STORY AND PRESIDENT OF OSESE

Dear Friends, Partners, and Supporters,

It is with great gratitude and hope that I welcome you to the OSESE website. 

Organization Socio-Educative et Salutaire pour Enfants (OSESE) is a community-based organization dedicated to supporting children through evangelism, sports, games, and social development initiatives. While many people around the world pursue sports primarily to satisfy personal ambitions, build physical strength, win trophies and awards that will eventually fade away, OSESE uses sports as a powerful tool for a greater purpose. Through sports and games, OSESE seeks to make disciples for Christ, transform the mindset of children, win souls for God's Kingdom, and contribute to the positive development of Haiti's future generations.

My journey to founding OSESE began many years ago. As a young man, I was deeply involved in my local church, participating in mission trips, serving as president of the youth group, and leading worship team. At the same time, I developed a passion for soccer, playing as a midfielder and learning from coaches both within and outside my community. Like many young athletes, I believed soccer was simply about winning matches and earning trophies. I never imagined that God could use sports as a powerful tool to transform lives.

In 1997, my life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with a benign tumor that threatened my life. During those difficult years, God faithfully sustained me and continued to shape His purpose for my future. In 2007, I began coaching children in my community as a way of giving back. Although I enjoyed teaching soccer skills, I still had not fully understood how sports could become a platform for sharing the hope of Christ.

In 2012, while attending college, a close friend helped me travel to the United States, where I successfully underwent surgery to remove the tumor. This life-changing experience deepened my gratitude to God and strengthened my desire to serve others. Watch the videos here and here 

A few years later, in 2015, another friend introduced me to Push The Rock, a Christian sports ministry in the United States. I volunteered with the ministry and experienced something that forever changed my perspective. For the first time, I saw how sports could be intentionally used to share the Gospel, disciple young people, build Christian character, and create lasting change in communities.

When I returned to Haiti, I could not ignore what God had placed on my heart. I prayed earnestly and continued coaching children in my community, now with a renewed vision. In 2016, I was invited to volunteer with Push The Rock a second time. That experience confirmed God's calling and strengthened my conviction that sports ministry was part of His purpose for my life.

Inspired by these experiences and guided by the biblical principle found in 1 Corinthians 9:25, I founded OSESE (Organisation Socio-Éducative et Salutaire pour Enfants) in 2017. Since then, God has allowed OSESE to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with hundreds of children across Haiti while helping them develop teamwork, discipline, leadership, integrity, respect, and strong Christian character through sports and games.

Every child we serve reminds us why this mission matters. Behind every soccer ball is an opportunity to share hope. Behind every game is a chance to build confidence, develop leadership, and point children toward Christ. We believe that investing in children today is investing in the future of Haiti.

None of this would have been possible without God’s faithfulness and the support of the many people who have walked alongside me throughout this journey.

I give heartfelt thanks to God for His faithfulness and for using so many people in such miraculous ways throughout my life. I am deeply grateful to the Church of God in Christ of Soissons, the church I attend, for its spiritual support and encouragement.

I am especially thankful to Kristen Hertzog and the Haitian Connection Network, whose scholarship enabled me to pursue my education and opened important doors in my life. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to Cindy and Keith Price and Dr. Coleta for helping establish these connections.

My heartfelt thanks also go to Brenda and Mike Alburger and Kim and John Myers for welcoming and hosting me during important seasons of my journey.

I am deeply grateful to Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia and the doctors who generously donated their time, expertise, and care to remove my tumor. I also thank Dr. Louis Marion and Dr. Alex for their generous support and expertise in providing my dental care and helping me receive my denture.

I am also thankful to Push The Rock, whose ministry played an important role in shaping the vision that would eventually become OSESE.

Finally, I am especially grateful to my friend Jason Erk, whose encouragement, friendship, and example inspired me to pursue this calling and continue investing in the lives of children through sports, games, and evangelism.

To everyone who has prayed for me, encouraged me, supported me, opened a door, given their time, or simply believed in what God was doing through this journey: thank you. I give all the glory to God.

I also extend my sincere appreciation to the dedicated members of the OSESE Executive Committee—Audalking Smith, Lowengens Joseph, Roodlyne Pierre (my wife), Naomie Smith, Nelcinio Laurent, and Ralph Clebert Smith—for their professionalism, commitment, and faithful service. Their shared passion for serving children and advancing God's Kingdom has been instrumental in the growth of this ministry.

As Scripture reminds us, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). From the very beginning, as revealed in Genesis 1:1, God has been the author of His redemptive plan, and we remain committed to following His direction. We pray that OSESE will continue to respond wisely to changing needs while remaining firmly rooted in its mission, vision, and biblical foundation.

I invite you to become part of this journey. Whether through prayer, financial investment, volunteering, strategic partnership, or advocacy, your support will help us reach more children with the love of Christ and equip them to become tomorrow's leaders.

Together, we can invest in the next generation and create lasting transformation—one child, one family, and one community at a time.

Thank you for believing in the mission of OSESE and for considering how you can partner with us in building a brighter future for the children of Haiti.

May God richly bless you.

Daniel SMITH
President & Founder
OSESE – Organisation Socio-Éducative et Salutaire pour Enfants