Mission
United Christian Association for Haiti is a volunteer-run Christian humanitarian 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to working with children, families here in our communities and in Picmy Lagonave, Haiti. Our mission is to provide life-changing opportunities for families through targeted initiatives spiritually, education, leadership and economic development.
Vision
Our vision is to lead the next generation to live fully for God and equip them with the tools and the ability to understand, evaluate, and transform their lives, families, communities, country and the world for Christ.
Our Statement of Faith
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative word of God. We believe that there is one God, He is our Creator, Heavenly Father and King of the Universe. We believe in Jesus Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection, and his returning.
We believe in the Holy Spirit of God that abides in the believers, he leads, guides and empower as to live a holy life. We believe in the baptism, Holy Communion and Great Commission spoken to us by Jesus Christ to go and make disciples.
We believe in practical demonstrations of showing the love of God through preaching the Gospel, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the poor and providing education and other health needs.
History
Pastor Ceradieu Dor, the founder and Chairman of United Christian Association for Haiti is originally from Picmy La Gonave. Even though he had the opportunity to come to the United States while he was young, he never forgot the reality of the situation is his hometown. In 1988, he started going back to Haiti with missionary groups from the local churches. Feeling the need to do more, Pastor Ceradieu went back to Picmy again but this time on his own. Shortly after his arrival, his trip evolved into a new church ministry within the Picmy I Lagonave community. The church ministry began in a 1200 sq. ft. of coconut leaves dirt floor and grass walled shack under the name of Eglise par la Foi en Christ" . A year later, the ministry went from a coconut dirt floor, grass roof and grass walled to a 60 by 40 tin roof building.
Although the Ministry was start for the purpose of preaching the Gospel but another need was added, education. From 1998 to 2003 - Pastor Ceradieu personally sponsored over 182 students covering all expenses from kindergarten through primary school. Pastor Ceradieu Dor he paid the cost of education for 182 students for more than 10 years not requiring a dime from them while paying five teachers out of his own pocket through a full-time job that he held in the U.S. When Pastor Dor realized that he could no longer afford keep sponsoring the children, three unemployed teachers within the community began to volunteer their time to keep the kids in school. Unfortunately In 2003 year, this sponsorship program came to an end. Since then, hundreds of people have been praying that aid would come back to their community.
In May 2011, United Christian Association for Haiti was formally established the organization as a 501 (C) (3) not for-profit organization and expanded the mission of this ministry to provide the residents in Picmy with basic resources such as water, medical aid and other basic necessities.
Challenges
Poverty
*More than 84 percent of the people in our region live in extreme poverty (less than US$1 a day)
Education
* 50% of primary school age children are not enrolled in school.
* One-third of girls over six never go to school.
* More than 50% of children attending school are overage.
* Approximately 30% of children attending primary school will not make it to third grade; 60% will abandon school before sixth grade.
* Only 15% of teachers at the primary level have basic teacher qualifications (including university degrees), and nearly 25% have never even
attended secondary school.
* Approximately 75% of all teachers lack adequate training; many have just a 9th or 12th grade education, with no teacher training at all
* Less than 20% of schools have electricity; 39% have potable water; 15% have a library.
Employment
* The employment rate in Picmy is estimated to be between 95-98 percent.