Although we are both natives of Haiti, our life stories are very different. Our hometowns are so far apart that the odds of the two of us meeting in Haiti is slim to none, but God arranged our miraculous union, and called us to a greater purpose for His glory!

Our childhood in Haiti

 Juska – I was born and raised in Les Cayes (Southern Haiti). Looking back at my childhood in Haiti, I clearly remember the daily struggles that I went through to survive. I understand how it feels to grow up in a financially unstable home with a single mother, to live in an unsustainable house, and to have limited clothing and shoes. I know what it is to be hungry, and wonder where the next meal would come from. I grew up in a non Christian home. During my childhood, I faced many challenges. I became a Christian at the age of 10, and that was the best decision I have ever made!  I always say that it is impossible to dream when you have no hope, that was me as a child; but God was always there for me.

Jona – I was born and raised in Cap-Haïtien (Northern Haiti).  My story is different from Juska’s. I grew up in Christian family, in fact on my mother’s side my great grandfather, grandfather were pastors, one of my uncles is a pastor and all the other family members are strong Christians who are very active in the church. In Haiti the socioeconomic status is perceived as either rich or poor, growing my family’s status could be defined as a middle class family, if such class was clearly defined in Haiti. Both of my parents were school teachers and they had a small side-business selling cold beverages and bread. Although I witnessed the effects of extreme poverty, by God’s grace, I did not experience the struggle that went along with it.

How things changed for us when we arrived in the U.S.

 Juska – I didn’t know anything about my biological father until I was 10 years old, even after our accidental initial meeting we did not have a relationship. God made a way where there was no way – when my father was seeking refuge for his family, somehow he added my name to the list along with my older brother and five younger half-brothers. When we arrived in the U.S. we were sent to Lansing Michigan. Everything I knew as normal was no longer, overnight I had no choice but to get to know my estranged father and five “new” brothers, learn a new language, and adjust. Five years after our move to the U.S., just as I was starting to build a closer relationship with my father, he passed away at the age of 47. My father’s passing fired up all sorts of questions and emotions in me, but by God’s grace, I came to a point of acceptance.

Jona – My parents’ priority was to provide a better future for my siblings and me, so they moved our family to Florida. My parents’ education and work experience were not valid in the U.S., so they had to start over. As bizarre as this may sound, I actually experienced poverty first hand in the U.S. as I  watched my parents work hard and struggled to make ends meet to provide for our family.

Because both of our families migrated to the United States of America in search of a better life, we were given opportunities we never dreamt of. After graduating high school, we had the opportunity to further our education. During our college years, we both ended up in Grand Rapids, Michigan when we met through mutual friends. During our years in the USA, God continuously opened doors for us and blessed us with two beautiful children, great friendships, great jobs, and a comfortable life.

We were living the dream when God reminded us that our removal from Haiti was a preparatory step for the toughest decision we had to make as a family.  Just as the majority of Haitians who flee Haiti, we were no different. Moving back to Haiti was never part of our plan, we had found a life that many in Haiti and around the world only dream of, so to leave comfort for a world of ongoing uncertainty, relearning, and adapting didn’t seem like a reasonable option. Still, God continued to lay His vision for Haiti on our hearts. Once we surrendered to His call, we were joined by other faithful servants and GVFH was launched.

Sharing with others why we moved to Haiti has served as a great opportunity to share that only our God could have led us to the decision, and that we are being obedient to His call. Looking back, we can see how God has arranged and used every step of our journey to prepare us for the fulfillment of the work of His kingdom in Haiti. As we usually say “God has had His fingerprints on this ministry from the start and He is so faithful. It is truly a privilege to serve Him in Haiti!”