Thursday, February 22, 2007

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Container 5 leaves for Haiti!

French Missionary priest, Fr. Bernard, along with Jesuit Key Club members and other volunteers help load the 5th container for Haiti on February 19, 2007.
This container was filled with over $135,000 worth of food, medicine, clothes, bikes and other items needed in Haiti.
We are now working on colleting items for our 6th container that will leave at the end of March.

Items needed:
Tools-all types
Ladders, scaffoling material
Gutters and supplies
Large water containers
Garden tools and containers
Painting supplies

Medical:
Vitamins, adult, prenatal & child (no gummy's)
Perscription drugs, Dr. Samples
Tylenol, Advil
Over the counter meds
Microscope, Otoscope
Eye glasses

General:
Bar Soap, chlorox
toothbrushes, toothpaste
laundry detergent-powdered
Powdered gator aid
Powdered Milk
Dry Beans and rice Posted by Picasa

Monday, February 12, 2007

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2007 Haiti trip

During the last week of January and first week of February, Patricia Eddy, Judge John Laurent, and Susan Peloubet traveled to Haiti to meet with Fr. Jean, Fr. Medenel, Bishop Chibly and other leaders in Haiti to learn the best way to help create jobs and food programs in Haiti.
Fr. Jean, Fr. Medenel, Susan Peloubet, Bishop Chibly Langlois and John Laurent pose for a picture in Fort Liberte, Haiti. The group visited 10 different villages and met with numerous farmers, agronomists, and leaders trying to find out as much as possible.
The main purpose of this trip was to try to figure out the best way to create jobs and food for the villagers of St. Suzanne. Judge John Laurent, with his extensive agriculture background, was invaluable. The group visited several cooperatives that have been successful for years. The biggest problem that was found was WATER. Solutions must be found to insure that the crops and animals have a good source of water, especially in the dry season. While in St. Suzanne the group met with city and government leaders. The mayor, a congressman, a judge, and other city officials pose with Patricia Eddy and Fr. Medenel during one of those meetings.
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Land Erosion


Everyone knows that the lack of energy has caused huge problems in Haiti. Charcoal is used for fuel and this has caused huge problems resulting from the cutting down of trees to make the charcoal.

Last summer this hill, next to the St. Suzanne clinic and school, was in much better shape. It was a huge shock to see what has happened in such a short period of time.

HHBH has asked Fr. Medenel to start negotiations with the owner of this property to purchase this land in an effort to save it. If funds are able to be obtained, Judge John Laurent will lead efforts to start planting a variety of trees, vegetables and grass.

HBHH has a plan to plant a variety of trees that will re-nouish the soil and stop erosion. These trees will have different uses- food, lumber, nutrients, and charcoal. The trees will be planted with vegetables, and different types of grasses. Every thing that will be planted will be in an effort to stop the erosion and help dramatically with the water table, in addition to providing food, jobs and income. The different types of grass will also provide feed for the grazing animals.
If you can help us in this effort, please do. It will take donations to buy the property, buy the trees, and build water cisterns. We will have to find a way to pump the water to the cisterns to keep everything growing in the dry season. Not an easy task, but a very worthwhile effort that HBHH is sure will be a success. Posted by Picasa

Food and Jobs


Patricia Eddy, Judge John Laurent and Susan Peloubet meet in early February, with local farmers, co-ops, agronomists and other authorities to try to decide the best course of actions to create jobs which will produce foods for the Haitian villagers. The group visited this coffee co-op and met with those that have successfully run it for over 10 years.
Another co-op was visited in Terrier Rouge that used solar panels that were removed for safe keeping each night. Those panels are used to pump water to the cisterns. Farmers then use watering cans to water crops each day. Another farm project in Pignon plants mango, banana, papaya, and many vegetables. This farm is also experimenting with a fruit drying process to see if that would be a good way to preserve the fruit.
The group looked at many options of farm animals from chickens, goats, rabbits, to pigs. Each group has its own set of challenges. HBHH feels very blessed to have Judge Laurent, an agriculture specialist, to help implement the best plan when funding becomes available. Posted by Picasa

Pignon Agriculture projects: (picture 1)

Terrier Rouge Co-op with solar panels: (picture 2)



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Pure Drinking Water in St. Suzanne!

At last, the villagers have pure water that was tested in a US lab as being pure! This is huge for the villagers. You can see them gathered around the well, waiting their turn from one of the 4 spigots of clean water.





In Haiti, nothing is easy. While the problem of water has been solved, problems still arise. It cost $7 each day to pump the water needed for the villagers. This money is not something that Fr. Medenel, the local priest, has available.






The last picture sadly shows the well quiet. Because of the shortage of funds, the well gives water only every other day. HBHH is looking for donors to help with this problem . For only $50, you can help give water to this village for one week! Please help if you can!

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Education and Schools


We were full of joy at seeing this young boy in the village with one of the note books and backpacks that were donated this year sitting outside doing his homework! What a difference from last year when notebooks and book bags didn't exist.


The new Christ the King Cotelette School is near completion. At this time the school has 5 classes of students with close to 200 students. Next year that number can double with the completion of 4 more classrooms! It was a joy to see the student and teacher's desks in place. It looked like a normal school! The desks are a bit large for the small classrooms. But we were told that it was worth it, for the advantage of each student having his own desk.





The bottom picture is the refurbished classroom in the older St. Suzanne School in St. Suzanne. This school has close to 500 students and has split sessions. It was amazing to see the transformation made possible by the Hillsborough School system and the teen mission group that worked so hard giving the school a facelift.
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