Orangeville, Ontario, Canada


Hello, Everyone!

I thought you all would be interested in the communication system we've set up from Haiti for when I have to return to Canada. I leave enough money for Abel to email me once a week, if there's satellite/electricity. In addition, he has money for emergencies, as does Jack. Here is the latest news from Abel. It also provides an opportunity to see Kreyol.

In this email Abel tells me that Brother James (from the Azile) came to visit with 3 Americans and 2 Haitians. Other news is: Charlie (Tchale) the cat has stopped vomiting (pa noze anko); Marlene Dejoie was NOT successful in her application to nursing training at the hospital (Justinien) and is seeking information about private training schools; however they are extremely expensive (Yo tre che anpil).

Modeline Joseph travelled to the hospital in Milot for consultation. She has either a vaginal tumor or cyst (timeur ou quiste) and needs 1800 gourdes (about $50USD ) for an operation, plus travel expenses and post-op meds. Dieugrand asked if I could bring him back a flashlight which does not require batteries.

Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:53:26 +0200 (CEST)

bonjou Madam

Nou kontan pran nouvèl ou. Nou tout byen.

frè Jimps te vizite lakay nou jedi 13 oktob 2006 ak 3 vizitè etranje e 2 ayisyen men mwen pa konnen non y. li te mande'm kilè w'ap vini.

chat byen yo byen, tchali pa noze ankò.

Dejoie Marlène pa bon nan egzamen pou li antre nan lekòl enfimyè - a. Li di lot lekol enfimyè ki genyen yo, yo trè chè anpil. Li pa konnen kisa ou ap deside.

Joseph Modeline li te ale nan lopital Milo Doktè- a di li gen ( timeur ou quiste) nan vant. Doktè a di se operasyon pou li fè. men li pa gen kob la. Se 1800 goud pou operasyon -an.

Dieugrand di silvouplè si ou trouve ti flach ki pa sèvi ak batri pote yonn pou li. paske lè li leve lannwit pou li wè kote l'ap mete pye-l. mèsi davans.

Nou kontan paske ou pa pimal, n'ap priye pou ou retounen paske nou anvi wè ou..

God bless you!!!

Mèsi a la prochèn

Abel

Pi ta

Sharon

Cap-Haitien


Hello, Everyone!

Thanks to donors in England , the U.S. and Canada, we've sponsored 71 young people. I think (going from memory) there are 12 in trades (metiye-yo) and the rest are in high school. This leaves 79 students whom we sponsored last year still unregistered, as well as hundreds of other hopefuls on our second wait list.

The largest segment of those still not sponsored is in Sen Rafayel. I have not been able to travel to Sen Rafayel for the past 2 years as we have no vehicle, and public transit along that route is very unsafe. Unfortunately, some of the money and supplies we sent did not arrive at the intended destination. If we concentrate on Cap-Haitien, we are able to make home visits as well as make certain very little (hopefully nothing) goes astray.

Djohn came down the mountain on Friday with Claudy to pick up back packs and text books for Sen Rafayel. He was very happy to hear that Mme Cindy in Pennsylvania is sending a carpenter's scraper (gratwa) for him. I saw that he was very ill, so I took a chance and sent him with one of the girls to the corner clinic as I was certain he had malaria. Unfortunately, I was right, but fortunately, the nurse was able to make this diagnosis, and we sent him home with the necessary meds.

Dieumane is very ill with a parasite infection. Jhennie has an eye infection and needs glasses. She had a prescription which she lost and the doctor who prescribed it has since left Haiti. We will try to find another. Everyone here needs sunglasses and hats. The dust is very hard on the eyes and carries everything. Our neighbours continue to burn tires (couatchou). I think the smell is part of my genetic code now.

Elorge's kompoze was pa bon, meaning he will have to repeat the year. Unfortunately every one who had to kompoze anko was pa bon. Also unfortunately, we now need to find a new school for Elorge as his school in Sen Rafayel will not offer Philo this year due to decreased enrolment. Many who must repeat the year do not have the means to pay for a second try.

I was able to change my flight back to Toronto. I leave Wednesday, September 13, and arrive in Toronto on Friday night. Depending on how fast I can recuperate, I hope I can return to Cap-Haitien earlier than planned, perhaps by mid November. Because I am leaving early, our Day of Reflection (Sept. 17) has been cancelled as the house will be closed. Food distribution will continue on a weekly basis while I am gone. Jud is taking Abel to the market on Monday morning to purchase enough supplies for 10 weeks. He and Dieugrand will package on Saturdays and distribute on Sundays.

This past Friday was the last day for work for most of the summer staff. Rosenie will work on Monday and Tuesday with Abel to finish purchasing and processing the few text books we still need. Mme Carmene cooked diri ak pwa et legim (rice, beans and veggies) on Friday, and we had an end-of-summer meal together. Mme Marjorie is visiting from Sarnia, Ontario, and she joined us for the afternoon.

Kenbe, Sharon

Orangeville, Ontario, Canada


Hello Everyone,

As you may know, I am back in Ontario to attend to health concerns as well as to work on fundraising and Starthrower Foundation's year end (September 30).

