Huntersville 2 Haiti: Friday Morning

OFCB

For nearly two centuries, subsistence farming has characterized the livelihood of 80,000 people in rural Bayonnais, Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere. This is not uncommon. Following colonial independence in 1804, former slaves exercised newfound freedom by cultivating their own land in the countryside. Today, OFCB (Organization of the Christian Force of Bayonnais), a ministry founded in 1993 through the vision of five inspired individuals, provides this generation with a new opportunity: education. Subjects such as history, biology, language arts, social science, philosophy, and visual art are now available to this community for the first time. Adults and children comprise a student body that has grown from 103 to 1460, and for many, the rice and beans served at lunch may be the only substantial meal they eat all day. Not only have national exam scores been some of the highest in the region, OFCB has sent 20 students to Haitian colleges! In an effort to stimulate long-term development, the college scholarship program stipulates that each student return to OFCB upon graduation to serve the community for 10 to 15 years, depending upon the field of study. One college graduate has become a doctor, currently in residency, and will return to start Bayonnais’ first health clinic! Deep in the heart of a country plagued by extreme poverty, political violence and corruption, the people of Bayonnais are finding new hope.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Friday Morning

Well It's Friday Morning in Haiti. We spent the morning taking a walk through the community. We visited the Medical Ministry Site - still waiting for the plans to be finished by "Engineers Without Borders" so we know how much money will be needed.
Stopped by an old abandoned church where some teenagers were having an informal choir practice, which was quite beautiful sounding.

We visited Actionnel's Mom where we were "treated" to some "fresh" fish. We tried to follow Actionnel's lead and down the whole thing (head, tail, eyeballs, and bones) all in one bite, but just couldn't quite make it happen. ( I confess - I shared the head of mine with the cat.)
We were stopped by a man in the village who wanted his picture made - and then asked when he could receive a copy. We are working on that - not much of a postal service here.

Now we are back at the school preparing for lunch. The elementary school has just let out and the high school should be arriving within the hour.
Thanks for checking in.