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Why Our Mission is
So Important By Frantz B. Hilaire* As many are aware,
the Medical Mission to our sister parish Sacre Coeur in Hinche, Haiti,
originally scheduled for February, was rescheduled for the end of June
2006. The uncertainty surrounding the
elections as well as the ongoing violence and kidnappings, posed too many
risks to our Mission brothers and sisters.
Now that Rene Preval has been declared winner of the presidential
elections, our hope is that the political climate (and hence the overall
national security) will be more stabilized.
In fact, a recent report in the Miami Herald states that kidnapping
rates have drastically fallen since the conclusion of the election, proving
that the kidnappings were possibly politically fueled. (Go to http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/14182470.htm
for more information.) In his first news
conference since being declared winner, president-elect Preval stated that
his government will have two main priorities: rebuilding Haiti’s civil
institutions, and improving security to attract private investment and jobs.
(Go to http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-02-22-haiti_x.htm
for more information.) He is also
committed to improving the lives of Haitian children. National Public
Radio’s Steve Inskeep conducted an interview with Dr. Paul Farmer of Harvard
Medical School on February 7, 2006 regarding the impact of Haiti’s political
climate on basic health care in Haiti.
Dr. Farmer, also executive vice president of Partners in Health (a
group which founded a medical center in Haiti), basically stated that it is
very difficult to provide good public health in the midst of political
unrest. Contrary to common belief,
commuting problems of medical professionals (to and from medical facilities),
the lack of lab equipment and the steady supply of medicine are more common
than civilian gun shot wounds.
Dr. Farmer has provided
medical care in Haiti during different types of governance: the dictatorship
under the Duvalier family, military regimes, coups and elected
governments. Invariably, health care
has improved during democratic governments.
(Go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5193542
to hear the interview.) Such reports
underscore the importance of providing ample supplies and general support to
communities throughout Haiti, regardless of the current political
climate. We continue to make great
strides in our sister parish, Sacre Coeur in Hinche, through the Whitney
Clinic. The success of Church of St.
Monica-sponsored programs such as Doc-A-Day and OTC drug drive programs
continue to keep the Whitney Clinic staffed and stocked. Other on-going programs include the Gift
of Water (which focuses on establishing a water delivery system); the
build-out of a new dental clinic; and stocking the parish soup kitchen. These and other programs continue to rely
on concerted support from all St. Monica parishioners. Most importantly, the parish of Sacre
Coeur continues to rely on our spiritual support through prayer. Our mission is extremely important. It is a matter of life. * Frantz is a
regular contributor to the Twinning Program website and parishioner at the
Catholic Church of St. Monica. He is originally from Haiti. |
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The Twinning Program Bids Farewell to
Dennis Andrews...At the April 23 meeting, Dennis
Andrews announced that after many years of dedicated service he will be
handing over his post at the helm of St. Monica's Twinning Program to Mark
Coughlin, who will be assisted by his wife, Suzanne. We are grateful to
Dennis for his many years of service to the St. Monica’s Twinning Program.
Under his leadership and through his passion for the program, Twinning
membership has grown, partnerships have been forged to keep the Soup Kitchen
open through difficult times, clean water is in the works for the entire city
of Hinche, an onsite dental and medical clinic has been constructed and
visibility of the program within the parish has significantly increased among
many, many other accomplishments. We have seen Mark and the Coughlin family’s
passion ignited through their recent visits and outstanding documentary work
and we look forward to continuing to work with Mark as we move forward to
provide much needed support to Sacre Coeur.
April 23 Meeting Items: ~$6,500 was raised last weekend for
the Twinning Collection at all masses. Safe water
will be coming to 70,00-80,000 residents of Hinche as St. Monica’s takes on a
community outreach program. Members of St. Monica’s Twinning Program and
Medical Mission have been visiting our sister parish of Sacre Coeur for more
than seven years. In this time, they’ve been able to know the community and
see where they can make a huge impact before they ever see patients in the
clinic or give food to the hungry in the Soup Kitchen. People need clean
water. Calculations show how many infant lives can be saved by contributing a
few dollars a day to a clean water source for Hinche. If anyone wants
information on how to help with this program, contact Dennis
Andrews. There is a need for a new laptop
at the clinic in Sacre Coeur. If you can donate, contact Dennis
Andrews. There is a need for a TV/DVD/VHS
combo at the clinic. The staff at the clinic is going to focus on patient
education this year and need a way to show videos and DVDs provided by
medical programs across the world. The best way to get an appliance to the
clinic is to donate the money for it to be purchased locally. If interested
in donating, contact Dennis
Andrews. There is a need for
another dentist to go on upcoming Medical Missions. Contact Dennis
Andrews or Dr. Jim Whitney. The June Mission is coming up
soon, let Dave
know if you are interested in attending. Space is limited. The Soup Kitchen is open four
days a week now. It serves about 150 per day. That cost is about $600 a
month. We have enough for three months in reserves. For more information on
how you can give to the Soup Kitchen, contact Dennis
Andrews. May 5-6, there will be a call for
over the counter medicines in the bulletin. Gathering the items will take
two weeks. Then, they will be sorted and packed to be taken on the June
Mission trip. A benefit is being planned for
October. More details to come, but here are the highlights:
unwind from a hectic week with cocktails, delicious food and a silent auction
in an elegant atmosphere and high-spirited entertainment from the renowned
Rupert’s Orchestra. Stay tuned to find out how you can treat someone special
to a night on the town and benefit the parish members of Sacre Coeur. Contact
Mark or Suzanne Coughlin
if you’d like to start work on getting items donated for the silent auction
or any other part of preparing this night to help us raise critical funds for
the Twinning Program. Dennis and Mark will be working on
transitioning leadership of the program for the next few months. Also, Dennis
will still be very much involved in the volunteer efforts and continuing the
good works he began. |
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Upcoming Activities for St. Monica's
Twinning Program. Dates to note: Medical Mission Trips
May 5-6 – over the counter parish medicine drive In October, huge fundraising event featuring Rupert’s Orchestra. More details to come. |
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Construction
is underway! On
Sept. 15, an email went out to the Twinning Program mailing list. We were
coming down to the wire and were short over $1,100 to raise the allotted
funds for construction to begin on the dental clinic in Hinche. Twinning
volunteers raised the remaining funds and on Sept. 27, Father Jack signed off
on the building contracts. "Thanks
to all who gave of their time, talent and treasure (and prayers) to make this
a reality. A special thanks to Jim Whitney for all his hard work and
perseverance in bringing this about," Dennis Andrews, Twinning Program
Director. We have some
construction pictures in our Photo
Gallery now and will certainly be adding more soon – especially since
our 2007 Medical Mission trip is coming up Feb. 17 - 24. |
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5 |
November
27 Meeting Updates. Welcome to new members Jerry and Lucile! Dental Clinic Update
Shipping
Medical Mission
Miscellaneous
There
will be no meeting in December. See you all in January. |
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6 |
Yon Misyon Lespwa (A Mission of Hope),
Mark Coughlin's documentary on the June 2006 Medical Mission made its debut
at this year's Fall Festival. If you’ve not received a copy of the DVD, email
Dave at dlock3155@earthlink.net. Updates since the Fall Festival: Thanks to all who helped out with Fr.
