Pastor Jarvis has served his church, Iglesia Cristiana Ebenezer, since he moved from the Dominican Republic in the mid-90s. Located in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the Church serves as Pastor Jarvis’ medium to connect and inspire the Latino community in the area. Growing up in a poor and rural area in the Dominican Republic, he was astonished when he realized Latinos in the United States face similar challenges related to displacement, marginalization, and poverty. He then decided to change that scenario for his community.
Through his deep connection with the ocean, Pastor Jarvis found a way to inspire and bring educational opportunities for Latino families in Lawrence. A whale-watching partnership with the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Hispanic Access Foundation provided Pastor Jarvis the chance to help organize events, bringing on one occasion about 84 church members, kids, and their families, including deaf and hard of hearing individuals to enjoy a day off the coast of Boston. They learned about humpback whales and marine life, watched them, and had the chance to share a meal. The Sanctuary's environmental educators used tools to teach the kids about career opportunities, and the protection and responsible use of marine resources. For most of these families, it was a first-time opportunity to experience the ocean off the coast of Boston.
These events brought a unique opportunity for elder family members of Dominican descent to speak about the distinct connection to their past and their connections to these whales. We recall Pastor Jarvis’ leadership and inspiration to help organize these events.
“I have always been connected to the sea. I felt the breeze, I felt the special smell that the sea has. There is a connection with how you feel… so happy, so joyful. That allows you to enjoy yourself. It allows you to breathe easier.”
The experience, brought together by Hispanic Access Foundation and the Lawrence-based Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal, was one of the many opportunities Pastor Jarvis’ led to celebrate this geographic and cultural connection to the ocean. As a firm believer that our moral obligation is to preserve natural treasures for the future, he also led Vamos a Pescar in collaboration with Hispanic Access Foundation. On that occasion, he connected groups in the Boston area interested in learning how to fish. Pastor Jarvis conducted many workshops and luncheons in his community to inform about Hispanic Access activities.
For Latino Conservation Week in 2020, Pastor Jarvis organized a half-day fishing trip with adults from his community. He wanted to prioritize community leaders that were struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic. With our help, Pastor Jarvis made this initiative another successful event in which the leaders took a chartered boat to fish, prepare authentic food, and enjoy quality time together. It was the first time he had seen some of these leaders smile again, have fun, relax, and experience joy during such hard times.
Pastor Jarvis is also a trusted advocate for his community. He always brings awareness of the importance of participating in elections, getting the new officials to meet his community, and amplifying the needs they have. Like his Caribbean hometown, Lawrence is a community that faces extreme challenges of poverty and violence, and Pastor Jarvis takes on the huge responsibility to be out in the community addressing these issues, while also participating in mission trips to the Dominican Republic. He is a very well-loved leader who has established a wonderful legacy and example for the city of Lawrence and his congregation.
Most recently, Pastor Jarvis participated in the short film "El Canto del Mar," where he narrated the beautiful connection he had with whales.
“Whales have a powerful significance for me. I always come to Gloucester (Massachusetts) to welcome them. They depart from the Dominican Republic, and they travel thousands of miles to arrive here, all the way to Massachusetts. Just like I did…more than twenty years ago.”