Hope for a New Haiti – An Interview with Rex Whisenhunt

A Ministry of Rescue the Poor America

For Rex Whisenhunt, founder of Hope for a New Haiti, the moment that changed everything came in 2015. While scrolling through Facebook, he came across a heartbreaking post from a young boy living in a Haitian shelter. “He just put out a prayer to God,” Rex recalls, “that he wouldn’t have to use his private parts to get food.” The boy’s simple cry stirred something deep in Rex’s heart.

“We sent a local minister to the shelter to meet the boy and interview his family. They talked for two hours. We got everything we needed. That was the spark.”

Under the umbrella of Rescue the Poor America — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — Hope for a New Haiti now serves orphans and families of orphans across Haiti, providing vital resources such as food, water, shelter, medical care, and education. The ministry has grown significantly since its early days, shaped by both the increasing needs of Haiti and the commitment of those determined to bring hope to its people.

But the needs are staggering.

“We began ten years ago when there was still a functioning government and economy in Haiti. It used to cost $30 a month to feed one person,” Rex explains. “But everything changed after President Moïse was assassinated. Gangs backed by Central American drug traffickers have taken over. The economy has collapsed. Half the population — about 5.5 million people — are now in extreme hunger. Several million are starving.”^2,3

Hope for a New Haiti primarily serves young Haitians in their teens and twenties — many of whom were orphaned during the 2010 earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of adults. “They were the ones small enough to crawl out of the rubble,” Rex says.⁵ “They survived, but they’ve known nothing but suffering since.”

Through long-standing partnerships with local ministries and daily communication via messenger, audio, and video, Rex and his team verify each family they help. “We collect ID photos and documentation. Every family gets monthly support. And they are so very thankful.”

The ministry runs on both practical help and spiritual conviction. Psalm 82:3–4 has become a guiding passage:

"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked."

A typical day in the ministry involves hours of communication with Haitian youth, gathering updates, verifying needs, and triaging urgent situations. “A 5-gallon jug of water is $25 now,” Rex shares. “The children stay sick because of malnutrition. There’s no sanitation. Rubble covers the city. Disease is rampant. Injuries are common. It’s constant.”⁴

When asked about the hardest part of the work, Rex doesn’t hesitate: “It’s the overwhelming need that never ends. Hearing the cries of the innocent and not being able to help them all.” He adds quietly, “God gave them to me as my children. I believe in that. And I believe in them — until I die.”

Despite the hardship, Rex is hopeful. “We want to expand our digital footprint — to open a window so Americans can see what’s really happening in Haiti. These are a dying people, misunderstood by the outside world. But they are fighting for survival.”

So how can people help?

“We need prayer — for deliverance from the gangs, for the killings to stop. Some gangs even practice voodoo. It’s evil. But 95% of Haitians are Christians.* There is so much good there.”¹

Long ago, Rex made a decision. “I gave my life for the Haitian people. Most of them are still just children in bigger bodies. All they’ve ever known is suffering. I pray God opens the door so I can visit them one day. But for now, it’s too dangerous. Most ministries can’t even operate there.”

Still, the mission continues — powered by love, prayer, and unwavering belief in the worth of every life.

To learn more or partner with Hope for a New Haiti, visit: Hope For a New Haiti