Powered by the sun

By Ana Rodriguez Soto - Florida Catholic newspaper

Photography: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC

GROS MORNE | In the shadow of this “big mountain” sits an oasis — a rustic one but an oasis nevertheless where electricity is constant and even Wi-Fi is available.

Kay Jezi Mari (Jesus and Mary House) is the home of two members of the Religious of Jesus and Mary who have ministered in this part of northwest Haiti for more than a decade — Sister Jacqueline Picard and Sister Patricia Dillon.

It is also home to teams of volunteers and lay missionaries who stay for a few days, a month or a year at a time while working at the nearby hospital, the Gadyen Dlo water purification program, the reforestation initiative or educational outreach.

At Kay Jezi Mari, unlike many other places in Haiti, the faucets function, the bathrooms flush and fans take the edge off the heat at night. The secret is solar power: several large panels located on the roof of the house provide enough electricity to run computers and food freezers.

It won’t work everywhere in Haiti, said Teresita Gonzalez, director of the Miami-based lay missionary group Amor en Accion, because the solar panels tend to get stolen. But if they can be installed in a guarded place, they will make a difference in people’s lives.

Through its Global Solidarity Partnership — and thanks to a two-year, $150,000 grant from the Jessie Ball DuPont Foundation — St. Thomas University is planning to install solar panels on the rooftop of the cathedral of Port-de-Paix, Miami’s sister diocese. Students and a physical science professor from the university currently are working to retrofit the electrical system at the cathedral to allow it to run on solar energy.

“It is not only the cathedral of the area but also a community center and the hub of local life; it is where people gather and where meetings happen or (they) seek shelter from hurricanes,” said Anthony Vinciguerra, coordinator of St. Thomas University’s Center for Justice and Peace. “Having electricity that is consistent and free is a big deal.”