The Vision

We are opening a home for ill and malnourished infants and young children... and their moms. Our ministry will bridge the gap for mother's with little hope, no means to pay for food or medical care, and no place to stay.

Why?: So many of Haiti's families cannot afford to pay hospital fees or purchase medication for their children. The sad reality is that many of these children lose their lives to preventable and treatable conditions including malnutrition, diarrhea, and pneumonia. For a family that is already struggling to eat, the price of healthcare is impossible to front. On occasion a desperate parent will turn to an orphanage, a boko (Haitien witch doctor), or borrow money that they will never manage to repay. Families in a slightly higher economic bracket might sell all their possessions or the family cow to pay for a hospital care. With each health crisis an already impoverished family becomes more and more at risk. Usually it is the smallest and most vulnerable that suffer.  What if we were able to remove that burden? What if instead of spending several months in a local hospital we were able to provide free healthcare and free health education in a safe and uplifting environment...

Where: Cap Haitien, Haiti, where the number of true orphans is shockingly low and the number of families struggling to get by is overwhelmingly high.

How: Education will predominate as each mother is given the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of their child's condition and take responsibility for their recovery. In return for warm meals, a place to sleep, and free medical care these women will share the cooking and cleaning responsibilities. Bead making will become their ticket out of the cycle. As their child recovers, they will learn the art of making paper beads from recyclable materials. The jewelry they create will be purchased up front; their earnings deferred until they leave our "House of Hope." Their pieces will be sold in the States primarily at churches and church coffee shops and by individuals. The goal is for each mother to earn enough during her stay to pay for a year of rent elsewhere. After this first goal has been achieved and the child is healthy and thriving we will continue to buy jewelry from these mothers until they have earned enough to start their own business selling local products (clothes, food, supplies, etc) to other Haitians. The goal is to empower and encourage these women through relationship, education, and skill building. The goal is to help not just one child, but entire families, and communities. Imagine the joy these women will experience when they are able they are able to send their 7-year old to school for the first time. Imagine their sense of dignity when they are able to assist their neighbors with basic health care concerns.


The result: Healthy babies, educated mothers, sustainable businesses and most importantly, strong families.

Plan: Second Mile Ministries will begin by purchasing land and a vehicle and proceed to 

• drill a well 
• acquire a generator
• lay the foundation for plumbing and electricity 
• build housing for long-term staff and a building that will accommodate up to 12 mother/child pairs

The team: We desire to raise up a staff of Haitian leaders, specifically three Haitian women to oversee 24-hour operations and encourage the mother's in the care of their children, a grounds manager/driver, a grounds worker/maintenance worker, and a community health worker. Much time will be invested into these core people. English lessons, daily encouragement, and weekly staff meetings will help them feel empowered and ready to make a difference.

Partner with us: We cannot even begin to start this project without your help. It will take individual donations, church support, business contributions, and grant earnings to make this vision a reality. No contribution is too small. Check Get Involved for other ways to make a difference.