Mostly things happen very slowly in Haiti — but sometimes very quickly. The School of St. Augustine is one of the latter cases. Last spring, a small school at which a number of St. Augustine's parishioners were teachers was informed it would no longer be able to rent its facilities (from another school, for afternoon sessions). Attempts to locate a suitable rental building failed. The directors and faculty of the school asked to "give" the school to the Mission (such a gift costs money in Haiti!). In a whirlwind of events, the school was officially turned over to the Mission (formally the “Institution Chrétienne Orthodoxe S. Augustin”) and plans were drawn up for the construction of a nine-room school building on the Mission property at Cyvadier. When I left on 5 July, the plans were still plans. The photographs will give you an idea of what has happened in six weeks. The school is expected to open on 10 September, the feast of St. Moses the Black, with 300 students already enrolled (children in the morning, adults in the afternoon). Watch for more information next issue. Needless to say, support is badly needed — to help cover construction costs (we’ve borrowed heavily from other funds) — and an anticipated budget shortfall for 2007-8 of some $25,000. When I gasped at this figure, Nicolas said "That’s not bad — less than $100 per student for a whole year's schooling!" Looked at in that light, of course he is right.
Meeting of Pareents (in the church) Prior to Opening of School
School is Open!
