Bob and I have always believed we were called to help God’s children in Haiti. Twenty -four years ago we visited and saw poverty we could not believe existed, so our mission began. We have seen steps forward and backward through the years. Doors opening and closing. We are so grateful for support from the members of our Salvatorian family, especially since the Salvatorian priests left the southeast, we have lost our ability to raise funds at the churches they were pastors at.
The teachers’ salaries are being paid by other churches and an organization. We are still seeking funds to keep our agricultural center open, pay college tuition, and feed the children. Presently the donations coming in with the extreme inflation in Haiti we will only be able to provide a meal to the school children once a month. For many years we were able to supply a hot lunch for twenty-five -five cents a meal, now when the food can be found we are paying $1 a meal.
The chaos throughout Haiti caused by the gangs has caused shortages of everything, because nothing can safely move around the country. Supplies are difficult to come into the area and the farmers can’t move their produce to larger markets.
We are struggling with funding in all areas but the children going hungry is the hardest for me. It will cost us $1000 US to feed the students and staff for one day.
I know you have been so generous for so many years, and we would really like to see the people be able to stand on their own two feet. But Jesus told us we will always have the poor with us. I wish they were not children, and it didn’t mean they had to go hungry most of the time.
There are several ways you can help: Of course, prayers, a one-time donation, or set up an automatic monthly donation.
May God Bless you and yours,
Denise Snyder SDS
I’m going to Gros Morne in February entering via Cape Haitian. There are supposedly a over a thousand new Haitians in Gros Morne who have of course fled the capital. I suspect this is true in many northern cities. This is good news for northern Haiti. I hope a significant number of this diaspora choose to remain in the north what with their skills acquired in the capital. I assume these are a true middle class with much to offer the somewhat indolent north. If my hopes seem justified after becoming more familiar with these newcomers I’ll write more later.