2012 APA Lenten Appeal

Dear Family in Christ,

As I write this letter for our Lenten Appeal 2012, my heart is burdened by the great need in Haiti. In my recent travels to Haiti, through my meetings with our church partner Fr. Mews Guerrier and our global partners at Operation Mobilization (OM), this was my observation. The Haitian children don't smile readily. Life is tough and while unlike the Dalit children of India who don't have any dreams for the future, most children in Haiti have dreams but see no way for them to be accomplished. I am not sure what is worse; not having any dreams at all, or having dreams knowing they can never be attained. My heart tells me I MUST speak to you on their behalf. I must be bold in asking for your help.

The APA has only been able to give minimal support to Fr. Mews for his school for almost 20 years. There are currently 256 children (K through 6) and the building is already constructed. The children receive a biblically based education. This education will be one way these children can escape the crippling poverty of rural Haiti.

While the school is fully functional, the land on which the school is built is only being leased. This puts the future of the school in some doubt. Each of us in the APA has an opportunity to change that. And I believe, as does Bishop Grundorf, that is why God sent us there this past year.

Therefore, our Lenten Appeal Project 2012 challenge will be to raise $40,000.

• $30,000 to purchase the land currently leased (includes 3 parcels, 1 that has the school on it with 2 adjoining parcels)
• $10,000 to establish a broiler chicken growing operation to fund the on-going cost of running the school. This will be accomplished with the help of Haitian Broilers (an OM partner) who will provide expertise, training, sales and marketing, and the first batch of chickens.

I am asking each one of you to make a Lenten offering of a minimum of $1.00 a day for the 40 days of Lent, or more as Our Lord leads you. We need 100% participation. Your gifts will enable our school in Haiti to become permanent, and increasingly self-sufficient.

Please pray every day during Lent that God will use our offerings to show His great mercy on the children of Haiti.

Checks should be made payable to your local church with a notation in the memo field "For Haiti School." We ask each church treasurer to combine the checks and send one church check to the APA Treasurer designated for the Haiti School fund.

The address for Saint Barnabas Church is 4795 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338


Please make your Lenten Offering by April 8 at the latest.

Remembering that in all things, He is able, I remain faithfully yours,

Fr. David Haines

Vicar General for Global Partnerships, APA