Chronic hunger is an enormous problem plaguing Haitian families. More than one in ten children in Haiti are severely malnourished, and one in five is underweight. We at Middle Ground believe that every human has the right to a proper, well-balanced diet, and the positive health effects that come along with it!
Not being able to provide enough food for their children is one of the main reasons parents turn to alternative care in Haiti. Unfortunately, most readily available solutions involve removing children from their immediate families. These “solutions” range from institutions and orphanages, to situations where children are often vulnerable to abuse and human slavery. The reality of the lives of children in Haiti who are not in the care of their parents is sobering.
At Middle Ground we strive to not only offer intervention through emergency treatment of severe malnutrition, but also offer opportunities for families to provide for their children once they return home, through sustainability and education groups. We believe that children have the right to grow up in their families, and that families have the right to provide their children’s basic needs through their own resources.
Following a holistic approach, we provide three specific programs – malnutrition treatment, caregiver education and ongoing sustainability. Somewhere on the path between barely surviving and thriving is where you find Middle Ground. For families in the trenches of malnutrition and poverty, the journey from where they are to where they desire to be is filled with obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. It’s in this space that you find us. Deeply committed to walking with families during a brief, but life-changing season. From our malnutrition treatment center to our sustainability training, we are committed to family preservation in every way possible. We are dedicated to those we serve with the humility and love of Jesus Christ – fighting for the vision of a country where every child can thrive at home with their family.
Vision statement: A world where families are empowered to remain intact and childhood malnutrition is eradicated.
Mission statement: Striving to come alongside families in the grace of Jesus to introduce lasting solutions to hunger, poverty, and generational trauma.
CORE VALUES
RELATIONSHIP – We seek to glorify God and bring glory to the name of Jesus through our relationships. We believe that God has called us into relationship with Himself and then with the world around us. He has commanded us to consider the “least of these,”not just as those to be pitied but loved and worthy of our real and genuine relationships as fellow children loved by an almighty God.
SUSTAINABILITY – We at Middle Ground recognize that the whole of Creation declares the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). Our Creator perfectly crafted a world which sustains our human lives, lives which themselves came into being by his breath (Genesis 2:7). In keeping with the example He gave us, we strive to provide resources to the ones we serve, allowing for family sustainability that reaches into future generations.
INTEGRITY – We at Middle ground hold in highest reverence, the importance of maintaining our integrity. It is our belief that this will manifest itself when we consciously focus on key principles, which include taking responsibility for our actions and putting others needs before our own. We believe in choosing honesty in all situations and manifesting humility and kindness and we strive to always honor the culture of the communities and individuals that we serve. We are committed to maintaining transparency, both financially and relationally
RESPECT – At Middle Ground we are committed to building an encouraging, caring, and supportive environment. We believe that all whom we serve are children of God and hold a worth and value in his eyes that call for our respect. Different views and experiences are advantages. We value those natural individual differences such as culture, personality, and disability that both challenge us and make each of us unique. This means assuming positive intent, practicing direct and supportive communication, maintaining confidentiality and honesty, and working toward mutual understanding.
COMMUNITY – We seek to make a positive difference in the community surrounding Middle Ground and all those from which the families we serve come. This means that through thoughtful planning, services are provided in the most natural and inclusive ways possible. We strive to build community among those we serve. We strive to show a deep respect for human beings inside and outside our organization and for the communities in which they live.
GENEROSITY – We believe that God has called us to minister to those we serve by being generous with our time and talents. In this way we believe that we are being a faithful reflection of God’s love and compassion. 1 John 3:16-18This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
PASSION – Serving with passion can reflect many differing concepts. Our interpretation and goal in our work here at Middle ground is based in the concept that our passion is not necessarily a personal feeling or emotion, but is rooted in the idea of a devotion to honor God and those we serve. We believe that an outwardly aimed passion will be fanned by the flames of the Holy Spirit, who authors our passions, even without our knowledge and recognition.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Apostles Creed
We believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
