By
The Rev. Deacon Clare Barry
and the Global Mission Committee
With deep appreciation to the parishes in the Diocese of Western North Carolina, we thank you for your support of our diocese, which makes these grants possible. Thank you for your involvement in this important ministry not only to our brothers and sisters in Christ across the world but also to our neighbors in our diocese. Your continued involvement enables us to act as Christ’s hands and feet to those we may never meet. In so doing, we are also acting as Jesus’s evangelists as we live out the Gospel values into the world.
Name of Project: Consider Haiti’s Healthcare, Clean Water and Sustainable Nutrition Programs
Sponsoring Parish: Grace Episcopal Church, Asheville
Project Description: Consider Haiti has worked for over 20 years in three remote mountain villages (Sourd Borgne, Fond Baptist, and Ivorie) and one urban location (Montrouis) to provide nutritional support, clean water and health care to families of severely malnourished children. There are seven Haitian, healthcare community agents who identify children who are at risk for complications of malnutrition. Every six months, 55 children are enrolled in the program. Each receives therapeutic, calorie-dense food to get their growth back on track, a water filter/bucket system that is shared among multiple families and a goat which is typically bred, the offspring sold pays for school, building materials and food. Consider Haiti believes that every child deserves clean water, good health and the opportunity for their families to experience financial solvency.
Amount Awarded: $11,137
Name of Project: Reducing the Backlog of Pediatric ENT Surgeries at the Ahli Arab Hospital, Gaza City, Gaza.
Sponsoring Parish: St. James Episcopal Church, Hendersonville in partnership with the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.
Project Description: The Ministry of Health considers pediatric ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeries to be elective and therefore not a priority. Nevertheless, best practices in pediatric care indicate that delayed intervention has a huge negative impact on children’s health, wellbeing, and the ability to succeed in school. These children’s improved health and their ability to attend school will allow their families to function in a more productive manner. The surgeries offer a significant and a permanent benefit to the child and their family, but because repeat visits from an untreated child are greatly reduced, doctors and nurses have more time to treat more patients at the Ahli Arab Hospital’s free community clinics. In January 2023, there were 1,000 backlogged cases at the Ahli Arab Hospital and 8,000 cases backlogged in Gaza. This grant enables 25 children to receive ENT surgical treatment.
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Name of Project: El Eden micro-business
Sponsoring Parish: St. James Hendersonville
Project Description: This project will establish a new Micro-business – El Eden to preserve fruits and vegetables (Dehydrated, Pre-cooked and Frozen) in the Province of Guantanamo, Cuba under the auspices of All Saints Episcopal Church in Guantanamo, Cuba and the Diamond of Sahara Farm. Currently, no such business exists in the province. Produce must be obtained from other provinces or from abroad, if it can be found. El Eden will also serve as a pilot for other parishes. The grant will produce year-round healthy food for the most vulnerable in the parish (families with special needs, children, the elderly and the sick) as well as new employment opportunities for residents. Technical support will be provided to other parishes so that they might start their own micro-business. Initially, 25 of the most food insecure families will receive food from this micro-business. 6-8 of the local residents will be trained to run the business in an area where there are few, if any, opportunities. This pilot project will be a show case of hope for other churches and communities in Cuba, where hope is a fragile commodity these days, and hunger is the current reality across the country.
Amount Awarded: $4,450