Hail to the Graduates

Foreigners living in Haiti can debate endlessly about the positive and negative aspects of Haitian culture.  However, one thing cannot be debated: Haitians love ceremony.  One ceremony they love above all others  is graduation.  Dressed in full regalia, nineteen students graduated on 18 January from the Institute of Reformed Theology of Haiti (Thomassique Center), part of the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti.  The graduation began in the town center.  From there we processed over two kilometers under the mid-morning sun accompanied by a marching band and at least one hundred well-wishers until we arrived at the Palmis Ba church.  These graduating students had been part of a three-year-long training program done at the Palmis Ba.  A major part of their study has been the Timothy Leadership Training materials which have been used for two years (especially the Pastoral Care, Christian Stewardship, Preaching, and Teaching modules).  Pastor Henry Brun, a father of four and associate pastor of the Palmis Ba Church, has been their trainer.  One powerful example of the impact being made was the fact that 15 out of the 19 graduates were from other churches and denominations in the Thomassique area.  Clearly theological and leadership training is a pressing need in Haiti.  Many of these students will go on to serve in churches as pastors, deacons and preachers.  Because Haiti has such a strong tradition of lay-ministry, this kind of theological training is very important.  Hail to the graduates!