Missionaries praying with a young man as he commits his life to Christ.
Monterrey, Mexico — From September 21 to 26, 2025, a mission team representing the Haitian Baptist Missions Initiative (HBMI) traveled to Monterrey to serve Haitian migrants and extend the love of Christ in practical ways. The effort was coordinated by Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church, under the direction of Rev. Evens Jules, and strengthened through close partnership with Iglesia Bautista El Calvario, led by Pastor Rolando Guzmán. Together, Haitian and Mexican Baptists combined resources, manpower, and vision to reach a community in urgent need.
The delegation from Florida numbered 20 participants, including members from Bethel of Delray Beach and four pastors of the Florida Haitian Baptist Fellowship — Dr. Jackson Voltaire (Grace Connection), Dr. Wadler Jules (Emmanuel of Miami), Dr. Patrick Jules (Bethel of Fort Lauderdale), and Pastor Amos Jean (Philadelphia of Miami) — joined by a representative from Emmanuel of Miami. Their efforts were multiplied by the more than 40 volunteers from El Calvario, guided by Pastor Guzmán and Dr. Elena Sara, whose local presence was indispensable for the mission’s success.
A Mission That Reached Beyond Expectations
Though the team’s original focus was Haitians living in Monterrey or in transit northward, the outreach quickly broadened. News spread that medical care, children’s programs, and material assistance were available. Soon, Mexicans stood side by side with Haitians in long lines that also included Guatemalans, Nicaraguans, and Hondurans. The sight of these diverse groups waiting together, all seeking the same compassion, captured the deeper truth: human need crosses borders, and God’s love is not confined by nationality.
Compassion That Could Be Seen and Touched
Every day, ministry unfolded in multiple ways:
Children’s Ministry (VBS): Around 72 children were welcomed into a vibrant Vacation Bible School, where they received backpacks, balloons, and heard the gospel through songs and stories. By the week’s end, about ten had professed faith in Christ or renewed their commitment to Him.
Mobile Clinic: Doctors and nurses attended to 341 patients, providing consultations and filling 493 prescriptions. In the midst of the care, three people decided to follow Christ.
Distribution Efforts: Families left with more than medical help; they also received food supplies, clothing, hygiene kits, and Scriptures in Creole, French, and Spanish. In total, 216 people benefited from these distributions.
Counseling Ministry: Pastors and leaders met with 24 individuals in personal counseling sessions, leading to two new believers and 15 rededications.
Evangelism: Beyond organized programs, team members shared the gospel in the community, reaching over 300 people. As a result, 22 trusted Christ, and 12 recommitted their lives.
When the numbers are added, the mission resulted in 32 professions of faith and 37 rededications. Yet behind every statistic was a story — a child with a new backpack and a brighter smile, a mother leaving the clinic with medicine and hope, a man bowing his head to pray for salvation.
Despite the victories, the mission team left Monterrey aware of the continuing challenges. Haitians face long waits for residency or asylum, struggle with Spanish in schools and workplaces, and survive in cramped apartments with little security. Parents fear the future while children often fall behind in their studies. These realities create a cycle of instability and vulnerability that no single trip can resolve.
The week of ministry was therefore not an end but a beginning — a reminder of the need for sustained presence, long-term partnerships, and churches committed to walking alongside migrants in both spiritual and practical ways.
“This mission showed me what happens when churches take ownership of Christ’s command to go. We often speak about the Great Commission in theory, but here we saw it lived out. Watching Haitian and Mexican believers serve together, I felt that God was writing a new chapter in our story as Baptists.”
Rev. Dr. Wadler Jules, who also joined the delegation, highlighted the call to obedience:
“It is easy to say, ‘Missions are important.’ It is harder to leave home, enter unfamiliar spaces, and actually serve. What I witnessed in Monterrey was a team willing to sacrifice their comfort to meet both physical and spiritual needs.”
Natanael Ramírez, who oversees migrant ministries for the Convención Nacional Bautista de México, underlined the importance of partnership:
“The arrival of Haitians in Mexico has presented challenges but also great opportunities. Their presence forces us to think differently about ministry. The collaboration with HBMI is not just an act of charity; it is the building of bridges.”
Pastor Rolando Guzmán of El Calvario emphasized the impact on his own congregation:
“For weeks before the mission, we prayed and prepared to receive the team. When they arrived, it was as if the Lord multiplied our strength. Serving side by side with brothers and sisters from another nation expanded our vision of what the church can be.”
