University Presbyterian Church - Chapel Hill, NC

 

Later on, in our week-long stay in Haiti, we visited Trinity House, the third home founded by Michael. Trinity House is located in Jacmel, a three hour drive south from Port-au-Prince. The 14 boys, who are younger than the teenage boys at St. Joseph’s, live in a temporary home. Michael’s vision to build a more permanent setting for this family will include a bakery. Each of the three homes (St. Joseph’s, Wings of Hope and, now Trinity House) employs the boys in some way to help bring income to the homes. At St. Joseph’s , the boys help run the guest house. They make beds, wash floors, act as tour guides for guests and generally do whatever is needed to make the stay at St. Joseph’s as pleasant and comfortable as possible. At Wings, the facility houses a boutique. The arts and crafts available for purchase are often stunning. Currently, “graduates” of St. Joseph’s are learning the fine art of running a business. At Trinity House the dream is to build a bakery that will be run by the boys and should help considerably in the every day expenses of the home. Michael and the boys have another dream for Trinity House – to make it a fine arts and crafts center. Jacmel is a haven for the unique craftsmen of Haiti. Trinity House could easily be a center for these arts. But, for now, it is only a dream and there is much work to be done. Already, however, the boys who live in Jacmel are a family. Melshi, the director, is a graduate of St. Joseph’s. With the help of two assistants, he runs a tight ship, watching over the boys’ daily chores and seeing that all the tasks of home and schoolwork are complete. While we were there, they proudly showed us their temporary home, showered us with their love and allowed us to watch their dance rehearsal. Dance is such an integral part of their lives and we were thrilled because we felt as though they were giving us a command performance. We brought them ice cream, a small gesture on our part but, in return, they were generous with their gratitude and hugs all around.

 

Trinity House