Monthly Archives: August 2017

James, a seminarian that has been working with us the past few years with our Faith Formation program, always comes in the summer to offer his help. Before he went to the seminary, he prepared our kids and teens for the sacraments. Now some of those teens are ready to be Catechists, and James is helping us prepare them for the new school year. We are happy to have Alex, Gail and Jasmir join our team.

What does it mean to get ready for school here in Jacmel, Haiti, with our kids?  These days of August are spent preparing our kids for school. Everyday we go to the market to buy material for their uniforms that need to be made by hand. Each school has their own colors. We hired Maria, a seamstress, to sew the shirts and jumpers for the girls and Jacques who sees to the boys pants and shorts. The kids all come to be measured.

Some books also need to be bought at the market. The books that a child uses during the year are returned at the end of the school year. 

We have been helping for a few years most of the kids who are coming to us now. This year we also have a few new ones. One such child is Geraldine, who is 13 years old and never had the opportunity to go to school. All she can do is write her name. She is so excited to be going to school this year. 

We may be helping them go to school, but this comes with the obligation that they must do something in return. Each child or teen that we assist in going to school has a specific job to do here on the mission complex. This is so important for them to learn discipline, work ethic and, most of all, responsibility.

Thank you for helping us give a child “the world.”

You may remember Sts. James and Phillip Cathedral was badly damaged from the earthquake in 2010. It was not safe to worship in the space. For the past seven years, there was a discussion about what could be done to restore it. It would take millions of dollars to restore the historic site, so it was decided to demolish the building and save the holy altar.

On July 2, the Cathedral faith community held a beautiful concert prayer ritual followed by Mass at 5 p.m.

About a week later, the demolition began…and now, on this rock, a new Cathedral will be built for the Diocese of Jacmel, in God’s time.