Haiti Ministry
About
The Haiti Ministry is a unique outreach program that began in the spring of 2007. St Mary Parish, now Precious Blood Parish (PBP), established a partnership with Ste Therese Parish located in Marbial in South Haiti. Haiti is the third poorest country in the world and the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Through this partnership, PBP seeks to build relationships of faith, solidarity and mutual support with the people of Ste Therese Parish.
PBP of Milford, CT is a member of the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas (PTPA), an organization that fosters partnerships between parishes in the US and Haiti as well as in Central America, Cuba, Mexico and Canada. The program includes over 350 “twin parishes” relationships dedicated to assisting those communities in need.
Ste. Therese Parish
Ste. Therese is in the remote mountainous jungle regions in southwest Haiti. There are approximately 60,000 parishioners spread across an area roughly comparable in size to the region between Hartford and Milford. The parish is situated about 15 miles from the city of Jacmel, yet poor road conditions make travel extremely difficult and contribute to the area’s isolation.
Although the capital city of Port-au-Prince is only about 30 miles away, the journey can take as long as six hours due to the rugged terrain and deteriorated roads. Marbial is accessible by motor vehicle only during the dry season, from November through May. During the rainy season, from May through November, the roadway often becomes an impassable torrent of rushing water.
The parish has a primary church, ten satellite chapels and a K-12 school.
Early Ministry Efforts
During the first two years of the Haiti Ministry, the committee gained a deeper understanding of the many challenges facing the people of Ste. Thérèse Parish. Widespread malnutrition, inadequate healthcare, limited access to safe drinking water, substandard housing, and restricted educational opportunities were among the most pressing concerns.
In response, the committee began providing support through shipments of nonperishable supplies and educational materials for the school. These efforts helped address immediate needs while highlighting how interconnected hardships can compound an already difficult situation. The lack of basic resources often affects every aspect of daily life, creating significant obstacles for families striving to improve their circumstances.
Medical Mission Outreach
In 2009, members of the Haiti Ministry traveled to Marbial to assess the local hospital, evaluate its limited medical equipment, and determine how the parish could best support the healthcare needs of the community.
Between 2010 and 2019, the ministry organized six medical missions to Ste Thérèse Parish. Each mission brought essential medical supplies, medications, vitamins, and equipment needed to provide treatment to residents who otherwise had little or no access to healthcare services.
The medical teams typically included three to four physicians, two to three advanced practice registered nurses, and several registered nurses. Dr. Garvey led the surgical team in Jacmel, while Dr. Williams directed the clinic in Marbial, where hundreds of patients received care during each visit.
Over the course of these missions, the medical teams treated more than 4,000 individuals and performed approximately 120 surgical procedures. In addition, preventive dental care initiatives were established to help improve long-term oral health within the community.
Unfortunately, these missions have been suspended indefinitely due to a series of challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating violence, severe storms, and ongoing political instability in Haiti. Despite these setbacks, the commitment to supporting the people of Marbial remains a central part of the Haiti Ministry’s mission.
Birth Kits Program
The Safe Birth Kit Program was developed in response to a critical need within the Marbial community. With an estimated 1,000 births occurring each year, many mothers face childbirth in challenging conditions with limited access to medical care, sterile supplies, and reliable lighting.
To help promote safer and cleaner deliveries, the ministry assembled and distributed birth kits containing approximately 30 essential items. These supplies included sterile materials such as a clean razor blade for cutting the umbilical cord, as well as practical items like a solar-powered lantern to provide light during nighttime deliveries. Other components were selected to support basic hygiene and improve safety for both mother and child.
By providing these kits, the Haiti Ministry sought to reduce preventable risks associated with childbirth and offer expectant mothers access to simple but vital resources that can make a significant difference during delivery. The program represents one of the many ways the partnership with Ste. Thérèse Parish has responded to the most urgent needs of the community.
Clean Water Initiative
Access to safe drinking water has long been a critical challenge in Haiti. Tragically, many children suffer from preventable waterborne illnesses caused by contaminated water sources. Recognizing this urgent need, the Haiti Twinning Committee began partnering in 2011 with Gift of Water, a well-established nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable and effective water purification systems to communities in need.
With the generous financial support of Precious Blood Parish, approximately 650 water filtration systems were distributed throughout the Marbial region. These systems provided access to clean drinking water for an estimated 6,500 residents, significantly reducing the risk of waterborne diseases and improving overall community health.
To ensure the effectiveness of the program, a member of the Twinning Committee accompanied the annual medical mission to inspect the filtration systems, provide support, and monitor their continued use within the community.
Unfortunately, ongoing political unrest, widespread violence, and deteriorating conditions in Haiti have made it impossible to continue the program at this time. Although the initiative has been suspended, it remains one of the ministry’s most impactful efforts, bringing cleaner water and improved health to thousands of families in the Marbial community.
Education
Education remains one of the most important priorities of the partnership between Precious Blood Parish and Ste. Thérèse Parish. Ste. Thérèse operates a K–12 school in Marbial, as well as schools in two of its twelve satellite parish communities. The parish also maintains a “free school” for children whose families face extreme financial hardship. Many of these families depend on their children to work in the fields and would otherwise be unable to afford an education.
Through the generosity of parishioners and benefactors, the Twinning Committee continues to support the education of approximately 850 students each year. This ongoing investment helps ensure that students can remain in school, continue their studies, and successfully prepare for and pass the required government examinations.
Donations also provide critical support for teacher salaries and help fund nutritious cooked meals for students, making it possible for many children to attend school regularly and focus on learning.
With medical missions currently suspended indefinitely, the committee has expanded its commitment to education by providing scholarships for students pursuing careers in nursing and teaching. Scholarship recipients agree to return to the Marbial community upon graduation and serve at Ste. Thérèse Parish for a designated period, helping to strengthen local healthcare and educational resources for future generations.
A gift of just $35 provides one student’s education for an entire year, making a meaningful and lasting impact on the life of a child and the future of the community.
This commitment to education represents an investment not only in individual students, but also in the long-term growth, stability, and self-sufficiency of the Marbial region.
International Sea Container Shipment
Annual shipments have long provided an important means of supporting the ministries and programs of Ste Thérèse Parish in Marbial. These shipments allowed the Twinning Committee to send bulk supplies that were difficult or impossible to obtain locally, including safe birth kits, school supplies, educational materials, medical equipment, and other essential items.
The shipments served as a vital link between Precious Blood Parish and the people of Marbial, helping to meet practical needs while strengthening the bond between the two parish communities.
Unfortunately, ongoing violence, political instability, and deteriorating security conditions in Haiti have made it impossible to transport goods safely and reliably. As a result, annual shipments have been suspended until conditions improve.
Volunteer Opportunities
The PBP Twinning Committee welcomes new members who are interested in sharing their talents, skills, and ideas to support our mission and help us achieve our fundraising goals. New volunteers bring fresh perspectives and energy that strengthen our efforts to serve the people of Ste. Thérèse Parish.
We invite all parishioners to consider becoming involved in this rewarding ministry and to join us in continuing our commitment to faith, service, and solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
Donate
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Contact Us
- Parish Office
(203) 878-3571