Thursday, January 17, 2013

Haitian Provincial Visits New Rochelle

Haitian Provincial Visits New Rochelle

Fr. Ducange Sylvain, superior of the Salesian province of Haiti (2d from left in photo above), is in New Rochelle Jan. 17-18 for meetings at Salesian Missions. He has expressed the gratitude of his province to Salesian Missions for all the aid that the New Rochelle mission office has sent and has coordinated since the earthquake three years ago (Jan. 12, 2010), noting that Salesian Missions of New Rochelle was the first organization to render assistance, at the request of the Rector Major. With Salesian Missions staff, he explored how the Haiti Province and the New Rochelle office could foster yet closer collaboration, and how Salesian Missions can continue to help the Salesian Family in Haiti.

Classes were resumed in tents at most Salesian sites just 3 months after the disaster.  In the 3 years since the earthquake, the Salesians have rebuilt most of their damaged buildings.  We are now caring for some 20,000 children and youths in schools (K-12, trade schools, a school of nursing), youth centers, and food pantries, in addition to aid given to many families, especially in the Cite Soleil slum of the capital city, Port-au-Prince.

In 2010 Fr. Ducange and Fr. Pascual Chavez, Rector Major, pray over the ruins of the National School of Arts & Trades (ENAM), where some 200 pupils perished.

Dedication of the rebuilt ENAM on Dec. 21, 2012




Top photo by your humble blogger. Bottom photos: ANS.

No comments: