Kobonal Housing & Farming Project

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Marylou Newton
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Florida 33427-3908 1-800-914-2420 Kobonal Housing &

rural families Kobonal, Haiti Project 0114 And you will

1 2700 N. Military Trail, Suite 240 PO Box Boca Raton, Florida Kobonal Housing & Farming Project Providing hope and a home to destitute rural families Kobonal, Haiti Project 0114 And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security. Job 11:18

2 Project Synopsis Description Provide destitute Haitian families with a cement house on a plot of farmable land. Purpose Give destitute families living in deplorable conditions the dignity and self-sufficiency that comes with having a safe, sturdy home. Location Located in the Central Plateau of Haiti, Kobonal lies within the Diocese of Hinche, which encompasses nearly 1,200 square miles and is home to about 518,000 people. Cost $6,000 provides families with a concrete home on a plot of farmable land. This year our goal is to build 80 houses with access to 40 latrines. Goals 1. Provide a safe, sturdy home for poor families currently living in shacks made of sticks and palm fronds. 2. Enable each family to become a landowner, homeowner and self-supporting farmer within a few years. 3. Transform this poor area into a thriving faith-filled community. Highlights When Father Glenn Meaux established Kobonal Haiti Mission in 1989, he found families living in abject poverty and inhumane living conditions, and many of the area s poor dying from starvation. Over the last two decades, the Mission has helped bring dramatic improvements to rural Kobonal. Frequent torrential rains in this area leak through the thatched roofs of flimsy shacks, creating the dire need for sturdy housing. With support from friends like you through Cross Catholic Outreach, Fr. Meaux will provide Kobonal s most destitute families with a concrete home, plot of farm land and access to a sanitary latrine. 1

among our Haitian brothers and sisters, we have clearly seen God s hand hard at work, Fr. Meaux says. Hundreds and hundreds of people have experienced dramatic positive changes in their lives.

3 among our Haitian brothers and sisters, we have clearly seen God s hand hard at work, Fr. Meaux says. Hundreds and hundreds of people have experienced dramatic positive changes in their lives. God has changed hearts. There now exists among our families a vibrant faith community, whose members reach out in loving service to others. Despite this overwhelming transformation, there is still a great need for help and the hope of Christ in the Diocese of Hinche. Many families continue to live in deplorable conditions in one-room shacks of sticks, tin, mud and cardboard, with dirt floors and no running water. As Catholics we must extend our hands to help our brothers and sisters in need, Fr. Meaux says. These people have the right of access to the basic needs of life and, of course, lodging is one. The Need Life in the Darkest Corner of Hinche When Father Glenn Meaux and his missionary team arrived in Kobonal in 1989, families were starving; children were dying from dirty water; there were no farms and most families had no steady source of income. Very few employment opportunities existed for the unskilled, uneducated population, so very few were able to earn money to buy food. Families were facing starvation. There was no agriculture, there was no irrigation system, there was just literally no hope at the time, Fr. Meaux recalls. The families had no possibilities for advancement. Fr. Meaux quickly learned how Kobonal had earned its reputation as the darkest corner of the Diocese of Hinche. He says, We found a people enslaved and oppressed by black magic priests and their ritualistic services. Voodoo was prevalent, superstition was strong, and Zombism and human sacrifice were practiced. This materially and spiritually blighted community became the home of Kobonal Haiti Mission. Over the last two decades, the Mission has brought hope to countless families. Throughout these years living 2 Haiti s Poverty 80% of Haitians live below the poverty line, making it the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere Only 20% have electricity Nearly half lack access to a potable water source Infant mortality is 11 times that of the U.S. Less than 4% of adults live past age 65 15% of Haiti s children are orphaned There is 1 doctor for every 4,000 people 40% of the country s potential workforce is unable to find a job, and those who do find work are often underemployed Less than half of Haitians over 15 can read and write Haiti s natural environment is one of the most devastated in the world

Equally important is the dignity that comes with self-reliance.

