Hope & Bill Harris Welcome Chance to Visit St. Vincent’s!
In mid November this year, after a hiatus of about three years, the Bishop of Haiti, J. Zache Duracin, determined that the security situation in Haiti had improved to a point where he was comfortable clearing the way for a “Haiti Connection Conference” to be held in Petionville, Haiti in mid-November. The previous two conferences, at the bishop’s urging, were held in Miami. Hope Lennartz and Bill Harris welcomed the relaxation of security concerns and signed up to attend. The conference was, as always, a great opportunity to learn what’s happening in Haitian ministries, to talk up our own interest in St. Vincent’s and to renew valued relationships. There was record attendance this year including many Haitian Episcopal clergy who have partnership arrangements with American parishes. Of course, Hope and Bill were excited about the chance to visit St. Vincent’s again immediately after the end of the conference.
The New Director at St. Vincent’s is Rev. Sedoni Leon.
The first big news out of St. Vincent’s is the great excitement over the appointment of Pere Sedoni Leon as the new director of St. Vincent’s. Pere Leon has tackled his new responsibilities with a great enthusiasm for the opportunity to serve the kids and has already moved to establish improved internal organization, external communications and housekeeping throughout the facility. The buildings are now being freshly painted. Pere Leon’s familiarity with the workings of St. Vincent’s stems from his residence there as chaplain to the children during his four years of seminary training. Also his ties are strengthened by his mother’s many years of service to St. Vincent’s as a cook. Pere Leon is bright, young, energetic, focused, efficient and a proven problem solver and administrator. St. Vincent’s needs all his talents and dedication!
New Brace Shop. Hope and Bill were able, for the first time, to tour and photograph the recently constructed brace shop that was erected on the site of and to replace the previous brace shop that had literally collapsed. This project had great urgency because it represents the only source of brace building and fitting for the many crippled children at St. Vincent’s. The building was designed and constructed to meet the specifications of Physicians for Peace who had agreed to equip and supply the shop and upgrade the training of the staff at the shop all of whom are, by the way, deaf. The design of the building anticipates two additional floors above the shop to maximize the foot print of the valuable space it occupies.
Old Guest Quarters Repaired. The old third floor guest quarters that had been totally unusable for sometime because of large holes in the roof have now been patched up to the point of usability for those hardy enough to accept the crowding and rudimentary toilet facilities. But, hey, that’s progress and it was sufficient to house a hard working medical team that was visiting from Tennessee and headed by a pediatrician.
Music Program to be Revived. Pere Sedoni attaches a high priority to the re-establishment of an instrumental music program at St. Vincent’s. Old timers will have fond memories of some of the performers and performances of earlier years. To get started the space will need to be cleaned out, painted and security provisions made for the safe storage of the instruments. “The Friends” expect a grant fro the Outreach Committee of St. James’s Episcopal Church in West Hartford, CT to cover these costs and will then address the issue of finding instruments. If you have any ideas about the availability of instruments Hope would certainly love to hear from you. Her email address is hopelennartz@comcast.net.
Scholarship Program Working. “The Friends” continue to strive to fund the secondary education of the orphans at St. Vincent’s who have graduated from the internal elementary school and must attend “outside” schools for secondary education. The typical tuition cost per pupil is $500. per year and any contributions to keep this program going will be most thankfully received. The very fact that handicapped children can now be admitted to some of these schools represents a significant cultural breakthrough and welcome progress.
New Classrooms and Guest Quarters. As mentioned above, the plans for the newly constructed brace shop contemplated two additional floors above; the second floor for badly needed classrooms and the third floor for equally badly needed guest quarters. The guest accommodations are four motel style bedrooms with ensuite individual bathrooms suitable for visiting professionals donating their time and training and mission groups.
It is an ambitious project budgeted at $160,000.US but so clearly needed that “The Friends” and Pere Leon are eager to identify potential sponsors to help close the gap between the $60,000. that has been raised to-date and the total $160,000. needed. Any individuals or organizations that can help fund a piece of this project should contact Hope at the email above or Bill Harris at harrisbill@comcast.net and expect great appreciation on behalf of the children and staff at St. Vincent’s. In the challenging current economic environment it is important to remember the needs of those who are so clearly less advantaged than we and who, in a most literal sense, are among the lambs Jesus calls us to feed.
Presiding Bishop Visits Haiti and St. Vincent’s! The very day that Hope and Bill were leaving Haiti the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts-Schori, was arriving for services at the cathedral in Port au Prince and a tour of several major Episcopal institutions including St. Vincent’s. By all reports it was a highly successful visit. Bishop Schori’s vigorous support of the millenium goals might prompt a sympathetic concern for Haitian ministries in general and perhaps even St. Vincent’s in particular. We can hope and pray.
Updated on 1/10/09