For 30-year-old Carlin, the challenges he faced finishing medical school in Haiti far exceeded what most American doctors would ever encounter.
Groups of gang members would create chaos in the hospitals frequently disrupting my clinical rounds,” said Carlin.
His uncle, Riviaud, experienced similar instability and threats working in the legal field.
“There would be attacks in the courtroom. The courtroom wasn’t safe, roads weren’t safe, even churches weren’t safe. Groups of people would attack while pastors were in the middle of sermons,” said Riviaud, an attorney.
A temporary protective immigration program opened the door for Haitians to seek respite in the United States so Carlin, his father Lubin, uncle Riviaud, and aunt Marie embarked on a dangerous journey to flee their beautiful island nation laden with gang violence and political unrest.
It is never easy to leave your country, but at this point, there was no choice,” said Carlin.
A private plane was chartered from Cap Haitien to Miami, but it was the 70-mile car ride getting to Cap Haitien from Port au Prince that posed the biggest risk to their lives.
“Along the way, you might get killed or kidnapped by a gang,” said Carlin. “That was a very difficult journey. God was there for us to make it safely.”
Anything could have happened on the trek.”
After many travel issues, the four adults finally arrived in Minnesota in April 2024.
Carlin, his dad, and his dad’s siblings were reunited with their oldest brother, John, who already lived in Minnesota. John helped his siblings and nephew set up their new lives but said he couldn’t have done it without the assistance of the staff at Arrive Ministries.
God helped to connect our family with Arrive Ministries. Arrive Ministries called us; it’s a miracle, I don’t know how they connected with us,” said John.
A program coordinator at Arrive Ministries worked with the family to secure government assistance and make referrals to help the family achieve self-sufficiency.
Each of Carlin’s family members came with an abundance of career acumen: in addition to Carlin’s medical training and Riviaud’s law background, Marie was a school principal.
“Restarting my life is an easy problem to have. Life in Haiti was crazy,” said Marie. “Here, I live in peace, I will get a job and by working hard I will have a future for myself and my family.”
I will go to school to learn English. From that point, I will go to work, and if it’s possible I would love to get back into the medical field,” said Carlin.
All four adults are eager to contribute however they can to their new Minnesota community.