Bourdeau on his recent visit. He had
a great visit and is truly thankful to all who not only helped him but also
help those in Hinche. He's back in NY
visiting his mother and brother and will be heading back to Hinche in early
October. During the weekend of
the fall festival we were able to raise about $23,000 towards the
medical/dental clinic buildout. We're
almost there! A special thanks goes to Jim Whitney for all his efforts in
getting this project going. Last weekend there was a
second collection for the med mission and we raised about $9,800! We now have a link to
our Medical Mission on the church’s website: www.saintmonicas.com. Go to the second
page on the Community site link and click on the Medical Mission
site. As many know, Mark
Coughlin has created a wonderful video on this past June's mission. Many saw it during the Fall Festival
weekend. He is completing the final
touches and copies will be available.
This is truly a moving, special DVD that really goes to the heart of
the mission. Our October mission is
right around the corner. Jim Toth, Carla
Fedigan, Barb Burk and Mark Nicol will be going down Oct 11-14. The purpose is to check the status of the
clinic and Dr. Mark will be bringing a portable ultrasound to examine special
patients chosen by Dr. Louis. |
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August 28, 2006 Meeting Minutes Tammie Addison Fall Festival
Prep Anyone that has any items from Haiti they’d like to donate to the basket for the Fall Festival, drop them off in the Medical Mission mail cubby hole in the volunteer room. Dennis will pick the items up and get them into the basket for you. We are in need of volunteers to work in our booth mid-late afternoon on Saturday. Please contact Heidi Watts if you are interested. Our booth will feature t-shirts with our mission’s logo, bracelets,
doilies, paintings, carved boxes and other handi-crafts from Haiti and a
blood pressure check. Encourage folks to stop by and support the mission. Budget & Fundraising
We are at $53,000 of our $83,00 goal to build out the clinic. We will
sell items at the Fall Festival to continue to raise money toward our goal.
Thanks to the fund raising team for its continued efforts. Jim Toth spoke at
each Mass last weekend to bring awareness to the work the team is doing in
Haiti twice a year. Soup Kitchen Father Bourdeau’s Annual Visit
Father Bourdeau will be in town Sept. 8 – Sept. 12. After each Mass
there will be an information table set up for parishioners to ask questions
about Haiti and the work of the Twinning Program. Contact Dennis
Andrews if you can stay for a few moments after one of the Masses to
answer questions. September 12 Meeting
Dennis is having a meeting for those interested in learning more about
the mission, seeing how monies are spent and meeting the people we are
helping. He hopes to garner interest from 4 or 5 parishioners to join him on
an upcoming trip to Haiti so they may help to spread the word about the need
to continue our work with this mission. The Next Medical Mission Trip
There has been a change
in this October's mission dates. The mission dates will be October 18 - 22. This trip
will be administrative for the most part and we will prepare the clinic and
pharmacy for the February trip. There will be a sorting party for the
pharmaceuticals – stay tuned for more information. Please contact Dave if you
are interested in joining the October trip. Our 2007 dates will be
Feb 17 - 24, 2007. Big News – The
Documentary is Complete! After each Mass the
weekend of September 9, there will be specials screenings of Mark Coughlin's
documentary that he filmed during this year's June mission. Follow the signs
from the lobby of the Religious Ed building. Each screening will last about
40 minutes and will immediately follow Mass.
We welcomed two new members to our Twinning Program! Welcome Craig and
Joseph. |
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8 |
Mission Trip Updates from the Field Day 7 Sun, 2 Jul 2006
09:47:15 As I write this email,
the team has arrived safely from Haiti. Myself, Pam and Jim Whitney had to
come back yesterday. We left Hinche at 10:30 am Friday and arrived in Atlanta
at 12:30 am Saturday morning. The rest of the team flew back yesterday
It's always an "adventure" traveling from Haiti. We too arrived safe and that is what's
important. Friday was our final day of our medical
mission. It's bittersweet for us
knowing that there is so much more to do.
