top of page
the_sentinels logo.jpg

Who Are The Sentinels

Known as the ministry of the Sentinels, the Sentinels is a Non-profit Christian Organization under section 501(c) (3) EIN-47-1457414 comprised of a group of mothers concerned about the well-being of not only their children but also of the immigrant youth population in the greater Boston area. As a faith-based organization, the ministry does not discriminate against anyone no matter creed, religions, and gender. 

History

Ministry Sentinels was founded in 2009 by Mrs. Myrtha Celestin, founder after painfully observing the fall of young people under the hands of the justice system both federal and local; she observed how young men and women subjected themselves to all sorts of destructive behaviors which ultimately will get them in trouble with the system. She also observed the adverse impact on children and youth due to disruption in family functioning, leading to drug abuse and sexual activity as a means of coping.  Based on her observations, she brought a team of other concerned community leaders to brainstorm ways to support the families. They concluded that there are observable differences in the degree of one’s parent’s relationship with their children at home will determine adult future decisions and implications for success and/or failures. Hence, the ministry was created to be a faith-based organization that will serve the local communities in counseling matters without discriminations. 

history_picture.jpg

Mission and Goals

The Sentinels Ministry mission is to provide access to culturally competent services to immigrant families using a holistic approach that takes into account the spiritual, cultural and emotional aspect of the individuals. Sentinel ministry brings together stakeholders from the community who have a vested interest in seeing individuals fulfilling their God’s given abilities to fully function in their communities. 

Sentinels Ministry goals and objectives are the following:

1. Provide a positive environment that support the family unit in all aspects of raising competent and intelligent children

2. Equip parents with the tools they need to support their children

3. Educate stakeholders about the critical issues their communities face

4. Bring providers from different background to support the emotional well-being of the clients

5. Provide a safe space for clients to meet with other concerned individuals to provide spiritual and emotional support

Organizations /Structure

image.png

Sentinels ministry leadership team is composed of a group of culturally competent individuals who are fully embedded in the community and understand the challenges faced by immigrant parents as they try to navigate their new culture. The ministry is led by a board of directors, and a team of competent individuals who play various roles in the organization. All staff speak various languages and bring various skills to support family transition, especially for immigrants transitioning into their new communities. 

We bring together professionals in various fields such as marriage and family counseling, group and individual therapy, nursing, community advocacy and social work. We also work with law enforcement officers, other medical professionals, educators in early childhood interventions, youth workers, health and wellness as a way to complement our interventions. (Please see attached list of staff)

The Problem

image.png

Inadequate access to services, and inappropriate identification of treatment of mental health concerns in ethnic minority communities have led to significant disparities in outcomes for youths of Haitian descent. Haitian local community services have been proven inadequate to meet the challenges that people of faith present in the community. Many of them refuse to seek help due to mistrust and fear of being misunderstood. For the past decade, the Haitian community has been categorized among the underserved both professionally and socially in MA. In the last two years there has been an increase in newly arrived Haitian families who have arrived in MA, with various levels of trauma. More often than not, they local churches of every creed and denomination. 

As a result of the pandemic, more than ever before the ministry, as a faith-based community organization, has been at the forefront among the essential care givers, to provide services to everyone from the community. Our services have been proven to be effective in reducing parental stressors, alleviating church demands, reducing teen delinquencies among Haitian adolescents. 

Intervention

The Ministry of the Sentinels is uniquely positioned itself to address issues of mental health in the Haitian community. As a Faith-Based Community Organization, Sentinels Ministry meets the patients where they are. Our team seeks to understand the psycho-spiritual development that has been neglected and constantly resurfacing among Haitians during counseling and therapy. We work with providers from culturally diverse backgrounds, and rely on various studies that highlight the supernatural belief of many community members when it comes to illness and evil spirit sent by someone who may not like or envy the person. We design interventions that take into consideration the cultural beliefs of families and uniquely address the challenges they face, while taking into consideration their own assets, their individual characteristics (family, cultural, work and school environment.)

​

The Program uses an innovative and creative intervention approach that focuses on Haitian families’ assets and strengths in addition to their current life stressors. The interventions will surround newly arrived families with a network of support (connecting them to local resources and individuals who care for them) . Such interventions have proven to be helpful in developing strong local relationships, self-esteem, self-efficacy and self-worth. We will also add a few elements such as tutoring, mentoring, advocacy training, development of social skills and community serving to support their full integration.

​

Our proposed interventions are focusing on building family resiliency and developing capacity known as life options that are critical for the sustenance of the families (academic success for the children, good mental health and marital relationship which is an integral part of overall health and well-being). 

What We Believe

  1.  We believe in the inerrancy of the Bible and that the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the very words of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20-21). 

  2. We believe in the triune God. The Godhead eternally exists in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are three distinct persons but one God (Rev. 1:4-6; Heb 1: 1-3; 1 Cor. 13:14). They have precisely the very same substance. 

  3. We believe that God created angels, a body of spiritual beings to be at His service and that He created angels, among which Lucifer, son of the morning sinned and thus becoming Satan (Isa. 14:12-17). Lucifer led a great company of fallen angles with him known as demons. 

  4. We believe that Satan was judged at the cross and that he will be once for all go in the eternal abyss that was made for him and the fallen angels, Rev. 20:1-3). 

  5. We believe in the “Imago Dei,” (Gen 1:28). All men are created with all rights and privileges. 

  6. We believe that man disobeyed the will of God after his creation and thus has fallen. As a result of his trespassing, man is condemned to death, deprived and is desperately in need of divine mercy of God.  

  7. We believe that salvation is by faith and faith alone and that no one is justified by good works (Eph 2:8-10). 

  8. We believe in the second coming of Christ and that the church will be raptured prior to the Tribulation period. 

  9. We believe in the eternal security of salvation and the church is the assembly of all believers and the body of Christ and that Christ is exclusively way to eternal salvation. 

  10. We believe in the great commission and the universal priesthood all believers and must intercedes for each other.  

  11. We believe that there will be a tribulation period on earth after the rapture. 

  12. We believe that there is a literal place called hell and an eternal estate of the believers (Rev 20:11-15).

  13. We believe that the local church is God’s primary organization of believers, after the family unit, in the present age. All believers must be part of a local body, call the local church. 

  14. We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church and 3) the state. In accordance to Romans 13:1-7; Eph. 5:22-24; Heb. 13:17 and 1 Pet 2:13-14, every member of the church shall commit himself or herself to be obedient to the authorities of these institutions and pray regularly for them, 1 Tim 2: 1-7. 

  15. We believe in the institution of marriage as an act between one man and one woman and that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. Hence, we believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography is a sinful perversion of God’s word. 

  16. We believe that God hates divorce (Mal 2:14-17) and intends marriage to be indissoluble until death does the couple apart (Mat 19:3-12). 

  17. We believe that abortion is murder and that we reject abortions on excuses account due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth control, population control, and mental well being of the mother. (Job 3:16; Ps 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24, 49:1, 5; 20:15-18; Lk 1:44). 

Services Offered

  1. Discipleship in the Word of God. This is not the same as Bible study. We encourage everyone to remain connected to their local church body. Discipleship in the Word deals with the application of the Word of God to the daily challenges we face as women.

  2. Mentoring in the principles of spiritual warfare

  3. ​Speaking engagements and workshops at your local church

  4. Community Outreach and Education

  • Facebook
  • Youtube
bottom of page