a318: Corbett adds detail on so-called "Dokte Phillip"

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

While I enjoy immensely the first part of the story of the visit to La
Tonnelle, I thought I'd add a bit about Dokte Phillip, among the most
interesting and delightful people I've ever met.

Phillip -- I'll leave his family name out, I'm not sure how public he is
-- first went to Hait with me back in the 1980s on one of my group trips.
He had earlier been to Africa and developed a significant RELIGIOUS
interest in Voodoo.  AFter a few visits with me he came to see me and
said:  I want to go to Haiti long-term as a volunteer.  Have  you work
for me.  AT the time i didn't and offered him the opportunity to teach
English in a village on the southern coast west of OKay, Petit Piman.

He took it.  He soon became discouraged.  It was now the time of the
de facto government in Aristide's exile and the only serious class members
were army folks stationed in the area. Phillip retreated to the andeyo and
became a farmer, just raising a huge variety of plants to demonstrate it
could be done.  he never preached or said what he was about, just raised
a huge number of plants.  Farmers in the area were astonished and began to
hang around.  he began to challenge them to try different and novel crops.

Some time later, probably 93-94 I had a project in LaTonnelle and Gwo So
(two village on opposite side of the same mountian high, high up near the
peak in the mountains between Petit Goave and Jacmel.  He went willingly,
again, as a volunteer.  He has been there ever since and one gets the
feeling Phillip will die there.  He raises goats to demonstrate to the
local polulation how to do it and now employs a Haitian helper to work
n the well-being of the goats.  With meagre funding from my organization,
he carries on a huge variety of works in this area.  he is quit a marvel
to behold.

This brings me to the first fund-raising I've done in ages, much to the
chagrin of the treasurer of our organization.  But, we are in desperate
need of funds to fund Phillip's work (I honestly call it that now and
notthe work of People to People since he does so much, we just write an
occasional check for medicines or goats)

When I founded this list in 1995 it was to replace a hard copy
newsletter/begging letter I used to send to some 2500 people  to help
support the work or my organization, People to people, iNc. in Haiti.

This is perhaps the fourth or fifth time, max, I have asked for funds
for the work of PTP.  But, our treasurer is drained and Phillip has no
support for medicines and goats, his dominant needs.

Any funds are fully deduct	ble since PTP is a recognized 504(c)(3)
agency with the U.S. governmetn and all is tax deductible.

Please send any check to:

People to People, INc.  (make checks payable to the same)
c/o Bob Corbett
1419 Tamm Ave.
ST. Louis, MO  63139

By the way, Phillip is a white guy in his late 40s or early 50s, speaks
Creole tankou yon rat and will most likely die never having left Haiti
after arriving there in the late 1980s.  He seems to have no desire at
all to leave the mountains save his relatively rare trips to
Port-au-Prince to collect mail.

Phillip has been writing a DETAILED journal of his life in Haiti for years
and i have the hand written copies which number into the many hundreds,
perhaps more than 1000 pages.  Some day that will be an astonishing
journal for scholar to study.

Bob Corbett