Pastoral Care, the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Oppression in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

ABSTRACT

In the spring of 2020, Haitians found themselves in the midst of a health crisis fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the Haitian government declared a state of emergency, swiftly closing borders and shuttering schools for some 3,00,000 children. Despite growing numbers of infections, many Haitians in Port-au-Prince, the capital, and in nearby rural communities doubted COVID was serious. Pastor Julio Volcy and the Rendez-Vous Church congregation, worried about how COVID would exacerbate the nation's already sharp levels of inequality, provided a grassroots response at the beginning of the crisis, and this essay explores the impact of their work. © 2002 Taylor and Francis.