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Haiti Committee Main Contact: Lynnette le Mat lhlemat@gmail.com

Our sister-parish relationship with the Parish of Cavaillon and its many rural chapels began more than two decades ago. Now Cavaillon has been divided into three parishes (Cavaillon, Gros Marin, and Sudre), and a fourth (Boileau) is in formation. Although political turmoil, hurricanes and deepening economic woes complicate our efforts, our relationship with our Haitian brothers and sisters remains strong. We look forward to continuing and strengthening those ties.

The mission of the Haiti Committee is to support the twinning relationship with our sister parishes in Cavaillon, Gros Marin and Sudre in the areas of economic development, health, education and church infrastructure. Note: although we do work with St. Charles staff to coordinate the monthly tithe to Haiti (and promotion of Haiti in general), the committee's activities are not supported at all by the tithe, either here or in Haiti. The pastors in Haiti use tithe funds for general church needs and the tithe process is considered a church to church relationship. Funds supplied by the Haiti committee are used for separate and specific activities.

2008 Highlights Education: Thanks to the faithful support of parishioners and friends, our Godparents Program is sponsoring 712 students for the 2008-09 school year. The number of students has steadily increased since 2005. This year we have godchildren at six rural Catholic schools. Berrette, Boileau, Flamands, Roche Delmas and Sudre are elementary schools. The Gros Marin School includes both elementary and middle school grades. The great majority of our godchildren are in elementary school. St. Anthony's Parish is Falls Church also supports 250 students at the Gros Marin School. Lunch Programs: In 2008, inflation and international economics drove up sharply the price of lunch program staples such as rice. $24 000 was collected for the 2008-09 school lunch programs. Other Special programs: Because of very harsh weather conditions in the spring of 2008, several collections and special fund raisings were held. We were able to send an extra $56 000 for special projects, funds which were to be spent at the parishes' discretion for emergency projects. Economic Development: This is a challenging area and the deteriorating national economy of Haiti complicates economic development efforts at the local level. The parish priests in Boileau and Gros Marin are working with Caritas (the local equivalent of Catholic Charities) to promote micro-credit programs and agricultural development. St. Philip the Apostle Parish of Lewisville, Texas, is now providing generous support for the development programs at Boileau. The St. Charles Haiti Committee provided $2000 for the micro-credit program at the Tete Source Chapel and this will be one of our targeted fundraising targets for the coming year to expand this program in this village. .In addition, through the generosity of one donor who gave $10 000, we were able to instigate an animal program. Fund raisers at St Charles and individual donations allowed us to send $10 000 to purchase goats and to start an education program within the parishes so families can start a sustainable agricultural project. The rest of the money will be used to purchase pigs, and to purchase seeds for new cultures. We were able to send $2000 for new computers in Cavaillon. We also sent $2400 to purchase a year of Internet access for 2 parishes, Cavaillon and Gros Marin. Health: In previous years, the St. Charles Haiti Committee has helped build and support rural clinics. In 2005, Gros Marin Parish received financing from a Spanish organization to build a clinic. That funding was contingent on Gros Marin finding a source of funding to staff and maintain the clinic; our Committee promised to provide the six to eight thousand dollars required annually to support the clinic's operating costs. Our yearly Carnaval provides funds to support the clinic. We hope this year to be able to write a grant to help the clinic become self-sufficient. A generator was purchased to allow the clinic to be air-conditioned during the twice-yearly visit of doctors from a parish in New Jersey. Support to Parishes for Religious Activities:Our parish's monthly tithe for Haiti, which averages about $1500, is divided between the parishes of Cavaillon, Gros Marin, and Sudre. This works out to over $5000 per year per parish. Bonding with Our Sister Parishes: Father Wilkins Lampy, Kensy Beauvoir and Neomi Ambroise visited St. Charles in August 2008. They spoke at masses, and were able to take with them the financial help that had been given for tuition and lunch programs by the parishioners. Haiti Committee members Marisa Vertrees, Helen Lane, Richard Young, and Gouss Joseph, along with Bob McNichols from Roanoke, VA, visited Haiti in November 2008. They brought the balance of the money, visited the parishes, schools and clinics. Travel from Port-au-Prince to Cavaillon has become risky due to banditry and a general lack of security. Since 2005, visitors must fly from Port-au-Prince to Les Cayes, which is less than an hour away from Cavaillon. The priests in our sister parishes are no longer visiting Port-au-Prince on a regular basis, and we now rely on e-mail for communication and send funds by wire transfer. Letters, but not packages, usually make it through the open mail. The Christmas cards that many of our godparents sent for their godchildren were sent through the open mail in December 2008.

Our History Since 1986, St. Charles' parishioners have been partners with the people in the area of Cavaillon in southwest Haiti. Father Nicholas of Cavaillon and Father Tuck Grinnelle of St. Charles began a relationship of help and solidarity that has continued. At St. Charles, a Haiti Committee was formed. Members usually visit our Haitian sister parishes several times each year to foster relationships and monitor the various projects sponsored by St. Charles. In addition to the tithing program, the Haiti Committee raises funds for specific projects. Over the years, these have included: Godparents program: tuition and lunch for school-aged children Housing for teachers at Gros Marin Village Banks (1994, 2004) A pig raising project at Sudre Replacement of an engine for the Cavaillon grain mill Building the Flamands chapel Refurbishing the Oiseaux chapel Construction of health clinics in Boileau, Flamande, Sudre, and Gros Marin Medical missions (1989, 1992) Addition of a second floor for a secondary school (1998)

Haiti Committee Parish Reports, Trip Reports and Photos: October 2009 Haiti Committee Trip Report Haiti Committee Report to the Parish, 2008-09 Haiti Committee Report to the Parish, 2006 Haiti Committee Report to the Parish, 2005 November 2008 Haiti Committee Trip Report January 2004 Haiti Committee Trip Report January 2004 Haiti Trip Photo Album 2002 Haiti Trip pictures Companion 2002 Haiti Trip Report Additional Haiti Committee Eye Witness Accounts from 2002 A virtual tour through the 1999 photos

Special Haiti Reports Pere Jocelyn's July 3, 2005 homily transcript Fr. Creedon's account of his February 2004 trip to Haiti The Haiti Pastors' address to St. Charles parishioners, September 2002 A letter from Flamand and a photo of the new clinic Read Fr. Creedon's unique perspective on Le Mariage (a wedding) in Haiti!

Revised/reviewed November 18, 2009
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church
3304 North Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201
Tel: 703.527.5500 | Fax: 703.527.5505 | Web: http://www.stcharleschurch.org