News

The West Tennessee Haiti Partnership is pleased to announce that Father Leon Sadoni, Priest-in-Charge of St. Vincent’s Center for Handicapped Children in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, has accepted our invitation to visit Memphis in October to update us on the current state of recovery in Haiti, our Companion Diocese.
   
St. Vincent's School was founded in 1945 by Sister Joan Margaret of the Episcopal Sisters of St. Margaret in Boston, MA. The original mission of St. Vincent's was to care for children with "a defined handicap." Historically, St. Vincent's served children with vision (blind), hearing (deaf) and physical disabilities, as well as some children with developmental disabilities. St. Vincent's is the only school for blind children in Haiti. The school's mission has expanded over the years to include a broad array of education, health, vocational and prevention services and programs, including clinics to eradicate polio. Before the earthquake, St. Vincent's served over 350 children each day in its school program. One hundred and fifty of these children lived in residence during the school year. St. Vincent's main buildings were completely destroyed in the earthquake of January 2010. Seven children and three staff members were killed at that time.
   
In honor of Pere Sadoni, WTHP will host a celebration dinner at the Church of the Holy Communion on Saturday, October 15, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. in Cheney Hall. The cost will be $25.00 per person, including a tax-deductible donation for the rebuilding of St. Vincent’s Center. Invitations will be sent shortly, and reservations can be made by contacting the West Tennessee Haiti Partnership Committee at 901-820-4438; emailing HaitiPartnership@hotmail.com; or mailing a check (payable to WTHP) to The West Tennessee Haiti Partnership, 5865 Ridgeway Center Parkway, Suite 300, Memphis, TN 38120.
   
Learn more about this important Millennium Development Goal ministry and ways that you can help us further God’s work in the world. There will be plenty of information regarding the next mission trip (scheduled for November 29-December 5, 2011), along with many souvenirs from previous trips and Haitian artwork for sale.