a1703: THE GREENING OF AYITI (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: GuyetSueR@aol.com

    Dear Corbetters,
  After reading Richard's ramblings, I just had to write you all of an
experience I had the privilege to live.
   The past two days have been for me an absolutely incredible experience. I
meet a man who through his life work, has changed for the better the lives of
thousands of people, although he would be the last to take the credit. I
finally got to meet brother Armand.
  After a three hour ride through some of the most desolate areas of Ayiti on
the Central Plateau I reached Pandiassou, just a few miles away from Hinche
which is the main city of the region.
  What is immediately obvious to people coming to Pandiassou is how lush and
green the region is. As far as the eye can see there are trees and gardens.
All this in the center of a region that suffers from a harsh and dry
environment.
  As soon as I stepped out of the car I was greeted by brother Armand, a
lively and smiling man, who made me feel right at home. A Aytian in his early
fifties who looks however much older because of his white hair and beard. I
later got to know that his hair turned white after he was arrested and
"interrogated" by the military during the "Coup" period. His working so
closely with the peasants made him suspicious to the military.
  He immediately asked some young brothers standing around to take me to my
room which was a small house in the woods. The small community is spread all
around in a forest planted by the brothers. There is the small church a
kitchen and hall and all the small buildings that house the brothers and
guests.
  After having put my things away I was given a whirlwind tour of the region
and it's many projects by brother Armand. As he drove his all terrain pick-up
he would wave at all the people he meet on the road. Here and there he would
stop and chat with some peasants about some project or problems they had, but
what amazed me was the attention he gave to all, no matter how trivial the
conversation. You can see how he respects the people he works with.
  He did manage to show me some of the projects that were put into place for
over twenty five years. Here was a huge pond that catches the rain water
during the rainy season, witch lasts six months of the year. There are thirty
such ponds in the region and more are planned. This pond was also well
stocked with fish that a peasant group fished and the catches sold to people
in the region. One of the ponds was public, open to all to fish anytime they
felt like it. Pumps were used during the six month dry season to water all
the gardens and fruit trees surrounding each of the ponds. I actually saw
some wild ducks in the pond.
  I was also shown a modern slaughterhouse administered by a group of
peasants that not only gives the beef, goat and pork producers a market for
their meat but the generator used to work the freezers also supplies power to
the whole community, day in day out. Next to the building is a computer
school that will be connected to internet. An antenna is now being installed
that will access the world through satellite.
  We then went on to visit the primary and secondary school. Both are modern
buildings with libraries, were children are given the best education possible
and two meals a day. The secondary school is also used in the evenings for a
literacy program aimed at the parents. On Friday nights the "Jean Dominique
popular university" is in session. Guest speakers from Ayiti and around the
world are invited to give lectures on all sorts of subjects of interest for
the peasants of the region. Having attended one of the lectures I can vouch
of the interest. That evening the hall was so packet with people that more
chairs had to be brought in. The lecture that day was " The history of
science and technology or lack of, in Ayiti" given by a professor of history
from the university of Ayiti.
  We then went on to visit the local clinic that is staffed by a young
Canadian and Aytian doctor. An orphanage is also close to completion. Small
houses will lodge up to six children, each staffed by a married Aytian couple
so that the kids get to experience a regular family life. They will also be
fully integrated in the community.
  Speaking of small houses, at one point he pointed to me many houses that
were built as low cost housing for the community members. Those houses are
sold at very low prices and paid for, with small monthly payments over many
years.
  I did get to visit the tree farm that produces about one hundred thousand
small trees a year. Those are sold to all for five gourds each. All kinds of
fruit and wood producing trees are grown.
  During my visit, brother Armand explained the philosophy by witch his
brotherhood stands. It's of being one with the peasants, helping them to
realise their human potential to it's fullest in communal way. "We walk with
them not in front of them, we preach the gospel with deeds not words".
  I should also ad that the work of the brotherhood "Des Petits Frères de
l'Incarnation", is also complemented by a group of sisters that mostly help
the women of the region. The brotherhood is now present in other
underdevelopped regions of Ayiti doing the same kind of work of self
development.
  To all who find only negative aspects to development in Ayiti, to those who
think it's a bottomless pit for aid dollars, for those who seem only able to
criticise it's people, a visit there should change your mind.

         Amicalement,

                  Guy