December 24, 2005

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas to you all, Friends and Supporters in various ways, from OFCB Ministries, in Bayonnais, Haiti. Merry Christmas 2005 and Happy New Year 2006. Our wishes of happiness, good health, longevity and safety and of course, prosperity through this new year 2006.

At the end of November this year, Firmin, my older brother, Ducereste and myself, Actionnel Fleurisma, went to Cange with my father, Lamareste Fleurisma, to see a specialist for his everlasting pain on his left arm +shoulder since February 2005. The road to Cange is not different from what we have all over the Country, some is even worst. About 92 miles away from home. When we finally got there, a sign rapidly gave us a message :" Zanmi Lasante = Friends of health". The place is really huge and hundreds of people had already been there, searching for health. By asking questions, we were told that patients pay about $0.60 or sixty cents in Cange to see a doctor. The same amount is for all kind of medical attention that might be needed. Surgery or operation or stay in the hospital for days, weeks, months and perhaps, years. The same amount, sixty cents (US) is for food, beds, showers, psychological attention and everything you can think of. I am sure Mr. David Nichols has told you about Dr. Paul Farmer who wrote "beyond mountains there are mountains.".

For some reason, it seems to us that you all, friends and supporters of OFCB Ministries have been doing the same thing as Dr. Paul Farmer. He is giving hope to thousands of Haitians through health care, where as you are giving hope to thousands of Haitians through Education in Bayonnais, Artibonite.

Since September of this year we have been in operation as a school from K - 13, with almost 1400 students. Since then, it has always been heart broken when we see parents coming with tears and sorrow asking for a delay to pay for their children. A date or an appointment that will say : "Let's wait for the crops, rice or peanuts or millet, which in most cases will not be enough to feed the family for a semester.

Well, with generous gifts to give hope to many through education in Bayonnais, we still withstand. We think there are many people like Dr. Paul Farmer, who have not written, nor their names have been heard, but are fighting very hard to change some body's life in this world.

The trip to Cange is an eye opening for us. We understand that your vision is not different from Dr. Paul's and that the Bayonnais Ministry is similar to Cange. The amazing thing with Cange is that, we were told, there have been always patients who can't afford to pay sixty cents (. 60) required. It is exactly the same thing as Bayonnais parents toward their children.

OFCB, on behalf of the Bayonnais population, teachers and families, thanks each one of you deeply and wishes to each one of you an unexpected Christmas 2005 and a wonderful year 2006. Please keep doing what you have been doing for such a longtime. Without your help, we would not have had so many young bright, smart and intelligent boys and girls in kindergarten, in Elementary school, in secondary school and in college. This the key hope for the Country.

Thank you so much and Merry Christmas 2005.

Bayonnais, December 24, 2005

Rev. Actionnel Fleurisma
Mr. Dimilsaint Mondelus
Mr. Firmin Saint-Louis
Mrs. Yolande Delva Fleurisma

Footnote by David Nichols:

Two books that I found very informative about Haiti:

"Mountains Beyond Mountains", Tracy Kidder, Random House, The quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a man who would cure the world. Abraham Verghese wrote in The New York Times Book Review, "Inspiring, disturbing, daring and completely absorbing". It is all of that! He still is trying to cure the world, struggling with nations large and small to bring cures for communicable diseases to large numbers of people.

"Madame Dread, a Tale of Love, Vodou, and Civil Strife in Haiti", Kathie Klarreich, Nation Books, "An enthralling memoir of Kathie Klarreich's life in Haiti as a reporter for NPR, the Christian Science Monitor, NBC News and Time during the past decade". This book covers 15 years of Haitian history up to 2004. It is written by a woman from San Francisco who inadvertently falls in love with Haiti on a trip there to gather art. It is a gripping book, both about her personal life and her perspective about the life of people and history swirling around her.

Both of these books are available in paperback at reasonable cost. I bought them on Amazon.com. I have some extra copies if anyone local would like to borrow them.