HLMS: Providing Haitians with theological education

HAITI – In late January 2020, the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society (HLMS) held its second round of theological training for members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH).

Thirty lay leaders attended the conference, which covered the Augsburg Confession and was taught by Rev. Blaise Marin, a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod pastor from California originally from Haiti. The class had previously been scheduled for Fall 2019, but had to be rescheduled due to political instability in the region.

A Creole-speaker, Rev. Marin had previously translated for the first round of HLMS-sponsored classes, which took place in October 2018 and was taught by Lutheran Church–Canada pastor Rev. Warren Hamp.

Theological education of this sort is vital for Haiti’s church leaders, as they are currently called upon to preach with very little training. The goal is to give students a solid grounding in biblical interpretation and Lutheran theology.

But the training comes with a cost: as the church is very poor, HLMS covers the cost of travel, accommodations, food, and learning materials for each student. Moreover, HLMS provides $50 to each student to help their families with basic living expenses, as they cannot work during the week they are in class.

For more information on the work of the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society, and to make a donation, visit their website at haitilutheranmissionsociety.ca. HLMS is a listed service organization of Lutheran Church–Canada.

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