On Tuesday March 29, Mission to North America (MNA) and El Shaddai Ministries International (ESMI), both ministries of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), were honored by the Haitian Senate for their relief efforts following the devastation from the earthquake in January.

Dony St. Germain, pastor of El Shaddai PCA in Miami, provided much of the oversight for the relief efforts in Haiti. The President and Secretary of the Haitian Senate personally handed the recognition award to St. Germain and Arklie Hooten, Short Term Missions & Disaster Response Director for MNA. Both Dony and Arklie were surprised by the award and the ceremony. In his remarks, Hooten stated that he accepted the award on behalf of MNA’s Coordinator, Jim Bland, the many MNA/PCA volunteers who have served, and the financial supporters and prayer partners.
The award stated, “The Senate of the Republic of Haiti would like to recognise El Shaddai Ministries International Inc. (ESMI) and Mission to North America (MNA) for their relief efforts in the days and weeks immediately following the tragic earthquake on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Haiti was at her greatest need ever. Thank you for your intervention medically, socially, and economically. Presented in Port-au-Prince March 29, 2010” The certificate was signed by Dr. Kelley Bastien, President of the Senate, and Pierre Franky Exius, Secretary of the Senate.
Also on hand were around 50 key Haitian pastors from across the country, some from churches with up to 5,000 members. Others present were Bresile St. Germain, Dr. Jay Sklar from Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and Dr. Steve McGee-Director of Ministries in Action in Miami, Florida.