We want to update you on the conditions of St. François Parish & school. The best way is to share the following letter from Fr. Bertrand sent on Sunday November 23rd. You will notice it is written in Fr Bertrand’s own basic English.

-The Holding Hands with Haiti Ministry

Dear friends

I am terribly sorry to stay close one more time without sharing news.
The problem the things are very difficult for me. two weeks ago I was at Sto  Domingo for a meeting about hatropha (a tree ) a new way to make diesel with plant ( bio diesel ). I wanted to know this project to know how I can introduce my community.it is a new way to make money.Since two weeks I have a short down with my Jeep it doesn’t work ,until now I cannot repair it. Now I am at Hinche just to write you and I find your e-mail ,I use a taxi moto to do that I will come back this evening for the mass tomorrow I will come back at Hinche on monday to

I have to say to you since five months I have a special time in the parish. The principal of the nons who are in the parish dicide to move them in an other mission,so Sr Polinice as gone. I am the only one to plan the new year of school : repair the benches broken and black board, built 25 new benches for the new classroom, meet the teachers and parents of the children.  I have to buy uniforms ,shoes ,books , chalk, material supllies and built a new space at the direction to receive the parents and teachers and plan at the same time the feast of the parish where I have to receive more than 30 priest of the diocise with the Bishop and more than 5 000 people who come pray with us, because  it is a parish of pelerinage .Over all the hurricane came and take his place…bethwen that the satelite dish doesn’t work.

During the 5 months of silence I received 10 000 USD for the school I use it to come up with my budget about the teachers salaries feed the children until june, repair the benches, black board built 25 benches more, built a fence to share the shool from the sisters house, buy uniforms ,shoes,soap, material supplies, for this year the situation become more difficult the families lost everything in their gardten, so they ask me to do everything for them about school for their children. All are expensive now, in the store we use to buy food we have som debts as we are a good payer, they give me the food without money,the problem is the money that I use buying food cannot feed them 5 days a week as the past, now we give them a hot lunch 3 times aweek ( mond, wen,and fri) and the others days we give them only Bread and Juce.

I want to let you know  I am a bridge from St stephen Church to the teachers and the children in the school of St Francis Church in Haiti. The money that you send is for the school(teachers parents and children,),they are the fisrt to benefict of this relationship,I don’t want to be an obstacle. I work very hard to keep the school working as you and the people at St stephen works very hard to get your money and share it with us, I am personaly appreciate that and I continue to give myself to help them in anyway I can. I understand your big concern to give a good report to the people at the Church and Iam ready to help about that, but you must know also nothing is easy in this poor contry,now if I have to go somewhere I have to pay a taxi,I cannot pay to fixe my  truck yet . sometime you buy something it is difficult to get a receipt. I am open to your questions ,sometimes the the satelite dish works somtime no.  Monday I will be at Hinche To see if you write.

My greetings to Fr. Paul and the people at the Church

Fr.  Bertrand