BOISE, Idaho — While many of us have probably seen images of the devastation from Haiti over the years, Father Rick Frechette has experienced it firsthand.
As the founder of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, which translates into ‘our little brothers and sisters,’ he has been in Haiti since 1987. It is those little brothers and sisters who are at the center of a partnership between the foundation and Saint Alphonsus’ Project Haiti.
“Project Haiti has been a strong friend and companion and enormous help for almost 30 years,” Frechette said.
KTVB caught up with him about his work in Haiti during a recent visit to Boise.
“Haiti is a very tumultuous country and there are always a lot of earthquakes, hurricanes, social disruptions, which put a lot of people in a lot of trouble,” Frechette said. “So, there's also been a lot of focus towards how do we help somebody that's in really bad shape.”
He adds, the problems in Haiti include poverty, lack of education, and a lack of a clean environment and those issues are then complicated by the gang violence.
“It's very, very sad for the people,” Frechette.
The facility also houses what some may refer to as an orphanage, but the organization doesn't call it that because they have what they call whole families.
“We have five brothers and sisters from this family that was destroyed by poverty or accident or tragedy, we have lots of little families, and we raise them together so they can become aunts and uncles, to each other's children,” Frechette said.
He told KTVB, being able to help and make that difference is why he continues to serve.
“It's the only thing that gives you the ability to stay in front of a tsunami of problems,” Frechette said. “It's the only thing.”
Not every story is a success though, some turn to drugs or gangs, but they continue to serve because they're doing important work on the frontlines.
“Please have a different understanding, have a different idea of Haiti and the people of Haiti,” Frechette said. “They're wonderful people, they have strong faith and they're hardworking.”
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