Pray for MSC’s Residents from Haiti

On March 21, 2024, Mustard Seed Communities welcomed 59 children from Haiti into the MSC family. Forced to flee from their home due to escalating violence in the country, Mustard Seed offered them shelter at Jacob’s Ladder in Jamaica, where they—and 13 of their caregivers—will live for the foreseeable future. 

Fr. Garvin Augustine, Executive Director of Mustard Seed Communities International, shares his reflections on this immense act of faith, and offers a prayer for these newest members of the MSC community.

Then Jesus asked, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what shall I compare it?” It is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky nested in its branches.  – Luke 13:18-19 

When Mustard Seed Communities began in 1978, our founder Msgr. Gregory Ramkissoon found inspiration in this parable from the Gospel of Luke. Jesus paints us a picture of a mustard seed—the smallest of seeds—that grows to provide shelter to the birds of the sky. Mustard Seed Communities, too, began as a small act of faith: a promise that “no child would be abandoned twice” that has grown to provide shelter to over 600 of the most vulnerable members of society across five countries.

When Msgr. Gregory and I learned that there were 59 children with disabilities in Haiti who were looking for shelter, we began a months-long effort to provide them a home at Mustard Seed Communities. The process was long and challenging at times, but our commitment never wavered. This is what we do at Mustard Seed Communities: we provide “a branch to nest in” for those who need it most.

As we embark on the next chapter of this journey, we would like to invite the global MSC community to join us in a prayer for the newest residents and staff of Mustard Seed—and all of God’s children who are in MSC’s care.