Ilexene Alphonse was born in Haiti, he speaks three languages, and has a vibrant smile.
When he was 19, Ilexene moved to Miami, Fla., where he met his wife, Michaela, and got involved with the Haitian Brethren community there.
“I love the church for what it stands for,” said Ilexene, “for the peace work and simple living, and for the social justice—like how they helped with the earthquake in Haiti. It’s Jesus’ way.”
In 2008, Ilexene and Michaela decided to visit family in Haiti after being away for 11 years.
Ilexene Alphonse, Church of the Brethren program volunteer in Haiti through Brethren Disaster Ministries.
Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
It was a terrible week.
The airline lost their luggage and it took several days to get it back. People were aggressively begging, and no one listened. Ilexene decided, “I will never go back to Haiti.”
But after returning to Miami, Ilexene remembered the children he saw on the streets. “I couldn’t stop thinking about them, night and day. God put something in my heart.” So one day he said to Michaela, “Let’s start a school in Haiti.” And she agreed.
Ilexene began working overtime and saving the extra income to buy things like fabric for school uniforms, and supplies, and curriculum. Just a few months later, in September of 2008, he and Michaela founded the New Covenant School of St. Louis du Nord. Now the school hosts 260 students, seven teachers, one principal, and soon an assistant principal as well.
“I had to choose to be a Nehemiah or a Jonah,” remembered Ilexene, referring to the Old Testament prophets who were called to serve the people of their homelands. “I chose to be a Nehemiah. It’s a call, and even though I thought it wasn’t a job for me, I’m willing to do it.”
Ilexene’s most recent project is a one-year term as a Church of the Brethren program volunteer in Haiti through Brethren Disaster Ministries. Along with managing the guest house there, Ilexene will train other leaders and strengthen relationships between the Haitian Church of the Brethren and the Global Mission and Service program in Haiti.
“I’m excited to see how God is going to use me,” said Ilexene. “It’s a double blessing because I love this church so much, and I am going to help my own people.”
This is an article from 
eBrethren (October 26, 2011)