The Power Of Youth

More than 11 years ago St. Ferdinand Parish in Ferdinand joined Indianapolis’ St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in an effort to improve the quality of life for the residents of Belle-Rivière, a mountain village in Southern Haiti.

St. Ferdinand religious education students began collecting a variety of lightly used items like clothing, shoes, school and sewing supplies, sewing machines, typewriters and tools, which were packed in sea containers with collections from many other parishes and sent to Haiti where they were distributed to several local schools and members of the Belle-Rivière community. In subsequent years other supporters, primarily from the Indianapolis area, joined the effort to help Belle-Rivière – ultimately leading to the founding of a 501-C-3 charitable organization called Friends of Belle-Rivière, Inc.

During Lent in 2011, St. Ferdinand students and catechists launched a series of fundraisers specifically to benefit students at Belle-Rivière. Catechists prepared several different soups and sandwiches for Lenten suppers that were served to the parishioners, who made free-will offerings. Students from assigned grades helped serve the suppers and participated in the Stations of the Cross following each meal.  Parents of the students donated baked items for desserts. Together they raised nearly $2,500.  

Their contribution was combined with those from students at three other schools – and used to purchase 1,000 Nokero solar lights. The rechargeable lights were given to students at Belle-Rivière, enabling them to study at night – adding 2-3 productive hours to their days. 

Not surprisingly, the solar lights proved to be wildly popular in this community, which enjoys neither electricity nor running water. The student effort prompted FBR to launch a program to supply lights for sale to the entire community at a subsidized cost. The third order of lights arrived recently at Belle-Rivière with the sea-container shipment, making a total 3,500 lights sent. 

In 2013, St. Ferdinand demonstrated its commitment to the Belle-Rivière community once again when a sudden loss of support threatened the continuation of a cooking and sewing program for young women who are not able to continue their secondary-school training. The three-year program equips students with the skills they need to become homemakers, wives and mothers. In response, St. Ferdinand revived and refined another series of Lenten-supper fundraisers.

The parish council, Knights of Columbus and several Christ Renews His Parish groups joined the effort. Various groups and volunteers from the parish prepared the evening meals.

Students served food and drinks, cleaned the tables, and emptied the trash. Their parents provided treats for bake sales.

After the suppers, the students made their way to St. Ferdinand Church and led everyone in the Way of the Cross.

Thanks to the enthusiastic response of parishioners and a few extra-generous supporters, the team raised $5,000 – the cost of supporting the cooking and sewing program for the 2013-14 school year. Parishioners renewed their efforts again during Lent this year, raising another $5,000, which will facilitate the program for the 2014-15 school year.

Last July, nine young women graduated from the three-year course. Most had not completed secondary education; several never had a chance to start. But thanks to the St. Ferdinand commitment, these women will be able to make a home for their families; understand the basics of childcare; promote hygiene and healthy living habits; and supplement family income by selling goods in local markets.

Haitians are anxious for any opportunity to learn. Even the youngest child thinks nothing of walking miles to get to school every day. Not long after it became apparent that cooking and sewing classes still had a future at Belle-Rivière, a group of younger (mostly pre-teen) girls began to meet. Informal discussions led to practical activities. They wanted to learn some of the same homemaking skills as the older cooking & sewing students.

Under the leadership of adult volunteers, they formed a youth group called Organisation des Jeunes de Belle-Rivière. Not unlike participants in the youth ministry program at St. Ferdinand who inadvertently helped them get started, this group now meets weekly to learn new ways of building their own futures.

Whatever the outcome, these youngsters – both the cooking and sewing students and members of the youth group – are already more informed and more engaged in their community than they might have been without an opportunity to learn. Undoubtedly, they will become better parents as well … thanks to the initiative of a group of students at St. Ferdinand Parish who wanted to improve the lives of their peers in a foreign land, which enjoys far less “inherited” prosperity than our own.