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Last fall, the EYC (youth group) of the Church of the Nativity in Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, wanted to do a fundraiser for the purpose of raising money for the children of Haiti. We decided to sell “chex mix” and “gifts in a jar” for making desserts or soups. We learned about the Children’s Nutrition Program of Haiti, a Chattanooga-based operation, and learned that we could use our fundraiser to sponsor a mule for $650. So our five youth began to sell the soups and desserts in November and December.
Within just a few Sundays, the parishioners of Nativity purchased “gifts in a jar” and donated funds sufficient to sponsor TWO mules and several good regulation stretchers, with donations totaling almost $1,500. Incredible. We believe this is an indicator of how God uses the small and multiplies where there is need. The EYC chose the names of “Otis” and “Barney” for our mules, and we have asked that our mules be used to assist the Petit Harpon community where St. John the Evangelist school is located.
Nearly one in 10 children die in Haiti before reaching their 5th birthday. The acute malnutrition rate was about 24 percent in the commune of Leogane before the CNP began their programs in 1998. It is now below 3 percent. More than 9,000 children under the age of five have been seen by CNP monitrices, and 94.7 percent are now growing at or above the international standard rate based on six month follow-ups.
Mules like our Otis and Barney are utilized by the monitrices employed by the Children’s Nutrition Program. Monitrices are community nutrition workers who are tasked with educating the men and women of the villages in health practices to prevent and reduce the incidences of disease, teach proper hand washing, check for illnesses and malnutrition, and provide safe water. The purpose of the CNP’s programs is not only to provide information but also to encourage behavior change. The monitrice works through Health Committees in each village that support public health programs. Rather than being one person trying to create behavior change, the village committee promotes local responsibility.
The CNP has 23 monitrices serving 90 localities and each now has her own mule. Mules have much stamina and strength and rarely become ill. The mules, valued at about $650 each, are purchased by the CNP from mule dealers in Haiti. There is also an American veterinarian in Haiti who provides a good tutorial to the monitrices on the care of their mules, and helps them with any problems. The monitrice may live in one village but serves 3-4 additional villages, so the mule becomes an invaluable asset and partner to her by carrying medical supplies. They are quite the double blessing – not only do they carry equipment but also serve as ambulances to take the injured or ill down out of the mountains where they can receive medical care. They are able to take the patient to the nearest road to access a motorized vehicle. If the patient is not able to ride a mule, the community uses the regulation stretchers to carry people down the mountains. The mules become a true partner to accomplish physically what is a very difficult job and provide a means of lifesaving.
The Nativity EYC was truly blessed beyond our expectations by the generosity of the congregation with the donations and their support of the EYC. Now those blessings will flow to the people of Haiti.
- * For more information about providing a $650 mule or a $50 stretcher for a village in Haiti, call the Children's Nutrition Program of Haiti at 423-495-1122 or send an email to contact@cnphaiti.org.
Photograph provided by CNP, 2011
