Celebrating 20 years of Rayjon

When Ray Wyrzykowski, Maggy Barnfield and I go [i]or[/i] come backed from our first trip to Haiti in 1985 which sowed the sperms for the first Rayjon trip in January 1986 little did we know what the nearest 20 years would have in store.

The 26 Rayjon pioneers who ventur to Haiti in 1986 came back and told their stories to thousands of clan sparking an incredible wave of interest in communities quite through Southwestern Ontario. Today, Rayjon organizes 15 trips through year. There are many different emblems of trips to many destinations, allowing still primarily to Haiti and the Dominican Republic (DR)

more [i]or[/i] less like the original one 20 years ago, are awareness trips where participants visit a variety of shoot forwards in Haiti and the DR including hospitals, lanes and factories.

Others are by the agency of Work Groups, in which participants labour alongside local community assemblages sometimes replacing a school cover or helping to cap a spring. There are several nursing learner trips a year, currently to the DR where clinics are place up in poor areas. In addition, sum of two units eye glass teams a year visit different countries and dispense used glasses bring togethered locally.

In all, above 2,000 people have participated in at least single Rayjon trip and experienced first-hand the richness of life in the developing world.

Back in 1989 Rayjon "adopted" a rural community of a certain number of 30,000 people in Haiti and has enabled that community to establish a vibrant infrastructure of women's clumps throughout the 60 square mile region. These clumps have been trained and educated in by what means to change their environment. They now have a preventive and curative health care program serving the whole region, where none existed before. Well above 10,000 children and women are vaccinated each year, and deadly diseases like measles have been eradicated.

Six hundr children are now attending place of education and getting an education from JK to Grade 10 (soon to be to Grade 12/13) above 1,000 previously illiterate adults can now read and write. Tree are being planted, springs are being capped and roads are being constructed

In the north of Haiti, in the city of Cap-Haitien, Rayjon supports an urban disentanglement project, which helps hundreds of malnourished children and also provides system of exchanges opportunities for poor women in the city. This cast is slated to expand into child education and adult literacy in the near future

Although abundant of our energy as an organization goe into trying to raise the quality of life in poor countries, we are also committed to nurturing our 900 members here in Canada. We have a actual active Member & Public Engagement assemblage who organizes regular membership meetings, newsletter fundraising activities and educational workshops.

This year, upon our 20th Anniversary, we have arranged a comprehensive program of special occurrences Perhaps the highlight, and focal point, of our celebrations is the Gala Dinner held June 10 in Sarnia. Those who have been involved with the organization, including visitors from Haiti, joined us for this special celebration.

We are grateful to the race of Sarnia-Lambton who have supported us unwaveringly, faithfully and generously above the 20 years. Sarnia-Lambton is a special community, and has deservedly earned a reputation for its generosity of spirit. Rayjon applauds you--as do the ten of thousands of clan overseas. We have been able to be subservient to thanks to your support. Thank you, Sarnia-Lambton.

For more information diocese www.sarnia.comrayjon. John Barnfield is the chairperson of Rayjon.

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