RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
In Haiti, one of the fastest-growing churches in the country grew out of the devastating 2010 earthquake. The Shalom Tabernacle of Glory Church started in a storefront in Port-au-Prince just days before the quake destroyed much of the capital. The evangelical mission now claims to have more than 50,000 members, and one of the most popular radio stations in Haiti.
NPR's Jason Beaubien has the story.
(SOUNDBITE OF A SINGING CONGREGATION)
JASON BEAUBIEN, BYLINE: On January 12th, for the 2nd anniversary of the earthquake, thousands of people flocked to the Shalom Church in Port-au-Prince. The church is just a plywood stage under a patchwork of tattered tarps. The crowd was so large that it spilled down a muddy hill towards a tent-camp for earthquake victims. Most of the singing, swaying people in the congregation were so far away they couldn't even see the podium.
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BEAUBIEN: This church is a product of the earthquake. Father Andre Muscadin formed it because he says God had told him there was going to be a disaster. And a few days later, the quake hit. In the aftermath of the quake, Shalom grew rapidly, Father Muscadin, says as many Haitians turned to religion for strength and assistance.
But why, I asked him, did they turn to his church in particular?
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
FATHER ANDRE MUSCADIN: (Foreign language spoken) Error! Not a valid link.Because we have God here, he says with a laugh. He also has an extremely powerful radio transmitter that broadcasts his evangelical message and music across the country. Muscadin says miracles occur at the services held under the tarps outside his office.
MUSCADIN: (Creole spoken)
BEAUBIEN: For example, people here who were blind are now able to see, he says. The mute are all of a sudden able to speak. People injured in the earthquake can walk again. Parishioners also say they've seen miracles occur in front of them at Shalom. The services last for hours and involve a succession of preachers. On this Sunday, Pastor Joseph Josier in a black suit with a purple shirt is delivering a passionate sermon.
JOSEPH JOSIER: (Creole spoken)
BEAUBIEN: With determination, courage and conviction, he tells the congregation you can have everything you want. A central message at Shalom is that if you give to God, God will give back to you. He'll give you money, a baby, a husband, a new car. Shalom is a powerful fundraising machine, asking for donations during the services, online and over the radio. Father Muscadin won't say how much revenue he brings in but he proudly declares everything he's built has been built by Haitians. Amidst the millions of dollars in international aid that's poured into Haiti after the quake, Muscadin says his rapidly growing ministry is funded by lots of small donations from church members. There are no formal tools to measure radio audiences in Haiti. Muscadin claims that Radio Shalom is now the most popular station in the country. Richard Widmaier, who runs a rival commercial broadcaster Radio Metropole, says a survey last year found Shalom indeed to be the most listened to station in Haiti.
RICHARD WIDMAIER: Well, to tell you the truth, I was shocked myself because I'd never heard of Radio Shalom.
BEAUBIEN: Widmaier say the religious broadcaster has become a powerful force in the country and he concedes that his rival is attracting a lot of listeners. Jeff Berard has his radio tuned to Shalom, in his words, 24/7.
JEFF BERARD: They're bring a lot of people using the radio to bring people back to Christ. You know, people who didn't have hope any more, you know, they give them hope.
BEAUBIEN: Berard has just stepped off the stage where he was playing keyboards during a marathon Sunday service at Shalom. After the earthquake, he says, a lot of people felt lost and abandoned. Berard says the appeal of Shalom is that Father Muscadin understands the plight of ordinary Haitians and his church has become a refuge for them.
BERARD: You know, a lot of people, you know, lost their homes and living under tents. And as you can see, the church is under a tent right now. So, trying to serve God even though you don't have anything, you know, it's really a tough thing to do. But as you can see here, people are just giving themselves to God even though they don't know what they're going to eat after.
BEAUBIEN: As the Sunday mass at Shalom builds to a crescendo, some people in the congregation are swept up completely by the service. The pastor calls for sinners to come forward and give themselves to Christ, to be born again.
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BEAUBIEN: Screams punctuate the singing. A large woman in a white dress holding a baby starts to shake violently. Ushers grab the baby out of her arms before she collapses in the dirt. Other people start fainting throughout the crowd. They're battling evil spirits, the pastor says, and the evil spirits fly out of their bodies when they collapse. When they come to a few minutes later, they're cleansed. And then the members of the Shalom congregation slowly file out from under the tarps back into the quake-ravaged streets of Port-au-Prince. Jason Beaubien, NPR News.
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