the name of Jesus.
Thank you for continuing to be part of these relationships and this work.
