Following my first trip to Haiti in February (reported in Living Orthodoxy #115) and report to Bishop Gabriel, and subsequent action of the Synod of Bishops, the Mission Orthodoxe d'Haïti was established, with the hope and expectation that in due course, by the grace of God, the Mission will grow from its present roots into a flourishing presence in the country.
A second visit came earlier than at first anticipated, due to the pressing need to address issues of legal registration of the Mission and stabilize the status of Church property in Haiti. Thus it was that I found out about summer in Haiti (not as bad as I feared). Again, I was privileged to spend two weeks with our brethren there, including services for two Sundays. As the time of big rains had just begun, I found out a lot about Haitian mud (very sticky!)… and was saddened to hear of the daily death tolls, almost entirely of very poor people who had thrown together some kind of shelter in the ravines where no one else would want to live, and had failed to get out in time when the rain hit.
In addition to the services, I had the joy of conducting a half-day seminar on the second Saturday for those most directly involved in chanting and singing. Sixteen people attended — three of whom were survivors of an overnight busride from Cap Haïtien, a bone-jarring six-hour trip under the best of circumstances, others from as far away as Léogane to the southwest, a tap-tap trip of no less than two hours. And some of us have the nerve to think we have a good excuse for missing services because we live “so far” from the church… in our air-conditioned cars!
I knew from the outset that this trip would be in some respects far more difficult, as I would have to begin to grapple first-hand with the Haitian legal and business worlds. It was made less so (both for me and for Fr. Jean & his family) by the providential, in many respects, contact which led to my having my own “base” — a large home belonging to a Haitian expatriate who lives in Miami. This led directly to the accomplishment of one of the major objectives of the trip: to secure a suitable building for use as a rectory and space for visitors. That house, unfortunately, was not suitable, but one belonging to a cousin of my absentee host was eminently suitable. After a week of friendly haggling we settled upon a two-year lease extendable on the same terms to five, at a good (for the outrageous Haitian market) price. After some minor modifications, the home will provide two entirely separate apartments on two floors, each with two bedrooms and bath; an efficiency office/apartment for official visitors; an office for the parish and school; and four external cells for visitors, with outdoor kitchen, shower & privy. It is situated in a wholly enclosed compound of about an acre and a half (eyeball measure!), a 10-15 minute drive or 45 minute walk from the church and the airport. Needless to say, this is vastly preferable to the property originally proposed (which was at a great distance from the church, and could never have housed more than one family full-time). We have every reason to suppose that, if the necessary funds can be raised, a comparable piece of property (without buildings) can be bought in the area, upon which in due course a permanent Mission headquarters/rectory and other buildings (including, perhaps, a second church) could be constructed — one piece has already been offered, and it seems quite likely there are several other possibilities.
Severe damage to the fosse (block-and-cement outdoor toilet) at the church from recent torrential rains required immediate repair, along with the construction of one wall of the enclosure to protect against a recurrence, at a cost of $2300. However, further expenditures on the present church building are being held in abeyance, as it has been discovered that the church (and the entire zone with its hundreds of houses under construction of which many are already inhabited) is situated on land which actually belongs to the state. In the Haitian version of the Brooklyn Bridge scam, someone has profited handsomely from “leases” on property which he never owned. It is anticipated that this property will, under terms as yet unknown, be turned over to those genuinely living on it (or using it for a legitimate purpose). We hope to have clarification by fall. Needless to say, this also puts into abeyance the purchase of the house adjacent to the church… but substantially reduces its price, as there is no land-purchase cost to be covered.
So, for the moment, the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady is “tenting” — a very fitting situation, perhaps, in a city of squatters and homeless people. We can only pray that the land situation will be settled in a satisfactory manner, and that the church and school, and the hundreds of others in the area, will be given title to the land upon which they have already built.
At present, ours are the only church and school in the area (an extremely rare situation in Haiti, where both are almost as common as betting parlors). Many of the parishioners come from far corners of the city, and indeed from other cities where, God willing, we may one day have missions. This is not so of the 65+ school-children. All but a few are residents of the zone, one of the poorest in the city. They could afford neither the transportation nor the fees to go to school anywhere else. I only see them neatly dressed in their school uniforms… but I am quite certain that for many of them, these are the only “decent” clothes they possess.
I discovered in the course of this trip that it is necessary that the Mission assume responsibility for the school, if it is to survive. Its first year of existence was subsidized by two “investors”, who provided the necessary furnishings and paid the teachers’ salaries — expecting in due course to reclaim their investment, with a substantial profit. Their expectations were entirely unreasonable for this school (though not for church schools in general in Haiti, which often do show a tidy profit). Their expenditures were reimbursed… and we are on our own.
I was pleased to discover (in hard numbers) that what I had already been told was correct: the school fees are extremely low, about 10% of what most church schools in Haiti demand — about US$100/year. Even that fee, many of the students are unable to pay in full, and some can pay nothing. They come to school anyway. However, even if all the students were able to pay the fees in full, and the school had no other expenses than the salaries of the teachers (now a princely US$150/month after a 50% raise), the school would not be self-sustaining unless the enrollment doubled (which it certainly will, given space in which to function, as the number of classes offered increases).
A big boost to the school (and parish) is forthcoming, in the anticipated two-year visit of John and Helen Heers and their children from Mercy House in New York. They are veterans of Peace Corps stints in Africa and Georgia (the one “over there”). Their “special gift” in the educational division will be to be able to offer first-class English instruction to children who otherwise would never get it… and, very possibly, also to adults, some of whom can afford to pay well for it.
The lease on the new rectory/church center takes effect the first of September… providing reasonable quarters for those who dare to venture to Haiti to share in the parish feast. I will be there, God willing, and Bishop Gabriel has expressed his hope that he also will be able to go. Others are most welcome… but communicate first!
We offer public thanks to the many who have contributed and continue to contribute to the Mission. Again: please send all contributions to the Haitian Orthodox Mission at 1180 Orthodox Way, Liberty, TN 37095 USA.
Above all, we ask for your continued prayers on behalf of Fr. Jean and his family, the faithful who live under such terribly difficult circumstances, and those who labor for the Mission.
— Fr. Gregory