Respect and titles
Greet everyone, and greet elders first. Use titles: Pastè, Frè, Sè, Madan, Mesye. A handshake or a kiss on the cheek is common.
Outreach toolkit
Start where you are.
You don’t need to speak Kreyòl or have a big budget to begin. You need love for your neighbors and a willingness to learn. This guide will help your church take the first steps.
Piti piti, zwazo fè nich li.01Seven steps
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1
Pray and prepare
Share the vision with your church. Pray for the Haitian families around you by name. Look for anyone in your church with a Haitian background or who speaks French or Kreyòl.
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2
Find your neighbors
Notice Haitian businesses, churches, radio programs and school ESL classes nearby. The Census Bureau’s ancestry data (data.census.gov) shows where Haitian families live. Simply asking around goes a long way.
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3
Make friends first
If you know a Haitian family, befriend them as you would anyone: a meal, a ride, a hand with paperwork, a phone call when things are hard.
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4
Offer English classes
Many newcomers want to learn English, and you don’t need to know another language to teach it. Classes open doors to friendship and to Bible study.
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5
Open the Bible together
Offer a Bible study, in English or with Kreyòl and French Bibles at hand. Use tracts in French and Kreyòl from GlobalTracts.
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6
Hold a Kreyòl service or crusade
When the time is right, we can help you plan and hold a Haitian crusade or a Kreyòl service, with translation.
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7
Raise up Haitian leaders
Mentor the men and women God is calling. We can guide them through UPCI licensing, so Haitian churches are led by Haitian ministers.
02Kreyòl phrasebook
Kreyòl is spelled the way it sounds. Say every letter; an è is “eh,” an ò is “aw,” and “an,” “en” and “on” are nasal.
- Bonjou
- bohn-ZHOOGood morning / Hello
- Bonswa
- bohn-SWAHGood afternoon / Good evening
- Kijan ou ye?
- kee-ZHAHN oo yayHow are you?
- Mwen byen, mèsi.
- mweh byehn, meh-SEEI’m well, thank you.
- Byenveni!
- byehn-veh-NEEWelcome!
- Kòman ou rele?
- koh-MAHN oo reh-LAYWhat is your name?
- Mwen rele…
- mweh reh-LAYMy name is…
- Bondye beni ou.
- bohn-DYEH beh-NEE ooGod bless you.
- Jezi renmen ou.
- zhay-ZEE rahn-MEHN ooJesus loves you.
- Ann priye.
- ahn pree-YAYLet’s pray.
- Èske m ka priye pou ou?
- ESS-keh m kah pree-YAY poo ooMay I pray for you?
- Mèsi anpil.
- meh-SEE ahn-PEELThank you very much.
- Frè / Sè
- freh / sehBrother / Sister
- Pastè
- pahs-TEHPastor
- Legliz
- leh-GLEEZChurch
- Lespri Sen an
- less-PREE sehn ahnThe Holy Spirit
03Cultural notes
Church is formal and fervent
Many dress their best for church and expect services to be long, with heartfelt prayer, testimonies and singing (kantik).
Kreyòl and French
Kreyòl is the language of the heart and the home. French carries prestige and is used for formal reading. Ask which a person prefers.
Hospitality and food
Sharing a meal matters: diri ak pwa (rice and beans), griyo, pikliz, and soup joumou on New Year’s Day. Accept an invitation if you can.
Speak of Haiti with honor
Haiti is more than its hardships. Don’t joke about poverty or Vodou, and don’t treat Haitians as projects. Ask about home, and listen.
Never ask about status
Immigration status is private. Don’t ask, don’t assume, and keep anything you learn in confidence.
04Resources
- Bible studies, tracts and prayer guides in Kreyòl and French
- GlobalTracts: tracts in French, Kreyòl and almost every language (opens in a new tab)
- Multicultural Ministries: French Literature Cooperative (opens in a new tab)
- The Bible in Haitian Creole (YouVersion) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau data: where Haitian families live (opens in a new tab)
Want help getting started?
Request a visit or training, and we’ll come alongside your church.
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