Chuck's Report from Haiti

Good Evening Friends of Haiti!
I just wanted to give thanks for prayers of support for my trip to Layay. I got back late last night and have been resting today. The trip was both beautiful and extremely grueling. I was able to travel to all of the most inaccessible chapels in Fr Ilric's parish and was well received by the people who were often waiting for my arrival. Some days I spent 8 to 12 hours walking, climbing (Pato Mon) and riding a burrow to get to these parishioners. I can't express the tremendous impact the kindness and generosity of these people of faith have had on my life. I was the guest of honor at a little child's baptism feast, sharing with these hungry people three small bowels of food, set on a tiny table, in a wooden home no bigger than a tool shed with a dirt floor. Ten of us ate, sharing two plates and two spoons. I spent most of one night at a wake for a man who had died in the village. Singing Creole songs. I attended healing services for the many sick people who showed up on father's door with no food, money, or hope. And I spent more time than I have ever known, secretly weeping for the many hungry and sick children I came across on the road who had been left by their parents to wait alone because they were too small to climb in the steep mountains to the family garden plots.
Traveling the breath and width of the parish and seeing the enormous needs of the people is an overwhelming experience. However, I am certain that hope lies in the youth of Layay and the surrounding villages. There are bright and dedicated teachers and young students who are dedicated to learning as much as they can with the goal of staying in Haiti to help their people. Currently Fr Ilric is facing a crisis with the many students he supports most of whom are attending St. Martin College (high school) in Hinche. These are kids from Layay who have to make the 2 to 3 hour journey to school on foot each day. Father needs $1,500 to pay for the tuition for about 50 students for the months of May and June, otherwise, these kids will not be allowed to take final exams and will have lost a year of school. Monday morning we left Gesper (seminarian) to beg the school for more time to get the money. I would like to request that we help these children immediately and provide the money from our funds. The education of these children is our only hope to help break this crushing cycle of poverty and despair and I think it would be criminal to allow them to lose this year.

Thanks again for your prayers.

I "m looking forward to seeing everyone on June 16th.
Peace,
Chuck Kolesar