Carter, daughter travel to Haiti
May is graduation month and I had the privilege of seeing the first class of 15 young men and women graduate from a small village in Haiti.
They celebrated in much the same way as we do -- special outfits, beautiful music and family in the crowd. The difference -- the accomplishment of being the first in their village to graduate from high school.
Our church St. Vincent de Paul in Rogers supports the elementary and secondary schools in a tiny village called Bombardopolis and throughout the mountains, approximately 2,200 children attend. Imagine, not only being the first in your family to attend high school, but also being the first in your town to graduate.
My daughter Mary and I spent eight days in Haiti celebrating with the happiest and friendliest people I have ever met. We arrived in Port Au Prince and flew to Môle-Saint-Nicolas, which is on the northwestern coast of Haiti.
Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the Americas landed at this site on Dec. 6, 1492. We took a small plane to Bombardopolis, where we spent the next six days getting to know the graduates and the people of the village.
A good way to get to know children in Haiti is to carry candy and soccer balls. The most “interesting food” we had was goat and boiled bananas. When we arrived there were three goats tied up, when we left there were none.
As we visited with the students you learn they have the same dreams and hopes as our children in America. They know that education is the only way they can really escape poverty.
We interviewed each student and their dreams are to become doctors and engineers and to help their country improve. The 15 graduates will take an exam in July and the top 3 scores will receive a scholarship to attend college in Haiti. The cost for a college education in Haiti is $5,000 for four years.
St Vincent’s started supporting this project 10 years ago and it was so exciting to be a part of this momentous occasion.
In Haiti, there is still much work to be done to help people that are food and water insecure and without hope, but things are getting better. The little village should have electricity by next year and other countries are helping build cisterns and wells for clean water. I feel so blessed I was able to share this amazing experience with my youngest daughter.
