Help Needed for St. Vincent’s School in Haiti
An urgent update from Dr. Susan Nelson:
Hello everyone,
I think many of you have seen the bad news coming out of Haiti.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry went to Kenya to discuss UN security troops coming to Haiti to help control the gangs. He is unpopular because he was appointed, not elected, after the assassination of President Jovenol Moise in January 2021. He was appointed with the understanding that he would hold elections, which he has not done this past 3 years. Gang activity and violence have been increasing steadily during this time. This has prevented our medical teams from going to Haiti and has made life more and more difficult for our Haitian friends.
This past weekend, with Ariel Henry out of the country, the gangs took over the airport in Port au Prince and broke into 2 different prisons, releasing all the inmates. They are now taking over the seaport. PM Henry is unable to return to Haiti and there are currently no flights in or out of the country.
Meanwhile, St Vincent’s school is located in Santo 17 which is in Croix de Bouquet. This is also an area of intense gang activity. Pere Duveau, the priest in charge of St Vincent’s, lives nearby and bicycles every day to check on the 36 people, including children and adult residents, who live at the school. As of yesterday, he told us the residents and children are safe behind the gates of the school; they have food and clean water. When the markets open (maybe one day a week), he sends someone “on a food run.” The usual 150-200 day students are not coming to school; the entire country is on lock down. I have personal friends living in the same area who are afraid to leave their homes and are “hiding under the bed” they tell me.
Meanwhile, I have been in touch with two orthopedic surgeons who work at St Vincent’s as well as other local hospitals in PAP. The hospitals are out of supplies. They are overrun with patients with gunshot wounds. One of the surgeons told me he “got the last flight out of PAP before they closed the airport” on Tuesday. He is currently in Florida gathering medical supplies with plans to return to Haiti “as soon as I can get a flight.” He is committed to returning, to help the people of his country. West Tennessee Haiti Partnership (WTHP) is partnering with St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral to send him money to help him buy supplies.
I have omitted his name to try to protect him and his supplies/funds.
Please keep the people of St Vincent's community and the people of Haiti in your prayers.
If you want to help support our donation to buy medical supplies, WTHP no longer has a website but you can send a check to:
WTHP c/o the Diocese of West Tennessee
692 Poplar Ave.
Memphis TN 38105.
Susan Nelson
Co-Chair, West Tennessee Haiti Partnership