Arriving in Haiti 

The drive from Cap-Haitien to Ravine Trompette was 3 hours into the mountains on very rough terrain. It was dark and many people stood on the sides of the road with oil lanterns. The only visible electricity was from solar powered lights. The government added a few street lights that are solar powered. All the kids and teenagers with nothing to do but stand along the road or go home to darkness. ​

Mass

Mass is held  every morning at 6 am. The Sunday Mass was so special.. Not only did all the children turn and watch us the entire time (which was so touching and overwhelming), Fr. Marcel thanked our priests, all the parishioners of each parish, and each individual on the trip for support of Ravine Trompette. It was one of the most touching and emotional moments of the entire trip. The faith of this community, their love and trust in God, and their love of neighbor..

​The Mass during Haiti elections was one of the largest collections for St. Albert the Great. It was $20 US dollars. 

Yam Farming

​Yam plants were purchased and farms were divided by zones. Different types of yam plants were used based on the soil in the different zones. Not all of the plants were planted at the same time due to the dry soil. They did not want them to die after planting. The cyclone did damage some of the yam plants. These were the only challenges they faced with the initial cycle of plants. There are 18-20 plants in a case. Each farmer received 4 cases each. Each of the farmers expressed overwhelming gratefulness for this opportunity. One of the most memorable was Antonio, the principal of St. Cyprian School. He said this opportunity was changing his life and the life of his family. Mature, healthy cuttings for the other farmers will be available in March of 2016. There will be yams at that time but they will not have reached full size.

Breadfruit

Breadfruit are very rich in starch, which transforms to sugars when very ripe. Before being eaten, the fruits are roasted, baked, fried or boiled. When cooked, the taste of moderately ripe breadfruit is described as potato-like, or similar to freshly baked bread.

Schools

​The schools are very impressive. The teacher’s salaries are not consistent but they are there daily teaching and caring that each student meets their full potential. We saw students learning to read and write, working algebra problems, and learning English and French. The students were all dressed very well in uniforms and displayed impeccable manners. We saw the beans and rice being prepared over an open fire for the school lunch program and met the cooks. Everything in Haiti is used until there’s nothing left of it. Nothing is wasted. Again, the gratitude of the students, teachers, and principal was overwhelming. The truck with monthly delivery of beans and rice stalled on the hill at the rectory late one night. It had to be unloaded from the bottom of the hill. The shipments are stored at the rectory and taken to the school weekly. We saw the water filtration system at the school. Everything is well maintained and kept very clean. The water filtration area was impressively clean, as was the medical clinic. The public schools are only in session a couple of days a week. The classrooms are bare. 

Hard Working People

​The people of Ravine Trompette are hard-working. Not only did they work hard to provide us with the best accommodations, food, and water, they volunteered to help with the roofing and the clinic project. On the first day of the roofing project there were too many volunteers. It actually caused more chaos than it was beneficial. After day one the crew was reduced to those most skilled at roofing, and matching t-shirts were worn by everyone working to provide better safety and productivity. It was very hot and the roofing team struggled with dehydration. The scariest moment of the trip was when a team member was so severely dehydrated he needed treatment in a hospital environment. Every opportunity that presented to Ravine Trompette by donations and special projects is met with a great degree of appreciation, care, and maintenance. Fr. Marcel and the people of the community used resources provided to: -Build the medical clinic and maintain it very nicely -Build a computer lab with temperature control in mind to prevent damage to the computers from the heat -Maintain the school and the school lunch program -Start and maintain the yam farming -Learn new trades and use them to benefit the community. The rectory roof was completed the day after our group left by the men that learned from our roofing crew Other businesses observed: -Local bakery -Wood working (beds, furniture, and coffins) -Clothing tailor

Clinic

​The experience in the clinic was wonderful, heartbreaking, and eye opening. It didn’t take long to adapt to working without electricity or running water.  Kitty and Karen wore Rigaud out interpreting Haitian Creole to English long hours every day. We were able to get a good sense of the women’s medical needs from the days spent in the clinic. The following health problems with the highest incidence overall: hypertension, GI issues, iron deficiency anemia, urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, dermatitis, hunger and malnourishment, disease of the eyes, and dental issues needing treatment. This was the consensus from teenage to adult women. The medications used to treat infections, hypertension, GI upset and bacteria, anemia, malnutrition, and dermatitis were the most beneficial. The physicians Dr. Maxime and Dr. Altidor were fantastic to work with and so appreciative of all the medications and supplies. The physicians have a great need for medication to treat their most common health problems, equipment such as glucometers to measure blood sugar, testing strips for urine, pregnancy test, and other testing equipment to help diagnose chronic disease and acute problems. Their salaries are not consistently paid. This clinic and the physicians are such a blessing and necessity to the community. 

St. Albert Roof

One of the projects for this mission trip was to replace the roof at St. Albert the Great.