4 The Project The Kobonal Housing and Farming Project provides a poor family with much more than a new home. For those leaving behind a leaky, patchwork shack for these sturdy, concrete houses, the move represents a profound life change and a source of self-esteem. Equally important is the dignity that comes with self-reliance. By giving these families a small plot of land, farming tools and agricultural training, this project also allows people to feed their families and provide for their needs. With the support of Cross Catholic Outreach, Fr. Meaux will provide the most destitute families of Kobonal with a reliable home and a sustainable future. Providing Safe, Sturdy Homes Each poor family selected to receive a house as part of the Kobonal Mission s outreach is provided with a four-room, cinder block home with a cement floor and a galvanized steel roof. The exteriors of all houses in each cluster are painted the same bright colors to create a positive, welcoming sense of community among the neighbors. Our goal this year is to build 80 houses with access to 40 latrines. To help establish pride of ownership, each family must sign a contract before moving into their new home. In the contract, they promise to paint the inside of their house, to keep their area clean, to plant fruit trees, and to maintain a small farm. BEFORE The Jean-Baptiste s used to live in a shack made of mud with crumbling walls and cracks in the ceiling. When bad storms blew through, little by little, pieces of the house were taken away with the wind. Until one day, their old house almost toppled down on top of them. Thankfully, no one was hurt. AFTER Odimon Jean-Baptiste, his wife and their seven children are grateful for their new house, built through the gifts of Cross Catholic Outreach supporters. I want to thank God first, and also those that provided our house, Odimon said. Creating Self-Sufficient Farmers Each house will be built on a plot of land that the family can use to farm a variety of crops, including eggplant, potatoes, okra, beets, millet, cabbage and fruit. The Mission will provide the families with seeds, tools and training to grow bountiful crops, and subsidize the farmers during the three years it will take for their farms to mature. The Mission will also purchase any produce the families want to sell, which will then be used for the school feeding program. 3

Cross Catholic and Kobonal Mission: A Special Partnership In 2003, Cross Catholic Outreach paid its first visit to Fr. Meaux and Kobonal Haiti Mission.

5 Cross Catholic and Kobonal Mission: A Special Partnership In 2003, Cross Catholic Outreach paid its first visit to Fr. Meaux and Kobonal Haiti Mission. We were extremely impressed by how efficiently the ministry operated, and we admired the powerful impact it was having on the community. We were also impressed by how much each parishioner, no matter how old or how poor, exuded the love and joy of Christ. Despite the fact that they lived in the poorest region of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere; despite their high mortality rate, their frequent hunger and their crude living conditions, they did not express selfpity or seek outright handouts. On Cross Catholic Outreach President Jim Cavnar (left) and Fr. Glenn Meaux (right) during our first exploratory meeting with Kobonal Haiti the contrary, they were willing to Mission in Since that initial meeting, the partnership has grown to work hard and to actively participate impact thousands of Kobonal s poor. in the solutions to their poverty. After prayer and follow-up visits, Cross Catholic Outreach began supporting various elements of Kobonal Haiti Mission. Throughout these years we have found the mission to be forthright in accounting for the funds we provide. And the people helped continually express their gratitude, not only to their benefactors, but especially to God. Since 2003, Cross Catholic Outreach has helped Kobonal Haiti Mission build more than 200 houses for poor families. Kobonal Haiti Mission s Outreach to the Poor With support from Cross Catholic Outreach, Kobonal Haiti Mission is able to respond to the needs of the area s destitute in many ways: A filtered spring water system to deliver potable water throughout the area so people can drink without getting sick. Catholic preschool, primary and middle schools that are considered among the best in the country for their holistic approach toward the student and family. Agriculture projects which allow farmers to sell their crops at a profit to the mission s schools, where up to 2,000 students are fed daily. Interest-free small business loans to mothers so they can earn a livelihood while managing their families. An Emergency Survival Program which provides food to elderly citizens and extremely destitute families, as well as pigs or goats for animal husbandry. 4

6 Help Now! The life-changing work being done by Fr. Meaux and the Kobonal Haiti Mission each day is made possible through the generous support of Catholics in America, and he is deeply grateful for this outpouring of compassion. Just as the people of Kobonal are taught to be good stewards of their new homes and farmland, we are called as Catholics to be good stewards of the gifts we have been given by our heavenly father. Fr. Meaux says, All we have is a gift from God. Stewardship is how we utilize and care for the gifts God has entrusted to us. Fr. Meaux is continually grateful for the support of Cross Catholic Outreach and its benefactors, who believe in the importance of good stewardship. Together we can continue to empower the impoverished people of Kobonal by providing sturdy homes, farmland and agricultural training. Together we can use our God-given gifts to bless others in desperate need of hope. Please join us in supporting this important work for Christ. God bless you! Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 1 Peter 4:10 Our Promise to You! Proceeds from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for the Kobonal Housing and Farming Project incurred during the current calendar year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs at the Kobonal Haiti Mission. 5 [rj1205] [Ubb1206] [Utn1304] [Utm1309] [Uao1402] 2700 N. Military Trail, Suite 240 PO Box Boca Raton, Florida Cross Catholic Outreach. Cost effectively written, designed and printed in-house.

Kobonal Housing & Farming Project

INTERNATIONAL PROJECT PROPOSAL PROJECT 0114 Kobonal Housing & Farming Project Providing hope and a home to destitute rural families Kobonal, Haiti And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will