The Haiti Committee is the link between our parish and our sister parish, St. Michel, in Boucan Carré, Haiti. With the help of volunteers and donations, the committee assures that impoverished children receive daily nourishment and bring clean water, medical supplies and health care, and other much-needed services to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
St. Michel/Boucan-Carré has approximately 58,000 residents scattered throughout a rugged mountainous region roughly 60 miles from Port-au-Prince. There is one small church and eleven chapels in the mountains and there are 4 Catholic schools. The Primary school that Sacred Heart sponsors has 1,200 children, and the Secondary school we sponsor has 300 students.
The committee’s main activities include:
- Enhances the health, welfare and standard of living for the people of St. Michel, so they may care for themselves self-sufficiently. Organizes and conducts medical missions, typically in the spring and fall, to provide medical supplies donated by parishioners to St. Michel, and to deliver medical care to our sister parish.
- Hosts a yearly child sponsorship program in February that allows parishioners to “adopt” a primary or secondary student for the year. Donations provide a daily hot meal, vitamins, uniforms and school supplies. The donations also support other school expenses such as teacher salaries.
Past projects have included:
- The shipping of sea containers filled with medical and computer equipment, musical instruments, sewing, medical and school supplies, clothing, personal hygiene and non-perishable food items, vitamins, rosaries, Bibles, toys, generator, TV and VCR, shoes, and tools
- The establishment of a medical clinic and the hiring of a full-time Haitian nurse to manage the clinic
- The construction of a water system to bring clean water to the area
- Funding for a grain-milling machine
Medical missions are being planned on a regular basis. Check the bulletin for more information about upcoming trips and the supplies that are needed. The missions are always looking for new volunteers to make this incredible, life-changing trip. If you are interested, please contact the committee. You do not have to have a medical background to attend.
For more information about the Haiti ministry or the medical missions, contact the following:
President: Deacon Ben Johnston - ben@fotoinc.com
Education: Sonya Mire - sonyamire@yahoo.com
Medical: Dr. Dean Mire – mirefamily@earthlink.net
Spiritual: Joan Stone – jjstone@comcast.net
Water Project: Harlan Richards - harlanjr@comcast.net
Coordination: Patrick Murphy-Racey – pat@pmrphoto.com
Resource Logistics: Mary Fox - knoxfoxes@yahoo.com
Parish Relations: John Stone – jjstone@comcast.net
Fund Raising: Jennifer Neil – jenniferneil@givehaitihope.org
UT Haiti Club: Katie Riley - katherineriley.tn@gmail.net
Finance: Dianne Durand – drdurand@bellsouth.net
For more information about the organization, please visit Give Haiti Hope.