OUR FOUNDERS

A LEGACY OF FAITH | PASTORS PIERRE & OVIDA FENELUS

Pastor Pierre Fenelus was born on December 1, 1958, in Plaisance, outside of Cap-Haitian, Haiti. He is the fifth child out of eight his parents had. Pierre had something different about him from a very young age. People who’ve known him since childhood will say, "he seems to care more about everyone else but himself.” This trait would become indispensable for the lifelong mission that God had in store for him.

The young Pierre was not just another child on the block, either. His father was a very influential voodoo priest, coming from a long line of voodoo practitioners. By the time he was 12 years old, Pierre had already claimed and been commissioned to be the next priest after his father.

Pierre, with immense courage, accepted an invitation from a friend to attend church with him one Sunday while in Port-au-Prince. This was the beginning of God's plan for Pierre’s life. Despite the challenges and the disapproval from his parents and the voodoo community, Pierre's curiosity led him to learn about God, Christianity, and Jesus Christ. A few months later, he made a life-altering decision-to become a Christian. This news was met with resistance, as he was being groomed to be their next priest.

Pierre's faith journey was not a solitary one. He met Ovida Metellus, a strong young Christian and school teacher, in Port-de-Paix, Haiti, in the early 1980s. The couple married in 1984 and started a family that has grown to six children, one daughter-in-law, and one granddaughter, all serving the Lord. Their commitment to their faith, despite being one of the first Christians in a family of voodooists, is a testament to their unwavering dedication.

After a few years of youth ministry, God called Pierre and his wife to become church planters. He returned to school at the Haitian Nazarene Seminary in Port-au-Prince, where he studied Theology and Evangelism. By 1988, Pierre and Ovida planted the first church in Carenage, Haiti. As his family often jokes:

    Pierre was meant to be a priest; he just started off in the wrong temple!

Since 1987, Pierre and Ovida's selfless and compassionate ministry has left an indelible mark on many lives in Haiti. Today, several members of his family are also serving the Lord.  They continue see many reached reached for the Lord as a powerful testament to the transformative power of their work. Pierre and Ovida continue to serve in Haiti, where he serves as a senior minister, trains church leaders, and reaches out to those bound in voodooism. Ovida's return to Haiti after battling cancer in the US is a testament to her unwavering commitment, as she says, “Right where I belong!” They are the proud parents of four sons and two daughters, as well as proud grandparents. Their greatest joy in life is that all their children are boldly serving the Lord and serving in the ministry. The two eldest sons currently serve on MESCH’s board of directors. They are now retired and live in Louisville, Kentucky.