• We are Christians. We are committed to the words of Christ found in John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” We use the words “I am the vine, you are the branches” in the Haiti Project logo. This statement is our foundation to honor God and do Christ’s work in all that we do.
  
  
• We are partners. We are committed to working in partnership with St. Marc’s Church in Haiti to reach out and help the community in Jeannette. We seek to foster independence and self-sustaining programs in Haiti.
  
  
• We value education. We are committed to helping Haitian teachers provide the best possible education at St. Marc’s School.

• We value people. We are committed to trying to find a sponsor for each and every student in St. Marc’s School. Each student has only one sponsor, so we encourage sponsors to develop a meaningful relationship of encouragement with the child they sponsor. The sponsorship program can make a significant difference in a child’s life.
  
  
• We are responsive to the needs of the community. We are committed to working with the people of Jeannette to have access to clean, drinkable water. Clean drinking water is essential to the health of impoverished families in Jeannette.

• We use our time and talents. We are committed to helping Haitian workers to provide health care services at St. Marc’s Clinic. The Haitian doctor, nurses and health care workers provide medicine, health care and education to the community on a daily basis. Visiting American missionaries provide additional medical services, construction, teacher education, youth group trips, and community builders several times a year.
  
  
• We are stewards of our resources. We are committed to being financially accountable. We take our role of stewardship very seriously and promise to keep administrative costs as low as possible. We perform yearly audits to ensure that the Haiti Project funds are being used properly.

We've been working diligently for over 20 years. Here's a timeline of our activities thus far.

Its capital is Port-au-Prince. Haiti is one of the most densely populated with over 8 million people and is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Religion

A blend of Christianity (80% Catholic) and African Voodoo beliefs.

Language

French and Creole are the official languages. Creole is the everyday language, which evolved from the mixture of African dialects and French.

In the years to follow, this small island nation continually found itself wedged under the tight control of one or more factions of wealthy, ruling elite. What eventually followed was the political turmoil and violence of Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier and his son, Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, who was finally ousted in 1986. Such years of rule by dictators have enforced the silence and kept the poor and oppressed at the mercy of the powerful, whether Haitian or foreign.

Hope flared temporarily in 1991 when the people elected their first democratic president, Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide. However, Aristide only served 7 months when a bloody coup removed him and sent thousands of his followers fleeing in rickety boats. After three years of military rule, the President was finally returned by a U.S. led intervention on October 15, 1994. Aristide returned to office in later elections, with the Haitian people still struggling to survive the insecurity, unemployment and high cost of living. Frustrated over their continued economic struggles and questions about legislative elections, Aristide was forced out of office and into exile in February 2004. Military rebels staged a coup, and the U.S. sent military to restore order. There are many questions about the direction Haiti and its new emerging leadership is heading.

Even though Haiti has long been plagued by political instability, the Haitian people remain hopeful, recognizing that their destiny is tied to the land of their birth. Roman Catholic Bishop William Higi summarized the situation well when he said the Haitians were “a people who cling to God when hope is minimal, displaying a remarkable ability to smile and celebrate despite the manipulation and injustice which haunts them daily.”

About the Rural Village of Jeannette

The nearest city, Miragoane, is about 15 miles north down the mountain. Jeannette is in a mountainous area with an elevation of 2500 feet.

Living Conditions

This rural community of about 2000 people has about 250 houses on small plots of land. The houses are made of thatched and woven leaves or concrete block. They are approximately 12 feet x 15 feet in size and consist of 1 or 2 rooms with a dirt floor. Most cooking is done outside over a fire in a separate thatched hut. There are usually only two or three beds in a typical Haitian home, which often houses as many as six to ten people. Families have little money to spend on clothes. Most children have only a school uniform, play clothes and a Sunday outfit that has been donated or passed down to them. There is no underground source of water available in Jeannette. People have to rely on cistern water collection and often carry water for drinking, cooking and cleaning long distances in buckets on their heads. Without running water Haitians wash their clothes by hand in a small pail of water with a bar of soap. There is no electricity throughout the village, although solar and wind panels and a generator run electricity to the School and Rectory. There is limited access to communication. Most information is passed on by word of mouth or cell phone instead of by land line telephone. National and world news is mostly heard on radio and a small handful of TV's.

Transportation

Transportation is by walking, horse, donkey, bicycle or tap-tap bus. There are literally only a few motorized vehicles in Jeannette. Most roads in Haiti are very rough and in need of repair. To get to school most students walk long distances, some more than an hour.

Economy

Most of the people of Jeannette are subsistence farmers. People eat only what they can grow or can purchase with a very limited income of less than $300 a year. They grow mostly beans, corn, potatoes, yams, cabbage, eggplant, greens, okra, tomatoes, avocados, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, watermelon, coffee, and cocoa beans. Some families own chickens, pigs, goats, and a few have a donkey, horse and a cow. The market is a 2-hour walk down the mountain. With no refrigeration, meat is a luxury. Goat and chicken are eaten only on special occasions, so the main meal is usually rice, beans and sweet potatoes.

Education

St. Marc’s has more than 650 students grades preschool through ninth grade. In 2003 100% of the ninth grade students passed their national exams in a country where less than 50% pass nationwide. This is an outstanding accomplishment given the average education is third grade. Most children in Jeannette do not have books of their own. They share textbooks in school. Paper is a very scarce item. Many times the teacher write the entire lesson on the chalkboard and the children learn by repeating the lesson out loud and by memorizing the material. It is not unusual for a classroom to have 50 children in it. We are grateful for our dedicated teachers. St. Marc’s provides continuing education for their teachers to keep them up to national standards. Education is one of the keys that will unlock the door of poverty.

Healthcare

Jeannette has a clinic run by a doctor, nurses and health care workers. 2003 was the first year we were fortunate to have a doctor living and working in Jeannette for nine months doing community service in exchange for having her medical education paid by the Haitian government. Medicine is dispensed at the clinic pharmacy. The clinic also provides triage for patients who require more advanced medical care. These patients may be transferred to the Holy Cross (St. Croix) Hospital, the Episcopal hospital in nearby Leogane. Our agriculture and vitamin programs have helped significantly to reduce cases of malnutrition. Although numerous cisterns have been built, access to clean, potable water still remains a high priority for further improving the health of residents in Jeannette.

Religion

The congregation at St. Marc’s Episcopal Church is strong and dedicated to serving the needs of all members of the community.