Sheepfold of the Good Shepherd Orphanage and School in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

A few years ago when I was visiting Florida, I went to a church that sponsored an orphanage in Haiti. When I learned about Sheepfold of the Good Shepherd School and the wonderful things they do there in one of the world's poorest places, I hoped I could find a way to get involved. It turns out, their needs are great and anyone's help is welcome.

What is this Sheepfold of the Good Shepherd place? Well, as I find out, it's a place that offers hope for a future. As you may know, Haiti is the poorest country in our hemisphere. Port-Au-Prince, where Sheepfold of the Good Shepherd is located, is its capital. You may know this city as home to the infamous Cite Soleil neighborhood- known as maybe the most dangerous neighborhood on earth. Haiti, a small island nation that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, has been subjected to war and poverty, often due to exploitation both domestic and foreign. Indentured servitude, malnourishment, drug smuggling, HIV, illiteracy, milita violence- these are among the situations one finds in Haiti. Thousands of children are born, and often orphaned or abandoned, in this situation.

That's where Sheepfold of the Good Shepherd endeavors to step in. Founded and run by Fr Luc Jolicouer, a Haitian native and priest with the order of the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd, the orphange opened about fifteen years ago. Br Luc started the school and orphanage by taking in just a handful of kids and with the sponsorship of Amercian friends in places like Miami and New York. Since then, the school and home have grown. Now, 250 boys have a roof over their head and 450 local children ages 3-19 go to school and get at least one meal a day in a safe place. (Sheepfold of the Good Shepherd also finds placements for orphan girls in a local home for girls run by nuns.)

What does the school provide, specifically? There are classes in regular academic subjects. There are also trade classes, according to the website, in such things as mechanics and carpentry. Sheepfold of the Good Shepherd also has its own bakery where students can train, and computers where students learn graphics and other things. Without the school, students would likely have access to none of these things, including even basic education.

I can't say I have ever met Br. Luc and his kids, but I have corresponded with him by letter and email and I have talked to the American coordinator. I have to say, I think what they do is amazing. These kids are so vulnerable in a country where children are often sent to work as indentured servants or exploited in other ways. How can you help Br. Luc and his kids, if you wanted to? Check out their website - it's not sophisticated (it was donated and created by a volunteer) but it has the basic info and a way to contact people who can give you further information. It even has Br. Luc's email address. If you are interested in helping out, I hope you will check out the website.