I would like to thank the Patton Township Lions Club at State College, Pennsylvania, and Don and Sharon H. Together, they purchased a Perkin's Brailler for Guilene M. in Sen Rafayel. Also thanks to Cindy W. for finding a manual typewriter for Guilene (and also, I believe, a battery operated cassette recorder). When Guilene gets these items, she will be able to keep up with class work even though she's not in a specially equipped school. She is entering 2eme secondaire, the 5th year of high school. It is likely she will stay in Sen Rafayel to complete high school as the area of Port au Prince in which her previous school is located is in the middle of much of the action. The challenge now is to transport these items safely from Pennsylvania to Haiti.

Thanks to all our Marathoners for their past and future fundraising efforts. We all wish them success. Francilien ran a marathon in the United Kingdom on October 1. Orangeville, Ontario, naturopath Dr. Wendy Davis plans to run a marathon at Disneyworld in January 2007 for Starthrower, and one of her friends will run a half-marathon for us.

As We Grow, a clothing store in Orangeville, Ontario, owned by Janice Gooding, is sponsoring a Starthrower Foundation Information day on Saturday, Oct 28. I will be set up in a tent to show the video that was shot in Cap-Haitien this past summer. If you will be in the area, please come by to show your support. Janice Gooding is challenging the community of Orangeville to line Broadway (our main street) with loonies ($1 coins) for Starthrower. Brownies and Girl Guides will facilitate collection. (More information: As We Grow - The Cardwell Collection, 113 Broadway, Orangeville, ON Phone (519) 941-8733) (See also Fundraisers)

Our treasurer, Bev, reports that Starthrower Foundations's annual general meeting is tentatively set for November 5, 2006, in London, Ontario. Bev adds that 'Our financial health is nil', including the monies needed for the annual (mandatory) audit. Bev says that Starthrower is still waiting for responses on our proposals for grants.

This weekend, in Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving. Every one of us has much to be thankful for. Let's truly appreciate all that we have been given, and re-dedicate ourselves to helping those those less fortunate.

Blessings,

Sharon

Hello Everyone,


Since my health is not improving as it should be, I may be back in Canada a few weeks earlier than planned. I am making arrangements to complete as many enrolments as possible during the coming week, in the event I have to return earlier for medical treatment. (It will also depend on if I can get a flight or not.)

Special thanks to those generous donors who came forward since the last update. You are all making a great difference, and I thank you on behalf of all the students.

I am wondering if anyone can help with a siituation that has arisen with Deles, one of our students in Sen Rayayel. Ever since I have know him, Deles has dreamed of becoming a priest. To be accepted into the seminary, he first had to graduate, and this he accomplished this summer. However, when he met with the priest last week, he was told he is too old to enter the seminary. It's very sad to see his dream crushed. When I spoke with him about other career choices, he thought of agronomy. To get training in agronomy, he would have to go to university in Port-au-Prince, and that is not a problem. What he needs is money to pay for room and board in Port-au-Prince. If anyone has suggestions or can think of ways to help him, please contact me.

I'll be in touch as soon as I can to let you know my plans.

Sharon

Cap-Haitien


Hello Everyone,

We had amazing winds last night and today it's overcast. Given the weather conditions, I am amazed that there is a signal at all. This is my third attempt to send you this update.

(Editor's Note: I advised Sharon today that Hurricane Ernesto is centered to the south of Haiti. With much of Haiti deforested, heavy rains cause devastating flash floods.)

Re: Numbers in July :: We had 154 youth knock on our portail seeking help for paying for school. In August so far, we've had 197. Our active wait list shows 36 students waiting for high school and another 6 for trades/apprenticeships. I estimate Starthrower Foundation needs $11,000 US by the end of September in order to accommodate everyone for first trimest. We will not be able to help the other 255 students as we do not have enough time to visit each home to do an intake interview and request necessary support documents.

We have given birth to a new group of about 20 of our staff and students that meets every Tuesday and Thursday in our parking space to sing and improvise skits. Wouldn`t a Canadian tour for these youngsters be a great idea?

Thanks to Sue in England, we have some scientific calculators ready to be transported from Canada. We are just waiting for someone to bring them to us in Cap-Haitien. It may be December 1, when I return to Cap-Haitien. In the meantime the kids will have to do without. They are used to that.

(Editor's Note: Hurricane permitting, the calculators may arrive as soon as next week.)

We've found out why there's been no electricity for 2 months. On Friday, Jacques noticed rest of kartiye had it and we did not. He went in search of Bos Elekrisyen and miraculously found him. Bos came and checked everything and said that the house was fine (he tested everything with the generator). The problem is the line from EDH (pronounced A - Day - Ash, Electrique d' Ayiti). This means we will never have electricity as the wait list for their services is estimated at 2 years.

Rosenie arrived for work on Friday with cuts. She was bleeding and her skirt was ripped. She had fallen coming out of her ti kay (little house). Our visitors from last summer will remember that her house is built on a garbage dump, so tetanus is a worry. We cleaned and covered her wounds, and gave her meds for pain, as well as money for a tetanus shot. I will let you know if she was able to find one.

I am still very sick and to add insult to injury I now have a sore throat. Seems a virus has decided I am a good host. I am certain people wonder why I am sick so often. You have to understand that I am constantly walking in, and breathing in, raw sewage and garbage. Garbage fires are everywhere all the time -- old tires, old oil, rusted car parts etc. Everything is going into our bodies. At Lakay Fondasyon, we only burn leaves and paper products at the house but our neighbours continue burning everything.

Blessings, Sharon