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A Visit From and To Haiti

July 6, 2010

The Rev. Canon Ogé Beauvoir, missionary to Haiti from the Diocese of New York, visited Trinity Wall Street during Holy Week, bringing sobering reflections on the situation in Haiti and a call to action to help Haiti’s students return to school.

The earthquake that struck on January 12, Beauvoir said, “has changed life in Haiti forever.” Beauvoir was with his wife, Serette, in their apartment in Port-au-Prince when the walls and floor started moving. After they escaped from their apartment unhurt, they discovered some of the buildings of the nearby College St. Pierre had collapsed, burying many students and teachers inside. Unable to free all those in the rubble or to contact anyone outside of Haiti, the Beauvoirs found the first few days harrowing. The college’s soccer field quickly became one of the largest displacement camps in the city.

“But we remembered that people were praying for us,” he said. “It’s good when you are in troubles, to know that there are people praying and caring about you.”

“We survived because God has a mission for us. God has a purpose for us to be alive,” Beauvoir said. “In Haiti right now, what is lacking is hope in the future. Our primary mission, for Serette and I, is to bring hope to those people.”

A key part of rebuilding Haiti is getting its students back in school. Reopening all 254 Episcopal schools that serve 80,000 students has become Beauvoir’s primary goal. In addition to being the dean of the Episcopal Seminary in Port-au-Prince, he is also director of the network of Episcopal schools, which serves students of all faiths from preschool through university.

“A new Haiti is possible only if education becomes the priority of priorities,” he said. “We may have buildings, but we’ll never change minds and spirits. That will happen through schools.”

The situation in many Episcopal schools, both in Port-au-Prince and in rural areas, is still dire. Teachers have not been paid since January. The church is still looking for tents to use as classrooms, as well as books and school supplies. And Beauvoir is concerned about the psychological needs of his students and teachers.

Some Episcopal schools reopened on Easter Monday, but there are more waiting for tents, supplies, and funds.

“Today the world is a global village,” Beauvoir said. “We are all one world. My hope and prayer is that people continue to be with us, to help us send our children back to school.”