The Sapaterre school project was begun in 2008 with grassroots support and governance by Children Hispanoila, a Haitian non-profit organization. It is funded by some donors and a few people from St. Francis Xavier have been inspired to help that project in different ways. Fr. Rodrigue’s book, Haitian Proverbs, was written in part to fund the school, but the larger purpose was to help Americans understand more about the rich culture and spirit of the Haitian people. The wisdom and artwork in this book can be seen accessed through Amazon books, or by viewing the book at the parish office.

The Sapaterre Mission School serves 175 children from 1st through 6th grades. Sapaterre is one of several neighboring villages with a combined population of about two thousand inhabitants. Residents do not have access to electricity, healthcare, or education; for some, even food is a struggle. Some children walk for nearly an hour to reach the school with empty stomach. While education is the school’s priority, with its limited resources the staff tries to provide some food and assistance with healthcare.