Haiti Connection 2008 Draws Record Attendance

Helps to Build New and On-Going Relationships

More than 185 people gathered at the Montana Hotel in Petion-Ville, Haiti for the opening night dinner of the 10th Anniversary Haiti Connection Conference, Wednesday, November 12.

C’est Ensemble (Together, We Can) was the theme of the three-day conference (November 12,13,14) which brought together people from 23 states in the United States and more than 40 participants from Haiti. It was the largest in attendance of all of the Haiti Connection Conferences which have been sponsored by the Children’s Medical Mission of Haiti.

The Rt. Rev. Jean Zache Duracin, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, welcomed the guests to Haiti and thanked them for their interest and support of Haiti.

The dinner opened with music from the Universal String Sextet from the Holy Trinity Music School followed by an inspiring address by Ophelia Dahl, President of Partners in Health.

Earlier in the week pre-conference trips took small groups of participants on one and two-day trips to small towns and villages to the north of Port-au-Prince, visiting mission projects, and to various diocesan institutions in the heart of Port-au-Prince.

Full-day sessions on Thursday and Friday featured key-note speakers on Education, Development and Health Care followed by small focus group sessions on a variety of related topics.

Partner parishes and schools (U.S. and Haiti) met during and after the conference and dozens of relationships were formed as participants shared their common interests and passion for ministry in Haiti. Various boards, such as those associated with the Hopital Ste. Croix,Leogane; The Bishop Tharp Institute,Les Cayes; and the Children’s Medical Mission of Haiti timed their meetings to coincide with the Haiti Connection Conference.

On Thursday evening participants were invited to a reception as at local art gallery attended by the Haitian Minister of Tourism.

The meeting concluded on Friday afternoon with Eucharist; however, a number stayed through Sunday to attend the service at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Port-au-Prince, to hear the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, The Most Rev. Katherine Jefforts Schori, who was visiting Haiti and preaching.

Education Presentation by the Very Rev. Oge Beauvoir

Pictures from the Haiti Connection 2008 Conference