The first year of ministry in Village Demier ended with a beautiful exclamation mark—the community’s first baptisms. Pastor Derson and Pastor Evald baptized six young adults—Djenie, Stanley, Dadeline, Romial, Roselaure, and Johnsley—who publicly declared their faith in Christ.

For both pastors, the moment was deeply emotional, reflecting months of prayer, teaching, and patient discipleship.

“It’s a feeling that can’t be explained with words alone,” Pastor Derson said. “It’s like when a farmer has spent a long time pulling weeds and preparing the soil, and then finally sees the first fruit of his labor.”

After months of Bible study, prayer, and honest conversations with the pastors about what it means to walk in new life with Christ, the six young adults came to their decisions—not out of pressure, but of conviction.

“None of these decisions happened all at once,” Pastor Derson said. “They were baptized because their hearts were full of love for Jesus.”

In Haiti, many young adults delay baptism until they believe they have overcome—but Pastor Derson taught the discipleship class not to wait until they were “perfect.”

“Baptism is not a diploma for people who have finished school,” he said. “It is a step of obedience for those who recognize their need for Jesus.”

A few testimonies

Dadeline chose to be baptized because of her deepening desire to know Christ more fully.

“I was baptized because I wanted to feel closer to Jesus, and because I had come to know more about His Word,” she said. 

She now understands that following Christ requires sacrifice—no longer living for herself and choosing obedience even when it is difficult. Her mother’s presence at her baptism was a powerful encouragement, and Dadeline hopes to live in a way that points other young people in the village to Christ.

Roselaure’s testimony echoed that theme of visible transformation and deeply moved those present.

“Before, I felt dirty,” she said. “Now I feel like a different person—I am washed.”

Through prayer and encouragement from the discipleship group, Roselaure says her life has been completely changed. She has already begun sharing her faith with others and hopes the transformation in her life will be evident throughout the community.

For Romial, baptism marked a decisive break from his former way of life that had left him full of guilt.

“Now,” he said, “I feel at peace.”

Following Jesus, Romial shared, means leaving behind anything that does not please Christ. He credits the discipleship group with helping him take his faith seriously and wants others to see that change not just in his words, but in how he lives.

For Djenie, baptism was a public declaration of a deep personal conviction in God. Before her baptism, she struggled with habits she could not overcome on her own. After her baptism, she said she felt delivered from them.

Through the discipleship group, Djenie has come to better understand how to live out God’s will in everyday life. Today, she is determined to leave everything of the world behind to follow Jesus alone. Her single desire is for her life to become a mirror—one in which others can see the glory of God on display.

Shared discipleship

Just as they have shared in ministering to Village Demier from the beginning, Pastor Evald and Pastor Derson took turns baptizing the six young adults. They were joined by a visiting pastor—Pastor Evald’s brother—whose presence underscored the shared joy of the day and who encouraged each of the youth as they stepped into this new life.

One moment in particular stood out to Pastor Derson. After the baptisms, each young adult received a baptism certificate.

“Seeing the enthusiasm in their eyes as they received this,” he said, “was proof that they understood the importance of the decision they had made.”

Moving forward in Village Demier

For the ministry unfolding in Village Demier, the significance of this day reaches far beyond the six individuals who entered the water.

“This is a spiritual milestone,” said Pastor Derson. “For the new church, it shows that the mission is moving forward and that the work of discipleship is bearing fruit. For the community, it sends a powerful message—that another path is possible.”

He hopes the impact will ripple outward. As villagers witness both joy and changed lives, he believes questions will follow—and with them, opportunities for the gospel.

“When people see the change in how Romial lives, or the joy shining on Dadeline’s face, they will begin asking questions,” he said. 

“My desire is for Village Demier to become known as a place where lives are genuinely transformed by Christ, where young people discover a purpose greater than themselves.”