Haiti

A key St. Thomas outreach ministry involves our relationship with our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

The poorest country in the western hemisphere, Haiti is a beautiful but troubled land, populated by a resilient, spirited, and hopeful people.  The Episcopal Church there is an active agent for change. 

In 2006, the Diocese of Alabama entered a companion relationship with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.  At the request of Haiti's bishop, Alabama is working in the Croix des Bouquets Parish, a group of six geographically separated churches served by a single priest, Father Fritz Valdema and his wife Carmel.

In 2007, St. Thomas led the diocese first construction mission team to Haiti.  Team members worked side-by-side with their Haitian counterparts to build student desks for two of the parish's Episcopal primary schools.  Previously, students had been using chairs turned backwards as their desks. 

In 2008, St. Thomas led Alabama's first medical mission team that visited four villages served by the Valdemas and treated more than 460 patients.

St. Thomas also helps fund the Valdema's ministries including Lespwa Timoun "Hope for the Children," a mobile nutrition program operated by Carmel, a Haitian public health nurse.  These clinics provide protein supplements, vitamins, and immunizations to significantly malnourished children, and nutrition education to their parents. 

For more information on Alabama's companion relationship, visit the Haiti Page on our the Diocese of Alabama's website.