In 2003, Mike Wilson’s life was changed on a short-term trip to Haiti. When he returned home to Nashville, TN he couldn’t quite describe what Haiti was like to his wife and three sons. He simply said, “I have to go back.” Mike returned to Haiti in 2005 and again with his wife, Missy, in 2007. During these trips, it was clear Haiti would mean more to this family than just a short-term mission destination. Their call to serve the people of Haiti was growing every day.
Together, Mike and Missy took several more trips to Haiti with their church over the years. During these short-term trips, they visited the village of Neply on a couple of occasions because the translators working with them were from there and wanted to show them.
In 2011, Missy had a vivid dream in which God revealed to her children playing in a courtyard and people from the village joining together to help build bunk beds. She saw a tall, iron gate in front of the building. She saw families with children, both typically developing and special needs, living together. She saw a sugar cane field next to a central building.
“After I had my dream, I was visiting Neply and the pastor told me he wanted me to see a building in case I ever needed to use it. When he took me there it was the building from my dream. I knew Neply existed before my dream, however, I had never seen the building when I had been in Neply,” Missy recalls.
This vision from God combined with the story of their son, Lane, who despite being born as a preemie with severe special needs defied the odds against him for survival; the ministry and name “myLIFEspeaks” became evident. The name “myLIFEspeaks” is inspired by Lane’s LIFE but echoes the truth that each and every LIFE tells a story of God’s goodness and faithfulness. myLIFEspeaks proclaims the conviction that every LIFE matters and every person is made in the image of God; regardless of ability, disability, age, color, wealth, or status. All have inherent dignity, worth, and priceless value in God’s eyes.
In 2012 myLIFEspeaks officially launched in the village of Neply, Haiti with the goal of helping children with special needs who were cast out from their families because of the influence of VouDou culture. However, it quickly became evident that helping children with special needs also meant empowering their parents and relatives, developing the commUNITY around them, educating their peers, and providing the necessary care and assistance that otherwise is often denied to individuals with special needs in Haiti.
Today, myLIFEspeaks has developed and continues to cultivate a commUNITY in Haiti that is centered on and growing towards Christ every day through:
Employment opportunities so parents can provide for their families in a dignified, honorable way.
Integrated Gospel-centric education for both typically developing and special needs students at LIFE Academy.
Quality and affordable healthcare, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and diagnostic/pharmaceutical services that are preventative and educational in nature.
Walking alongside parents and families as they fight for their children and to stay together, fighting back against the culture of poverty-driven child relinquishment to orphanages.
104+ local families receiving monthly in-home food assistance to ensure that no child goes without food.
Providing forever foster family homes within our commUNITY for children who have been orphaned or abandoned and entrusted to us by Haitian Child Services.
Biblically-based support group and community programming for the elderly, individuals with special needs, parents of special needs children, and pregnant mothers.
Helping to stand in the nutritional, medical, and spiritual gaps for those who otherwise would go without all while showing the Love and Hope of Christ.
The Wilson family lived in Neply, Haiti until November 2021 when unrest and safety concerns especially revolving around the kidnapping-for-ransom of 16 American missionaries, forced them to relocate to America for the time being.
They currently lead myLIFEspeaks from the US working alongside 160 Haitian employees on the ground in Haiti and 7 American staff based in the United States. The Wilsons prayerfully await the day they may return safely home to Haiti if it is God's will.
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