The Roman Catholic parish of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville, TN supports an adopted parish in LaVallee, Haiti, an impoverished mountainous area 50 miles west of Haiti's capital city of Port-au-Prince. Since 1981, Cathedral parishioners, primarily through financial assistance, annual medical mission trips and various construction projects, have endeavored to bring hope and comfort to the poor and needy people of its twinned parish and this area of Haiti. 

The Cathedral Haiti Mission is comprised of 2 on-going initiatives. The (1) Educational Mission (2) Medical Mission  (See also Man on a Mission (about Father Pardo)

The Educational Mission facilitates the funding for the local construction and operation of several elementary and trades schools within the parish and a computer training center near St. John the Baptist church in LaVallee. One elementary school and the parish computer center were completed in 2004 and a second elementary school, to include a cafeteria was completed in 2005.

Also in 2005, a fresh water transportation system and road improvement project was completed to one of the parish's remote villages. These improvements initiated the development of a village market where local crops, goods and services are now exchanged each week, thus providing this remote area a grass-roots economic structure.


Following a review and planning initiative in 2004, the Medical Mission implemented a new strategy for providing healthcare services in LaVallee.

Instead of a large contingent of parish medical professionals making an annual journey to LaVallee to provide only once-a-year medical and dental services, with Father Pardo's help we found and hired a full-time Haitian doctor to provide healthcare services throughout the year. Each week, on a rotating basis, the parish Mobile Medical Clinic provides needed healthcare and dental services to hundreds of people in 4 outlying villages, that otherwise have no access to health or dental care for their children or themselves.

The Doctor functions under Fr. Pardo's supervision and report via the parish computer center to Cathedral Medical Professionals regarding cases seen, needed medicines and supplies and to request specialty-specific Doctors, Dentists, and Nurse Practitioners from the parish to periodically journey to LaVallee to perform unavailable but critically needed medical/dental procedures.

 

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How can I contribute, become involved?

Over the years we have learned that the most productive and effective way to help our brothers and sister in LaVallee is to fund various projects and initiatives that allow them to produce and provide goods and services by and for themselves

Although donations of clothes and toys and over-the-counter medicines are certainly needed, funding a school or road or fresh water transportation project, or the yearly salary of a teacher or village medical agent is far more effective and stimulates the local economy of LaVallee. It provides the populace with a sense of accomplishment, pride and hope for the future.

There are several ways a parishioner can contribute or become involved in the Cathedral's Haiti Mission.

1. By making regular quarterly financial contributions to the Haiti Mission. This can be done through the parish Envelope Program or as an earmarked donation in any Sunday collection.
   

2. By making an annual contribution to partially or fully fund some of the Mission's larger projects and initiatives. For example;

• $500 will fund the outfitting of several remote healthcare clinics within the parish (St. John the Baptist parish covers an area about as large as Davidson county)
  

• $1500 will fund a laptop computer and software application to keep track of patient medical records
  

• $3500 will find a Fresh Water Transportation or Filtration system
  

• $5000 will fund the building of a road by local people into an isolated village
  

• $6500 will fund the salary of a full-time Haitian Doctor for a year
  

• $25,000 will fund the building of an elementary school by local tradesmen. 

3. If you are a Medical Professional (General Surgeon, Dentist, Nurse Practitioner, Ophthalmologist, Pediatrician, Obstetrician, Anesthesiologist, Nurse Anesthetist) and have the desire and time to take a week a year out of your practice for a noble and charitable cause, your personal services and expertise would greatly appreciated. (You are guaranteed some long arduous days, but you will meet some wonderful, inspiring people who will touch your heart and be forever grateful.)


 

4. If you are an Engineer or Trades Professional (Plumber, Electrician, Diesel/Electric Generator Repairman, Medical Equipment Repair Technician) your expertise and experience can make a big difference in rehabilitating inoperable equipment and systems in the community. More importantly, your knowledge and involvement is needed to help train and educate our young Haitian brother and sisters in how to monitor and service critical infrastructure systems and equipment in order to have a healthier life and better community environment.

Man on a Mission
Father Pardo's faith and feisty spirit fuel change in LaVallee, Haiti

Father Pardo is a man of faith. His average parishioner earns only $1 a day. They often lack clean water and basic medical supplies. Hurricanes decimated the majority of this year's food crop. And yet he is thankful.

I am grateful for the participation of this community to the lives of my people in Haiti, Father Pardo said during his bi-annual visit to the Nashville in November. He was eager to express his deep appreciation to the members of the Cathedral for their generosity and support of our adopted parish in LaVallee, Haiti.

I have great satisfaction seeing how the people of this parish welcome me, Father Pardo said. We all live together in one world. We are like a family. And the people of Nashville are working to help people who they don't even know live better.

When Father Pardo arrived at his current parish 10 years ago, there was literally no money in the bank. The church was falling in around him, and he lacked the resources to fix it. However, his desperate situation did not deter him. Drawing on his faith in God and his unwavering vision of a better future, Father Pardo went to work. No one could have imagined that just 10 years later, not only would his chapel be restored, but his parishioners would have daily access to the Internet.

Much of the change has been fueled by Father Pardo's feisty spirit and funded by the people of this Cathedral community. Money isn't the only worthwhile contribution made by this church though. Members of the Cathedral's Haiti Mission work closely with Father Pardo throughout the year, helping him assess his needs and plans for improvement.

Lots of parishes just send checks, Father Kibby said. We send money and people. With people, you can see what needs to be accomplished with the money.
 

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Who Should I Contact:

Bill Carter
(615) 373-4628
bc5805@comcast.net

Sue Doyle
(615) 297-7759
sdoyle927@aol.com

Cathedral Haiti Mission
The Cathedral of the Incarnation 
2015 West End Avenue
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 327-2330 - Phone