Testimony, Gratitude, and God’s Faithfulness – By Dr. Monel Jules August 12, 2026

Monel and Jo happily receiving an award at church.

To all of you who, at some point, accepted the call to come and share the fragile life of the Haitian people through the ministry of Haiti’s Eden, my wife and I send you our greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. On behalf of our family, our community, and the entire Haitian people, we thank you sincerely. We ask only a few moments of your patience to read this testimony as we approach the fifteenth anniversary of this ministry. If you are short on time, feel free to skip the rest and go directly to the final page.

I. A Dream, a Calling, a Blessed Family

Haiti’s Eden was born from a dream and a clear calling to ministry. God blessed me with an exceptional wife, prepared by Him to serve at my side. Together, we have been given three wonderful children:

• Amy, now in Arkansas, studying political science at John Brown University, with the desire to continue on to law school;
• Joey, entering tenth grade while also enrolled in a dual-credit program with Pensacola Christian College in Florida;
• Emily, beginning her 7th-grade year online, like her brother.

The Jules family accompanying Amy to John Brown University, August 2024.

The Lord has been good to us. He blesses our children and allows Haiti’s Eden to continue its work through its various areas of ministry.

II. The First Foundations: Alabama and Mississippi

It is fitting to remember that Lavern Warhurst and his wife Martha were the instruments the Lord used to lay the first stones of Haiti’s Eden. Their family financed Dr. Jo’s medical studies, helped us settle at Haiti’s Eden, and Lavern was the first to respond to the call for help after the 2010 earthquake.

Lavern and Jo at a mobile clinic

Martha, white shirt, helping during a mobile clinic

He organized the first medical team with the help of his friends Dr. Wilson and Dr. Smith, men of God and men of science, who came to serve alongside Dr. Jo. Dr. Wilson made several trips afterward, always accompanied by Amy Smith, whose family members also visited Haiti. Haiti’s Eden owes a great debt of gratitude to Lavern and to Cornerstone Baptist Church of Oneonta, Alabama.

Lavern-Dr. Wilson-Monel

Dr. Smith-Monel

The first board chairman, Pastor Michael Jones, guided by Lavern, his father-in-law, played a decisive role in bringing this dream to life. He engaged the churches he pastored – WestPoint and later Crossroads -as key partners in the ministry. His wife Julie and two of their children also served in Haiti.

Later, he passed the baton to his former assistant, Pastor Jon Martin of Mississippi, who led Haiti’s Eden into new horizons. His former church in Union, Mississippi remains a faithful partner. Friends like: Sue, Vince, Matt, Loren, Faith among others, are still in our prayers and thoughts.

Michael Jones preaching

Jon Martin preaching

Among the significant contributors of that period, Shellie D. Lafon was deeply moved by her visit to Haiti. Under her leadership, together with Kim, Vickie, and the twin sisters—especially Elizabeth Vernon—they organized the first fundraisers, the first children’s camp, the Haiti’s Eden logo, helped finalize the name of the institution, and contributed to countless good things. We are still indebted to people like: Brannon, Jeff, Charity, Jacklyn and many more. With leaders like Shellie – even from afar – Jeanie, and Zach, Haiti’s Eden could burn brightly again. 🙏

Shellie and her team flying from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitian

Among the first worshippers

When MJ moved to Crossroads Baptist Church, he encouraged the new congregation to follow him. We came to know many new friends such as Bryan, Cherrie, Shelly, Johna, Dile, and many others.

Leaving after a great week of work

Johna making jewelry with the ladies

III. The Decisive Contribution of Arkansas

Deeply shaken by the 2010 earthquake, Pastor Bob Fielding and Pastor Robby Tingle, from the Arkansas Baptist Convention, mobilized the entire convention. After serving in the southern part of the country, they decided to partner with Haiti’s Eden.

Bob and his team were the first to use the church basement, which had been transformed into a health center thanks to the generous donation of Jan Mooney. I had met her through Kathy Dyer Young, who had come to Haiti with Pastor David Wilson and Amy Smith.

