From Canton community to Haitian culture
A year after graduating from Malone with a B.A. in Communication-Public Relations, Alexis Kreiner ’16 accepted a one-year position with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) through the Serving and Learning Together program (SALT) in Haiti. MCC is a global non-profit that partners with local churches and organizations to share God’s love and compassion for all through relief, development, and peace. They have been ministering in Haiti since 1958 and dedicate time and resources to solving local needs and supporting existing projects.
“I chose to work with MCC because I admired their developmental approach of working alongside local partners in areas such as health, agriculture, education, and sexual and gender-based violence,” she said. “I loved supporting the amazing work they were doing in Haiti with the organizations there and I found it to be a beautiful and meaningful place to live. As a result, I have chosen to continue working here with MCC!”
The community at Malone impacted Kreiner’s student experience and still impacts her professionally as an alumna.
“My time at Malone taught me how to cultivate community wherever I went. My professors knew I wanted to serve internationally and they encouraged me to apply that in their classes and try new things, even if it meant taking a risk. As a student, I was given the opportunity to understand and appreciate other worldviews,” she explained. “Thinking about my degree as an incredible opportunity not many receive, Malone helped me to see my future professional goals as avenues for service in the Kingdom.”
Kreiner currently serves in Haiti as the interim country director for MCC. She manages a team of Haitian and international staff and they support eight different local organizations. She splits her time between administrative responsibilities and accompanying organizational partners to urban projects in Port-au-Prince or hiking to mountain communities in rural areas.
“My favorite part of living in Haiti is learning from and working alongside Haitians,” she said. “Through the seasons of intense political instability in the country, I continue to hear Haitians talk about resilience, community, and courage. I am always inspired by the way our partners continue to press on in their work, and I feel deeply thankful to have the opportunity to learn from them.”