Our History

The New York Haiti Project started in 2016. Several Americans from Episcopal churches in New York visited Bondeau, Haiti. They participated in the consecration of Bon Samaritan Episcopal Church, which is now the largest Episcopal church in Haiti. Bondeau is about three hours west of Port au Prince, on the northern coast of the Tiburon Peninsula.

Not long after the consecration of the church in Bondeau, representatives from the community of Martel visited Fr. Phanord and asked him to help them build a church and a school. Like Bondeau, Martel is a tiny village of farmers in rural Haiti, about 30 minutes further west of Bondeau on the same road.

Martel in 2016 had no school and no church. The nearest school was five miles away, which was too far for the children to walk and too expensive for them to take a motorcycle taxi. In the fall of 2016 The Rev. Sam Owen, Michael Smith and others met with the community leaders of Martel to understand the needs of the community and to dream of how we could work together to serve the people. It was during these conversations, in the front yard of Madame Nelson’s home, that the New York Haiti Project was born.

From the beginning we wanted the school to become self sufficient. So our first project was to build a grain mill. We spoke with many of the farmers, who told us that they grow corn and millet. The travel far and pay a lot to grind their grain. The mill would provide a job for a miller, some funding for the school and give the farmers cheaper access to a mill.

We received a Sustainable Development Grant from the Diocese of New York, and we completed construction of the mill in the summer of 2017. The mill has been a spectacular failure. We aren’t sure why the farmers don’t want to use it. But they don’t. The building and milling equipment is still there and we have hope that the mill might some day be productive. Mission work is messy. We learn lessons and adjust our strategy.

In the meantime the people of Martel built a temporary structure out of 2x4s and sheet metal that served as the very first classroom and sanctuary. We were awarded a grant from United Thank Offering to build a three-classroom for the school. We designed the building to be earthquake and hurricane resistant, with interior walls that could be opened to make a bigger space for church services on Sunday Fr. Phanord named the new church St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and School.

The school began with pre-K through 2nd grade. Our first year we had 50 students. We have added classes each year, and now the school serves pre-K through 8th grade. 178 students are enrolled for the 2023-24 school year. We have added two more buildings. In October 2021 we complete a hall that serves as classroom space and worship space on Sunday. In August 2022 we completed another three classroom building. We expect to complete a four classroom building, an administrative building and a latrine in April 2024.