History of the Village of Hope Lazarus Project

In May of 1993 a small group of Lutheran Pastors from South Florida went on a ‘pilgrimage’ to Haiti under the sponsorship of Food for the Poor (FFTP). In 1995 another small group of pastors and lay people returned to Haiti to witness the tremendous needs of the Haitian people. Their consensus was, “We can’t just sit here and do nothing. We have to give our people an opportunity to be involved in serving Haiti’s poor in Jesus’ name.” One of the pastors offered this suggestion: “Whatever we do, let’s call it “The Lazarus Project” based on Jesus’ parable of the rich man and the beggar, Lazarus, who lay daily at his doorstep, begging to be fed with the crumbs from the rich man’s table. (Luke 16:19-31) This was the birth of the Lazarus Project, a special opportunity for churches and individuals to be directly involved in serving Haiti’s poor.

After visiting several ministries, all desperately in need of assistance, the group decided to recommend that the Lazarus Project focus on a ministry called the Village of Hope in the Ganthier region 15 miles east of Port au Prince. Since 1995 the Lazarus Project has expanded its ministry by supporting other ministries which currently included the Little Children of Jesus Home for Disabled Children and a much anticipated Health Center. The Health Center is scheduled to be built in 2011 and will serve the students, staff and families in the Ganthier Community.

Now, after 15 years of productive ministry as a part of Food for the Poor, the Lazarus Project which has grown and enriched many thousands of lives, is poised to become an independent effort with the new name: Village of Hope Lazarus Project. After a lot of prayerful consideration and consultation, both parties agree it is time for this new step forward to be taken. The focus of Village of Hope Lazarus Project ministry in Haiti will be unchanged and a working relationship with FFTP will be maintained but by the end of 2011 the transition to independence should be complete.

Village of Hope Lazarus Project is supported by many churches and individuals in the United States, Canada and Europe from various churches.