People of Faith People of Action

Missions 2010

Home

Much of the sugar we consume each day in the United States comes from sugar cane grown in the Dominican Republic. That sugar cane is harvested, in large part, by Haitian immigrants who live as indentured servants in communities called bateys.

The Bateys are some of the poorest communities in the Western Hemisphere, with no running water, and limited access to medical care. The people of The Bateys are denied freedom of movement by The Dominican government. They are not allowed to integrate into Dominican society and are denied basic services.

The children born in the Bateys have few options as they grow up. Haiti does not recognize them, the Dominican Republic ignores them, and the sugarcane combines exploit them. A child born in the Bateys is a citizen of nowhere.

In June 2010 our team will return to The Bateys for a third time to work on the construction of a feeding center and minister to the women and children.

Our goal is to raise enough money to pay our way and to buy and deliver 2000 mosquito nets to help prevent malaria and dengue fever. This is a big audacious goal but together we can make a lasting impact on the lives of our brothers and sisters in the Bateys.