July Delegation Dispatch Partners in Progress completed its second successful “immersion delegation” of the summer. The delegation, which had seven participants, occurred from July 9th - 16th and fell between the ravaging of the southern region of Haiti by Hurricane Dennis and the near miss by Hurricane Emily. The delegation received first hand accounts that Dennis had destroyed a pivotal bridge in Grand Goave, along the major highway that connects the southwest region of Haiti with Port au Prince. Reuters News reports that 15 people died when the bridge collapsed. Travelers are now able to cross the river only by wading through the water, or by paying to ride on the shoulders of another person. These developments isolated the SW region, exacerbating the strife of the poor. PIP was unable to determine if UN forces (now numbering more than 7000 in Haiti) have been dispatched to administer assistance. Despite the hardships of the weather, PIP was able to accomplish its various objectives during this delegation. First, PIP arranged for a Ligonier, PA resident, who is planning to adopt two Haitian children, to visit the Maranatha Orphanage in Port au Prince. The orphanage has been in operation for 16 years and has successfully found new homes for over 300 children. PIP also made possible the reunion of Rebecca Newlin of Forrest Hills, PA with several Haitian friends, all employees of the Fonkoze Bank, Haiti’s “alternative bank for the organized poor.” Ms. Newlin provided hospitality to a Fonkoze employee who was studying at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA in 2004 and became friends with the others when they were also students at Duquesne.  Additionally, PIP provided Sisters Pauline Hogan and Christine Reyelt from the Sisters of Charity from Convent Station, New Jersey with an “immersion experience” in Haitian culture. Along with the other participants, the sisters visited the University of Fondwa, St. Damian’s Hospital in Petionville, the St. Louis De Monforte parish in Port au Prince and the Little Brothers and Sisters orphanage in Kenscoff. PIP executive director, Dr. Rich Gosser, and board member, Nicholas Wilson, were also able to make site visits to several of the development projects that PIP supports. They visited the University of Fondwa and evaluated its current needs. Also, they observed the progress made to date in re-tooling the Fondwa Bakery, which had provided hundreds of local peasants with bread. The shop closed late last year, but should be reopened by the end of 2005. Currently, bread must be imported from Port au Prince and are sold at a marked-up rate. Gosser and Wilson also observed the advances made on the University of Fondwa poultry project. A development loan from Partners in Progress funded the cost of construction for the poultry house and will also cover the cost of hens after the students return next year. This project is a component of the University strategy to become “food self-sufficient” and will provide eggs for consumption by the university population as well as for the open market. Lastly, the PIP delegation delivered over 150 pounds of needed supplies to various organizations in the Port au Prince area. Medical supplies, collected by Dr. Walt Bechtel of Irwin, PA, went to St. Damian’s Hospital. More than 70 hygiene packs, compiled by the Knights of Columbus of Bentleyville, PA, were presented to Hospice St. Joseph. Other supplies were delivered to both the Maranatha and Fondwa orphanages. In spite of increased violence in Port au Prince and State Department warnings against travel to Haiti, PIP has tentatively scheduled an immersion delegation to Haiti for December 14-21 that will focus on the work of Fr. Joseph Philippe, CSSp and other members of the Spiritan religious community in Haiti. This will include visits to College Sen Masyel in Port au Prince, the Spiritan parish in Furcy, the main office of Fonkoze, and the various projects situated in Fondwa, including the University of Fondwa. Please contact Dr. Rich Gosser at Partners in Progress for more information.