Haiti Happenings, Part 3 - SNACK ATTACK CHALLENGE!

Living in a developed (first world) country, few of us know daily, gut-wrenching hunger. How many times have we heard "I'm starving!" and known that it was just a dramatic expression with a shallow meaning? Rarely are we confronted with bare cupboards and completely empty refrigerators. We have experienced discomfort and growling stomachs but not a gnawing pain that doesn't recede. In the year 2013, it is foreign to us that our own children may some day be truly hungry. 

During last week's trip to Haiti, Fr. Sadoni shared a heart-wrenching story about a conversation he had in recent months with his mother. You see, his mother is one of the cooks at St. Vincent’s. She and a handful of other dedicated women are responsible for making mountains out of molehills, stretching the food budget as far as it can go to feed all 250 students, teaching staff and administrators at the school. (This has been especially challenging since September, 2012 when St. Vincent’s food donor ended all distributions in Haiti.)

In recent months, his mother came to him asking for money to prepare meals for the children. With tears in his eyes, Fr. Sadoni told her there simply was none. Two hundred and fifty young mouths to feed and his answer was none. It breaks our hearts to see our friends hurting. Those could be our children and, as in all our work, we treat them as such.

Thankfully, the food situation has improved. Students are currently receiving beans & rice twice a day. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays they receive a third portion. 

Food for residential students

The Red Thread Promise has committed to supplement this meal plan by providing weekly snacks to all children, teachers and administrators through the end of the school year. Snacks will be nutritious as possible and we will support the local economy by purchasing everything in Haiti. 

The weekly cost of snacks is $250 ($0.83 per person), less than one cup of coffee or an order of value-size French fries. We’re challenging you, our supporters, to provide a snack attack for these precious kids. This one small gift is the equivalent of a hug or an “I love you” they will feel on a weekly basis.

The total cost of the project is $2500, covering the last 10 weeks of the school year. Please prayerfully consider joining us in this most basic request. PayPal is always an option as is sending a check via mail. Visit our website for giving options and details.

Fresh bananas will be one of the fruits served as snacks

Thank you for helping to keep the students of St. Vincent’s nourished so they can learn and the staff nourished so they can continue to teach and run the school in the most productive manner possible.