Letter from Chair MikeM to Father Bertrand

Greetings!

My apologies for being delinquent in updating the blog. Below is the letter that Mike Mercurio wrote to Father Bertrand. Valerie Carlson translated the letter into French.
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Dear Father,

I hope you and the parishioners of Ste. Therese are doing as well as can be expected.  I am glad to know cholera has not spread to Marbial.  I am happy to advise you of the following:  

During the week of February 7, St. Mary will be sending to you $6,500 intended specifically for education.  This brings our four year total for education to $24,303.

As you know, we recently provided Ste. Therese 225 water purification systems to be distributed as determined by you.  It is my understanding that Lamont visited your parish during December and that last week your local technician was trained in Port-Au-Prince.  Please know that St. Mary has authorized a second technician from Marbial to be trained later this month.  We are very excited to be working with Gift of Water, and it is our hope to continue providing clean water systems to our sister parish for many years to come.

We were most disappointed to delay our second medical mission due to our concerns regarding cholera.  We were very concerned that surgical patients returning from Jacmel to Marbial might bring with them this serious disease.  We could simply not take that chance.  We will return during January or February of 2012.

We will be, once again, sending to you a shipment of various items which should arrive during June.  I will be asking Domond for suggestions--please let him know what items you may need most. 

As for a new vehicle (SUV) I remember when Dr. Garvey, Joan, and I first visited Ste. Therese you told us of an organization in Germany (similar to Catholic Relief Services) which would provide funds equal to seventy-five percent of the cost of a new vehicle if the local priest could provide the remaining twenty-five percent.  Considering how generous the people of St. Mary have been to date I feel, at this time, I do not want to actively solicit contributions for a new vehicle: however, I do want to help you obtain one.  If you will kindly provide me with the name and address of this organization I will solicit private donations for this important undertaking.

Lastly, and MOST importantly, on behalf of Father Cronin and the St. Mary Twinning Committee, I would like to extend to you a warm invitation to visit St. Mary. sometime during the Lenten Season (April 7 thru April 11).  I know you and Domond are not fond of cold weather but temperatures in CT should be moderate during this period.  Please know that we feel it is most important that we visit you once a year or you visit us once a year so that we can continue and extend the generosity St. Mary has displayed for Ste.  Therese.

May God always bless you and the Haitian people.

With warmest regards and respect,

Mike
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