Local students send supplies to Haiti

Students at the Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy braved cold weather and the blizzard’s aftermath to come back to school, even after their classes ended for Christmas break.
They, along with faculty and staff, loaded school desks, books and other school supplies to be shipped to Mapou, a remote village on the island of La Gonâve off the coast of Haiti.
After the school received donations from the St. Anastasia Leisure Club and Knights of Columbus, they were able to purchase new school supplies, freeing up old items for donation. They donated materials including chalk boards, a thousand pencils, world maps, binders, cases of paper, clothes and first-aid items.
Donations from individuals in the St. Anastasia parish also helped to purchase new supplies for the children in Haiti.
Kathleen Furlong, secretary for the board of directors at the school, said the students also raised $175 by holding a dress-down day. In addition, they wrote letters to the Haitian students.
“The village of Mapou, and its five surrounding villages, has about 500 school-age children and currently they meet under a tree,” said Furlong. “I mean there’s just nothing there at all. So they’re building this building, but they have nothing to put in it.”
Benis Guerrier, founder of the International Ministry of Hope, has been traveling to La Gonâve several times a year since 2007. He has been helping to build up Mapou, beginning construction on a church that will also serve as a schoolhouse for the children.
“There’s no government help there,” said Guerrier, 43. “If you can’t help yourself, there’s nothing else.”
In February, Guerrier, his wife Dominique, who lives in Queens Village, and their three children will move to Mapou to work with the villagers full-time. In the meantime, Guerrier has been providing the village with tools and food.
“When I went there, there was nothing,” said Guerrier, recounting his first visit. “Everything, we had to do.”
The only structures presently in the village are huts for the villagers to live in. The church will also act as a community space and shelter in times of extreme weather.
Mary O’Byrne, seventh grade representative for the student government at the academy, stressed the importance of education and its role in creating leaders.
“By doing this, we won’t only be helping out the students, but we’ll be helping out the whole village and its future,” said O’Byrne, 12.
Chris Scharbach, assistant principal of the academy, explained that the illiteracy rate in Mapou was 80 percent. He was glad that the children were able to learn about and care for other people they may never meet.
“It’s nice to make them aware of our other humans here on earth, that we’re all not as fortunate,” said Scharbach.
Guerrier added that the church is nearly completed and is just missing a roof. Once that is complete, they can use it to collect rainwater to fill a reservoir. Currently, the villagers must travel two hours each way to collect water from neighboring villages, using donkeys to help carry the water.
Mike Gerace of M. Gerace Enterprises, Inc. provided trucking and container services free of charge. Frank Bolte Chief Administration Officer of BDP International Inc. donated shipping and brokerage services.