Our Backstory

Our relationship with Martel and Bondeau Haiti goes back to 2010. The Rev. Sam Owen spent the two summers during his seminary years in Bondeau. He stayed at the guesthouse and served as the seminarian in residence. As his Creole improved he learned through conversations with the people that one of the most pressing needs that the community had was to have a separate church building. The church, which was then called St. Marie Madeleine Episcopal Church, worshipped in a school classroom, with room for around 80 worshippers. That was fraction of the number of people who wanted to come to the church.

In 2011 Bishop Jean Zache Duracin laid the cornerstone for the new church. In August 2012 Fr. Jean Berthold Phanord took over as priest in charge. His priority was to build a glorious sanctuary. After some negotiation between Fr. Phanord and the American Episcopalians, Sam and others began fundraising for the church building project. Over the next three years they raised USD $440,000.00.

The church was completed in July 2015, and the name of the parish was changed to Bon Samaritan Episcopal Church. Bishop Duracin returned that summer to consecrate the new sanctuary.

Today Bon Samaritan Episcopal Church is the largest Episcopal church in Haiti. The parish has a vibrant school grades pre-K through college prep. Over 450 students attend. Bon Samaritan Episcopal School has a vibrant partnership with South Florida Haiti Project, a 501c3 corporation and a collaborative of Episcopal parishes in the Episcopal Church in Southeast Florida.