“Renovating Hope in a Small Town”

(posted March 2009)

 

In the heart of Thomonde, a town located in the Plateau Central region of Haiti, lies an almost 100 year old symbol of Hope for all that live there. During the past year, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church has been the focus of a projected renovation effort by the community and Haitians abroad. Years of use and multiple storms had taken a toll on this nearly century old structure and as the center of this highly religious community, this renovation is much needed.

 

Organizations like The Catholic Church,   KOREKTHO, The Emile Bernadeau Foundation, Inc., Haitian Politicians, Community leaders, and other dedicated individuals have helped to raise the funds for supplies and labor to renovate and rebuild this church to its original beauty.

 

While the construction has not yet begun, the plans for the structure have been completed and work on the project is scheduled to commence around Mid May of 2009. The Celebration for this event that took place on March 19th was a great success and was a great display of the Hope and Strength that this church brings to this community.  We thanks all of our supporters who have already given or pledged funds through the fundraising efforts of The Emile Bernadeau Foundation Inc. towards this project.

 

“RESTORING A PEARL"  

(posted January 2009) 

Much has been written about the sad and recurring specter of political turmoil in Haiti. The tug and pull between democracy and dictatorship has been on display for the past few decades, personified by the desperate boat people risking everything to try to find hope and opportunity for the future.

 

Arriving at Haiti in the late 15th century, Columbus wrote in his journal of the island’s wonders: ‘The mountains and hills, the plains and meadow lands are both fertile and beautiful. They are most suitable for planting crops and for raising cattle of all kinds... the trees, fruits and plants are very different from those of Cuba.’

 

Five hundred years later, the extent of the environmental exhaustion of the land is striking. The lush hillsides and meadows Columbus described have been denuded, stripped virtually clean. The stark contrast between forested and bare lands acts as an unofficial but unmistakable border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.