Cazenovians planning an ecumenical trip to Haiti Bruce Strong, left, Jack Strong, Stuart Wright, Tori Wright, Grace Wheeler, Becky Wheeler and Shannon Richard gather in Common Grounds after a recent meeting. (Not pictured: Tess Richard and Bob Hood)
Only a couple hundred miles from the U.S. border, Haiti is a struggling economy, ravaged by poverty and dwindling resources. Still recovering from last year’s devastation, it is a country that relies on churches and non-profit organizations to help support and develop self-sustaining communities.
St. James Catholic Church of Cazenovia formed the Haitian Twinning Committee in 2001 and twinned with St. Yves Catholic Church of Thibuea, Haiti through a national twinning organization. The committee raises funds to send children to school each year, helped build a new church and added water purification systems to 800-plus homes in the rural community of Thibeau, Haiti as well as many other support projects and relationship building at their sister parish.
Dec. 26 to 31, Cazenovia teens and parents from Eastern Hills Bible Church and St. James Catholic Church will travel to Haiti sharing faith and providing service to St. Ives Catholic Church in northern Haiti.
The group will learn about the clean water project currently in place, will work in the fields at farm making cassava, work with students in a newly built computer lab at St. Ives School and will assist at an orphanage in Port au Prince. And making crafts and sharing games and dances with the children will be a highlight of the trip.
In addition, the parents and teens will be collecting supplies for the school: pencils, crayons, paper, markers, flash drives as well as light weight ankle socks for boys and girls. Donation boxes are located in Dave’s Dinner, St. James Church entrances and in Kurt Wheeler’s class room at Cazenovia High School.
The collection of items will continue through Dec. 22.
For questions about contributions, the committee, or the trip, contact Shannon Richard at 254-9340 or Bob Hood at 447-5726.
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