What's really sad is the look of desparation on the faces of those who
have been waiting (some for days) to see a doctor. As is it gets closer to
closing the doors, woman start pushing their small children through the door
hoping that they will be seen. Towards the end you would have seen Michael
Coughlin surrounded by dozens of women holding their babies in the air. Michael was feeling the foreheads fo the
child determining which one had a high enough fever to be seen. So many
people to help. This year's medical
mission ended on a very happy, positive note. All week long, we had dozens of
young boys helping out with landscaping
the grounds at the church.
They spent days with shovels and wheelbarrels. As a reward, they were treated to a soccer
match. Soccer is a passion in Haiti,
especially during the World Cup. There were two matches with the winners
playing in the Hiche Cup. You could
not have found happier boys anywhere. We are all back in
Atlanta, back to airconditioning, ice in our drinks and hot showers! While were are happy to be back with our
family and friends, our thoughts and prayers are always with the people of
Hinche. There are so many people that
need help. Our team of less than 20
can only do so much. We need your
prayers and especially your support. This is a vital mission
at St. Moncia's and over the next year we will be expanding the medical
clinic as well as the twinning program.
Help us help these people. There is so much work to be done and all
are invited. We have a link about our medical mission on the
churches website (www.saintmonicas.com)
We'd love to have you visit our link to get the latest updates. Words cannot express my
thanks to the team. I've worked with
many of these people of years. The
"old-timers" and the newbies were wonderful. Our entire parish should be very proud of
them. They truly are the light of the world. I know the entire team
would agree, all of your prayers and support kept us going strong in
Hinche. We thank you all. Bondye beni nou (God
Bless You) Dave Day 6 Thu, 29 Jun 2006
18:06:33 I hear it's hot in
Atlanta, but man it's hot here in Hinche.
Mid 90's and no air-conditioning or ice! The temps were high and so is the morale of the medical team. We had a great day here at Sacre Coeur. After morning Mass (6:00
am!!) and breakfast we had a dedication/ribbon cutting ceremony for the soon
to be updated Whitney Dental/Medical Clinic. As many of you know, we've had
been fundraising so we can complete the buildout of the Whitney Clinic. It will be completely refurbished inside
with tile floors, cabinets, air-conditioning, and a complete dental office.
When complete it will probably be the most state of the art facility in
Haiti! We've raised about $48,000 but
still need to get to $65,000+. If
you're looking to help out the mission, this is definately one of the
projects in need. It was very heartening
to see hundreds of Haitians there at the dedication. Fr. Bourdeau gave a great speech (at least
I think he did. I don't know Creole but folks laughed and applauded). He
blessed the clinic and all present and prayers were sung by all. Then we had
the official ribbon cutting ceremony.
I don't think they do this often in Haiti because Father didn't quite
know what to do with the scissors. He
told me later that the yellow ribbons were very pretty
and he didn't want to ruin them! From there it was one to
a very busy day in the clinic. We saw over 200 patients and still there were
hundreds who could not be seen. Many
of them walk for days to see a doctor and wait all week. Sadly, some never get to see the doctor. As usual, we had a
couple of unique cases. There was an
elderly gentleman who was having cardiac problems. We promptly put him in a pickup truck (no ambulances here) and
sent him to St. Therese Hospital.
There were also two other patients that needed medical treatment that
even St. Therese could not provide.
He sent these patients with a letter and some money to Hopital
Bienfasonce. This hospital is located
in Pignon which is about 2-3 north of Hinche. It was founded by a Dr. Guy Theodore who retired as an Air Force surgeon. For Haiti, it's a state of the art
hospital. Our letter from the med
mission will certainly help get the care that these patients needed. The little girl I talked
about in yesterday's email is doing great.
We visited her at the hospital and she's sitting up, talking and
eating. Yesterday, she had a temperature of 104 and would have died had not
the medical mission been available.
Today, she's one the road to recovery. One thing we've noticed
this year more than last is there is a very dramatic increase in malnourished
patients. Many come to us having not
eaten in days. We've been going through many loaves of bread and peanut butter. We just can't not let them have something
to eat. It's been very hard on many
team members. And to think, we'll be back to going to Krogers or Publics in a
few days. While the disparity in
lifestyles is huge, medical missions like this are the bridge that is needed. Well, it's 6:00 pm and
everyone is hot and tired. The girls
have gone off the their rooms at the Bishop's to rest and shower. The rest of us are waiting for dinner
drinking a few Prestiges. It's been a
long and hot day, but a very good day.
We've got a number of
"newbies" on the mission this year. The great part of the mission is how well we all work
together. You would think these
medical folks have worked together for years. It's incredible. the camradire and spirit is really
special. The Holy Spirit is
definately watching over us. I wonder what we're
having for dinner tonight? Oh my,
rice & beans, plantains, and chicken!!
It's going to be very nice evening in Haiti. I hope you all have a great evening in Atlanta or wherever you
are. Thanks again for your
love, prayers and support. Dave Thanks for sending all
those emails. The team will love to
hear about what you said and I don't have to make up stuff tonight!! Day 5 Wed, 28 Jun 2006 21:22:26 Just when you think it
can't get any crazier, it does! It
was a very busy and interesting day down here at Sacre Coeur in Hinche. First of all, Bart, Jim
Auber, Agnes, Alex, Mark and Fenel traveled to Bassin Zim to visit with Fr.
Meres. The trip went very well and
Jim was able to help further St. Brendan's twinning with Bassin Zim. It's very heartening to
see how the mission has grown and expanded.
About 8-9 years ago, Bob and Joann Perfetti at St. Benedicts started
the whole ball rolling. They were key to St. Benedicts building the church at
Sacre Coeur. From there the medical
mission started and St. Monicas took over that mission. Bob and Joann moved to St. Brendan's and
they started a mission at Bassin Zim.
