The Diocese of Eau Claire, in collaboration with the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee, is in Partnership with the Diocese of Haiti and the mission
and community of St. Marc’s Episcopal Church and School in Jeannette Haiti.
As partners with the people of St. Marc’s Church and School
in that remote mountain top village, it is our intent and prayer to help brothers and sisters in Christ realize their dreams for growth and
self-sufficiency.
We commit to being supportive, and to sharing the needed technical skills and financial resources, as we are able.
We also offer a prayerful presence as, together, we work towards a sustainable community,
using the Millennium Development Goals as a guide.
The History of our Partnership with St. Marc's in Haiti |
| Over 20 years ago the mountain-top where Jeannette now stands was bare, with only trees, shrubs, rocky dirt and red clay paths that led to small houses where the people lived. There was only one big structure on the mountain, an Episcopal church.In the yard around the church were pyramid shaped piles of rock. They were the Sunday Offerings of the people, who were dreaming of a school for their children. The rocks were to become the foundation. |
| In the yard around the church were pyramid shaped piles of rock. They were the Sunday Offerings of the people, who were dreaming of a school for their children. The rocks were to become the foundation. |
| The people of Jeannette shared their hopes and dreams with the people of the Episcopal churches in Wisconsin. They wanted their children to become educated so that good change could be made in their country. They also wished for a medical clinic so that their babies could be healthy, and they wanted help growing food in their poor soil so they could feed their families better. |
| The Americans responded to the needs and thus a partnership was born. By working together, the people of the Wisconsin Episcopal Churches, along with Haitian people of St. Marc’s Church and the parents of the children of the school, were able to help the community of Jeannette realize those dreams. |
| Now, some 20 or more years later, the mountaintop looks very different. The church is larger and improved. There are school buildings that include everything from pre-school through high school. There is a large medical clinic, a Rectory for the priest and his/her family, as well as dorm rooms for visiting mission groups and a dorm to house the teachers. There are cisterns under all the major building to hold rainwater. Many of the homes have metal roofs as well, so that they too can catch the rainwater. |
| In the yard around the church were pyramid shaped piles of rock. They were the Sunday Offerings of the people, who were dreaming of a school for their children. The rocks were to become the foundation. |
| Most importantly, there are relationships between the partners. Of the 650 children now attending the school, some 400 have sponsors, “friends”, and the Haitian children know they are being prayed for by American Brothers and Sisters. The Sponsorship Program is not only how the Partnership “dreams” are funded, it is the soul of the mission. |
| So Jeannette has grown, and guess what? A new dream is in the works. They want a trade school. It is almost completed, just needing furniture and tools for teaching. The people of the community want to learn masonry, sewing, carpentry, and other ways in which they can make a living. They are in hopes that American friends can help them realize this dream as well. |
| We, the Diocese of Eau Claire pledge to continue working along side our brothers and sisters in Christ, as, in partnership, we strive to help the people of Jeannette become independent and self-sustaining. And as we do so, we encounter a compassionate and loving God in our midst. |
Diocese of Eau Claire
510 South Farwell
Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-835-3331
dio.e.c.haiti@gmail.com
Created by: Jackie Walmsley November 1, 2008