Haiti Report from the Rev. Kurt Gerhard, D.Min.
I was in Haiti for four days last week. The following is a report on my experiences there and with St. Etienne, our partner parish. The situation in Haiti is desperate. A couple of things that point to this desperation are the unsanitary conditions throughout the country and the devastated nature of the infrastructure (roads and buildings). Due to the loss of structures, many people live in tents, which are in what used to be parks, in front of collapsed homes, and even in the median of the highway.
As the news this week warns of sweltering weather in the DC area, the living conditions in Haiti are so much more heinous, in heat and sun more severe, with, for the most part, no air conditioning. For those living in tent cities, the tents are closely situated which limits the amount of air circulation. People of all ages are living in sauna like conditions.
St. Etienne is located in the mountains between Léogâne and Jacmel (see the red dot on the map). The epicenter of January’s earthquake was near Léogâne, which destroyed 80% of the historic town. St. Etienne Church, which was built in the 1980’s with the help of St. Patrick’s, collapsed leaving a ruin. The rectory still stands, and all salvageable materials are stored inside this small structure. Father Jonas, the priest at St. Etienne, lives in a tent between the rectory building and the remains of the church. He is obviously a well-respected leader in the community, which is important as the rebuilding takes place. Services at St. Etienne are currently being held in a temporary structure, built out of materials from the old church, on what used to be a narrow driveway. Approximately 75-100 people attended services on the Sunday that our group was there. I celebrated the Eucharist and preached. A long-time parishioner at St. Etienne, Carleau Jean-Louis, translated into French and Creole. Carleau was a young boy when St. Patrick’s began partnering with St. Etienne. He attended schools in the region, including St. Etienne, and now studies at a university in Port-au-Prince with dreams of entering the seminary. He is an example of the kind of growth and change possible through a ministry in this region. He is committed to the needs of St. Etienne and also gives to our community friendship and hospitality. Father Jonas Beauvoir joined us at the end of the service and met with our group about the next steps at St. Etienne. The top priorities is rebuilding the church so that the community can meet and gather in one place, pray together, and provide services to the area. 
St. Etienne School is located about ½ mile from the church site. St. Patrick’s helped build the structures that make up the school area. Most of the structures withstood the earthquake. One building is still standing but has some structural issues that need to be addressed. A temporary school structure was built through aide from the diocesan school association. These open-air classrooms were placed on a large abandoned foundation slab. The school will remain in session until August due to the time lost because of the earthquake. In the near term, St. Etienne needs a kitchen facility and a gathering place for students and faculty.
St. Patrick’s also supports Christ Redempteur, a K-10th grade school in the region. The entirety of Christ Redempteur was destroyed during the earthquake. Rene Dubic, the head of the school, has architectural designs for 3000 sq/ft of new classrooms. This building is an important stage in keeping the school open in the future. Right now, classrooms are situated under roofs made out of the ruins of the previous structure and are surrounded by rubble.
The horrific situation that faces the people of Haiti does not diminish the great beauty of the mountains and the optimism of the people. I was most amazed with their dedication to learning and dreaming about future possibilities. Every morning, I saw hundreds of kids making their way to school wearing proudly their school uniforms. The ministry of the Episcopal Church to build educational institutions provides opportunities for Haitians to become more self reliant. Now, they really need our help and commitment.
The St. Patrick’s group met with Bishop Duracin at his office in Port-au-Prince. He expressed his thanks for the ministry of St. Patrick’s with the people of St. Etienne. I want to again thank the other members of our group: Barbara Lott, Marcy Ference, Celia Wallace, Marilyn Nowalk, and Heather Gradison. St. Patrick’s is planning a weeklong work trip to Haiti right after Christmas for about 10-12 people. More information about this upcoming ministry opportunity will soon be available. Please keep the people of Haiti in your prayers. Blessings,
Kurt +
Follow this link to a slideshow of more photos.
Photo captions
- Tent City in Porte-au-Prince
- Map of region in Haiti where St. Patrick’s traveled
- Kurt and Carleau at the St. Etienne worship service on Sunday, June 27, 2010.
- Students learning in temporary classroom facility at St. Etienne School
- Temporary classroom in the rubble of Christ Redempteur School.
- One of many vistas in Haiti
- St. Patrick’s group meeting with Bishop Duracin.
No comments:
Post a Comment