Haiti News - Christmas Dinners, School Sponsors, Food Distribution, New Bridges to Potoprens

Hello Everyone!

Many thanks to those who phoned and sent cards, flowers and get well gifts over the past few weeks. Your support is very encouraging. The healing process continues and will involve further surgery and recovery time. I hope to have more information after tomorrow's (Monday, Dec. 15) appointment at St Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

Sister Rosemary, who flew to Canada with me on the medivac flight and stayed on to help me, has now returned to Haiti and will continue working with our staff until I return. She will work out of our center two days a week as she did before our rather abrupt departure. Her presence, wisdom and knowledge of the Haitian culture and language provides a link for our staff.

As I am able now to enjoy short walks outdoors in this wonderful Canadian weather, I am taking advantage of the proximity of the library and its internet service. Auguste informs me that school exams finished Friday, December 12, and schools will most likely resume classes the second week of January. Report cards will be ready at that time and our tutoring programs will begin mid January. The date is fluid at this point in time.

The biggest problem in Haiti continues to be malnutrition. Although prices in the market place have levelled off, they are still too high for us to reopen the food distribution program. Thanks to the generosity of Mme Cindy and her community in Pennsylvania, our young people will have rice, beans and oil for a Christmas meal. But that is one meal. Other than that Christmas meal, our young people have no food and no options to get food -- no food bank, no government food distribution program. We continue to purchase and distribute potable water.

The good news is that the bridges between Cap-Haitien and Potoprens (Port-au-Prince) have been repaired and bus service has resumed. Bus fare has increased however.

We are still looking for sponsors for post-secondary students. Vincent Robert is in 2nd year agriculture in Limbe, and Plenitude is in first year telecommunications program in Port-au-Prince. Vincent's sponsor in unable to continue and Vincent desperately wants to finish his 4 year program. Plenitude borrowed the money to register and he is staying with friends to minimize expenses. Both are hard workers.

Marlene has returned from first semester in the Dominican Republic. Elorge has stayed behind for a few weeks. We await their reports.

Will close for now - energy tends to depart without advance notice.

Thanks again, everyone!

Pi ta (later)

Sharon