This is the key to mission work, more churches becoming involved. Just think how many people in Haiti would
be helped if every church in Georgia had a twinning program! Two very interesting
cases today in the clinic. A small
girl came into the clinic very sick.
Dr. Jim determined that she could possibly have meningitis. Not having the resources to treat this
disease, Dr. Jim and Dr. Louis took
the child to St. Therese Hospital in Hinche.
Fortunately, the medical team at St. Therese were able to administer
IV antibiotics and the prognosis is very good. Not only do we have a vital
medical clinic at Sacre Coeur but we are
developing a very good working relationship with St. Therese Hospital. We can help so many more people this way. Our second case was an
elderly lady who visited the clinic on Monday. She was diagnosed with high blood pressure and given the
appropriate medicines. Unfortunately,
as is the case with many of the poor Haitian patients, they truly do not
understand how to take their medicines.
She took too many pills and that cause her blood pressure to drop. We kept her in the clinic on IV's and Mike
Falk did a great job doing EKG's on her (the machine is very, very old). By the end of the day she was stable and
able to go home. This is why the medical clinic and our
permanent doctor, Dr. Louis, is so important. They can monitor patients such as this lady and make sure the
take their mediciine properly. Dr. Jim Whitney, one of
our dentists found his true calling.
Due to the fact that the dental clinic was closed Jim spent the day
tilling the ground getting it ready for planting a garden. He did a great job. He's truly a Gentleman Farmer. Some of us got to visit
the local market today. Very
interesting. We went by the
"meat" deparment. There
were all sorts of pig and goat and chicken parts. Lots and lots of flys.
Some folks didn't eat the chicken tonight at dinner. I wonder why??? Everyone is doing
great. No thunderstorms today so it's
a bit muggy. The morale is high and were all anxious about tomorrow. We miss all our families
and friends. While we look forward to
coming home this weekend, we love what we are doing. There were no emails
from any families today so I just made up stuff!! The team really likes to hear from home so be sure to email me. We've got a real busy
day tomorrow so it's off to sleep. Thanks for all your
love, support and prayers. Dave Day 4 Tue, 27 Jun 2006 20:06:16 To all, Day 4 is over and we are
all relaxing, enjoying a typical Haitian dinner of rice & bean, goat,
chicken & plantains. And Prestige
Beer of course! (what do you expect, we're Catholic). It was in the mid 90's
today but we had a massive thunderstorm around 4:00 pm. It cooled things down for a bit but it's
now 7:47 pm and it's starting to get a bit muggy. There was so much rain that foot deep large puddles were
throughout the church courtyard. Many
of the Haitian kids stripped naked and played in the water for hours. It was very fun to see the kids play and
laugh amid all this poverty. Kids are
kids, no matter where in the world. We had a very busy, full
day today. Despite not having as many
nurses and doctors as we have had in the past, we saw over 150 patients. While all the patients we see are in a very
poor state, there were two very special, and poignant cases today. A young girl
came to the dental team with a massive infection in her jaw. The entire right side of her face was
infected with the bone eaten away clear to through the skin. She was very sick and in need of much more
treatment than we could have provided.
Despite these circumstances, our dentist Bart, dove in with the skills
are a true expert and was able to remove a number of rotten teeth, remove
some of the infected bone and stitch up her open jaw. While the prognosis isn't very promising
Bart's tremendous efforts most likely saved her life and gave her a chance to
live. Despite the extreme sadness we all feel when we see cases such as this,
we dry our tears and go to work as best we can. Today Bart was a true hero.
Another case was a young
girl of 15 years old who's mother died a few years ago. Since then, she has been the sole
caregiver for her two small brothers. She was severly depressed and didn't
know what to do. Fortunately, we had
Michael Coughlin (Mark's brother) along on this mission. He has much mental health experience in
third world countries and disasters.
With the help of others, he was able to talk with her and give her
some ray of hope. This is what we deal
with everyday. As overwhelmed as we
are, just think about these people who deal with this everything single day
of their lives. The mission is truly
a sign that people care. We grow more committed every mission. We hope that you will too. Thanks for your love,
prayers and support. Dave We miss Scott's
decorated exam room & M&M's, Barbara's gentle way of giving orders,
Kate's control of Jim and Bart, Steve's mail, Carla's snoring, and all the
rest who have been with us in the past.
You are missed. Day 3 Mon, 26 Jun 2006 19:35:33 To all, Day
three went very well. The clinic was running on all cylinders.
