Praying Pelican Missions is excited for what God is doing in Haiti. 2010 was one of the most difficult years in Haiti's history. In the midst of a devastating earthquake, cholera outbreak, and a close call with a large hurricane, thousands of people came to know the Lord. The Body of Christ is growing daily and people are drawing closer to Him than ever before.

2011 has the potential to be a turning point for the country of Haiti. A new president is in office, millions of dollars of aid are scheduled to be released, and the Church is on fire. Praying Pelican Missions is excited to be a part of this opportunity by partnering with local pastors from across the country. Through these partnerships, churches, schools, and homes are being built. Even more than that, lives are being transformed. Kids are being loved, young families are being supported, and pastors are being prayed for.

Please consider joining Praying Pelican Missions this year as we seek to glorify God by coming alongside our brothers and sisters in the beautiful country of Haiti. Never has the need been greater and never has the opportunity been more evident. The partnerships that we have developed are in need of:

• Hard working hands to come alongside a Haitian construction team. Churches, schools, and homes are being built. People of all skill levels are needed to assist.
• Caring hearts to love on kids. Teams will be in contact with kids from the community as well as Haitian run orphanages. If you love kids, we need you!
• Prayer warriors. If your team loves to pray, we would love to have you on a trip.
• Relationship builders. From cooks, to construction workers, to young families, building relationships with the local people is key.

Praying Pelican Missions specializes in taking care of the details so that your team can concentrate on ministry. The trip cost is $595/person, which includes all of your transportation, food, and lodging. Our goal is to provide a way for you to use your gifts in a way that will impact the country of Haiti for Christ. Join us for a life changing trip!

Haiti is known as one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2009, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed that Haiti is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, just behind Nicaragua. It's estimated that one in five Haitians are living in poverty, and all face serious daily challenges, spanning from religious disputes to the very real fight to simply survive. The country has a history of natural disasters, which continually threaten the culture. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, has critically injured an already struggling society. Leaving thousands dead and thousands more homeless and helpless, the disaster requires a significant response—a response Praying Pelican Missions feels called to.

Haiti's climate is typically tropical. Temperatures range from 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit. The hill country is often 10 degrees cooler on average. Haiti's rainy season runs from May to July. During the rainy season, the country experiences showers in the evenings that last a couple of hours at a time.

Haiti has two official languages: Haitian Creole and French. Haitian Creole is the most widely spoken Creole language in the world and is spoken by about nine million Haitians, nearly the entire population. The use of Creole in the Haitian culture has been slowly increasing since Félix Morisseau-Leroy's efforts led Haiti to make it an official language along with French. Due to Haiti's massive poverty, the tourism economy is not nearly as prevalent as it is in other Caribbean countries. This fact greatly reduces the number of tourism-related crimes such as pick-pocketing. The United States government determined that Haiti's overall safety level improved during 2009. Most Haitian crime is a result of drug-related activity and is committed against other Haitians.

The poverty levels in the country of Haiti create a situation in which many families use subsistence farming (using agriculture to feed only their families) in order to survive. The high level of natural disasters in Haiti causes even more devastation to small-scale farming. Although subsistence farming is prevalent, there is also an organized agriculture industry. Two thirds of Haitians are employed in agriculture, which, along with fishing and forestry, annually accounts for more than a quarter of Haiti's gross domestic product. In addition, mining and manufacturing are small contributors to Haiti's economy.

The banking and financial situation in Haiti can be described as bleak at best. Banks often crumble under the poor economic foundations that plague the country. The currency in Haiti is the French “gourde.” The current exchange rate for the gourde is about 40 gourdes to every U.S. dollar. Haiti suffers from a lack of financial and economic independence and heavily relies on U.S. and other foreign support to bring them through their many struggles.

Like those of us in the United States, Haitians love to eat! They rely heavily on starches such as rice and plantains. The most common Haitian dish, called plat complet, consists of rice and beans, fired plantain, and your choice of meat, most often chicken or pork (or whatever else is available). Lambi is a conch fish that is harvested off the coast of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Tropical fruits are also a fixture in the Haitian diet.

Fun and entertainment in the country of Haiti take a backseat to the struggle to survive. As a result of the country's significant African descent and influence, African music is immersed in the Haitian culture. Artwork is also a regular sight; open air galleries line the roads and villages throughout the country. Futbol (soccer) and cock fighting are also regular avenues of entertainment in Haiti.

Voodoo, despite its negative connotations in the United States, is practiced by Haitians today as a result of their history of slavery as well as their religious background. During the transfer of slaves from west and central Africa to Haiti, slaves brought with them their religions, their labor, and their uniting belief in the spirit world. The Haitians' belief in the spirit world was a means of coping with the ravages of slavery, which became a cornerstone of the concept of Voodoo. The term Voodoo literally means “divine spirit” and comes from the modern day country of Benin, which is one of the countries that provided Haiti with many of its slaves.

It's estimated that 80 percent of Haitians are Roman Catholic. The religious spectrum in the country also includes Baptists, Pentecostals, Methodists, and others. Voodooism, as a religion, is oftentimes practiced alongside Christianity even today, an issue that many missionaries and local churches have to contend with.