Haiti - One Year Late - an Update

An Update on Haiti Relief Efforts - one year later

One year ago the eyes of the world were focussed upon the destruction that a 7.0 scale earthquake caused in the island nation of Haiti, and especially its hard-hit capital, Port-au-Prince. In many areas nothing was left but widespread devastation. During the year since that event, as a parish family, we aided, thru the Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton Diocese. Our own parish was able to send during 2010 a total of $ 23,023.23 in donations to help with direct aid, and also sent 2,348 Haiti Health Kits to the area which were used in Port-au-Prince University Hospital and The Hospital of Peace, Delmas where the Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton Diocese have for over twenty years been directly involved in the lives of the Haitian people.

Our parish Children’s Ministry and Kids Klub, each, for over three years sponsored children in Haiti thru our parish child sponsorship initiative. We continued this past year to correspond and financially aid Darby, James and Franceska as we sought to effect these lives directly. This time last year, the prayer below was our focus - may we pray it again this week as Haiti continues to rebuild.

Prayer for the People of Haiti

Loving God,
through your Son Jesus,
we are joined with the trials and sufferings of all.
Be with those who endure
the effects of the earthquake in Haiti.
Protect those in the path of danger.
Open the pathway of evacuations.
Help loved ones find one another in the chaos.
Provide assistance to those who need help.
Ease the fears of all
and make your presence known
in the stillness of your peace;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

Haiti Update

I am delighted and overwhelmed at the magnificent response of our parish family to our appeal for the victims of the tragic earthquake that struck Haiti. The special collection resulted in $17,495.00 and some 2,348 Haiti Health Kits for the Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton Diocese and their medical outreach ! There has never before been such an outpouring of generosity and love through a special collection for our brothers and sisters who have lost so much. Such generosity will be a blessing for the people of Haiti but it will also be a blessing for those who opened their hearts.

My heartfelt thanks.

Catastrophic. Devastating. In ruins.

These terms cannot begin to describe the destruction that the 7.0 scale earthquake has caused in the island nation of Haiti, and especially its hard-hit capital, Port-au-Prince.

In many areas nothing is left but widespread devastation. The major infrastructure has been destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians are expected to be dead. Survivors are in shock and wandering the streets, homeless, hungry and hopeless. Haiti needs massive amounts of supplies to care for the millions of people affected from the quake.

We must respond at once to prevent enormous loss of life from thirst, starvation, disease and untreated injuries.



How You Can Help Haiti
In response to the recent devastating earthquake, St Mary of the Visitation Parish will be working hand in hand with the Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton Diocese (who are present in two hospitals in Haiti) and Canadian Food for Children with partners already on the ground in Haiti.

You can get involved in three ways:

Pray: for the people of Haiti and for relief workers. A special Prayer has been prepared and all in the parish are united in this prayer - copies available

Give: Make your donation out to St Mary’s and designate it for Haiti Relief. We will be partner with the Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton Diocese who have assured us that 100% of donated funds will be going to Outreach Efforts in Haiti where they have been present in two hospitals for over 20 years.

Spearheaded by our high school youth group - Da Crew- we will Assemble Haiti Health Kits. All parishioners will be invited to gather these over the next two weekends and Canadian Food for Children will transport them directly to Haiti.

Haiti Health Kits:


Canadian Food for Children is able to be most efficient by having a precise system for kits. Please follow these instructions exactly and don’t add anything to your kit as this will delay shipment.

Place these items inside a sealed plastic bag:

1 washcloth

1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)

1 bath-size bar of soap

1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child-size brushes)

Box of adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages

Drop off kits at the "Donation Station" located in our Parish Centre. Members of our High School Youth Group - Da Crew - will be present to collect these and ensure they are packed and sent to the Canadian Food for Children.


Please help the nation of Haiti recover from this terrible blow by making a donation



Our Schools & Youth are Helping Haiti !

Our parish, which already along with Our Lady of Fatima School, sponsor three children - Darby, James and Franceska in Haiti, remains committed to finding information and providing for the needs of these three children.

Our two parish elementary schools of Our Lady of Fatima and St Elizabeth are working with the parish in a collaborative effort to raise funds. Our Lady of Fatima School has established a goal of $3,000 to be raised before the end of the month to help the Sisters of St Joseph.

Our Children's Ministry and Kids Klub will be holding a special "Pennies for Haiti" appeal. The goal of $500 to be raised

Our High School Youth Group - Da Crew - is spearheading the Haiti Health Kits appeal