Jan Mooney and me (photo taken by Kathy)

Mobile clinic in the basement of the church

Medical team from Arkansas

From that moment on, friends from Arkansas began supporting northern Haiti with remarkable consistency. Bob made numerous trips and invested himself in nearly every aspect of the ministry. He was even the first pharmacist during the opening week of the health center, working alongside Fafoune, a young girl from the community.

The River Bible Church from Mountain Home, Arkansas, quickly became the most reliable missionaries to Haiti’s Eden. Led by their Senior Pastor Eric Smeltzer, along with his associates and elders, they oversaw numerous projects and activities. For the past thirteen years, I can firmly say that – every year except during the lockdown – someone from the River has come to support the Haitian people, especially through the faithful involvement of the McKee family. We pray that the church members who have not yet visited Haiti will feel led to volunteer in the coming years.

The roads were still passable at that time – far better than the “roller-coaster” they have become today. Churches such as The River Bible Church, Harrison, Osage, and later Eastside, left behind the comfort of the American South to come serve.

After Pastor Eric Smeltzer, Jeanie McKee, who fell in love with Haiti and with our family, took the lead. She mobilized dentists, medical specialists, nurses, and other professionals. Thanks to them, the community remained in good health for many years. We miss you: Brandi, Tenile, Brad, Crystal (still ordering tests for us), Robin, Jeff…

Bob and Jon present at the inauguration of the medical center’s first building.

Sharon Fielding and Joey at Silver Dollar City

Brad Coleman and Jeanie of the River

Dr. Lonnie of the River

Other churches in the Ozark Mountains were very active before Covid-19. We are praying for their safety and hoping that Haiti’s Eden will remain in their good memory and prayers. Colonel Larry J. Brandt, from Harrison, Arkansas, organized and shipped a 40-foot container of medical equipment, helped with the church’s tile work, and led numerous medical teams to Haiti. His church also supports the board.

Jennifer Fry and her husband, from Osage Baptist Church, visited and supported numerous needs of Haiti’s Eden.

Team from Harrison

Ophthalmology team

Dr. Matthew Tennant, a former board member, brought his church from Charlottesville, Virginia, and his eldest son spent a month at the hospital exploring alongside my wife.

Team from Charlottesville, VA

The McKee family is considered our family in the Ozarks, just as we are theirs in the Caribbean.

Surrounded by my family

JoEllen Hothem of Kentucky, a former faithful board member and longtime friend, served as the board organizer for many years. She invested her time, talent, and resources in Haiti’s Eden before passing the baton to Jeanie. Thank you, JoEllen. We miss you.

Keith Andrews from Ohio, an active board member and the initiator of the vocational school – now paused due to a lack of young people willing to learn – has been our tech guy from the beginning. Thank you for your many contributions, Keith.

Pastor Belinda Widsom Ruiz from Raleigh, North Carolina with her former Pastor and team that built the first pews at the church.

Team of ladies from Raleigh

• Nathan Gordon, whose company SANS supported the food pantry for many years before being sold to another firm.

Nathan Gordon and Emily

IV. The Arrival of Zach Hutchens: Continuity and Courage

During one of these trips, a young man – timid and accompanied by his wife – discovered Haiti despite the warnings issued by the U.S. State Department. That visit transformed Zach Hutchens, who immediately contacted Michael Jones to share his vision.

Today, Zach is the longest-serving chairman of the board. He has carried forward and completed the dreams of Michael Jones and Jon Martin. Besides the United States, Haiti is the country he knows best. The pages of his passport were stamped to the point of wearing out. Only the earliest groups traveled through Port-au-Prince, before American Airlines began flying to Cap-Haitian – a route the airline will resume in November. Since that time, Zach has been the only one to return to Port-au-Prince despite the risks, in order to purchase the first solar system installed at the hospital.

He even made a trip that ended in the capital without being able to reach the north. He knows the Haitian motorcycles very well. His courage inspired his wife Katie, a highly qualified nurse, who has already brought all their children to Haiti.

