Some Emergency Relief Delivered to Haiti
A group of five with Haitian Ministries returned to Connecticut late Thursday, completing a five-day visit to Port-au-Prince to meet some of the emergency needs of the six Haitian staff members of Norwich Mission House and the projects and twinned parishes partnered through Haitian Ministries.
The twinned parish of Les Palmes (whose sister church is St. Mary of Coventry) received money to buy food for 2,500 of the 35,000 people in the rural, mountain community who are most in need. Fr. Vil Johnson, the priest of the remote community, wrote on Friday that all the people desperately need tents, food (rice, beans, oil and water), Clorox to purify water, and clothing. Almost 50 people died there, and nearly every home was either destroyed or damaged. The church there is in ruins.
Haitian Ministries also gave emergency funds to the parish of St. Anne in Saintaard, which is north of Port-au-Prince, and to the parish of St. Genevieve in Zorange, northeast of the capital. (The former is partnered with St. Patrick-St. Anthony of Hartford, and the latter is twinned with St. Elizabeth Seton of Rocky Hill.)
In Port-au-Prince, the girls' orphanage run by Paula Thybulle received emergency funding for food. The girls are sleeping in a big open courtyard across from the orphanage, where they have a few tents. But many of the 63 girls do not have coverings, and Paula requested new tents for them.
Almost everyone in the capital sleeps outdoors, whether or not they have tents. Haitian Ministries is accepting donations of new, still-packaged tents, such as those made Coleman and Eureka. They come in all sizes, from two- to twelve-person. They are simple to put up and have only a few parts: two poles and four stakes. A tent fly comes with the package and keeps the tent dry.
Tents are the only supply donations that the ministry is requesting at this time, butl money donations are greatly appreciated. Money enables project directors and priests to purchase food and supplies and equipment they need right away.
Haitian Ministries has set up a temporary mission house off Route de Freres in Petionville, but guards continue to protect the Norwich Mission House site. The house was destroyed in the earthquake, and temporary walls of metal have replaced the concrete walls around the property that collapsed.
Lanitte Belledente, the mission house cook who was badly injured, remains at a large medical encampment near the international airport. She was scheduled to undergo another operation on Thursday or Friday. Her left leg was amputated mid-way on her shin. Staff have visited her several times in the last week, and one of Lanitte's sisters sits by her side. (Lanitte lost another sister and two nieces in the earthquake.)
At L'Arc-en-Ciel, the Penettes reported that they expect to have almost 100 children in the orphanage by the end of the week. Although their orphanage usually has only about 35 residents, relief agencies are dropping off children in need of shelter and care.
Danielle Penette said they also need tents, but hope to complete very soon their new orphanage.
For earlier reports from the five-day visit, click below:
Day 1
Day 2
Click here to visit The Day Newspaper, New London, CT for their updates.
SHOPPING AT HAITI'S BACK PORCH -- ANOTHER WAY TO HELP
https://sites.google.com/site/haitisbackporch/
Haiti’s Back Porch – a non-profit shop in Middletown, CT – is offering many crafts for sale. Proceeds will benefit the earthquake victims.
The shop sells art, crafts, jewelry and other items made by artists in Haiti.
The shop is at 100 Riverview Center, Suite 310, Middletown (located on the brick walkway between the Middletown Police Station and Amici restaurant, both on Main Street).
For more information on hours, call Patty Kantrowitz at 860.344.9547 or email: veveheart@aol.com