For his charity service in Haiti, the Washington Commanders new quarterback Carson Wentz is receiving a warm welcome to the area from a Haitian American church in Rockville, Maryland.
In addition to his football career, Carson Wentz is also the founder of the AO1 Foundation, a faith based charity that focuses on “uplifting individuals and communities around the world by demonstrating God’s love for his people,” according to their mission statement. In addition to ministry work, the organization also provides free meals to the poor, and other charity work.
One troubled area of the world AO1 has focused its attention on is the island nation of Haiti.
Rocky Twyman, a media consultant and member of The Havre de Grace Haitian Seventh-day Adventist Church in Rockville says that, for several years, Wentz’s work has brought much needed attention to Haiti’s ongoing plight.
“When the poor people of Haiti were being trashed in the media in 2018, Wentz encouraged some of his Philly Eagles team members to visit the destitute island,” Twyman said. “After that visit, his dynamic AO1 foundation began helping the impoverished island with food and other basic necessities, as well as sports equipment for the youth.”
Wentz and his AO1 Foundation have been engaged with Haiti since he first visited on a mission trip in 2017. Among other projects in that country, in 2021, AO1 saw the ribbon-cutting of the Haiti Sports Complex that they helped create in the village of Titanyen, just north of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
“It’s just so wonderful, because it’s such a neglected community. He’s a godsend,” Twyman said. “He’s like an angel of mercy to come and help … We just are so appreciative of what he’s doing.”
Wentz also met his wife in Haiti, who was also doing missionary work there in 2017.
In 2018, after Wentz was injured before the 2018 Super Bowl game, the small church in Rockville held a vigil of healing for the quarterback. In a letter to Wentz at the time, Twyman wrote:
“After learning of your support for Haiti, this church that believes in the power of Prayer held a vigil asking God to enable the praying Eagles team to win Super Bowl 2018. God blessed and the team won.”
In addition to the gratitude of its congregants, the church also issued a standing invitation for Wentz to come by and share his faith.
“Most of all, we want to bring him to our local church and just have him fellowship and preach, because we understand he’s quite a good speaker,” Twyman said.
