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Futures Full of Hope
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HAITI
Help the Church in Haiti Build Bright Futures
Poverty is a cruel trap in rural Haiti. Babies there are born to malnourished mothers in mud-and-stick shelters, grow up battling illnesses from dirty water, and — if they reach adulthood — are held back from opportunities due to lack of education and job skills. It’s a cycle that drains hope, but the Church has a bold solution rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Cross Catholic Outreach is partnering with Father Glenn Meaux and the Kobonal Haiti Mission to address the needs of poor children and families. The Mission has experienced incredible growth during this long-standing partnership. Fr. Meaux started with 50 students, and his school now serves 1,600 boys and girls — all with dreams of a brighter future. Your support will ensure those precious children have that wonderful opportunity to succeed.
Help vulnerable children build brighter futures on a foundation of education and hope.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that God blesses each of us with different talents and graces — and that he intends for us to share these gifts with others. (CCC 1937) Right now, Kobonal’s families have a particular need for your compassion, generosity and faith.
Your support will help our brothers and sisters in Kobonal break free from a cycle of poverty and begin building a future filled with hope.
Your gift of $3,030 will provide 15 primary students with a quality Catholic education!
Poverty in Haiti Explained
Haiti’s poverty is rooted in its escape from French colonialism. In 1804, the Caribbean nation became the first country in the modern world led by former slaves. During the transition to independence, Haiti’s people agreed to pay an indemnity of 150 million francs — the modern equivalent of $21 billion — to repay slave owners who lost their “property.” Haiti was shunned by many countries during this critical period, leading to a cycle of debt, corruption and widespread poverty. Other factors contribute to Haiti’s poverty, including:
- Natural disasters. 96% of Haitians are vulnerable to hurricanes, earthquakes and floods. (Source: The World Bank)
- High illiteracy. Nearly 2 in 5 Haitian adults can’t read or write. (Source: CIA World Factbook)
- Malnutrition. More than 2 in 5 Haitians face acute food insecurity. (Source: The World Bank)
Meet Our Partner
Fr. Meaux and the Kobonal Haiti Mission
Cross Catholic Outreach’s relationship with the Kobonal Haiti Mission began in 2002 when our president, Jim Cavnar, began exchanging emails and phone calls with Fr. Meaux on the recommendation of Bishop Emeritus Sam Jacobs of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana. We issued our first grants to the Kobonal Haiti Mission in January 2003 to feed hungry families, and in 2005, we launched our housing project. Since then, we’ve built 885 homes for families in need.
Our Plan
The Blueprint for God’s Greatness in Kobonal
With your help, the Kobonal Haiti Mission can continue to extend Christ’s mercy in a profound and tangible way. This year’s effort is part of a long-term strategy in Kobonal to reduce housing needs, protect vulnerable populations from illness and malnutrition, and empower people of all ages to seize a bright future in Christ.
Education
Send 1,600 children to Catholic primary schools and provide 500 scholarships for secondary schools and universities.
Water
Drill 3 wells and repair 5 existing wells, extending clean water to 2,086 people.
Housing
Build 28 homes and repair 50 existing homes for 78 families in need.
Microenterprise
Extend 1,180 microloans of up to $500 to support small businesses.
Food
Fill stomachs with 272,160 protein-rich Vitafood meals and provide 250 families with monthly food staples.
Agriculture
Empower parents to assist on six Mission farms to feed 1,600 schoolchildren.
Blessed by your support of Kobonal’s water project, families will no longer need to fetch potentially contaminated drinking water or wash their clothes in a lake. Children will benefit too. Instead of spending hours finding and transporting water, they will be able to attend school.
Education Helps Realize Dreams
Carlot Sylvain is an example of how this powerful ministry transforms lives.
Carlot is from the community of Mathebonite, where extreme poverty was common before the Kobonal Haiti Mission began its ministries there. Thanks to the Mission, Carlot was able to attend the Kobonal School through sixth grade, and during that time, his education was also supported by Cross Catholic Outreach benefactors like you. He eventually received a scholarship from Cross Catholic Outreach for his secondary education and was ultimately able to attend the University of Notre Dame in Hinche, Haiti, where he majored in medical biology.
The 26-year-old health care worker has long dreamed of taking hold of the opportunities his parents never had, and now his dreams have been realized. He currently treats patients at mobile medical clinics throughout Haiti’s Central Plateau.
With your help, hundreds of other children will be able to receive the same education opportunities Carlot did and realize their own dreams.
Children attending the two Kobonal School campuses are preparing for a bright future in Christ.
Proceeds from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures incurred through June 30, 2023, the close of our ministry’s fiscal 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 of the ministry.
What Is Your Legacy Mission?
When you include Cross Catholic Outreach as a beneficiary in your will, trust, retirement account or life insurance policy, you will make a difference for poor communities by meeting both material and spiritual needs for generations to come. Create Your Legacy!