It’s no secret that Haiti has been undergoing a severe social, economic, and political crisis for the past several years. The capital is largely controlled by violent gangs, and this has had a ripple effect, creating economic decline throughout the country, including provincial areas such as Jeremie, where Thrive Ansanm is based. People are struggling under the weight of inflation, low wages, and widespread unemployment. Yet, even in the most difficult of times, there is always hope, and our special guest speaker at our most recent Thrive Ansanm student meeting embodies this hope.

Dr. Marx Mignard St-Clair is a well-known and respected physician who has practiced medicine in Jeremie for the past 18 years and runs a successful health clinic. Despite the stresses and demands of his profession, he consistently greets others with warmth, energy, and a genuine smile. He is an image of success, something for the university students to aspire to, but his path to getting where he is today was anything but easy.

As the sun illuminated our rooftop meeting space at Hotel Place Charmant, Dr. Marx spoke about his early years as a student. His family could not afford to send him to high school. Still, determined not to give up, he borrowed his older brother’s uniform and showed up to class anyway—fully aware that without tuition, he might not be allowed to finish the year. His persistence paid off. Somehow, his family found a way for him to continue.

After graduating from high school, he applied for a program that would enable him to go to university and medical school in Cuba, but he missed acceptance by one spot. However, eventually another space became available, and he was accepted. He first studied in Port-au-Prince, while he took Spanish language classes to prepare for Cuba, and then he attended medical school in Cuba. After completing his training, he returned to his hometown of Jeremie in 2008 to start his own practice.

Now he is one of the leading physicians in Jeremie, not just an excellent doctor, but also a kind and caring man. His clinic is always packed, but whether a patient arrives well-dressed with money in hand or in worn clothing with very little to give, he treats each person with the same dignity and respect. Even those who come in from the street seeking help are met with kindness.

As he was speaking, all of the students were listening with rapt attention. When he was finished, he took time to thoughtfully answer their questions, and even gave them his personal phone number, something he was not obligated to do.

One student asked him what he did to make it through difficult times, and he responded that he reminds himself nothing lasts forever. Today, we may be going through a difficult time, but it will pass. Tomorrow is a new day. Well aware of the incredibly difficult economic situation, he advised the students, “Don’t look for money first. Follow your passion first.” If you follow your passion and work hard, he said, money will come. You may not have a lot of money, but you will have enough to provide for your needs.

His own life is a testament to this philosophy. He is committed to serving his patients, even though they cannot afford to pay large sums of money. In fact, by the end of the meeting, several students shared personal testimonies about family members who had received care from Dr. Marx and what a blessing he had been to them.

Then, just as the session was ending, we received a final unexpected testimony. Our taxi driver, who was only there to deliver food and drinks, had been sitting quietly in the corner, invisible to most people in the room. But all of a sudden, he boldly stepped in front of everyone and stood next to Dr. Marx. “If I did not give a testimony,” he said. “I would be the most ungrateful person here.” He went on to explain that he too had received care from Dr. Marx, and even when he couldn’t pay, he was not turned away.

It was inspiring to see how, even in this relatively small group of people, Dr. Marx had personally touched so many lives. His life of service, excellence, and leadership embodies the values we want the students in our program to pursue. Just as Dr. Marx is a leader today, they are the leaders of tomorrow, and many of them will surely go on to lead similarly meaningful lives.