Rebuilding a Country One Suitcase
at a Time
DECEMBER 2013: Last
week Joseph Provost, President and founder of The Friends of Haiti Inc., and
Rev. Susan Provost stepped away from the traditional hustle and bustle of the
holiday season and found a way to rejuvenate their spirit. They headed to the Las
Vegas airport with eight miserably heavy pieces of luggage. Now you’re like,
huh? Navigating McCarran International Airport with a cumbersome load doesn’t sound
like a break from the December hubbub. But to Joseph and Rev. Susan it’s an
opportunity to enjoy a bit of giving. They faced chaotic traffic and tight
airline seats so they could deliver eight pots of gold, at least it’s like gold
to the people of Haiti. Each tattered piece of luggage was jam-packed with
medical supplies, computers and cell phones—all donations for the students they
support at The University of Notre Dame d’ Haiti. The Provost’s flight took
them to Florida where they met an agent from Food for the Poor—a charity that
collaborates with The Friends of Haiti Inc.
Food for the Poor generously shares space on their airplane. The luggage will travel to Haiti on
the next mission flight to Port au Prince where a representative of The Friends
of Haiti will meet the flight and receive the donations to distribute to the
students. The whole process sounds exhausting; especially at this time of year,
but Joseph and Rev. Susan believe their efforts are exactly what the season of
giving should be about. Last year they did the Florida run three times,
delivering a total of 45 pieces of luggage.
Why do they use their
time, personal money and travel points instead of USPS? It’s not for an excuse
to go to Florida, since they fly home only one day later; it’s because Joseph and
Rev. Susan have a heart for Haiti, and a flight to Florida costs less than
shipping eight large packages.
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Last
year they did the Florida run three times during the holiday season. With a bit
of charm, a lot of luck and a few kind employees, 72 year-old Provost overcame the
two bag maximum airline restrictions. He and Rev. Susan brought a total of 45
pieces of luggage, each packed with medical supplies, food and clothing for
needy students in Haiti.
Provost is no novice
when it comes to helping Haiti one suitcase at a time. Five years ago when he
first started volunteering, he arrived in Pignon, Haiti and helped build a
community center. Prior to his arrival he filled his luggage with snacks,
clothes, and the little soaps and shampoos collected from hotel stays. When he donated
these items to the people in that small Haitian town, the ecstatic response was
as if he had hosted a major giveaway (like Oprah’s Favorite Things)!
Provost continued
volunteering in Haiti and soon discovered the doctor to patient ratio is 10,000:1.
This inspired him to form his 501 c (3) charity called The Friends of Haiti
Inc. (TFOHI). The charity has a focused
mission—to grow the population of medical professionals. TFOHI provides
scholarships to medical students who attend the University de Notre Dame
d’Haiti. Scholarship students must pledge
to remain in their country for a minimum of five years upon graduation, so they
can play a role in helping their fellow citizens. Provost believes education is the first step
in helping Haiti become a self-sustaining nation.
If you’d like to make a
donation to The Friends of Haiti Inc. please visit the website
www.thefriendsofhaitiinc.org
or send a check to THE FRIENDS OF HAITI INC., 2520 Mesa Verde Terrace,
Henderson NV 89074.
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