Monel and Zach

V. Supporting Essential Programs

We invite you to join Zach and his team. We also encourage you to support Jeanie in the Christmas food program for the families of the church. We lost the children’s Christmas gift program initiated by Shellie and Kim, but we do not want to lose the nutrition program.

Imagine providing a true Christmas meal to about 300 people – nearly 300 families. Jeanie, her family, The River Bible Church, and the newly but fully engaged Eastside Baptist Church of Mountain Home – encouraged by Pastors Scott, but especially by David Small and his wife Tammy -have met this challenge for years. Yet she now needs help to continue.

Christmas Love Basket day

People carrying their diner

Crossroads, in Alabama, has helped with the construction of the community’s entrance road, provided sound equipment, and sponsored the education of a child.

Smithville continues to support Eden d’Haiti as consistently as they can. Their mission work will resume next February. We are praying for a blessed trip.

Mississippi team building latrines

Team from Bartahatchie

VI. The Three Pillars: Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi

The story of Haiti’s Eden began with Alabama, was strengthened by Arkansas, and later expanded to Mississippi.

Pastor Mike Bell, invited by Robby Tingle, built the church roof and the children’s pavilion. Later, recruited by a group of pastors from Monroe County, he brought several Mississippi churches, including:

• Smithville Baptist Church,
• Amory Baptist Church,
• Bartahatchie Baptist Church.

These churches remain faithful partners.

Mike Bell and his roofers

Working at the children’s pavilion

VII. Local Ministry and Medical Work

With my two assistant pastors — Peter-Marc (youth and teens) and Reginald (children and Sunday school) – we continue the ministries of the church. After 22 years as academic dean, I now devote myself entirely to the community, having resigned from my position in 2020.

Thanks to partner support, we continue the monthly food program. The challenges are significant, but the progress is considerable.

The hospital is the other major pillar of the ministry. Since 2010, Haiti’s Eden has always been drawn to both medical and spiritual care. Today, the hospital operates 24/7 with:

• general practitioners,
• a urologist,
• an orthopedist,
• three gynecologists,
• a general surgeon,
• an internist,
• a pediatrician.

We perform surgeries and continually expand our services.

VIII. A New Construction: Our Last Major Project

We are currently building a new facility. Jo and I believe this will be our last major construction before retirement. This project requires significant funds to complete the structure and equip it. We pray that God will provide.

IX. Hands That Heal, Hearts That Support

A multitude of nurses left the comfort of their air-conditioned hospitals to come care for those in need. Yet we long for the dental and ophthalmological services once available.

We pray that the churches of Union, Raleigh, Osage, Harrison, WestPoint, Charlottesville, Bartahatchie, Raleigh, and many others will not forget us. Friends from Washington State (Janine and her father), former students of Williams Baptist College in Arkansas, Mary from Oklahoma, and former campers continue to pray for us and plan to be part of the future of Haiti’s Eden. We have dear friends who are now with the Lord, and others who have grown older or weakened by sickness. We still love them, and we remain deeply grateful for all they contributed to our ministry in Haiti.

Eastside and The River will be here in November. Smithville and Amory Baptist Churches will return in February.

X. Real Challenges, but a Greater Hope

The challenges remain, but the road behind us has been harder than the one ahead. Together, we can succeed.

One last plea: As we approach the fifteenth anniversary of Haiti’s Eden, I would like to ask every individual who has visited Haiti’s Eden to donate:

$15 or more × the number of times you have come.

Likewise, I ask every church to donate:

$150 or more × the number of people you have sent to Haiti’s Eden.

You can make your donation to:

Haiti’s Eden

P.O. Box Amory, MS 38821

You may indicate whether you would like your donation to support:

• the Bel Bebe program (formula for malnourished infants)
• the equipment for the new medical building under construction
• the educational program
• the community water system
• the finishing of the church’s exterior walls
• the hospital personnel
• the new solar system for the hospital
• the church personnel
• the Christmas Love Basket
• or any other area.

Thank you for being a supporter of Haiti’s Eden. May God bless you!