While hot and sweaty, everyone is doing very well. The medical team is
helping many in need here in Hinche. We
witnessed our very first baptism in Haiti. The real special part of
this was that Jim Toth and Lollie Sertich were the godparents. And what
is very special, was that Jim delivered the child two years ago on the
mission! Mark
Coughlin is our very own Cecile B. DeMille filming the entire mission. While
very hot, there have been thunderstorms every afternoon. We are
all waiting to see what tomorrow brings. The people of Haiti are very
passionate about their football (soccer). While they have a national
team, most are ardent supporters of Brazil. We anticpate the town to
shut down for 3 hours tomorrow during the Brazil match. It will be
interesting to see if our interpreters call in "sick". We've
all thoroughly enjoyed Miss Puckett's cookies. She is Pam Henderson's
mom. Thanks from all. We're
just about ready to eat our usual dinner of chicken, plantains, and rice and
beans. And of course Prestige Beer! Dave Day 2 Mon, 26 Jun 2006 05:22:28 The
rest of the time arrived on time and safely yesterday. They will are
flow up to Hinche about 2pm while I stayed in PAP to wait for Mark. All
is well in Hince. The clinics are up and running, supplies have all
arrived and they were able to begin the mission yesterday after noon. The
biggest difference this year is the rain. Yesterday afternoon
there were monsoon like rains. Water everywhere which means one thing -
MUD! We will probably be coming back a lot dirtier this year. It is
always a very special feeling being "back in country" in
Haiti. Friendships are renewed, new friends made. All are
very focused on our task at hand, to provide the best medical care for those
who are truly in need. There's lots of work ahead for the next 5 days. I'll
keep you all posted daily. Mark and I are soon to be flying a puddle jumper
(appropriate in this weather!) to Hinche. Pase
bon jounen Dave Day 1 Jun 24, 2006 7:02 PM I am
happy to report that “most” of the team arrived safely in Hinche late this
afternoon. Due to some issues at Hartsfield this morning, 5 team members
(myself, Lisa, Jim T. Jim W, and Michael F) and Ted from HERO were unable to
get on the flight and will have to leave early on Sunday. Every
mission is an “adventure” and things always happen. One must have patience
and be very flexible when going to Haiti on our medical mission. The
main body of the team is safe in Hinche and having a few Prestige Beers as I
write this email. The clinic is all set up and ready to go and they’ll
see a few patients tomorrow afternoon. We generally do not have a full
clinic until Monday so we are still on schedule. Lollie reports that the flight up to Hinche was the best ever.
She said that the pilot turned back to the team once they landed and
asked if this was Hinche. He’d never flown there before! There a
light rain (yes it does rain in Haiti!) falling and the temperature is
probably cooler than here in Atlanta. I’ll
email you all tomorrow evening. The people of Haiti truly need our help
and we couldn’t do these missions without your love, prayers and support. Dave |
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May 22, 2006 Meeting MinutesRespectfully
submitted by Tammie Addison Food for the PoorFFTP will cease its
operations in Haiti because they are having trouble getting food – into the
country and distributed – as trucks and their cargo were being stolen
repeatedly. Our support will still help Father Bourdeau’s Soup Kitchen. He
will shop for food at the market in Hinche to stock the kitchen; an often
unreliable and unsteady source of food for the kitchen. Our support through
FFTP provided a way to feed more people more reliably. We will continue to
work with Father Bourdeau to find ways to stock the kitchen and supply as
many meals as possible. Dennis
Andrews is placing calls to UNICEF, World Vision and other NGOs to inquire
about picking up aid to the Sacre Coeur Soup Kitchen. There is currently
an effort underway to collect ~200- 250 small, plastic pails with lids to
distribute to families that travel to the Soup Kitchen to get food. More
details will be available in the coming weeks. Internet ConnectionThe new internet
connection should be up in the first part of June. Dennis is hoping to load
Skype or Crystal Voice so that free internet phone calls may be made to
Father Bourdeau and between the Medical Mission/Twinning Staff and their
families should emergencies arise while they are at Sacre Coeur. Stateside
families will need to load this application to your home computers to be able
to complete these internet phone calls. Fundraising UpdateJim Whitney
expressed his thanks to the volunteers who have helped him place calls for
this year’s capital campaign: Dave Lockhart Barb Whitfield Ellen Marrs Lollie Antioch Barb Burk Greg Saunders. To date, the team
has raised more than $27,500. The goal is to raise $50,000 before the team
leaves for the June 24 Mission trip so that they may break ground on the
clinic while onsite. Please continue to spread the word about this effort
so we can meet our goal. Greg is contacting
HERO (Health, Education & Relief Organization), a firm specializing in
consultation of Haitian construction projects, so that they may draw up
timelines and drawings for the project. PharmacyScott is
researching international supply houses to reduce cost and maintain a
reliable and cost-effective supply of medication to the clinic. Next Year’s Fundraising CalendarIn order to secure
time on the parish calendar, the team decided on quarterly fundraising
efforts for 2007:
MiscellaneousMark and Michael
Coughlin could debut their documentary film about the Twinning/Medical
Mission program in September. Stay tuned for more details. Dennis will be
traveling to Haiti mid-June. Contact him if you have supplies to send to
Sacre Coeur. All members
traveling on the June 24 Mission should attend a mandatory meeting in the RE
building, Tuesday, May 30 at 7:30. Contact Dave for more information or if
you have any questions. |
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April 18, 2006 Meeting MinutesRespectfully
submitted by Frantz Hilaire The Twinning
/Medical Mission meeting was held April 18 and the following items were
discussed: Financial ReportThe meeting opened
with a quick update from Deb Field regarding the financial report for the
various programs including Twinning, Doc-a-Day and the Medical Mission. The total money raised for all programs is
approximately $95,342. 72. The
Medical Mission alone has a total collection of about $12, 000. The June 18th secondary collection at
Church of St. Monica will be a tremendous boost for the Medical Mission, as
the collection will occur right before the trip. The new dates for the Medical Mission to Haiti are June 24 –
July 1. For past missions, we’ve
spent approximately $15, 000 for 20-25 people; airfare within the country is
typically the biggest expense. A
budget meeting is planned for the executive team before the June trip to
examine the budget and fundraising goals for 2006. Current Political Climate in HaitiOur very special
guest, Bernard Celestin, joined us for the meeting and graciously provided
the team with an update regarding the current political climate in
Haiti. Bernard, who has provided
transportation services for past Missions via aircraft charter, stated that
the political climate has drastically improved. Since the elections, the sense of insecurity is not
present. The incidence of
professional kidnappings has drastically fallen to practically zero. The only kidnappings you hear about lately
are by young kids trying to make quick money. Cite-Soleil in Port-au-Prince used to be a forbidden area to
travel through. This is not the case
now. The Medical Mission, if it did
occur in February, actually would not have been in jeopardy. The reason for concern was the
questionable commercial flights into the main airports. There was a risk that Mission folks would
have been stranded in the country, which would have posed more of a problem
for loved ones in the States who would worry. Bernard does not foresee any issues or concerns for the June
Mission. When asked about
the presence of UN forces in Haiti, Bernard responded by saying they could be
more effective. Bernard also
responded to questions about President-elect Preval and Aristide. Preval won the first round of the
election, which says a lot about the popular support from the Haitian
people. In regards to Aristide, there
hasn’t been much talk about him or his return. Currently, there is a second round of elections for the legislature,
as no one won the first round. Dave Lockhart reassured
the team that the Medical Mission is well organized with built-in
contingencies. It will be safe as
possible. Bernard concluded
his report by suggesting that the Mission extend their stay by one day. There are many beautiful parts of the
country (including beaches) that Mission folks would appreciate, especially
after such hard work in Hinche. He
volunteered to take time off to serve as a guide. June is rainy season, so flying is always the best
transportation option. Food for the PoorDennis Andrews gave
an update regarding the FFTP program.
