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Project Haiti Post Hurricane Matthew November Trip by Alex Cain

Last November I had the great fortune of being apart of Haiti Project’s trip to Jeanette. It was an experience that connected me with God, my faith and opened my mind to the beauty, kindness and spiritually of the Haitian people. I became familiar with Haiti Project through the experience of Tom Cramer, a retired carpenter and former St. Mark’s parishioner, who went down last year. On this trip I was overcome by the power of Christ in this small mountain village and the sense of community that prevailed in their way of living. This trip was not just for the sake of our own spiritual journeys but was devoted to help have a positive impact for others with limited resources.

This all started when I found out that Heidi Ropa, the project coordinator, was looking to bring on board someone with civil engineering experience for the construction of new latrines, cistern and hurricane proof/earthquake resistant homes.

I had some reservations about the cost, my limited number of vacation days and my safety while traveling on unsafe roads in crowd vehicles. With the effects of Hurricane Matthew, we had retool our mission. Not only was this going to be a building project and healthcare focused missions but also a response to the natural disaster. We brought down a chainsaw and taught men in the village how to successfully operate it and evaluate how it could affect the natural environment.

What the Haiti project has done in Jeanette is nothing less than remarkable. The Haiti Project helps run the church, the school, the health clinic and community programs which have had a tremendous impact on thousands of people of the years. Over that week of the visit, 200 people were seen at the clinic. The St. Marc’s School has over 550 students from kindergarten to college prep. Throughout the week the St Marc’s Campus is full of smiling faces in colorful matching uniforms. . I recall us visiting with a woman her home on a new hillside. She knew Cathy Parrill, former Haiti Project coordinator, from years previous and was overcome by joy. She gave us a 10 min long blessing when we departed her home which was powerful. The most amazing part of this trip was attending a Haitian Episcopal service and hearing the most joyful and calming Haitian music in God’s Praise. It gave me a rush like there is something more beautiful than words can express.