AMHERST — There is more than a monetary connection between Grace Episcopal Church and the Haitian school St. Matthew’s — it’s one of sincere friendship and love.
That is the sentiment felt by the man tasked with supervising the school, Père Tancrel Diegue, an Episcopal priest in Gonaives, Haiti. Diegue was in Amherst over the weekend to mark the 10-year partnership between the Amherst church and the Haitian school, which is also known as l’Ecole St. Mathieu.
Speaking to the congregation in Haitian Creole with the help of congregant and interpreter Meg Holladay, Diegue spoke of the relationship the two share as well as with a congregation in Maryland.
“I’m here today with a lot of happiness and joy in my heart,” Diegue said. “I bring with me thanks from all the children at St. Mathieu’s, all the teachers and parents, because you gave them a chance to get an education the same as all the other children in Bayonnais.”
For the last 10 years, members of the Grace Episcopal Church have helped build a thriving school with new school buildings, uniforms and books for all students and teachers who receive regular paychecks and training. The church’s relationship with Haiti can be traced to previous rector, the Rev. Rob Hirschfeld, who directed the outreach commission to find a way to support the U.N. Millennium Development goals.
In the last two years, their efforts have been joined by St. James Episcopal Church in Indian Head, Maryland. Four members of the Maryland church’s Haiti Mission Project came to join the celebration Sunday.
“I think it is important to establish a sense of who he is. There is something more meaningful meeting him in person,” said Tom Peterson, of White Plains, Maryland.
As a part of Diegue’s visit, the congregation sang hymns in Creole and presented a handmade banner for him to bring back to the school.
Diegue told the congregation that when he arrived at St. Matthew’s in 2015, he was surprised to see the state of education the children had been receiving. Outgrowing its space, the school was holding additional classes in a goat shed that previously had been used for storage. Through the group’s efforts, not only was the goat shed transformed into a classroom building but the original building was also transformed.
“The situation of Bayonnais has completed changed and gotten much better,” Diegue said. “Thanks to you, the children have a beautiful space where they are getting an education.”
Adressing the congregation in his homily, the Rev. Thomas N.J. Synan said that 10 years ago, the parish took a chance entering into a partnership with St. Mathieu. At that time, the school was on the verge of closing, but now, a decade later, with around $220,000 raised by the community, it’s flourishing.
“We would be nothing without our partnerships,” Synan said. “The greatest risk in this wonderful mystery was taken not by us but by the people of St. Mathieu. Who were we?
“You and your sheep, 10 years ago, took a chance on us and for that, we are eternally grateful,” Synan said, addressing Diegue. “We are transformed.”
The day was an emotional one for Synan. While leading the congregation in a communal prayer to mark the occasion, Synan briefly fought back tears.
“By the grace of God, the parishioners of St. Mathieu, Bayonnais, St. James Indian Head, and Grace Church Amherst, commit ourselves to one another for the education of God’s children,” Synan said. “We are one flock, with one shepherd, in one holy ministry.”
Speaking after the ceremony, Synan was still moved when recalling the work the group has done over the last decade.
“It’s powerful,” he said. “The work that so many people have done in this parish and keeping that school going, it’s quite remarkable.”
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.