Plans for reconstruction of the historic building that houses the congregation of the Eglise Baptiste Stricte have barely budged in recent months.
While architectural drawings were created in the spring, the church has yet to find a major donor to help it reconstruct. In the meantime, Pastor Dieucin Marcelin is tucking away all the donations members can muster, while at the same time trying to keep their outdoor sanctuary intact.
There are more signs of change at the church’s school across town, which was gifted with a crew of cash-for-work people tasked recently with demolishing one of the buildings on site that had partially toppled over. Donated tents used for classrooms now pack the school yard, which should be operational until the end of August if students continue to pay their school fees. But some families have had trouble coming up with the funds post-quake (monthly fees ring in at about 100 to 150 HTG, or about $3), fuelling the pastor’s concerns over whether he’ll be able to make payroll through to the end of the year.
