The Haitian Hope Project is a gift to St. Francis that allows us to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ. A grassroots effort to carry out God's work in Haiti, this ministry has no paid staff. All money raised goes to help those who live in and around the remote mountain village of Trouin.

Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere, and the third poorest nation in the world. The unemployment rate is a staggering 66%. Life expectancy is under 53 years of age. 49% of Haitians cannot read or write. Slightly more than half of the primary school age children are enrolled in school. Sadly, of those enrolled, less than 2% finish secondary school. Most families have no regular means of support. In the most depressed areas, fortunate children are those who are fed once a day.

In 2003,an adult Bible class began studying The Acts of the Apostles and was moved to action. The group contacted J.P. Woodall, former Haiti Partnership Coordinator, who inspired the Franciscans with a presentation on the needs of the Haitian people, "the poorest of the poor."  Woodall introduced St Francis to Bishop Duracin who established the partnership with St. Marc's Trouin.

In June 2006, the first Haitian Hope team visited our brothers and sisters in Trouin. They toured St Marc's School, which has 250 students, some of whom walk three hours one way to attend. School is not free, their families must pay. The children had no lunch. The school had no lunch program.

In order to provide meals for the students, building a kitchen was foremost on the list of needs. Funds were raised, and the kitchen was built. Feeding the children remains the priority and providing a constant food supply is now the primary goal.

HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP....

For only $20, you can provide a hot lunch to one child for the entire school year. The hearty meal consists of goat meat, black beans and rice with goats milk. To purchase a lunch ticket, see a member of the Haitian Hope Mission team or send your tax deductible contribution to Haitian Hope Children Lunch, c/o St Francis Church, 432 Forest Hill Rd. Macon, GA 31210.

In late October the worst hurricane of 2007 hit Haiti. Flooding has left the country in chaos and the remote areas in peril and desperate for relief. In Trouin the water entered all the houses. All of the animals in the countryside were lost.

Your help is needed now more than ever.