Ohio churches resist Trump’s attacks on Haitian community: ‘We’re powerful when we come together’

Churches in Springfield provide networks of support as Haitians face uncertainty over the future of TPS legal protections

At morning services at Central Christian Church in Springfield, Ohio, on Sunday, congregants greeted one another with hugs and expressed gratitude for a rare piece of good news. Nearly a week before, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration's attempt to end legal protections for 350,000 Haitians in the US.

The church is one of several in Springfield that provide services in Haitian Creole and has opened its doors to thousands of Haitians living in the small city in south-western Ohio. Addressing the ruling, pastor Carl Ruby explained in his sermon that during times of suffering, the silence of God doesn't mean the absence of God.