In the wake of hurricane Matthew, the situation in Haiti is desperate. Sr. Marie France Syldor, vicar-general of the Daughters of Mary Queen Immaculate and principal of a school in Port au Prince, has written telling me just how desperate the need is for them to help the people of these communities and rebuild. The Daughters of Mary Queen Immaculate run ten schools in the southern half of Haiti. Three of these schools and a medical dispensary located in the towns of Roche à Bateau, Damassin, and Coteaux were destroyed by the direct hit of the storm. Sr. Marie France and her students quickly collected blankets, food, clothing, and other donation for the victims, and she went to the coast to deliver these supplies and to assess the damages. She wrote:

“Everywhere there was desolation and consternation. The inhabitants of this region who were already reduced to living in extreme poverty are living a precarious and difficult situation. The Haitian government, powerless in front of the size of this catastrophe, turned to the international community which reacted immediately. These donor countries showed their profound empathy. Tons of medications, clothing, drinking water, sheet metal, wood for reconstructing the damaged houses were sent. Already the aid was being hijacked. The inhabitants were still waiting day and night for the Good Samaritan who could help them cope with their difficult every day struggle. We remember the earthquake of January 12, 2010 and all the promises that were not kept. From this point of view and taking into account the needs of the hard-hit population, the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Queen Immaculate, being a native congregation which is often hit by these types of storms is calling for help.”

For more than 40 years the Daughters of Mary Queen Immaculate have been working in these towns along the western coast of Haiti. Their people turn to them in their time of need. The volunteers of our 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization Little Children of Mary have been working in solidarity with the Daughters of Mary Queen Immaculate since 1998 and have helped finance the building of their school in Lilavois, outside of Port au Prince through our Fish Farm Haiti initiative. We go regularly to Haiti and have visited all their schools. We know the dedication and diligence with which the Sisters work. We will wire directly the Haiti Relief Funds we receive and will follow up by visiting and documenting the progress of their work. Tax-exempt donations can be sent to Fish Farm Haiti, P.O. Box 1803, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 with “Haiti Relief” in the memo. Thank you for your generosity.

Margaret Penicaud
Vineyard Haven