SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (BP) — There have been no bomb threats for nearly two weeks in Springfield, a small town that became the center of the country’s immigration conversation last month.

As the dust settles, Southern Baptist pastors are seizing on a God-given desire to minister to the city’s Haitian community and incorporate them into the church.

On the table as possibilities are Haitian language church plants, short-term mission trips in Springfield and other communities where Haitian immigrants are settling, Creole language translators as church staff, humanitarian outreach and other initiatives.

A local leader on the ground is Northside Baptist Church Senior Pastor Christopher Wilson, who has reached out to the Haitian community since his pastorate began in March 2023. Looking for ways to help are Greater Dayton Association of Baptists Associational Missionary James Risner, Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Director of Missional Leadership Mark Snowden and State Convention of Baptists in Ohio State Catalyst for the West Region Chad Keck.

“As a church we have a responsibility. We have a responsibility to the people around us to reach out and love and to share the gospel with them,” Wilson told Baptist Press. “So from our perspective, although politics probably has been what has brought the people here — politics has been what’s shone the spotlight on our community — we still have an obligation to do what we can for the sake of the kingdom for the Haitians that are here among us.”

Wilson is collaborating with pastors through the Haitian Christian Leadership Coalition and the Southern Baptist Convention National Haitian Fellowship of about 500 Haitian churches, based in Miami.

A group of Florida pastors will travel to Springfield the week of Oct. 14, national Haitian fellowship president Keny Felix told Baptist Press, in continuing dialogue with pastors and community representatives.

On tap for the meeting are discussions on facilitating cross-cultural knowledge and understanding between the Haitian and majority Springfield communities, establishing a welcome center for new Haitian residents and planting Haitian language churches in key areas of Springfield to serve the Haitian residents, said David Eugene, senior pastor of Haitian Evangelical Baptist Church in Miami and president of the Haitian Christian Leaders Coalition.

On Oct. 19 in South Florida, Felix said, the North American Mission Board (NAMB) will join the national Haitian fellowship in conducting a church planting and missions seminar related to work in Springfield and beyond.

“The seminar will allow South Florida pastors to come together and obtain a first-hand account of the present needs and opportunities in Springfield,” said Felix, senior pastor of Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in Miami. “Moreover, pastors will also explore how they can be involved in furthering the outreach through church planting and short-term missions in Springfield and other cities where there are new Haitian communities, particularly throughout the Midwest.”

Wilson wants to ensure that Springfield isn’t forgotten.

“Unfortunately, the Haitian community here has become pawns of politics, probably on all sides, and it has stoked things up. But it’s probably good that there is something that’s being highlighted here, because for several years the Haitian community has been here and hasn’t really had much support,” he said. “And the poor of our community who were here before have been here for a long time and now they are being displaced, and it’s a hard situation all the way around.

“My biggest worry is that after the political cycle is over that everyone will forget about Springfield and the poor in our community will continue to be in desperate situations,” Wilson said, “and the Haitians here will continue to be kind of separated and not understood and looked down upon.”

The city suffered days of unrest, including bomb threats, after Donald Trump reiterated unfounded rumors that Haitian immigrants were stealing and eating pet dogs and cats. City buildings and schools were forced to close.

But as recently as the Sept. 24 City Commission meeting in Springfield, the New York Times reported, several people voiced support for the immigrants and encouraged community unity. Still, some grievances about Haitians were aired as in the past, the Times reported, but the meeting was not as heated as previous ones.

Wilson describes the town as welcoming.

“It’s definitely less tense than it was,” Wilson said. “Springfield is a pretty accepting and welcoming place overall. I think we’ve been that way before and we’ll be that way still.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer.)