Haiti Impressions

Socastee High School has had an association with the CHAP effort in Haiti for several years. Our efforts have included funding for supplies and teacher salaries, labor to assist with packing supplies for medical missions and assistance in producing biographies for the scholarship program. In February 2009, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to Haiti with a CHAP team.

My entire visit was a series of awakenings for me. I had never visited a “Third World Country” and was truly taken aback by what I saw. Living conditions were primitive and abject poverty was everywhere we looked. My first thought was “What in the world have I gotten myself into?” That all changed as soon as we met the people at St. Simeon parish in Croix-des-Bouquets. The positive spirit of the children and the commitment and dedication of the adults washed over every aspect of St. Simeon. From Thomazeau to Gorman to Lilavois, each visit to schools, churches, and nutrition sites revealed that same spirit and a genuine appreciation from those being served. Every visit brought beautiful songs of hope and thanksgiving. One could clearly see that the CHAP mission of supporting education, nutrition, and safe water was changing lives and turning despair into hope.

As an educator, I believe that expanding the umbrella of educational opportunity would complete the cycle of hope for people who are trying to change the future for the children of Haiti. Under the able leadership of Father Valdema and his lovely wife Carmel, with the support of organizations like CHAP, it is possible that a prototype could be completed that could lead children to high school completion and subsequent post-secondary studies.

Paul Browning, Ph.D.
Principal
Socastee High School