F.A.R.M. Haiti Board Members
Mary Anderson Harris, Founder and Vice President of F.A.R.M. Haiti.
When Mary was 15, the Lord told her she was going to be a missionary. She politely refused. Nonetheless, the Lord continued to prepare her for missions over the next years to come. She was a Sunday school teacher and youth group leader for many decades, attended and then led many bible studies. The Lord provided her with a mentor who pushed her go deeper in her faith, and challenged her to line up her beliefs with biblical backing. She participated in short term mission trips to Uganda, India, Haiti, and many missions within the United States. She also led a mission trip to Dominican Republic.
Rodney Harris, President of F.A.R.M. Haiti
Rodney is responsible for assisting with decision making and business strategy execution, assist with fundraising, conduct staff development, coaching and mentoring, training sessions and participating in projects. He is also a spiritual leader.
As an early adult, Rodney attended missionary training from Teen Missions International and then served three months as a missionary in Haiti. After completing a career in the U.S. military with occupations in engineering and as a military pilot, Rodney completed a B.S. degree in Business Management and Leadership followed by a M.S. Ed in Training and Performance Improvement. More recently he has held roles in global training management and global leadership development for major corporations.
Brenda Szoka, Director
As a special education teacher and Sunday School teacher with 20 + years of experience Brenda has a heart for children and serving others in need. Brenda has served many years in a variety of food ministries and volunteered for many nonprofits in her community. As an entrepreneur she has started several new businesses and been involved in fundraising for individuals and Haiti. Brenda's lifelong passion was to travel abroad and visit an orphanage and to partner with a non profit agency that provides food for those in need. In 2011, God made a way and Brenda traveled to Haiti on her first mission trip. In 2015, God opened the doors to allow Brenda to take a mission trip with her brother Greg and his church to visit Haiti again. This is when she met Mary. This experience allowed Brenda the opportunity to teach the children, feed the poor, pray for others while visiting the prison, a school, a hospital, an orphanage and individual people's homes. It confirmed her love for Haiti. Brenda has been blessed and has returned to Haiti several times. Brenda has been married to husband Jurek for 35 years. They have 4 adult children and a dog.In her free time Brenda enjoys traveling, fishing, kayaking, camping, crafts and cooking. She loves spending time with her family and friends.
Dick Felch, Director
Dick brings 40 plus years of experience working in both the public and private sector as well as having his own business. He holds a PhD degree from the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University. He has been to Haiti three times with New Day and is currently mentoring one of the young men he met while there, guiding him as he develops his own business. Dick is widely known as grandpa to many of the young people there as well as the young people from NewDay who served with him in Haiti. He has demonstrated a real heart for Haiti and the Haitian people, and serves as one of the agricultural advisors to FarmHaiti. Dick loves serving the Lord has seen God work in miraculous ways throughout his life and the life of his family. He and his late wife Juanita were married for 53 years. They have two grown children and four incredible grandchildren.
Cliff Hanson, Director
Cliff is an active member of Emmanual Christian Center church. He enjoys participating and leading a men’s group fellowship. He is an Employee Benefits Consultant and helps his clients select, install and support their employee benefit programs. Recreationally, Cliff enjoys most any outdoor activities, including motorcycling, boating and snowmobiling. Most importantly Cliff enjoys precious time with family and friends. Cliff’s daughters, son-in-laws, and granddaughters are his pride and joy this side of heaven. Being a director of three non-profit boards, Cliff brings knowledge and insight of the inner-workings of non-profits organizations. Through a long time friendship with Rodney, Cliff came to know Farm Haiti when Rodney dated and married Mary. Through this friendship has come a deep appreciation for the work of Farm Haiti.
Anita MacKay, Secretary
Anita MacKay is a passionate intercessor with a vision to see world hunger end during her lifetime. A former business owner with an entrepreneurial spirit, Anita believes sustainable development projects have the potential to change the world. She agrees with God’s heart that all people deserve to be saved, healed and set free from anything hindering them. To that end, Anita has led or assisted with several freedom ministries in local churches and nonprofit organizations. Living with her husband and extended family on a small hobby farm in rural Minnesota, it would not be unusual to see Anita playing with her grandchildren while working in her garden and praying for the world!