From a fundraising standpoint, there are a number of ways people can
contribute. 1) One can write a check
to St. Monica’s Church and write FFTP in the memo; 2) One can also write a
check directly to FFTP. (This option
is always more appealing to non-St. Monica parishioners); 3) Another option
is similar to the Doc-A-Day program, where we advertise a certain amount of
money (such as $50) which can keep the soup kitchen open for a day, etc. However, there is a practical limit to the
number of meals the cooks can manage per day. The bottom line is that we need additional monies to support
the program. Currently, we contribute
$5K per year (with quarterly installments).
We’d like to contribute an additional $5K. ShippingDennis also
reported on the shipping program. We
send 2-3 shipments of supplies per year. The January shipment was recently
picked up by Father Bordeau. It took
him 3 trips to get the shipment, due to the size of his vehicle. The PTPA shipment went out last week and
will probably arrive in 4 weeks. It
will contain 5 or 6 containers that must go through customs. We may organize
an OTC collection (and other medical equipment), which the Mission folks can
hand carry for the June trip. OtherThe
Twinning/Medical Mission website is up and running at: http://bellsouthpwp2.net/a/d/addison_t/home_twinningprogram.htm. It can also be accessed from the St. Monica
website (http://www.saintmonicas.com/)
via the “Community Link” in the left navigation menu. Once you access the Community Link, you’ll
have to advance to Page 2 by clicking the “Next Page…” link at the bottom of
the page. PharmacyScott Pugel gave a
pharmacy update for the team. Bernard
mentioned that, from his experience, the prices for medicine in Haiti are
often cheaper than the U.S. and suggested further research on the prices. Fund Raising InitiativeJim Toth discussed
his first draft fundraising document, which is intended to be used for many
purposes including the 2006 capital funds campaign. The fundraising document gives a brief history of the mission,
its significance and how parishioners can help. It features levels of sponsorship that are fittingly labeled
using Kreyol words of inspiration.
For example, “Platon Zanmi,” which means “Friendship Level.” He asked for input. Tammie Addison is working on graphics and
pictures of former Missions to add to the fundraising packet. (Download your copy of the fundraising
letter by going to the Twinning/Mission home page and clicking “2006 Campaign
Information” in the programs section on the left.) June MissionDave gave an update
regarding the next mission, which is scheduled for June 24 – July1. Currently, the roster includes about 10
people. He needs to know ASAP if
anyone else is planning on joining the Mission team. Wisnel will be attending and will serve as
interpreter. The plane tickets are
currently $800 round trip from ATL.
From Miami, the price is about $400.
Dave suggests that folks drive to Miami (or use Frequent Flyer miles)
and then travel with the rest of the group.
Bernard suggested another flight option: Travel to Dominican Republic and take an air conditioned bus
from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince.
The team will investigate this option further. Dave will also let us know when the money
is due for the flights. Next MeetingThe next Twinning
and Medical Mission is scheduled for May 22 at 7:30 in St. Monica’s religious
education building. |
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The Twinning/Medical
Mission meeting was held March 27 and the following items were discussed: 1. Jim Whitney gave
a recap of what was discussed at the March 8 executive committee meeting
concerning the dental clinic build out. The main points were how much
the project will cost and how to raise the money. The
overriding principle for the team is to keep fundraising simple with little
burden to our parishioners and volunteers. "With all of the demand on
the parishioners, we didn't want to engage in a large scale fundraising
effort so we are going to focus on something small and manageable," says
Whitney. "We want to do a little and do it well." Financial focus will be on the clinic buildout, the septic
tank, the soup kitchen and incinerator. Our priorities will be to meet
the needs of Hinche's Sacred Heart parish by providing 1) clean
drinking water, 2) food to eat, 3) medial care then 4) dental attention and
facilities. The fundraising goal for this year is $66,000. This total
includes the actual buildouts, supplies and manpower behind the efforts. We
will not break ground on any efforts until we've raised at least
$40,000. To date, we have approximately $15,000. Parishioners are helping with the Doc-a-Day program and
food for the soup kitchen through envelope and special donations. Jim Toth and Jim Whitney met
after last night's meeting to put together a letter which will be
sent to all current and former Twinning/MM members asking for their
help. The team would like to keep the fund raising for the
buildout contained to former and current Twinning Program members. Letters
and information packets outlining specific details will be available in the
coming weeks. 2. Dennis Andrews
asked for volunteers to take responsibility for the following items;
- It takes approximately $50 a day to feed 200 people;
$250 to be open for a week - Dennis Andrews is in conversation with
Food for the Poor so that we may donate money to that ministry and
earmark our funds for Sacre Coeur in
Hinche. Father Durkin, of FFTP, has committed to working with Father
Bourdeau to coordinate the money for buying food and getting it to Sacred
Heart - which is quite a task given the Haitian environment right now. - At the present time, we write a check for $5,000 on a
quarterly basis from the St. Monica Twinning Program funds to keep the soup
kitchen going. We need at least another $5,000 to keep the soup kitchen at Sacre Coeur open at
least four days a week. - There have
been several folks that have expressed an interest in taking on the Food for
the Poor program. Dennis Andrews would like to get all interested
parties together and help with the selection of a chairman to run
it. - Father
Bourdeau will be the prime decision maker on the future of this program
since the absence or presence of the program will greatly effect the activity
at Sacre Coeur.
