Alumni see changes first-hand from goodwill missions

By Mark Pavilons

It truly does take a village to affect change.
Alumni of St. Michael Catholic Secondary School spent a week in the Dominican Republic, boosting the efforts of a champion for human rights.
The group visited Sister Maude Rhenau, who's been fighting for the rights of migrant Haitian workers for decades.
Several years ago, students from St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Bolton participated in annual mission trips to El Seibo, Dominican Republic.
Several continue the missions and this year returned to the missionary centre run by Sister Maude and the Daughters of Mary (les Filles de Marie). Also joining them were students and staff from Father Michael Goetz secondary school in Mississauga.
They primarily assisted the impoverished Haitian sugar cane workers and their families.
Those trips struck a chord with the local volunteers and several have rekindled the mission on their own, heading back every January to continue their support.
Urszula Cybulko, the former chaplain at St. Mike's, continues to organize the return mission trips for a handful of diehard volunteers.
“Everytime we arrive something new has been added,” Cybulko noted. “This year we noticed new school buses. Last year there would be children being dropped off by parents on the back of their motorbikes. This year brand new school buses are funded by the government driving through the bateys, bringing students to the school and then dropping them off at the end of the day. This was a huge development.”
Sister Maude worked hard lobbying the government to fund this essential service.
This year's trip involved something very special. Locals were joined by medical professionals fro the U.S. to help provide much-needed health care to people. The medical team was composed of nurses of Haitian descent from the USA working with a team of doctors from the capital (Santo Domingo).
“Not only did we get to work with new people, it was fascinating to watch the medical team in action. Over 400 people got to see a doctor and receive medications. This is also the beginning of trying to implement a regular system of health care in the bateys.
When asked what draws this batch of volunteers to return, all things point to Sister Maude, the diminutive powerhouse who rolls up her sleeves on every occasion.
“She is a living saint,” Cybulko said. “I call her the ‘Mother Teresa' of the Dominican Republic. She is an example of the strength and courage of faith. She demonstrates the potential of the ‘power of one.'
“We are always in awe of what she has done and what she does when we are there. She is an example of the good work that still comes from the Catholic Church. It is an honour to be with her.”
She also noted it's rewarding to see the fruits of everyone's labour each time they visit. There is always progress in every trip.
“Every time we come to a mission trip people benefit from our work and contributions. People are fed, clothed and blessed with a relationship that we strengthen every time we are there,” Cybulko noted.
“We are blessed with the development of these relationships as well. This is why everyone wants to come back every year. It has become our home away from home.”
For Cybulko, her biggest take-away is the “fragility of humanity and how easily human dignity can be violated by greed” (which exacerbates the plight of impoverished labourers).
High school visits waned through the pandemic and have largely ended, but these volunteers keep coming and supporting Sister Maude's efforts.
St.  Michael graduate and seven-time mission volunteer, Lexie Hesketh-Pavilons of Bolton, shared that Sister Maude has helped a group of young Haitian boys to ensure they have a bright future.
This trip was special because joining in were a group of individuals coming from the U.S. that have Haitian descent. They came to give back and provide medical assistance, which turned out to be invaluable.
“People in the bateys were being seen. They were given a voice, and they were given care that they otherwise would not have access to,” Hesketh-Pavilons observed.
She's drawn by Sister Maude's impact on the region and the community she's helped.
“I don't know where they would be without her. I don't know if they would have access to education, food, water, someone to speak for their rights.”
Hesketh-Pavilons noted that over the years, it has been extremely rewarding to witness her impact improve and progress with the help of groups like ours that continue to visit her and promote her work over the years.
“She has been able to take our donations and turn them into long-term solutions. She has increased her staff, increased her services and with the continuous support that everyone gives her, she can continue doing her good work.”
Human rights issues of Haitian refugees living in the Dominican Republic weighs heavy on Lexie's mind. Some things can't be kept silent.
“We made noise. If it weren't for us continuing to help and the stories of our groups continuing to help, more groups would not be interested and more groups would not be hearing about it. Our ‘noise' has spread now to American groups with Haitian descent that are making it a point to come back and help their people years to come.”
Continual aid comes from Mission Esperanza, a non-profit Canadian foundation that supports efforts to alleviate the suffering of sugar cane workers of Haitian descent working in the Dominican Republic within the areas of La Higuera, El Seibo.
It was founded by Linda Proulx, Serge Gagné and Angelo Paquette, who began the annual mission trips in 2003, and continue to support Maude's work.
It was Paquette's first time there with a team of doctors and medical care staff and “wow what a tremendous amount of work done in the little bateys.”
In the past 20 years, Paquette has travelled there with groups of students and adults and every time he gets back home “I feel like I need to bring more and more people so they can witness on their way back how much it makes a difference to spend some quality time with the community and the sugar cane cutters.
“My main motivation when I go there is not to build them a house or just give them food and leave, it is important for me to build relationships, share food but mostly spend time being with them showing them how important they are and bring them hope.”
He admitted it's rewarding to see the fruits of everyone's labor.
“The most beautiful value I see when I bring groups there is the selflessness of giving; no one calculates their time or money when they are there. They are there to live an experience of self-abandonment, a humanitarian experience that awakens deep within the soul that flame of joy in giving a little of oneself to the most destitute.”
Having shared this experience with a medical team this year has led Paquette to reflect particularly on the need for this service in remote villages.
“I was completely appalled to see how degraded people's health had become. This is caused by malnutrition, of course, but also by the unsanitary conditions in these remote villages. When you land on the tourist-packed beaches of Punta Cana, it's hard to imagine that just a few kilometers away, people are being exploited inhumanely for the benefit of large sugar companies.”
The local volunteers were backed by some generous donors and supporters. Jim's No Frills in Richmond Hill provided 300 reusable bags to carry the donations to those in need. Residents donated old suitcases, which were filled with donations and left behind to be used by the recipients. Bolton's Giant Tiger offered up donations of much-needed clothing items.
The situation in the Dominican Republic for Haitians is grave. They are being deported en masse, but some, like Sister Maude, are helping them get papers to work in DR.
For more on Mission Esperanza, visit https://www.missionesperanza.com/about