For the last 3 years, parishioner, Dick Neves has been sending vegetable seeds to Savanette, Haiti using Missionary Flights International (MFI) in Ft. Pierce, FL. He is working with Phequinge, owner of the store in Savanette, who identifies the vegetable seeds desired and picks them up at the airport in Pignon and works to get them through customs and works to distribute then to those in the community (See picture).

Dick has been work with a Protestant flight ministry (MFI) to send these seeds using friend Pastor Russell Driver's affiliation as a 501(c)3 organization (Gates of Hope Mission International).

This fall Dick applied to Hope Seeds, an international organization that provides seeds to under-developed countries, and his request was granted. They sent 19 lbs of seeds requested to MFI, and they were shipped and received by Phequinge this week.

In addition, St. Mary’s Glean Team received all unsold seeds from Home Depot, and John Galbraith provide Dick first review of the vegetable seeds that could be used in Haiti.  Dick also obtained vegetable seeds from the Montgomery County Extension Office in Christiansburg to get surplus seeds. 

Dick was able to send another 13 lb of seeds to MFI for transport to Pignon this month. These shipments also offer the opportunity to test different varieties of the vegetables to see which varieties do best under local growing conditions.

This fall, the regular farmers, subsistence farmers, and anyone with a plot of land living within the 3 twin parishes and beyond will have access to whatever vegetable seeds they want to plant for the 2024 growing season.

In addition to these shipments, the former mayor of Pignon requested the seeds of cherry tomatoes to test their suitability in that area. I was able to obtain almost 2 lb of cherry tomato seeds (red and yellow) from another friend, and mailed those to MFI, for shipment to Pignon.

Dicks goal has been to create greater self-sustainability, by residents growing their own food rather than having to purchase some of their food with their pittance of income. Now that the system has been set up, the shipment of vegetable seeds will be an annual event to our twin parishes.