How It All Began
I grew up on a fourth-generation dairy farm in southern Minnesota, where I learned the value of hard work, the importance of family, and faith was part of our everyday life.
When I was 15, I felt God calling me to be a missionary. But life went on, and for many years, I put that calling aside.
I got married, raised two children, and spent 29 years working in banking. I loved my family and enjoyed my career, but somewhere in the back of my mind, that desire to serve God on the mission field was still there.
Over the years, I taught Bible studies and went on mission trips to different parts of the world. Little by little, God was preparing me for something I never could have imagined.
After my husband Ed passed away, I began wondering what God had planned for the next chapter of my life. In 2012, I left my banking career and went to missionary training. Six months later, in 2013, I moved to Haiti.
I went to Haiti to share the Gospel. That was my heart. But once I got there, God began opening my eyes to things I hadn’t expected.
I saw families struggling just to put food on the table. I saw farmers working so hard, yet barely growing enough to feed their families. It was heartbreaking to see how difficult everyday life could be.
I kept asking myself, What can we do to help? How can we help families provide for themselves instead of always depending on someone else?
We started with some simple projects, including fuel-efficient stoves and planting trees. In 2015, we began a reforestation project in Pignon that grew into a much larger commitment to restoring the land.
Then, in 2017, we began teaching Farming God’s Way. I loved that it brought together two things so close to my heart: sharing God’s Word and teaching people how to grow food.
And that’s really how FARM Haiti began to grow. One need led to another, and God kept opening doors.
In 2018, God brought Rodney into my life. We share the same love for the Lord and the Haitian people, and it’s been a blessing to serve together.
Today, I spend time both in Haiti and in the States. One of the things I’m most excited about is mentoring our Haitian staff and watching them grow into leaders who can carry this ministry forward.
The Haitian people have become such an important part of my life. I’ve learned so much from them, and I continue to see God at work in ways I never expected.
More than anything, I want to see families able to feed themselves, children growing up with hope, and people coming to know Jesus. And I want to see Haitians leading the way in transforming their own communities.
Mary Anderson Harris
Founder, FARM Haiti