How did this all get started?

The article below from one of our parishioners explains how they became involved with projects in Haiti. As a result of this Pedestrian Bridge Project they learned of the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas. This resulted in the twinning project with Notre Dame du Carmel Parish. Unfortunately this relationship was not sustained, but another bridge project took us to an area near Lori, and St Anthony's Parish.

After four days of quiet listening to sister Marianne a faithful Franciscan nun and Bette GeBrian a health worker, Jess Josh and I asked so what is it we could do that you really need?  We had traveled with Priest from Kittery to the far west corner of Haiti, the poorest country in our hemisphere.  

Bette leaned forward pulled her chair close and said "what we really need is a bridge".  She explained that of the 250,000 people they serve near 120,000 lived on the "other side" of the 30 + mile long Grande Anse River.  Crossing During the rainy season meant risking your life and indeed many mostly women children and the elderly died every year trying to get to market, to medical facilities, to church and to school.

The river in this area is near 300 feet wide to any vehicular bridge would need center piers costing millions.   It appeared to be an impossible request.  

Our family had responded to the request for help after the 2004 Indonesian Tsunami and seen and participated in many miracles so to honor Sr MaryAnne we agreed to pray and ask Our Father for a miracle in Haiti.

Taking small steps after every prayer we ruled out a full car bridge due to costs.  God surprised us by linking us with an Organization call B2P or Bridges to Prosperity who builds Pedestrian Bridges, but B2P had never built a 300 foot bridge before and certainly not one with such high volume of people.  

We had promised Sister Mary Anne that we would faithfully ask God and his people back in Maine for His help.    B2P needed $45k to proceed.  One night back at St Therese we quietly mentioned the need to a member knowing we couldn't ask the parish given how great our needs were here in Sanford.   This St Therese woman of faith arrived several days later with a sacrificial gift of $300 that was the mustard seed that God used to start the engine.      Within 3 months $45k was miraculously raised and construction of this first 300 foot bridge started serving about 40,000 people.   The bridge was dedicated 3 years ago this fall thanks to the faithfulness of St Therese. 

This summer the third AND the fourth bridge have been constructed so all 120,000 are being served but those stories will be told in the next newsletter addition.!!!!