Annual Haitian Youth Retreat Welcomes Hundreds to AEC Grounds
The Haitian Youth Federation of the Allegheny East Conference Youth Retreat 2026 was more than a weekend gathering. It was a powerful reminder that our young people are still hungry for God, still eager for community, and still responding when space is created for them to grow spiritually.
Held from April 2 through April 5 under the theme Under Construction: Building, Breaking, and Becoming, this year’s retreat brought together 659 retreaters representing 17 churches, surpassing previous years even as intentional efforts were made to limit attendance. That reality alone speaks volumes. There is a deep and growing desire for spaces where young people can encounter God, build lasting connections, and be shaped in meaningful ways.
Participation Breakdown
This year’s retreat reflected strong participation across several groups:
Total Retreaters: 659
Pathfinders / Youth / Adults: 407 (61.8%)
Adventurers (Children): 146 (22.2%)
Staff: 87 (13.2%)
Pastors / Spouses / Guests / Vendors: 19 (2.9%)
The retreat also saw strong engagement across genders, with 40.7% male and 59.3% female participation.
At the center of these numbers is something even more important than attendance itself: a generation that continues to show up with openness, expectation, and a willingness to engage.
A Weekend of Worship, Growth, and Fellowship
From Thursday evening through Sunday’s closing, the retreat carried a strong and meaningful rhythm.
Friday began with devotion and early morning workouts, setting a tone of discipline, energy, and purpose. The day continued with a full slate of seminars and workshops that added depth to the retreat experience. These sessions created space for spiritual reflection, practical growth, and thoughtful engagement on issues relevant to those in attendance.
Alongside those sessions were activities that brought both creativity and excitement to the weekend, including the Lego activity, drum corps, and a petting zoo experience that added a memorable touch for many of the younger attendees. The retreat also included an act of service, as donations were delivered to a nearby shelter with the Spiritual Team, reminding everyone that ministry also calls us to care for those around us in practical ways.
Friday evening vespers stood out as one of the defining spiritual moments of the weekend. Worship, prayer, and the Word combined to create an atmosphere that invited deeper reflection and renewed commitment.
Sabbath remained the spiritual center of the retreat. From morning prayer to Sabbath School and Divine Worship, there was a noticeable increase in youth engagement throughout the day. The response was not passive. Young people were attentive, present, and meaningfully involved.
Saturday afternoon brought another major highlight with a concert featuring Ansy Deus and the Greater Purpose Band, followed later that evening by a 90s-themed social event that offered a joyful space for fellowship and connection.
The Adventurer program also played an important role throughout the weekend. Our younger attendees were served through intentional, age-appropriate programming that ensured they were fully included, engaged, and cared for throughout the retreat.
And, of course, the food deserves recognition as well. Throughout the weekend, attendees were consistently well fed, and the quality of the meals contributed greatly to the warm, welcoming, and communal atmosphere that helped define the overall experience.
Excellence Behind the Scenes
This year, we are grateful to report that there were zero incidents, and everyone remained safe throughout the retreat.
By God’s grace, the weekend was marked by strong planning, effective coordination, and smooth logistics from beginning to end. That level of excellence did not happen by chance. It was the result of prayer, preparation, and the dedicated work of many teams serving faithfully behind the scenes.
We extend heartfelt appreciation to all of our teams and ministries whose efforts made this retreat possible. Every area of service mattered, from spiritual leadership and children’s ministry to music, recreation, secretaries, division leaders, food services, medical, media, and security.
We also extend special thanks to the Allegheny East Conference Youth Department for their support, especially with hotel coordination, commuter logistics, and transportation assistance. We are equally grateful to the AEC Media Services Department and to everyone at AEC whose support, both visible and behind the scenes, helped make this retreat a success.
A special word of appreciation is also due to our local pastors. Thank you for your flexibility, your presence, your encouragement, and your continued investment in the spiritual growth of our young people. Your partnership and support helped strengthen this weekend in meaningful ways.
As part of the behind-the-scenes work that helped support the retreat, our team arrived on Wednesday and established a temporary network across the campgrounds. By bringing in a T-Mobile home router and a Verizon home internet router, merging the connections, and deploying five access points in designated areas, we were able to create a wireless mesh network that extended coverage into locations that typically have little to no connectivity. This helped support retreat operations, including registration and general coordination, and also supported 12 security cameras placed throughout key areas of the grounds. The system was fully broken down before departure on Sunday.
Special Thanks
We extend special thanks to our Retreat Directors, Doreen Osias, James Dejean, and Milanda Mardy, for their leadership, service, and commitment throughout the weekend.
We also thank our Next Gen Ambassadors, Ashana Chevalier, Michael Yves Duvernay, and Tatiana Antoine, for their energy, presence, and support in helping make the retreat experience meaningful for so many of our young people.
We offer sincere appreciation as well to our guest speaker, Pastor Jose St. Phard, for joining us and leading in prayer, devotion, and the preaching of the Word. His presence was a blessing and helped shape the spiritual tone of the retreat in a meaningful way.
To every youth leader, volunteer, staff member, supporter, and worker behind the scenes, thank you. Your service helped create a weekend that was impactful, safe, and deeply meaningful.
A Message from the President
“This retreat is a reminder that our young people are still seeking God and still responding when given the opportunity.
I am deeply grateful for every leader, volunteer, pastor, and young person who made this weekend possible. Your commitment and sacrifice matter.
As we look ahead, we are especially excited for next year as we celebrate 35 years as a federation. We look forward to continuing to build together.
We pray the Lord is pleased with us. May all the glory go to Calvary.”
Looking Ahead
HYFAEC Youth Retreat 2026 confirmed something powerful. The demand is growing, the engagement is increasing, and the impact is real.
As we look ahead to next year and the celebration of our 35th anniversary as a federation, we do so with gratitude, expectation, and confidence that God is still moving among our young people.
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