Denver Catholic

PAID ADVERTISEMENT Sadly, Rosetithe Augustin's two sons are growing up in conditions no child should ever experience. Their family's tiny dwelling in Haiti has a leaky scrap metal roof, and its mud-and-wood walls are slowly melting away with each passing rainstorm. In the summer months, the air inside often becomes so oppressive it can be challenging just to breathe. "When it rains, I would look up to see where the water was coming from. Then, I would look down and see a river at my feet," lamented Rosetithe. "The children would get wet, and their books would get wet and were destroyed in the water." "Like any mother, Rosetithe wants the best for her sons, but she knows her family's living conditions are creating a lot of roadblocks to their success. It's almost impossible to create a stable, healthy home life for young children in a house like hers. I know I would struggle to do it," said Michele Sagarino, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, one of the largest and most respected Catholic relief and development ministries serving in the Caribbean region. "That's why we have made it a priority to build and repair the homes of poor families in places like Kobonal, Haiti. When someone like Rosetithe receives that helping hand and can raise her children in a safe, sturdy home — well, it's life- transforming. There's no other way to describe it." Asked why home security is so important, Sagarino detailed how that foundational support radiates blessings to many other areas of a family's life. "A safe home improves health by creating a dry and sanitary place for people to eat and sleep. It has educational benefits too. Children don't lose school days due to sickness, and they have a productive place to read and study," she said. "Then there's the security and peace it provides. Families are safe from intruders and vermin, and they no longer need to worry about the dangers posed by tropical storms. Imagine the relief it is to have all those burdens lifted from your shoulders." This year, in its effort to improve the living conditions of families like Rosetithe's, Cross Catholic Outreach has launched a special national campaign called "Children of Light," a name chosen to reflect the powerful call to service God makes in Ephesians 5: For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light — for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. "There is actually a double meaning in this particular campaign title," Sagarino said. "We Catholics stand as children of light when we serve the poor, and the boys and girls we're helping — are also children of light. They have incredible potential to shine for the glory of God if we can just help them overcome the hurdles poverty has placed in their lives." To accomplish its home building goals in Haiti, Cross Catholic Outreach will be working with the Kobonal Haiti Mission, located in the country's Central Plateau region. The director of the mission, Father Glenn Meaux, has a goal of building 50 homes to provide 336 children and 109 adults with a safe, sanitary place to live. Catholics in the U.S. are being asked to contribute to the project by sponsoring a house at a cost of just $11,920 or by giving a smaller donation that can be combined with others to accomplish the same goal. "I know it's a significant amount to ask someone to give, but a number of people are eager to fund an entire house," Sagarino said. "They have generous hearts, and they appreciate the fact that the contribution they are giving will provide a very specific blessing and will have a far-reaching impact. Of course, we're deeply grateful to those who give any amount to this goal. Every dollar is important in helping Fr. Meaux achieve his goal of building 50 homes for families in need." Sagarino added that she hopes those who participate in the "Children of Light" campaign will also use the opportunity to learn more about the Kobonal Haiti Mission and its other outreaches to the poor. "Too few Catholics in the U.S. are hearing about the incredible work being done in the developing world by our priests, religious sisters and Catholic lay leaders," she said. "We want to get the word out. We want to celebrate the wonderful things the Church is doing in the world — as well as to encourage U.S. Catholics to support important missions of mercy. One way they can do that is by building homes in Kobonal." US Catholics Having Major Impact on Poverty by Building Simple, Sturdy Homes for Needy Families Above: Many fragile, single-room homes in Kobonal, Haiti, have dirt floors and leaky roofs, making them unsanitary and unsafe. Below Left: The Augustin children face tremendous challenges in life. The poverty in their region of Haiti is extreme. RIGHT PAGE How to Help To fund Cross Catholic Outreach's effort to help the poor worldwide, use the postage-paid brochure inserted in this newspaper, scan the QR code, or mail your gift to Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC03009, PO Box 97168, Washington, DC 20090-7168. The brochure also includes instructions on becoming a Mission Partner and making a regular monthly donation to this cause. If you identify an aid project, 100% of the donation will be restricted to be used for that specific project. However, if more is raised for the project than needed, funds will be redirected to other urgent needs in the ministry.

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