For six years, Pierre Ernst Jacques’ ordination was put on hold due to civil unrest in his home country of Haiti. However, through an unusual set of circumstances — some tragic — Jacques found himself in the United States for a special remote ordination during this year’s Eastern Kentucky District Assembly.

Jacques met the requirements for ordination in 2018 after that year’s assembly, which turned out to be the last time a general superintendent could visit Haiti. He continued to rise within the leadership of the church in Haiti, eventually becoming president of the Nazarene seminary in the country, yet he still had not been ordained.

“I was looking for opportunities, wherever there was an ordination nearby that I could go to and be ordained remotely,” Pierre said.

While on vacation in Canada, an emergency arose, bringing Jacques and his wife, Tayler, to the United States. Tayler was pregnant with twins and tragically lost both of them. Due to the emergency and the couple’s visa statuses, Pierre and Tayler found themselves in Tayler’s home area of Eastern Kentucky for an unknown amount of time.

They found a church to attend regularly and realized that the Eastern Kentucky District Assembly would soon occur. The district had been aware of the Jacques' situation, and Eastern Kentucky District Superintendent Doug Wyatt contacted Pierre to see how the district could help them. Pierre then informed him of the ordination request.

“He told me he would do anything to make [the ordination] happen,” Pierre said.

So the process began. Pierre’s home district in Haiti, the Lower Artibonite District, had to send a report to the Mesoamerica Region confirming Pierre had met the ordination requirements. The region then notified the jurisdictional general superintendent of Haiti, Christian Sarmiento, who coordinated with the Eastern Kentucky District and its jurisdictional general superintendent, Fili Chambo.

Through the efforts of Dr. Chambo, Dr. Sarmiento, and Dr. Saenz, it was made possible for both districts to celebrate an unforgettable ordination," Wyatt said. 

On 11 June 2024, after six years of waiting, Pierre was ordained as an elder in the Church of the Nazarene, remotely, during the Eastern Kentucky District Assembly. His church family back in Haiti could watch and follow along online. 

Wyatt said the occasion opened up the eyes of many on the Eastern Kentucky District.

"The joining of two districts in this remote ordination is a beautiful reminder that the Church of the Nazarene is truly a global church," Wyatt said.

After years of work and the wait that followed, Pierre felt that moment was a privilege and was grateful to have his wife at his side.

“Six years ago, I was not married yet,” Pierre said. “So, it was beautiful that my wife could be with me as I received the ordination.”

The ordination has been a bright spot despite the tragic circumstances that brought them to the Eastern Kentucky District.

“I know God has his purpose because we are his children,” Pierre said. “We don’t know the future, but we know that God can make something beautiful out of ashes. We didn’t know what it would be. But I feel like the ordination might be one of those things.”

Pierre said the Eastern Kentucky District has continued to love and support the couple as they await their return to Haiti.

“I still feel like a part of the district,” Pierre said. “They still consider us as a family. They still ask how we’re doing and invite us to the district activities to see how they can be alongside us in this process, so I think that’s beautiful.”