After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, many Haitians left to find work and provide for their families. Over the years, more and more people have left the country in search of better opportunities. This was exacerbated when the late president was assassinated in 2021 and the country entered a state of extreme political unrest.

Brazil’s open borders coupled with factory jobs in the state of Santa Catarina provided the opportunities that Haitians were seeking. As refugees came into the country with little more than the clothes on their backs, they were faced with many challenges such as not being able to speak the language which made it difficult to find employment, housing, and complete the necessary paperwork to work legally in Brazil. The national language of Brazil is Portuguese, and Haitians speak Haitian Creole. Since all of the churches surrounding them were in Portuguese, the Haitian community had no place where they could worship and hear the Bible preached in their own language.

Pastor Dumassais Constant saw a solution to this problem and decided to open a church and call it Restoration House, with the purpose of restoring people to God and to their families who were separated because of the refugee crisis.

In 2015, we partnered with Pastor Dumassais Constant to plant our first church in Brazil, and in 2021, we opened our second campus.

Our churches provide Haitians with a place of worship in their own language, which preserves their culture and heritage as they raise their children in Brazil. The church comes together to help families in need, and our leadership who are fluent in Portuguese provide translation services and help new migrants complete their paperwork and interview process to be able to work legally in Brazil. They also work with them to find jobs and housing.

The Haitian community is brave and resilient, and we are honored to partner with them to carry out their vision for the Haitian people in Brazil.