THE SOUTH FLORIDA HAITI PROJECT FEATURED ON NATIONAL EPISCOPAL WEBINAR
The Episcopal Parish Network (EPN) is an organization that brings innovative, agile, and transformational lay and clergy leaders together for conversations, peer-to-peer learning, and networking in order to strengthen parish ministry and serve our communities. Last week, the EPN sponsored a national webinar on Haiti that featured the South Florida Haiti Project and our partnership with Food for the Poor and our companions in Christ in Bondeau, Haiti.
Twenty years ago, St. Gregory's agreed to partner with the new Episcopal congregation that was being planted in Bondeau, which is now known as Bon Samaritain (Good Samaritan) Episcopal Church. Our first initiative was to send some vitamins for the children of the community. We then helped build a school for the children. As the partnership grew, other Episcopal Churches joined us and then three years ago, we became a 501.c.3 non-profit organization officially named the South Florida Haiti Project. Over a dozen Episcopal Churches in our diocese now are engaged in our partnership supporting our school with nearly 400 students. In addition to supporting the school, we have an active feeding project providing school lunches and food support for the community, a clean water project, a summer camp and enrichment program for the school children, adult literacy classes, and are exploring several economic development opportunities. Partnering with us is Food for the Poor, a major non-profit organization that serves Haiti and the Caribbean area.
The South Florida Haiti Project is now being recognized throughout the Episcopal Church as a model for international partnership ministry and we have helped birth a sister project—The New York Haiti Project--which operates in a community that is close to Bondeau. Included in the webinar, was a short video from the new acting Prime Minister of Haiti, thanking the South Florida Haiti Project and Food for the Poor for our work in Haiti. A link to the one-hour webinar is located below. I hope you will take a moment to listen to this inspiring presentation
From several bottles of vitamins to a thriving partnership, we are making a difference in Haiti. Please continue your prayers for our partnership and for the people of Haiti.
In Christ,
Andrew+