FARM Haiti Board Members
Mary Anderson Harris, Founder and Vice President of F.A.R.M. Haiti.
Mary's heart for missions began when she was just 15 years old, when she first sensed God calling her to serve Him overseas. Although she had other plans at the time, God continued preparing her through years of Bible study, teaching, youth ministry, and short-term mission trips. In 2013, Mary moved to Haiti, where she began to see firsthand the struggles families faced simply trying to provide for their children. Her desire to share the love of Christ grew into a passion for helping families become more self-sufficient. That passion eventually led to the founding of FARM Haiti, a ministry that brings together Farming God's Way, sustainable agriculture, reforestation, discipleship, and leadership development. Today, Mary's greatest desire is to see Haitian families thriving, young people growing into strong leaders, and Haitian communities being transformed through faith, hard work, and hope.
Rodney Harris, President of FARM 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 40 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.
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!