HAITI MINISTRY COMMITTEE

Our Mission:

Throughout the five hundred years since European explorers set foot on the shores of Haiti, the inhabitants have experienced slavery, extreme poverty, political violence, revolution and oppression by dictatorial rulers. Haitians are a culturally non-violent people whose historical experience has been plagued by violence, particularly with thirty government coups over the years.

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Our Haiti Ministry began in 1984 when Bishop Walter F. Sullivan established Haiti as the Richmond Diocese’s official Outreach Ministry, including the Twinning programs. Twinning is the coupling of a particular parish, or other organization, with a particular Haitian institution (parish, school, orphanage, etc). In the Diocese of Hinche there are nineteen parishes and a number of other institutions twinned with forty nine parishes and organizations in the Diocese of Richmond. In 1989 Our Lady of Nazareth was twinned with Papaye Normal School in Hinche (pronounced “inch”). In the US this Normal School would be called a teachers college. It is a three year college with fifty new students each year. Due to attrition the total enrollment is about one hundred thirty.

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Over the years many hundreds of Richmond Diocese parishioners have gone to Haiti and have bounced over abominable roads to be welcomed at journey’s end with smiles and incomparable hospitality.

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We are a bridge building community with Haiti. Our quest is to empower the Haitian people and to enable their drive for economic freedom.

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We can work toward wholeness as we give and receive the gifts that each has to offer the other. The people of this impoverished land have broadened our vision of what it means to truly be church. We pray that the Holy Spirit will descend upon us and enable us to more clearly understand our personal and collective mission for Haiti. Please help us see with the eyes of our heart. 

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OLN Haiti Ministry Mission Statement:

To strengthen our relationship with our twin through mutual education and shared resources improving lives at the Papaye Normale School and OLN.

OLN Haiti Vision Statement:

To have a Christ-centered, socially just, environmentally and economically sustainable world where we live in solidarity with our twin, acknowledging each other as one in Christ.

Committee Meetings: The 4th Tuesday of every month except July and December. 6:30 pm in the OLN Conference Room.

Committee Members: Gene Yagow (chairperson), Becky Pilcher, Clermann Dieudonne, Di Gagnier, Judy Hedrick, Colleen Hernandez, Terry Jones, Dawn Luther, Kathy Lynch, Jim Newman, Mickey Strayer, and Cyndy Unwin.

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For More Information About this committee, Please Contact:

Gene Yagow (540)330-4750
yagow@cox.net