- Jon Steele
has graciously offered the continued use of his facility for collection and
preparation of the shipment. - Our OTC shipment
should leave the states sometime around April 10. The containers are
being loaded in Nashville now. With all the churches and parish's
around the country participating, there will probably be around 5-6
containers! - We should
continue to see two shipments per year. * Financial
Reporting - We have
a volunteer for the financial reporting job. Other items of
note: - Haiti’s President
Préval recently went to the United Nations to ask for money to build up the
infrastructure - Meeting reports will
now be available on
our web site: http://bellsouthpwp2.net/a/d/addison_t/home_twinningprogram.htm - April 18 at 7:30 is
our next meeting |
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March
5 Updates on the Twinning/Medical Mission Program at St. Monica: There will
be a Twinning/MM meeting on Monday March 27th. All future monthly
meetings will be combined twinning and medical mission meetings (as we did
last month) so that everyone can be brought up to date on what has transpired
the previous month and have input on important issues. March items for discussion include, soup
kitchen (or more accurately, food for the soup kitchen), dental clinic build
out, shipping, financial report, Gift of Water, etc. Haiti
Political Situation: as many of you know, a new president has been
elected, Rene Preval. We all hope that the unrest ends and the situation for
Haitians begins to improve. January
Shipment: the shipment has arrived in Cap Hatien and been released
from customs. Fr. Bourdeau will be
going to Cap Hatien this week to pick this shipment up and deliver much
needed meds to the clinic. March
Shipment: There will be a shipment by
the PTPA. The deadline to get
materials to Dennis is March 20th. Food for
the Poor: Fr. Bourdeau continues to
feed the poor in Hinche at his Soup Kitchen.
He is feeding more people than ever. There will only be enough food
for two months IF they were to stay open 4 days a week. This is one of the items we will discuss
at March's meeting. Dennis has been
talking with Food for the Poor about fund raising, etc. we need to brainstorm
ideas along these lines. New
well: Fr. Bourdeau has dug a new well
on the parish property. It's not up
and running yet but all is hopeful that a new source of clean water will be
available soon. Sacre Coeur
internet connection: the internet
connection is down currently
at Sacre Couer but Dennis and Bernard are working on it. We'll give you an update when it's up and
running. Clinic Build
Out: Jim Whitney and Bart Whitesell are working diligently on the clinic
buildout. They raised to date $13K and will giving continued updates on the
status. Updated
medical mission dates: We've
rescheduled the next mission for June 24 -
July 1. ** For those who would like
to go on this mission please let me know at dlock3155@earthlink.net. |
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Volunteers needed! We need volunteers to take on the coordination of the following
missions: Food for the Poor (soup kitchen), Gift of Water and
Shipping/warehousing. If you're interested but need more information, contact
Dennis Andrews at dandre4@bellsouth.net. |
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February
2006 MM Trip Cancelled. A letter from Dr. Jim Toth to all members and supporters of the
Medical Mission and Twinning efforts, Catholic Church of Saint Monica: The 2006
Medical Mission, scheduled from FEB 19-26, has been cancelled. It is with
great sorrow and disappointment that I write this, but the continuing
violence and instability in Port au Prince and surrounding areas has
increased certain risks to our team to a level greater than what is
acceptable. We learned
in 2004 that it is not just what happens in Hinche, but rather what happens
in all of Haiti that can affect our team.
Despite the fact that Hinche continues to be calm and free of
violence, our ability to move freely in Haiti, particularly through the
international airport in PAP is severely jeopardized by the growing criminal
element present in that city. With a
reported 10 kidnappings per day since DEC, and over 28 US citizens kidnapped
in the past year, we feel that our
team members would be at particular risk as targets of this criminal
element. Furthermore, with the
uncertainty surrounding Haiti's national elections, already postponed twice
and now scheduled again for February, there is significant concern for
continued unrest and violence that could in fact lead to a disruption of air
service. Another lesson learned from
our experience in 2004, if American Airlines halts its flights in and out of
PAP, we are essentially stranded
with limited options for egress back to the US. I would
like to emphasize that, despite our absence in Haiti this February, our
hearts and minds continue to be with our parish family at Sacre Couer and in
Hinche. Over $15,000 worth of
medications and supplies has been successfully shipped to Cap-Haitian and is
clearing customs, soon to be on its way to the Whitney Clinic. Dr. Stanley Louis continues to see
patients on a daily basis, along with Cluny, the clinic nurse and Jude Jean,
the clinic manager. At our
Medical Mission meeting last night, we talked about moving forward with the
Medical/Dental clinic buildout and the fundraising and other logistical
challenges surrounding that effort. Dennis can
speak also to the Twinning Programs that are continuing as well, including
the Soup Kitchen and student sponsorship programs. Ultimately,
our decision no to go to Hinche in February does not indicate an abandonment
of our Medical or Twinning programs.
We are more galvanized than ever before in providing both spiritual
and material assistance to our parish family at Sacre Coeur. In particular, this crisis brings into
focus our ongoing DOC-A-DAY and OTC drug drive programs, which will be
especially critical in the future for keeping our clinic staffed and
supplied. We all are looking forward
to returning to Hinche once this situation quiets down and law and order are
restored. Finally, I
ask that you keep our friends in Haiti in your prayers, especially this week
which marks the Church's special intention for Christian Peace and Unity. Jim Toth,
MD Medical
Director Haiti
Twinning Project Catholic
Church of Saint Monica 770-622-0880 |
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2006
Mission Visit announced. The Medical Mission will lead a visit to Hinche Feb.
18-25. Interested parties should contact, Dr. Jim Toth. Accompanying the
Medical Mission staff on this journey will be documentary filmmaker, Mark
Coughlin. Coughlin, a member of the Music Ministry, started the project in
2005 with interviews with the staff members and attending preparatory
meetings. He will produce a full length documentary film. Approximately 20
parishoners will be part of this year’s journey. In preparation for their
journey, they will get the necessary shots, gather numerous medical supplies,
ship what they can months in advance and divide the rest to carry in duffle
bags with their one bag of personal items. While it seems like a lot -- to
maneuver through airports with uncertain travel arrangements carrying heavy
supplies -- the team says the feeling they get from helping the people of the
Haiti countryside is overwhelming. |
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Doc-a-Day
Program Going Strong. In the first 40 days of 2006, approximately $2,500 has been raised.
The goal for the year is $15,000. Contact Barb Burk at 770-497-1210 for more
information about how you can contribute to this effort. |
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Got
prayer petitions? Send your Twinning program prayer petitions to Dave Lockhart. |
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Items
for Sale to Benefit the Twinning Program. During the Fall Festival,
approximately $4,000 was raised to benefit the Twinning Program at St. Monica.
“The goal of the sale was not only to raise money for the Twinning efforts
but we wanted to raise awareness about the program,” said Ellen Marrs, a
nurse with the Medical Mission. “We are very proud of what we do and what we
have to share.” T-shirts,
necklaces, notecards and bracelets are still on sale through the parish
office. See the basket of items in the Religious Education building for
samples.| |
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Creole
Lessons Offered for Medical Mission/Twinning Program Volunteers. Wiznell, a
Medical Mission volunteer, has accompanied the doctors and nurses of
St. Monica’s parish to Haiti many times. With his knowledge of the Creole
dialect, he is invaluable in assisting with patients in translation and
cultural aspects of the mission visit. Graciously, he is now offering a free
intro to Creole class for Medical Mission and Twinning Program volunteers as
they prepare for their journey. Each Thursday at 7:30, he will conduct a
face-to-face session in the Religious Education building at St. Monica’s. He
will also post his sessions on this website for homework and extra study. For
more information, contact Wisnell at wisba2000@yahoo.com.
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Medical Mission trip Oct. 12 – 16 gives clear assessment of effort
needed in February. Members of the Medical Mission Team traveled to Hinche to
conduct an inventory and assess progress in several areas of the clinic and
the pending dental office to be house in part of the dormitory of the church.
Work is also underway to create a permanent clinic so that a new structure
does not have to be built upon each return for the Medical Mission staff. |
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The Dinner Mystery
Theatre yielded a $10,000
harvest of funds to share among St. Monica’s outreach programs. It was a
night of outstanding proportions with great laughter and fellowship. Dennis
Andrews sends special thanks to Kelly Sinclair for her preparation work and
support of the theatre. Our gratitude to all who participated in this event. |
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The Gift of Water Program in need of a more sophisticated
water delivery system, well and sanitation field. |
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Father Bourdeau reassigned. “I’ve decided to step aside so other
people could experience this sort of relationship with a twinning parish,”
said Fr. Bourdeu. |
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Mystery Theatre
Planned for February 3. Looking
for star actors, an elaborate backstage crew and exemplary service
unparalleled by any Buckhead restaurant? Look no farther than the Dinner
Mystery Theatre benefiting the Twinning Program at the Catholic Church of
Saint Monica on February 3. |
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A Prayer for the
Twinning Program.
Author:
Servite Sister Joyce Rupp, author of Dear Heart, Come Home, wrote the
following after visits to Guatemala and Liberia To my
sisters and brothers in developing countries: While I was
deciding which oat bran cereal to eat this morning, you were searching the
ground for leftover grains from the passing wheat truck. While I was
jogging at the health center, you were working in the wealthy landowner’s
fields under a scorching sun. While I was
choosing between diet and regular soda, your parched lips were yearning for
the touch of water. While I
complained about the poor service at the gourmet restaurant, you were
gratefully receiving a bowl of rice. While I
poured my “fresh and better” detergent in the washing machine, you stood in
the river with your bundle of clothes. While I
watched the evening news on my wide screen television set, you were being
terrorized and taunted by a dictatorship government. While I
read the newspaper and rank my cup of steaming coffee, you walked the dusty,
hot miles to the tiny, crowded schoolroom to try to learn how to read. While I
scanned the adds for a bargain on an extra piece of clothing, you woke up and
put on the same shirt and pants that you have worn for many months. While I
build a 14 room house for the three of us, your family of 10 found shelter in
a one room hut. While I
went to Church last Sunday and felt more than slightly bored, you looked out
upon the earth and those around you and felt gratitude to God for being alive
for one more day. My sisters
and brothers, forgive me for my arrogance and my indifference. Forgive me for
my greed of always wanting newer, bigger and better things. Forgive me for
not doing my part to change the unjust systems that keep you suffering and
impoverished. I offer you my promise to become more aware of your situation
and to change my lifestyle as I work for transformation of our world. AMEN. |
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